Vers. 1-11.-The dedication of thejfrstjruits. •A beautiful religious service is here associated with the dedication of the firstfruits. It was to be an act of worship. There was to be the appearance before the priest, the a.cknowledgment of God's great bounty to the forefathers as well a.s to the worshipper himself, the presentation of the firstfruits as n return of God's gifts to him, the setting of the basket before God, and the rejoicing in the Divine presence. All this is surely typical. I. JESUS CHRIST IS THE PRIEST TO WHOM WE SHOULD BRING THE FIRST~'RCTITS OF ALL oun INCREASE. In other words, we should bring our systematic beneficence before Christ, and prayerfully deal with it before him. He is the Mediator for our liberality, as well as for every other blessing. 11. \\'E NEED CHRIST'S MERITS TO RENDER OUR LIBERALITY, AS WELL i l EVERY OTHER GRACE, FRAGRANT DEFORE Goo. For we should never forget that no single grace is really fit in its naked imperfection to be presented to God. It requires to be performed with the merits of our adorable High Priest. There should be no boasting about it, as if it could stand alone. III. Oun LlllERALITY SHOULD DE THE OUTCOME OF OUR GRATITUDE FOB F..!.VOUR SHOWN TO THE FATHERS AS WELL AS TO OURSELVES. 'l'he Jew reviewed gratefully the national history, the Syrian origin, the Egyptian bondage, the Exodus, the entra.nce into Canaan, and the fruitfulness of the land of promise. All this history of God's goodness made the firstfruits simply the expression of gratitude. It is on this grace that systematic beneficence is to be built. Nowhere else can a fitting foundation bo found. IV. OUR L!DERALITY SHOULD DE ASSOCIATED WITH AN ACT OF JOYFUL WORSHIP. In no other way can liberality be sustained. " On the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God bath prospered him" (1 Cor. xvi. 2). Why on the first day of the week? Manifestly to associate tho grace with the religious services of the resurrection day. No week-day liberality will last long-it requires a Lord's day, with a.II its holy associations and sanctions, to sustain the liberality of the people . .and this saves the spirit of liberality from the grudging that is so vexatious and so DEUTERONOMY, 2& 418 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, [OIL :UVII, 1-20,
"wl,lly. 11 The Lord lovcth a cheerful giver," and so he draws the giver into his own prc>s('nrc, nnd makes him joyful there, that be may offer in his liberality a II sacrifice of i(_1Y[11lnf's~." • ·y_ 'l'HE ,JOY REACHED THROUGH LIIlERALITYIS TO BB OARRmD INTO THE BOOIAL OIRCLE, n, MAKE HOME TH\JLY HAPPY. 'l'he Jew, 'Mter presenting bis firstfruits, was to rejoice in e,cry g<iod gift of God, along with the Levite and stranger who formed part of his household. A cheerful giver is the secret or a happy homo. His relations with hie Lord beiug bright and beautiful, he brings the fragrance home.-R. M. E.
Yers. 12-19.-Looki11g up Joi· the blming. The interests of the dependent olasses, "the Le,ite, t.he stranger, the fatherless, and the widow," being com;idered and secured L_v the tithing of the third year, the Jew was directed then to look up for the Divine lilessing on the land. The tithe was first paiJ, and then the blessing sought. l. SnTEMATIC BENEFICENCE SHOULD BE THE PRELIMINARY OF SUPPLICATION FOR 01.ESSI:S-G, A'KD NOT CONDITIONED UPON IT. There is a temptation to make liberalit~· a matter of speculation, to vow a certain portion if a certain blessing is conferred. Kow, tliis may be all very well regarding what is beyond a tithe, but the tithe is a settled proportion to be promptly and gratefully paid, and the blessing can then be honestly asked when the debt to God has been di~charged. II. THE TRULY J,IBERAL WILL LOOK FOR SPIRITUAL BLESSING FOB HIS COUNTRY:, AKD KOT BE CONTEKT WITH TEMPORAL. In fact, it was revival, as we should now call it, that the Jew after bis tithing sought. And systematic beneficence should be regarded as the indisp<'nsable preliminary of revival, if Mai. iii. 10 has any meaning. It is manifest that illiberality may hinder spiritual blessing, and consequently liberality shou Id be fostered as the manifest test of sincerity regarding blessing. If one is not willing to pay his share that every hindrance of blessing may be removed, he cannot bo in e;1mest about it. lIJ. MOSES, AS THE MEDIATOR, GUARAJ-."TEES THE COVENANT BLESSINGS TO THE COVE- KAKT-KEEPING PEOPLE. God bad brought Israel out of Egypt., and was about to intro- <luce them to tbe land of promise, th11-t they might prove his "peculiar people," and be "bio-b above all nations which he bath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour," and abo;e all, be "an holy people." This was bis covenant engagement. Hence Moses ur"es them to keep the commandments God has given them with all their heart and so~l, and thev shall find how faithful God is. Obedience -is consequently to be the manifestation of their faith in God as" Faithful Promiser." If he ".t'l"C the blessings in all their fulness first, faith would have no room to !TOW and his p;oplc would be able to live well enough by sight. But when tbey are"'ask~d to obey and be blessed in and through their obedience, faith has its beautiful- s1,here.-R. M. E.
PART III. THIRD DISCOURSE OF MOSES. THE COVENANT RENEWED. GR.APTER XXVII.-CHAPTER XXX. EXPOSITION. ment of the people in Canaan, Moses prn- CHAPTER XXVII. c.eeds to dwell more pe.rticularly on the lNSTBOCTlONB Ai!, TO THE PUDLlSHING OF THE sanctions by which obedience to the Divine LAW IN CANAAN. institute we.a enforced. Before entering HAVING set forth the laws cmd rights of on these, however, ho gives some instruc- lsr&el with special reference to the settle- tions regarding the setting up 1md proclu.- en. xxvn. l-2G.J nm BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.