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Joshua Chapter
Thirteen
Joshua 13
Chapter Contents
Bounds of the land not yet conquered. (1-6) Inheritance
of Reuben. (7-33)
Commentary on Joshua 13:1-6
(Read Joshua 13:1-6)
At this chapter begins the account of the dividing of the
land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel by lot; a narrative showing the
performance of the promise made to the fathers
that this land should be given
to the seed of Jacob. We are not to pass over these chapters of hard names as
useless. Where God has a mouth to speak
and a hand to write
we should find an
ear to hear
and an eye to read; and may God give us a heart to profit! Joshua
is supposed to have been about one hundred years old at this time. It is good
for those who are old and stricken in years to be put in remembrance of their
being so. God considers the frame of his people
and would not have them
burdened with work above their strength. And all people
especially old people
should set to do that quickly which must be done before they die
lest death
prevent them
Ecclesiastes 9:10. God promise that he would
make the Israelites masters of all the countries yet unsubdued
through Joshua
was old
and not able to do it; old
and not likely to live to see it done.
Whatever becomes of us
and however we may be laid aside as despised
broken
vessels
God will do his own work in his own time. We must work out our
salvation
then God will work in us
and work with us; we must resist our
spiritual enemies
then God will tread them under our feet; we must go forth to
our Christian work and warfare
then God will go forth before us.
Commentary on Joshua 13:7-33
(Read Joshua 13:7-33)
The land must be divided among the tribes. It is the will
of God that every man should know his own
and not take that which is
another's. The world must be governed
not by force
but right. Wherever our
habitation is placed
and in whatever honest way our portion is assigned
we
should consider them as allotted of God; we should be thankful for
and use
them as such
while every prudent method should be used to prevent disputes
about property
both at present and in future. Joshua must be herein a type of
Christ
who has not only conquered the gates of hell for us
but has opened to
us the gates of heaven
and having purchased the eternal inheritance for all
believers
will put them in possession of it. Here is a general description of
the country given to the two tribes and a half
by Moses. Israel must know
their own
and keep to it; and may not
under pretence of their being God's
peculiar people
encroach on their neighbours. Twice in this chapter it is
noticed
that to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance: see Numbers 18:20. Their maintenance must be brought
out of all the tribes. The ministers of the Lord should show themselves
indifferent about worldly interests
and the people should take care they want
nothing suitable. And happy are those who have the Lord God of Israel for their
inheritance
though little of this world falls to their lot. His providences
will supply their wants
his consolations will support their souls
till they
gain heavenly joy and everlasting pleasures.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Joshua》
Joshua 13
Verse 1
[1] Now
Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him
Thou art old
and stricken in years
and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Thou art old —
Therefore delay not to do the work which I have commanded thee to do. It is
good for those that are stricken in years
to be remembered that they are so:
that they may be quickened to do the work of life
and prepare for death which
is coming on apace.
Verse 2
[2] This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines
and all Geshuri
Remaineth —
Unconquered by thee
and to be conquered by the Israelites
if they behave
themselves aright.
All Geshuri — A
people in the northeast of Canaan
as the Philistines are on the southwest.
Verse 3
[3] From
Sihor
which is before Egypt
even unto the borders of Ekron northward
which
is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites
and
the Ashdothites
the Eshkalonites
the Gittites
and the Ekronites; also the
Avites:
Counted to the Canaanites — That is
which though now possessed by the Philistines
who drove out
the Canaanites the old inhabitants of it
Deuteronomy 2:23; Amos 9:7
yet is a part of the land of Canaan
and therefore belongs to the Israelites.
The Avites —
Or
the Avims
as they are called
Deuteronomy 2:23
who though they were expelled
out of their ancient seat
and most of them destroyed by the Caphtorims or
Philistines
as is there said
yet many of them escaped
and planted themselves
not very far from the former.
Verse 4
[4] From
the south
all the land of the Canaanites
and Mearah that is beside the
Sidonians
unto Aphek
to the borders of the Amorites:
From the south —
That is
from those southern parts of the sea-coast
now possessed by the
Philistines
all the more northern parts of the sea-coast being yet inhibited
by the Canaanites
almost as far as Sidon.
The Amorites —
The Amorites were a very strong and numerous people
and we find them dispersed
in several parts
some within Jordan
and some without it
some in the south
and others in the north
of whom he speaks here.
