The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 193

regarding snfTering as the grie,ance rather than sin! as ir it were not tho ein which ie tlw r0, 11,Je"s bane, and the suffering consequent on it which is really thei1 gnard, thnt i hey may learn to dreRd the sin wl,ich brings such sorrow with it. And if the Great Lord_, oYer Rnd Rbove the merciful threatcnings which show the evil of sin in his sight, prondes lsrael "·ith such an intercessor as Moses, and if by virtue of his plens wi II withhold the dreaded stroke, ond for the uplifted arm of justice will show the directing and sheltermg hnnd,-both the one act and the other are joint illustrntions of thnt glorious Name, the Lord tliy God! There is no schism in the manifestation of that :Name. The terror and the kindness perfectly accord, and it is only our defective ~ight which makes them appear inharmonious in hue. The very God who guard8 Law by the holiest sanctions, has provided also in his government for the efficacy of interced- ing prayer! "He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delightl'th in mercy." 2. This medialorship of Moses is but one illustration of the working of a permanent Jaw, that God wills to be approached by his saints in prnyer on behalf of others. It were well if some were to collate the intercessory prayers in the Bible, and the passaaes which bear on the theme of pleading for others. The Apostle Paul understood the blessedness of intercessorJ'. prayer. He himself rose to a glorious height in this sublime ac_t, and J:et he declares his own dependence on and appreciation of the prayers of the s:unts. :l\or do we at all understand the priesthood of believers, till we reaard this as 011e of its special privileges, functions, and duties. Let those who "prol:ss and call themselves Christians" see to this. Let them rise to this high and holy service. Let 1 hem enter into their closets, fall on their knees, and pour out before God petitions for all. ,, e sometimes ask whether the yearning spirit of intercession is dyina out amongst us (Joel ii. IG-18). 3. This Divine law, of the power of intercessio;, has its supreme illustration in a greater than Moses (Heb. vii. 25), even _in him, of whom in so many respects Moses was a type. Human mediation may achieve much, but ah! even the men who plead most l\'ith God for others do feel most their need of One to plead for them ! There, there, at the Father's throne, is One who, having given himself a ransom for many, does present his own work as the ground on which the coming sinner may be forgiven, accepted, and saved. 4. There are three things which no intercession, either of saints on earth or of a Saviour in heaven, can secure. Why? Because in the nature of things they are impossible, and therefore for them no holy one can intercede. (1) No intercession can secure men against either the inward smart or physical consequence of committed sin, even though it may have been re- pented of and forgiven. There is nothing in the freeness of Divine grace to afford the slightest encouragement to men in playing or parleying with sin. "In the day when I ,isit, I will visit their sin upon them," is as irrevocable a law as any other. It is quite true that if the worldling, or the drunkard, or the fornicator, repents, he will obtain mercy; quite true that he will be a child of God, and will be trained for the 1-"ather's house. But-the enfeebled will, the sapped strength, the deteriorated jndg- ment, the haunted and haunting memory of evil, will abide with him, and will cast their shade over all his remaining days. The bitter taste of committed sin will come up into the soul a thousand times; and though it is true that even that will be sar,c- tified, and will prompt new prayers for restraining and renewing grace, yet., oh, how far more peaceful would lire be, if such nausea had not been made an enforced part of its experience! While no penitent need despair of merey, yet, for all that, he may v.eli dread the sins which, even after forgiveness, will "bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder"! (2) No intercession can secure pardon for sin which is not repented of and forsaken. Hence, whoever there may be who is valuing the prayers of others <Jn bis own behalf (and few, surely, would be so indifferent as to set no value_ on a father's, mother's, brother's, sister's prayers), let us remind such a one that, unless he repents of sin, those petitions will avert no sorrow, no judgment, no ruin. No; not even the atonement of Christ was ever intended to save people in sin, but from it. " God commandeth all men everywhere to repent." (3) If repentance be delayed, there may come a point beyond which no intercession will avail, because the "day of visitation" is past (see Jer. vii. 16). There is a limit beyond which ~?.t even tl,e ,·ine-dresser dares to ask for further postponement of the sentence (Luke xm. 9; see Luke xix. 41-4.4; Rev. ii. 21). ".Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salva.tion" (cf. Isa. v. 3-6). .And if after all the blended judgment and mercy in the CII. x. 1-22,; 'HIE B001{ OP DEUTEltoNOMY, 183