The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 501

2 (Jor, v. 14-21; Rom, v. 8). 3. Buth require, on the ground or Divine love to man, love to the redeemed brotherhood, and good will to a.ll men (1 Cor. xiii.; John iv. 10-10). IV. The commanding force of the gospel message through our Lord Jesus Christ is far greotor than that sent through Moses. True, there was terror at Sinai • there is tenderness in Calvary. Moses orders; Jesus pleads. Moses speaks in thu~derin"s - Jesus with tears. Yet must we not mistake tenderness for weakness, nor gen tlcn~s~ fur lack or authority or or power. (See the entire argument in the Epistle to thu Hebrews.) V. All that can give fullest value to this life and joy to the next, depends on ho1v we treat this message from God. "It is not a vain thing for you; it is your life" (ver. 47). The expansion of this would require many Homilies. We can but hint. I. The enjoyment of peace with God (Rom. v. 1). 2. 'l'he growth of character in holiness. 3. The true enjoyment and use of this earthly life, as families, a.s nations, as individuals depend on loyalty to God. " Godliness is profitable unto all things; ha.vino- promis; of the life that now is." 4, All our hope for the next life depends on our r~sponse to God; hence the close of the verse just quoted-" and of that which is to come." Apart from the acceptance of Jesus Christ by faith, and a life of loyalty to God, there is not n gleam of light or hope for the next life (see Heh. ii. 3). If God did not allow his message through Moses to be slighted with impunity, certainly he will not suffer men to" trample under foot the Son of God," and then leave them uopunished ! VI. What dread, what awful ~ossibilities as to the fate of immortal souls are tremblin" in the balance, while they refrain from" yielding themselves unto God"! How earnestly and frequently may we with reason reiterate the words, "It is yo11r life'' I All thac ensures life hero and hereafter being a blessing, depends on the way men treat Jesus Christ and his salvation. . VII. However many changes there may yet be in the bearers of this message, yet, down to the end of time, God will never send a greater. Moses and Joshua. The old generation passing away, the new coming on the stage. They meet and greet. The faithful an<l tried veteran passes on the word. The younger messenger, with solem1l vow to God before his brother man, receives it, and swears before high heaven that he will maintain the message unimpaired, and in his turn "commit it to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." "Thus shall the bright succession run, Till the last courses of the sun." Vars. 48-52,-Death immediately in view. The utterance of the sublime song which we have just treated on, was the last recorded public act of Moses. His work is all but done. He receives an intimation that the time is nigh at hand for him to "go up and die." The circumstances which gather round that death are most su,rgestive. The following passages should be compared together :-Numb. xx. 12; xxvii. 12-H; eh. i. 37; iii. 23-28; iv. 21, 22; Ps. cvi. 32. Historically, the following poiots are indicated in this paragraph :-1. Moses recognized the call to die, as well as the call to work, as from God ; ver. 48, " The Lord spake," etc. 2. His joy in death would be checked by the remembrance of fo.ults in life (ver. 51). It is by no means clear to us why so severe a sentence was imposed on Moses for one outburst of temper. Dr. Jameson suuuests that there may have been other circumstances, which are unrecorded, to account f~~ it. Possibly, however, the phrases, "for your sal:es," "for their sakes," furnish a clue to the reason. The people might need thus to be guarded against pre- sumptuous sin. 3. Visions of the glorious land in store for God's people would Le granted him ere he quitted the earth. His joy would be rich, though not unalloyed (ver. 52). 4. 'l'he wo.rk which he had thus far carried forward must b_e complet~d by other haods. This is implied, and elsewhere expressed. 5. Moses, hke the samts of God who went before him, must plunge into the unknown realm. He must "be gathered unto his people" as Aaron had been ( ver. 50). 6. He would do so under the eye of the same God wbor:i he so Ion" bad served. Till the very last he lives iu fellowship with God. At the Inst he will die in fello,vship with him. No Christion expositor can fail to take note of the different aspect which death has DEU1.'EB0:80MY. 2L  THE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [err. XllIT, 1-62,