Verse 6
[6] All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim
and all the Sidonians
them will I drive out from before the children of
Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance
as I
have commanded thee.
Will I drive out —
Whatever becomes of us
however we may be laid aside as broken vessels
God
will do his work in his own time. I will do it by my word; so the Chaldee here
as in many other places: by the eternal word
the captain of my host. But the
promise of driving them out from before the children of Israel
supposes that
the Israelites must use their own endeavours
must go up against them. If
Israel
thro' sloth or cowardice let them alone
they are not likely to be
driven out. We must go forth on our Christian warfare
and then God will go
before us.
Verse 8
[8] With
whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance
which
Moses gave them
beyond Jordan eastward
even as Moses the servant of the LORD
gave them;
Which Moses gave them — By my command
and therefore do not thou disturb them in their
possessions
but proceed to divide the other possessions to the rest.
Verse 9
[9] From
Aroer
that is upon the bank of the river Arnon
and the city that is in the
midst of the river
and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon;
Medeba unto Dibon —
Two cities anciently belonging to the Moabites
and taken from them by the
Amorites
Numbers 21:30
and from them by the Israelites;
and after the Israelites were gone into captivity
recovered by the first
possessors
the Moabites.
Verse 11
[11] And
Gilead
and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites
and all mount
Hermon
and all Bashan unto Salcah;
And Maacathites —
Whose land God had given to the Israelites without Jordan
though they had not
yet used the gift of God
nor taken possession of it
as is noted
verse 13.
Verse 12
[12] All
the kingdom of Og in Bashan
which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei
who
remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite
and cast them
out.
These did Moses smite — Not all now mentioned
but Sihon and Og
and their people
and the
generality of them.
Verse 14
[14] Only
unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God
of Israel made by fire are their inheritance
as he said unto them.
He gave —
That is
Moses.
None inheritance —
Namely
in the land beyond Jordan
where yet a considerable part of the Levites
were to have their settled abode. This is mentioned as the reason both why
Moses gave all that land to the Reubenites and Gadites and Manassites; and why
Joshua should divide the land only into nine parts and an half
as was said
verse 7
because Levi was otherwise provided for.
Made by fire —
Which are here put for all the sacrifices and oblations
including first-fruits
and tithes
that were assigned to the Levites; and this passage is repeated
to
prevent those calumnies and injuries which God foresaw the Levites were likely
to meet with
from the malice
envy and covetousness of their brethren.
Verse 15
[15] And
Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to
their families.
According to their families — Dividing the inheritance into as many parts as they had families; but
this is only spoken of the greater families; for the lesser distributions to
the several small families was done by inferior officers
according to the
rules which Moses gave them.
Verse 19
[19] And
Kirjathaim
and Sibmah
and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley
In the mount of the valley — In the mountain bordering upon that valley
which then was famous among
the Israelites; whether that where Moses was buried
which was near to
Beth-peor
Deuteronomy 34:1
6
or some other. And this
clause is thought to belong to all the cities now mentioned.
Verse 21
[21] And
all the cities of the plain
and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites
which reigned in Heshbon
whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian
Evi
and
Rekem
and Zur
and Hur
and Reba
which were dukes of Sihon
dwelling in the
country.
Cities of the plain —
Opposed to the cities of the mountain of the valley.
All the kingdom of Sihon — A great part of it; in which sense we read of all Judea
and all the
region round about Jordan
Matthew 3:5
and all Galilee
Matthew 4:23.
Whom Moses smote —
Not in the same time or battle
as appears by comparing Numbers 21:23
24
with Numbers 31:8
but in the same manner. And they
are here mentioned
partly because they were slain not long after
and upon the
same occasion
even their enmity against Israel; and partly because of their
relation and subjection to Sihon.
Dukes of Sihon —
But how could they be so
when they were kings of Midian? Numbers 31:8. There were divers petty kings in
those parts
who were subject to greater kings; and such these were
but are
here called dukes or princes of Sihon
because they were subject and
tributaries to him
and therefore did one way or other assist Sihon in this
war
though they were not killed at this time. It is probable
that when Sihon
destroyed those Moabites which dwelt in these parts
he frighted the rest of
them
and with them their neighbours and confederates
the Midianites
into
some kind of homage
which they were willing to pay him.
Dwelling in the country — Heb. inhabiting that land
namely Midian
last mentioned; whereby he
signifies
that tho' they were subject to Sihon
yet they did not dwell in his
land
but in another.
