ncent pr0spPrt!I, nnd then have descended to die. But mountains have orten been ~el<'rl<'<l by God as the scene of grand ernnts. On the summit of a mountMn we are inspir<'<l with a sense or awe. We take in the sense of the Infinite. ,ve are con- ~trained to worship. Thence we arc already hair disposed to mount nnd sonr to h<'nn•n. This is suggestive. When through much active energy of foith we havo climbed the heights of vractical holiness, we feel that the work of .\ifo is done. Wo have fi11ished our course. There hns been stcndy advancement thus far, and now, whnt next? ·we feel thnt the ·world is bcnc.'lth our feet; and from this pinnacle of moral clention we wnit the rc<"elation or the future, we prepare for the strange transition. From such an ele'l"ation of faith, too, we clearly discern the scene of the Church's future conquests. The past is a light which irradiates the r,rospective triumphs of truth and holiness. "Much land remains to be possessed ; ' hut the assurance of rnrcest is absolnte. Already the foes of God are at our feet. "Ho must reign." IY. THE GODLY MAN'S 'DEPARTURE IS NOT TO SOLITUDE, DUT TO SOCIETY. "Thou shalt be gathered unto thy people." Whate\'er thoughts, or hopes, or fears this lnn;::uagc o[ God su;gested to Mosrs' mind, it suggests to our minds one of the charms of heaven. ". c love to think of it as a home. Next to the ecstasy which God's pr<.>sence shall inspire, is the rapture of reunion with departed friends: "In my Father's honse a.re many mansions." No question need distress us touching mutual reco.~nition. Moses and Elijah were recognized as such when they came down in :::lorified state, and conversed with Jesus on the mount. Not a faculty shall be "·,mting there which '"e possessed here. "Then shall we know, even as also we are I, nown." If men from distant climes shall "sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God," one main element of honour and of joy would be missed unless these illustrious patriarchs were known.-D.
EXPOSITION. welfare, feared they might forfeit this by CHAPTER XXXIII. their lolly and sin; and who sought, both MosES' BLESSING. by warning and by blessing, to encourage Before e.soendiug Monnt Nebo, to te.ke a them to pnrsue that course by which aloue ,·iew of the land he was not permitted to prosperity and happiness could be secured. enter and tlien to die, Moses took farewell The blessing consists of e. series of bene- of the people be had 80 long guided and dictions on the several tribes (vers. 6-25), ruled, by pronouncing on them a blessing preoeded by an introduction (vers. 1-5), and in their several tribes. This blessing we.s followed by e. conclusion (vers. 26-29). probably spoken on the same day a.s the Vere. 1-5.-Inti-oduction. The blessing song recorded in the preceding chapter, and opens with o.n allnsion to the ma.king of the to the same e.ssembly. The ot:e may be coveno.nt and the giving of the Law at Sinai, regarded o.s the connterpa.rt of the other. when the Lord revealed himself in glory Iu the song, Moses dwells chiefly on the and majesty as the King of Israel, in order c;,lamities that were to befall the people at the outset to fix the minds of the people Leeo.use of their apo,tacy ; in the blessing, on the source whence a.lone blessing could he depicts the benefits that were to be come to them. God's love to Israel is cele• enjoyed by tliem through the Divine favour. hra.tecl, and the intention and end of hie The tone of the one ia sombre and mina- choice and elevation of Israel to bu his tory ; the tone of the other ia serene o.nd people i.e declarecl. clu,ering. The one presents the darker side, Ver. 1.-Moses the man of God. This tLe other the brighter siJe, of Israel's appellation is o.pplied to Moses on!~ here fortunes. Iloth were fitting utterances for aucl in Josh. xiv. 6 ancl the henclmg of l's. xc. The phrase," mo.n of Go<l," indico.tes the occasion : tLe one the farewell warning, one favoured with Divil:e cowmuiiica.tions, the other the farewell benediction, of him and employed e.s God's messenger to me!l who hi.d so long proved them a.nd known (cf. I Be.m. ix. 6; I Kings xii. 22). In tins iheir wo.ys; who, wbilBt he desired their heo.ding, the author of the blessing is clearly CU. XllllI. 1-29.] THE nooK OJ)' JJEUTEHUl\UMY. 635