The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 280

blessings nre given to sinful tnen only under a dispensation of mercy which comes through II bleeding sacrifice. Now all these forms have passed away. But the principles which underlay them arn of eternal oblignUon. We trust we can see, by means of these signs, the everlastin" truths signified by them. In each of the particulars named above some permancn~ principle is enclosed. !. THE FI\UITS OF THE EARTH ARE TO BE RECEIVED BY US AS GRANTED TO US BY THE BOUNTY OF A GI\ACIOUB GoD. So commonplace, or rather so well-known, a truth is this, that it is not easy for us to picture to ourselves a time when a nation needed to have it engraven on its heart and conscience by such means as these divinely appointed festivals. Still, we cannot be unconscious of forces around us being at work which, if we suc- cumbed to them, would lead us to think of the ordinary products of the harvest-field as coming simply in due course of law, and to regard the t:lupreme Being as so remotely concerned in earth's fruitfulness, that it would be but a slight step to take to think of him as not concerned therein at all! But in no part of the sacred records is any such thinking warranted. Reason itself would lead us to suppose that, if one order of creation is higher than another, the lower was made to serve it; and conseqnently, that if man be the highest of all, that the rest is ordered to serve him. The Psalmist expressed this when he sang," Thou hast put all things under his feet." Our Lord Jesus Christ points us to the most common blessings, even to the sun and the rain, in proof of the good will of a heavenly Father. And this is at once the philosophy and the faith of a Christian. It is the conclusion of sober sense; it is the dictum of devoutness, piety, and love. "Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving- kindness of the Lord." IJ. THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH SHOULD THEREFORE BE RECEIVED WITH THA~"'KSGIVIXG. The doctrine that God is the benevolent Author of all our mercies is not to be a barren and unfruitful dogma. It is meant to call forth thankfulness. It is said of the heathen, "neither were they thankful." They did not know enough of God to understand what true thankfulness meant. But we do. He is revealed in Scripture as having such watchful concern for our good, that we may well feel an exuberance of thankful delight that our daily joys come to us from a. fountain of love. And it behoves us to pay our God the homage of grateful hearts. III. THIS THANKFULNESS SHOULD BE EXPRESSED PRACTICALLY. The truly loyal heart will need no reminder of this. Oela va sans dire. Ja.cob needed no precept to lead him to sa.y, "Of all that thou givest me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Nor, if our hearts are as sensitive as they should be to our own unworthiness and to God's loving-kindness, shall we fail to "honour the Lc,rd with our substance, and with the first- fruits of all our increase." IV. OUR GilATITUDE TO GOD SHOULD TAKE THE FORM OF UNITED WORSHIP AND SO~G. We may set apart special seasons for harvest festivals, or no, as circumstances dictate ; but certainly the Divine provision for the temporal wants of man should find gladsome acknowledgment in the social worship of a thankful people. V. A UNITED ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GoD's KINDNESS TO us ALL SHOULD HAVE TIIE EFFECT OF PilOMOTINO KINDLINESS AMONG EACH OTHEB. If God makes us glad with his loving goodness, we should make others glad with our radiant kindness (1 John iii. 17; iv. 11). The love streaming from heaven is revealed for the purpose of creating bene- volence upon earth. The blessings that come to us, unworthy as we are, from· the pure benevolence of God, should make us eager, as much as in us is, to emulate the goodne.:;s of heaven! VI. For, lastly, NOT EVEN IN THANKFULNESS TO Goo FOR COM.MON MERCIES MAY WE FORGET THEIR RELATION TO THAT DIVINE REDEMPTIVE PLAN WllOUGHT OUT BY THE GnEAT SoN OF GoD. Israel's rejoicing was to be sanctified by a. siu offering; by which we see (1) that it is only because of God's mighty redeeming work that even the natural blessings of this earthly life are ensured to us. And (2) that it is only through the sin offering that our thank offerings are accepted before God. All our thanksgiving services must take the form nnd hue thrown on them by the fact that we are guilty men, living on the mercy of a forgiving and redeeming God. God expects the acknowledgment of tbis on our part. It would be unrighteous of him not to ask it, and unjust anrl uugrate- ful of us not. to give it. Siu is in the world; and our sin has helped to make the world 278 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [cH. XVI. 1-22.