Verse 22
[22]
Balaam also the son of Beor
the soothsayer
did the children of Israel slay
with the sword among them that were slain by them.
Were slain by them —
This was recorded before
Numbers 31:8
and is here repeated
because the
defeating of Balaam's purpose to curse Israel
and the turning that curse into
a blessing
was such an instance of the power and goodness of God
as was fit
to be had in everlasting remembrance.
Verse 23
[23] And
the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan
and the border thereof. This
was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families
the cities
and the villages thereof.
The border thereof —
That is
those cities or places which bordered upon Jordan.
Verse 25
[25] And
their coast was Jazer
and all the cities of Gilead
and half the land of the
children of Ammon
unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;
The cities of Gilead — That is
all the cities of eminency; all the cities properly so called
which lay in that part of Gilead; and so this may well agree with verse 31
where half the country of Gilead is said to
be given to the Manassites; but there is no mention of any cities there.
The land of the children of Ammon — Not of that which was now theirs
for that they were forbidden to meddle
with
but of that which was anciently theirs
'till taken from them by the
Amorites
from whom the Israelites took it.
Aroer —
The border between them and Moab.
Rabbah —
The chief city of the Ammonites.
Verse 26
[26] And
from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh
and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border
of Debir;
Ramath-mizpeh —
Called Ramoth-Gilead
or Ramoth in Gilead.
Mahanaim —
Exclusively; for Mahanaim was in the portion of Manasseh
beyond Jabbok
which
was the border of Gad and Manasseh.
Verse 27
[27] And
in the valley
Betharam
and Bethnimrah
and Succoth
and Zaphon
the rest of
the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon
Jordan and his border
even unto the edge
of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.
The rest of the kingdom — The northern part of his kingdom.
Verse 29
[29] And
Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the
possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
Of Manasseh —
Not that thou desired it
as Reuben and Gad did
Numbers 32:1
but partly as a recompence to
Machir the Manassite
for his valiant acts against Og; and partly for the
better defence of the other two tribes
by so considerable an accession to
them
which also was without any inconvenience to them
because the country was
too large for the two tribes of Reuben and Gad.
Verse 30
[30] And
their coast was from Mahanaim
all Bashan
all the kingdom of Og king of
Bashan
and all the towns of Jair
which are in Bashan
threescore cities:
Of Jair —
Who
though of the tribe of Judah
by the father
1 Chronicles 2:21
22
yet is called the son of
Manasseh
Numbers 32:41
because he married a daughter of
Manasseh
and wholly associated himself with those valiant Manassites; and with
their help took sixty cities or great towns
Deuteronomy 3:4
14
which thence were called the
towns of Jair.
Verse 31
[31] And
half Gilead
and Ashtaroth
and Edrei
cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan
were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh
even to the
one half of the children of Machir by their families.
Children of Machir —
Whom before he called the children of Manasseh
he now calls the children of
Machir
because Machir was the most eminent
and as it may seem
the only
surviving son of Manasseh
Numbers 26:29; 1 Chronicles 7:14-16.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Joshua》
13 Chapter 13
Verses 1-33
Thou art old and stricken in years.
Joshua’s old age
“The Lord said unto Joshua
Thou art old and stricken in years.”
To many men and women this would not be a welcome announcement. They do not
like to think that they are old. They do not like to think that the bright
joyous
playful part of life is over
and that they are arrived at the sombre
years when they must say
“There is no pleasure in them.” Then
again
there
are some who really find it hard to believe that they are old. Life has flown
past so swiftly that before they thought it was well begun it has gone. But
however much men may like to be young
and however much some may retain in old
age of the feeling of youth
it is certain that the period of strength has its
limit
and the period of life also
To Joshua the announcement that he was old
and stricken in years does not appear to have brought any painful or regretful
feeling. Perhaps he had aged somewhat suddenly; his energies may have failed
consciously and rapidly
after his long course of active and anxious military
service. He may have been glad to hear God utter the word; he may have been
feeling it himself
and wondering how he should be able to go through the campaigns
yet necessary to put the children of Israel in full possession of the land. So
Joshua finds that he is now to be relieved by his considerate Master of
laborious and anxious service. Not of all service
but of exhausting service
unsuited to his advancing years. Joshua had been a right faithful servant; few
men have ever done their work so well. He has led a most useful and loyal life
which there is some satisfaction in looking back on. No doubt he is well aware
of unnumbered failings: “Who can understand his errors?” But he has the rare
satisfaction--oh! Who would not wish to share it?--of looking back on a
well-spent life
habitually and earnestly regulated amid many infirmities by
regard to the will of God. Yet Joshua was not to complete that work to which he
had contributed so much: “there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.”
