Vers. 1-4.-.llfoses' vision. The end of Moses, vie,ving the le.nd to which he had ~o Jong e.nd RO painfully been leading the people, yet not permitted to enter it- ,lying on th~ threshold of th~ _accomplishment of all his hopes, e.nd leaving Ca'llaan to he won by Ills subordmntc m1mster, Joshua,-has often been likened to the common fate of the highest characters in history, "removed from this earthly sceno before their work bas been appreciated, and when it will be carried 011, not by themselves, but by others." (See the deYclopment of the thought in Stanley's 'Jewish Church,' vol. i. p. 175, with the application to Lord Daeon by Macaulay.) Often, also, it has been like?e'.l to the visions of the "land beyon~ the flo?d" received through faith by dying Chnsl1ans. They, however, see a land into which they are soon to enter; Moses looked on one from which he was debarred. This vision was- I. A COMPENSATION FOR A GREAT LOSS. Not permitted to enter Canaan Moses was yet permitted to see it. His eyes were strengthened to take in the vision ~f its good- liness from north to south, from east to west. How his spirit must have feasted on the "·idesp~~:Ld prospect! This compensation,_ we remember, was won from God by prayer (eh. Ill. 23-39). Vve cannot always gam reversal of our punishment of loss• no, though we srek it carefully, with tears (Heb. xii. 17). But, while the losses remain' they may be sanctified to us, and, in answer to prayer, gracious compensations and mitigations granted. II. A PERFECTING OF HOLY RESIGNATION. Then, no doubt, while looking on that good land, and feeling that be could not enter it, would Moses have his last struggle aud conquer his last lingering wish to have it otherwise than as God willed. We kno,; how sore the struggle in his mind had been, how earnestly he had wrestled with God to have the sentence reversed (eh. iii. 23-29). But it was not to be, and Moses must learn to say, as the Greater than Moses said long after, "Not my will, but thine be done!" (Luke xxii. 42). Who doubts but that the sacrifice was made? that Moses was brought to the point of perfect aquiescence before he died? And that in truth was a greater compensation than the other. The achieving so great a spiritual victory was well worth the surrender of the land. That victory, too, would take the sting of the trial away. The worst part of a trial-nearly all that is bitter in it-is past, when we are brought to the point of embracing the Divine will in it. III. A TRANSITION TO A mGHER HOPE. Is it possible to think that Moses, iu layin"' down his life on that mountain summit, believed that he was laying it down for ever? Could he believe, after all the relations of friendship which had subsisted between him and Jehovah, in view of that land of promise from which be was debarred, and at this very moment of his greatest spiritual triumph,-tbat his death ended all? that there was no hereafter? that there was no compensation beyond ? W c may rather believe that, in this very perfecting of his soul in its holy acquiescence in the Divine will, there would spring up in his mind a holier hope-a trust and assurance that all he now surrendered would be made up to him in some better form in heaven. What we part with on earth for Christ's sake are our ultimate gains.-J. 0.
Vers. 5, 6.-Moses' d,eath and burial. Lessons from it- I. GoD WILL HAV.E NO ON.E, LIVIKG OB DEAD, TO STAND BETWEEN HIS CREATURES A?.'ll HIMSELF. "He dies apart, and is buried in secret, where his crave can be dislJOnoured by no pilgrimage, and where no false veneration can rear altars to his 1ueniury." lL GOD WISHES KEN TO SEE SOMETHING MORE LEFT OF HIS SERVANTS mAN 'IIm ocTWARD SHRINE. They had the life and words of Moses, which his shrine might have obscured. It was expedient that even Jesus should go away, that his ;;piritunl presence and the spiritual significance of his work might be fully realized (John xvi. 7). Ill. GOD TAKES THE HONOUR OF HIS SERVANTS INTO HIS OWN KEEPING. IV. GOD WOULD TEACH MEN THAT HE l!AS A RELATION TO HIS SERVANTS WHICH EXTENDS BEYOND DEATH. "Can the Maker put so disproportionate an estimate upon bis own handiwork, as carefully to store up the casket upd throw awa.y the Pfecio!JS jewel which it held?" en. XXXIV, 1-12.] THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 577
V. Goo WOULD TEACH MEN THAT HIS RE0ARD 18 NOT CONFINED TO ANY CHOSEN BOIL. " In a valley in the land of Moab." We have one more lesson from the New 'l'csto.mcnt-- VI. THAT THE BEEMIN'G FAILURE IN A TRUE LIFE MAY AT LAST HAVE A COMPLETE COMPENSATION. Moses did at last, with Elias, tread the soil of Pl\lestine, and there see " tbo King in his beauty" (Matt. xvii. 3). (Dr. John Ke:.)-J. 0.
Vore. 10-12.-The greatness of Moses. It was a greatness entirely unique. "There arose not a prophet," etc. (ver. 10). His greatness lay largely in character. As a man -in resp,ect of qualities of character-Moses was one of the greatest men who have ever lived; perhaps, all things taken together, the greatest next to Christ. But so entirely is Moses the man lost in bis relation to God as instrument of his will anrl work, that his greatness in the former respect is not in these verses even referred to. Moses is overshadowed by the God of Moses, whose power be wielded, and in whose Name alone he wrought. This greatness of Moses arose- I. FROM THE RELATION OF PEOULIAR INTIMAOY HE HELD TO Goo. "There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Mos~s, whom the Lord knew face to face'' (ver. 10). In this greatness Moses stood alone till there arose that greater Prophet, whose advent be had predicted (eh. xviii. 18). II. FROM THE GREATNESS OF HIS WORK. (Ver. 11.) He was sent to Egypt to deliver Israel. In this also a type of Christ. III. IN THE POWER OF Goo PUT FORTH THROUGH mM. (Vers. 11, 12.) True greatness therefore lies: (1) in power of near approach to God; (2) in great work done for God; and (3) in spiritual power exerted through God acting in and wit!> na. -J. 0.
DEUTERONOMY, 2 l' HOMILETICAL INDEX
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THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.