Arr1,TCATJON. 'I'he pa.asage ahoWI! us the omniscient regard of God aurvcylng llll lbc sons of men, and the power of God defeating the counsels of rebels and foes, delivering the righteoWI from oppreuion, vindicating the oauee of truth and obe<lience. 'l'hc sway of t,hc :O,upreme ex~nds _throughout the univerBe; and however we may bo perplexed and haffied by ~cemmg disorder, we may be assured that the sceptre of righteousness Is the RCcptre of God's kingdom, and that every enemy shall be put beneath hi.I feet.-'I'. Ver. 14-.-" The valley of d,eci,io,n.," A learned and interesting book has been written upon • The Decisive Battles of the World.' Often in the long history of man- kind, the fate of races, of empires, as well as that of kings and heroes, bas been settled upon the battle-field. Decisive conflicts often occur in the region of thought and belief,_in the region of personal influence, where there is nothing to attract general at~nuon. But ev~n more ov~rlooked and unnoticed is the perpetual Divine judgment which takes place m human life and human HOciety; and even more forgotten is the <lay of judg-ment, which revelation assures us shall surely come. Not denying that there_ may be in ~bis verse a reference to some special historical incident, we may yet take 1t 86 conveying a great and solemn truth applicable to the moral life of humanity. 1. LAW AND RETRIBUTION ABE PRESENT AS PERPETUAL FACTORS IN HUMAN HIBTORY, 1. Nations are judged by their works. What is stated in this chapter regarding Judah, Tyre, Sidon, and the Gentile nations that surrounded Palestine, is not true of them alone. God is the Ruler of the nations. National error and crime are visited by Divine penalties, and the nationa that endure probation are exalted to honour and to sway. History is now better understood than formerly, and it has become growingly evident that deep-seated moral causes underlie and explain the changes, the rise, the decline, the fall, of peoples. 2. Individual life is equally the province of God's retribu- tive government. " Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap;" "The wicked shall not go unpunished." His prosperity shall not last for ever; it shall be seen that there is a Judge in the earth. We, indeed, have no right to set ourselves up as infallible interpreters of the ways of God; we have no right to infer from particular sufferings particular sins; but the fact of God's moral rule we cannot question, and we should never for a moment forget. IJ. THOUGH RETRIBUTION BE DEFERRED, 1TB ACTION wn.L NOT BE EVADED; FOB THE vAY OF THE Lonn 1B liJ!:A.B.. L Men's conscience assures them that, although for a IIC8llon they may escape the deserved penalties due to their misdeeds, a time of reckon- iog shall come, and that soon. 2. The reflections to which events constrain us, and which lead us to consider the course and order of Divine Providence, cannot but induce a belie,[ that the inequalities of this world will be redressed hereafter; that alt~ough vice and virtue may not here meet with their recompense, that recompense will be accorded hereafter. 3. Revelation comes in to make the/robability a certainty. The llebrcw prophets seem to point on to a day of the Lor , in which the inequalities of this life shall be corrected, in which the truth shall be made manifest, in which every man i;hall receive according to his works. Indeed, the future judgment occupied a more prominent position in the preaching and teaching of the apostles than it usually holds in Christian teaching at the present time. In that day, for which all days were made, multitudes shall be gathered in the valley of decision; the righteous Judge shall admi- niHter his awful functions in the sublimest publicity, and upon principles of unques- tionable rectitude. Happy ill the Christian who can look forward with equ!lnimity and hope to the day when "every man shall receive hill praise from God."-T. Ver. 16.-'.IV.e Lord hi., p«>p'W• Hope and Strength. The prospect of t~e day of the Lord is to the einf11l fraught with dread and with dismay. 'l'o them the Jndgment brings the delayed condemnation, and therefore t~e very thoug~t of it is aseoc~~d with alarm. Bnt the language of this verse reminds us how differently the Divine appearance and interposition a.re regarded by the true people of God. I. THE n1GHT.EOt111 LonD 18 T.HE HABBOUB AJII) THE HoPE oF ms PEOPLE •. 1. 'l'hel ban, need of a Divine and 110Cure refuge and confidence. 2. They have received Gode revelation of himself, and are accordingly able to trust and rest in him. 3. An~ th11s tlH.: expectation which brings to others consternation, brings to them a tranqml cvufid<=llCc. err. m. 1-21.J THE BOOK OF JOEL. 61
II. 'l'Rl!l Ril1HTEOUB LoRD If! TIIPl 8TaENOTR 01' BIB PEOPT,P:. 1. 1.'hiH !\HHUranco supports them when conecious of their own feebleness. 2. Anrl 1vhen convinced by BXperionce of the compe.rntlve strength of their enemiea. 3. 'l'o them the pr,w(,r r,f God IH o. welcome thought; for the irresistible might, which oth<Jrs fear b1Jca11He it ensureH their defeat and deHtructlon, will be exercised by a faithful God for the pro- tection and preservation of all who trust in him.--'!'.
Ver. 17.-The Lord's holy dwelling-plaa. When J~ruealem was entered by hoKtile Brmies, it mwit have been to the Jewd a sore amazement anti trouble to behold the sanctuary of God profaned. The city was a holy city, and the temple w~s a holy building. National disaster involved the profanation of what wae justly regarded as "holinees unto the Lord." L THE TnUE JEJJ.UBALEU 18 THE OONBECBATED CRUBCB OJI' Ca&IBT. In the eltier dispensation certain places were holy. But the Christian religion has taught UH that holiness is not local, ceremonial, or official. True holiness is of the heart. Hence the spiritual temple is that constructed of living stones. The true JerUBa!em is the city composed of renewed and sanctified citizens and subjects of the new and spiritual kingdom. II. TrrE PBESBNCE 011' THE LORD OONBECBATEB A1'D BLESSES Zrmr. Hie omnipresence is not to be questioned. But the presence of his approval, his favour, his love, is peculiar to hie own chosen abode. In his holy mountain, the Church of his Son, God ever dwells as in a congenial residence. His presence diffuses purity, confidence, and joy. Ill. THE INDWELLING OF THE LORD BANISHES FBOM THE BPIBITUAL JEBUBALEU ALL THAT COULD INJUBE 0B DEGRADE. The presence of the foreigner contaminated and defiled the holy dwelling-place of the Eternal. As such invasion wae loathed by patriotic and pious Jews, we can understand how welcome was the assnrance that strangers should no more pass through the city. The perfection of the save,l and glorified Church of God involves its freedom from all that is uncongenial and inhar- monious. There shall in no wise enter into heaven" anything that defileth."-T.