At one time
no doubt
he thought otherwise
and he desired otherwise. When the
tide of victory was setting in for him so steadily
and region after region of
the land was falling into his hands
it was natural to expect that before he
ended he would sweep all the enemies of Israel before him
and open every door
for them throughout the land
even to its utmost borders. Why not make hay when
the sun shone? When God had found so apt an instrument for His great design
why did He not employ him to the end? If the natural term of Joshua’s strength
had come
why did not that God who had supernaturally lengthened out the day
for completing the victory of Bethhoron lengthen out Joshua’s day
that the
whole land of Canaan might be secured? Here comes in a great mystery of
Providence. Instead of lengthening out the period of Joshua’s strength
God
seems to have cut it short. We can easily understand the lesson for Joshua
himself. Joshua must be made to feel--perhaps he needs this--that this
enterprise is not his
but God’s. And God is not limited to one instrument
or to
one age
or to one plan. Never does Providence appear to us so strange as when
a noble worker is cut down in the very midst of his work. A young missionary
has just shown his splendid capacity for service
when fever strikes him low
and in a few days all that remains of him is rotting in the ground. “What can
God mean?” we sometimes ask impatiently. “Does He not know the rare value and
the extreme scarcity of such men
that He sets them up apparently just to throw
them down?” But “God reigneth
let the people tremble.” All that bears on the
Christian good of the world is in God’s plan
and it is very dear to God
and
“precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” But He is not
limited to single agents. (W. G. Blaikie
D. D.)
God takes note of our
failing strength
He says
concerning this man and that
Grey hairs are here and
there upon him
and he knoweth it not. About some supposedly strong men
He
says
They are wearing out; they are old at forty; at fifty they will be
patriarchal
so far as the exhaustion of strength is concerned; they will die
young in years
but old in service. God’s work does take much out of a man
if
the man is faithful. A man may pray himself into a withered old age in one
night: in one little day a man may add years to his labour. We can work
off-handedly: the work need not take much out of us; but if we think about it
ponder it
execute it with both hands--if it is the one thought of the soul
who can tell how soon the strongest man may be run out
and the youngest become
a white-haired patriarch? But blessed is it to be worked out in this service. A
quaint minister of the last century said
“It is better to rub out than to rust
out.” How many are content to “rust out”! They know nothing about friction
sacrifice
self-slaughter
martyrdom. (J. Parker
D.D.)
There remaineth yet very
much land to be possessed.
Unconquered territory
I. Revealed truth
yet to be learned. We have not yet secured all the sacred knowledge which God
has made possible
and which it would be profitable for us to acquire. Here is
this book set out before us
the great region of revealed religion. May we not
say that “there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed”? Who among us is
familiar with all its histories
is acquainted with all its facts
knows all
its truths
has seen all its beauties
or learned all its lessons? Some of you
have been through the pass of Llanberis--perhaps twenty times. Did you ever see
it twice alike? Always the same thing; and yet a different appearance
because
seen under different circumstances. If you were to go through it twenty times
twenty times
it would never appear twice alike. The light would be falling on
it at different angles
and thus make a difference. On a cloudy day you would
see something you did not see on a bright day
and on a rainy day you would see
something you did not see on a fine day. It is thus with this book. You say
that you read the Bible through last year
and you ask
“What is to be gained
by reading it through again this year?” Have you the same hopes? the same joys?
the same sorrows? the same aspirations? the same motives? and the same experiences?
I care not how often you have read it
you have never read it as you feel now
with your present experience and in your present circumstances.
II. A holy
character to be acquired. There remaineth much of that to be possessed. Men in
ancient times had not a Divine standard to measure themselves by
or a Divine
pattern to contrast themselves with
and learn how deficient they were and full
of blemishes. We have had a perfect pattern set before us. In the life of our
Lord Jesus Christ we have the map of the good land; see it in its length and
breadth
and realise how true it is that there are glorious portions of it over
which our flag has not floated
provinces which we have not made our own.
