The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 421

!'it her one or the other. And so, before the Holy Land is taken possession of, they aro rPmind<'<l how very much the realization of the promises of temporal good depends on what they nre. We cannot be too frequently reminde<l of the fact, however, that, I hough 1m·ma facie this chaptrr looks as if people were then under Law; yet H was not ~n in reality. They were l1eing e<lucnted by the Law; but under it tho Abrnhamic promise lay as firm as granite (G11l. iii. 17). This is seen by the fact that God speaks to them as their God. This was of his free grace. But, though this educatory law is hascd on grace, grace must bring "·ith it its own law. Grace never gives the reins to lawlessness. But it teaches us that one of the motive forces by which God would qnicken men to righteousness and educate them in it, is found in showing them that his proYidential arrangements are such that the shaping of their earthly destiny is, in some Fort, in their own hands. "Of their earthly destiny," we say. For it is a well-known fact that l\Ioses seldom, if ever, refers to the next state of being. The rewards and punishments known to the Pentateuch arc almost entirely connected with this earthly ~tatc. Of course, there is nothing like a denial of 11 life beyond the grave. Ilut it did not fall "ithin the scope of the revelation given through Moses that another world should be brought clearly into view. ,ve doubt not that there was mercy as well as wisdom in this aTTangement; the people had as much revealed to them as they could hear, and more than they knew bow to improve. There is a world of deep meaning in the disclosure of the laws of God's providence which are unfolded to them here. One would think that such promises as are made to the obedient would have been enough to win them to follow the will of God; and that the long-continued, terrific, appalling ~tatcment of "·hat would follow on their disobedience would have been enough to dissuade them by "the terrors of the nord" from venturing on the highway of evil. It would be easy to write a separate Homily on e.ach verse in this paragraph, but, with such expansion, our work would extend to a most inordinate length. We will but ~uzgcst, and leave the expansion to others. We have but one more proviso to mako before coming to our main divisions; that is this: Barring the special complexion here given to the chapter, owing to the peculiar feature of Israel's national constitution, the main laws of providential administration which were disclosed by Moses are still in force. Even now it is true, "Godliness is profitable unto all things: having promise of the life that now is." And this is the truth which, in varied forms, is set forth here. Let us observe- !. A MAK'S EARTHLY DESTINY IS, IN SOME SORT, IN HIS OWN HANDS. (Vers. 1, 2.) " lJ thou shall hearken to the voice ef the Lord thy God," such and such blessings shall "come upon thee, and overtake thee." If Israel sought success for its own sake, irre- ~pectively of the rightness or wrongness of any methods adopted to secure it, there would be no guarantee whatever of their securing the end at which they aimed; and c,·en if they should, the results would be fraught with evil; for "the prosperity of fools would destroy them." But if their supreme, their sole aim, was to do right, to serve and please the Lord, then the Divine blessing would be sure to follow them. " 'Tis ours to obey, 'tis his to provide." If we do right, and leave the issues with God, we shall not be left without tokens of his approving smile (Matt. vi. 33). There may he large temporal gains, or there may not; but, with the much or with the little, that blessinz will come which maketh rich; and he addeth no sorrow therewith. II. THE BLESSING ENJOYED BY TIIE OBEDIENT MAN WILL BEST ON EVERYTHING WHICH LE HAS, A1''"D WILL FOLLOW Hill EVERYWHERE, Let·every clause in the paragraph be separately wei~hed. Would we set this in gospel light, if any one were to ask tho question, "What are the signs of God's blessing which God's faithful ones enjoy, even in this life?" we would enumerate six of them. 1. They have peace with God through the Lord Jesus CLrist. 2. They have a clear conscience; they know that the aim of pleasing God is right, whatever difficulties it may involve. 3. .['hey enjoy what they Lave as from God, and as the loving gifts of a l<'ather's hand. 4. If much be given, they delight to use it for God. 5. If little be theirs, they know that a little that a rigl,teous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 6. And, above all, tl,e supreme proof of God's blessing is that gains and losses, joys and cares, health a1,d sickness, do "all work t-:igether for good" to them ; they minister to the growth of character, and help to make them better, wiser, and holier men. ill. THERE IS A SPECIAL LAW OF GoD's PROVIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT WWOll ENSURES on, xxvm. t-68,] THE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, 433