III. Christian
usefulness. I am not going to slander the Christian Church
and tell you that
former times were better than these. There is nothing gained by telling lies
for God. If you want to quicken God’s people you must not talk as if the Church
were more sleepy now than it ever was before. I do not believe it. As I read
ecclesiastical history
I cannot find many periods when the Church
as a whole
was more vigorous and devoted than now. Let us not ignore what God has done for
us
and enabled us to do. “Not unto us
but unto Him be the praise and glory.”
But when we take into account all that has been done and all that has been
attempted against the world’s ignorance
vice
and ungodliness
may we not
still say
“There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed”? It is not the
season for slothfulness
selfishness
or prayerlessness; the call is urgent and
great. “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” Why did God keep
His people to that struggle? He gave the people the land
and then they had to
fight for it. They crossed the Jordan with the best title-deeds man ever
possessed; they came from heaven
they were given by Him to whom all the earth
belongs. The title-deed of the people said
“The land is yours”; and after God
had given it to them they had to buckle on the sword
sharpen the spear
and go
and win every acre of it. This is God’s way--He gives it to you
and yet He
says
“Get it; work it out with fear and trembling.” Why does He treat us so? I
cannot tell; but this I know
that if we cease to work the powers of evil never
will. (Charles Vince.)
The Christian’s work
Canaan
though commonly used as a type of heaven
is
in some of
its aspects
a type rather of a state of grace than of a state of glory. And
taking this view of it
I remark that--
I. Canaan
as the
Israelites found it
represents the state of man’s heart when the grace of God
enters it. Think of a soul like thine
made at first in the image of God; a
being such as thou art
once occupying a rank in creation next to and but a
little lower than that of angels; a heart like thine which
though blighted by
sin
still retains some traces of departed glory
alienated from the true God
held captive of the devil
ruled by unholy passions
full of corruptions as
difficult to root out as were these sons of Anak who
in Goliath and his giant
race
disturbed the peace of Israel and defied the armies of the living God
many long years after the land was
in a sense
both conquered and possessed.
The Hebrews did not enter Canaan to find an empty land
which they had nothing
to do but to occupy; nor does Jesus
when He enters our heart by His Spirit and
saving grace. It is in possession of His enemies. They are there to dispute His
rights
and resist His entrance--sons of Anak
indeed; more formidable still;
for giant sins are less easily conquered than giant men.
II. The blessings
of the kingdom of grace
like those of Canaan
have to be fought for. Bring out
every sin before the Lord
and let it be condemned to death; pass the sword of
the Spirit through and through it
till it has breathed out its cursed life
and has no more dominion over you. As the apostle says
“Let him that nameth
the name of Christ depart from alliniquity.” Beware how you leave innate
corruption and old sinful habits to draw down on you the anger of a holy God
and the afflictions threatened on Israel (Numbers 33:55).
III. The most
advanced Christian has much to do in the way of sanctification. How truly may
it be said to the most experienced
aged
honoured Christian
as the Lord said
to Joshua
“Thou art old and well stricken in years
and yet there is much land
to be possessed. Sin still has more or less power over you
and it should have
none; your corruptions are wounded
dying of mortal wounds
but they are not
yet dead; your affections are set on heaven
yet how much are they still
entangled with earthly things; your heart
like the needle of a sailor’s
compass to its pole
points to Christ
but how easily is it disturbed
how
tremblingly and unsteadily does it often point to Him; your spirit has wings
but how short are its flights
and how often
like a half-fledged eaglet
has
it to seek the nest
and come back to rest on the Rock of Ages; your soul is a
garden in which
when north and south winds blow to call out its spices
Christ
delights to walk
but with many a beautiful flower
how many vile weeds are
there--ready to spring up
and ill to keep down; requiring constant care and
watching.” Indeed
so many impurities and imperfections cleave to the best of
us
that it seems to me a change must take place at death only second to what
took place at conversion. How that is done is a mystery which we cannot fathom;
but it would seem as if grace
like that species of cereus which opens its gorgeous flower only
at midnight burst out into fullest beauty amid the darkness of a dying hour. (T.
Guthrie
D. D.)
The uncompleted work
There is much land to be possessed in--
I. The knowledge
of God. Columbus was not content to pick up a few shells on the beach of the
new world--he explored the continent; alas! we are too soon satisfied with
coasting for a little on that great continent of the Divine nature.
II. The study of
the bible. Christians are too prone to keep to the beaten tracks; they do not
make excursions into less familiar paths; some pages well thumbed
others clean
and uncut.
III. Christian
character. Canaan was occupied by seven nations of ugly names; but our hearts
and lives are cursed by still uglier things. We must not be content until all
these are brought under obedience to Christ.
IV. The heathen
world. (F. B. Meyer
B. A.)
On progress in religion
Christians
God has assigned you a glorious portion. Opening
before you the discoveries of revelation
He said
“Make all this your own;
advance; leave nothing unpossessed.” At first you were filled with spiritual
ardour
“laying aside every weight
” &c. But
alas! your love has waxen cold.
I. Yes
Christians
there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed--many cities and strongholds
many
fine plains
and “springs of water
” many beautiful valleys
and very “fruitful
hills”--or
to speak less in figure
much of your religion is unattained
unoccupied
unenjoyed; you are far from its boundaries. Very little of it
indeed do some of you possess; you command only a small
inconsiderable corner
scarcely affording you a subsistence.
1. Consider your knowledge. After so many years of hearing
what
additions have you made to your stores? Are you filled with holy prudence to
ponder “the path of your feet
” to “look well to your goings
” and to discern
snares where there is no appearance-of danger? Do you “walk circumspectly; not
as fools
but as wise”?
2. Observe your holiness. For the knowledge of persons may surpass
their experience; and a growth in gifts is very distinguishable from a growth
in grace. Review
then
your sanctification; and suffer me to ask
Have you no
remaining corruptions to subdue? Is your obedience universal
unvarying
cheerful? Have you fully imbibed the tempers of your religion? Are there no
deficiencies perceivable in every grace
in every duty?
3. Think of your privileges. It is the privilege of Christians to be
“careful for nothing.” It is the privilege of Christians to “enter into rest.”
It is the privilege of Christians to “have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ.” It is the privilege of Christians to “count it all joy when they
fall into divers temptations; and to glory in tribulation also.” And all this
has been exemplified. Men have “received the gospel in much affliction
with
joy of the Holy Ghost: they have taken pleasure in infirmities
in reproaches
in necessities
in persecutions
in distresses
for Christ’s sake”; they have
“taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods”; they have approached the flames
with rapture; they have loved and longed for “His appearing”--but where are
you? Always in darkness and alarms
&c. Do you belong to the same company?
II. Whence is this?
Why will you suffer all this remaining religion to be unpossessed? How shall I
awaken you from your negligence
and convince you of the propriety and
necessity of making fresh and continual advances?
1. I place before you the commands of God. You are forbidden to draw
back; you are forbidden to be stationary. Something more is necessary than languid
partial
occasional
temporary progression. You are required to be “steadfast
unmovable
always abounding in the work of the Lord”; to “add to your faith
virtue
” &c.
2. I surround you with all the images employed by the sacred writers
when they would describe the nature of a religious life. For which of them does
not imply progress
and remind us of the importance of undiminished ardour and
increasing exertion? Light. Growing grain. Mustard seed. Leaven.
3. I call forth examples in your presence; they teach you the same
truth. Who said
“I beseech thee
show me Thy glory “? A man who had “seen God
face to face.” Who prayed
“Teach me Thy statutes: open Thou mine eyes
that I
may behold wondrous things out of Thy law”? A man who had “more understanding
than all his teachers
” a man who “understood more than the ancients.”
4. I hold up to view the advantages of progressive religion.
III. Some
admonitions with regard to your future efforts.
1. Shake off indolence. Nothing is more injurious to our progress;
and
alas! nothing is more common. Man loves indulgence; he needs a stimulus
to make him arise from the bed of sloth
to exert his faculties
and to employ
the means of which he is possessed. And one would naturally conclude that in
religion he would find it. As he sits at ease revelation draws back the veil
and shows him the most astonishing realities--an eternal world; whatever can
sting with motive; whatever can alarm with fear; whatever can animate with
hope. What a Being to please
on whom it depends to save or to destroy! What a
state of misery is there to escape! What an infinite happiness to secure!
2. Beware of diversion. Discharge yourself as much as possible from
superfluous cares. Distinguish between diligence in lawful business and “entangling
yourselves in the affairs of this life.” There are not only diversions from
religion
but diversions in it; and of these also you are to beware. Here
finding you are unsuspicious of danger
the enemy often succeeds; for his end
is frequently answered by things good in themselves. He is satisfied if he can
draw off your attention from great things
and engross it with little ones; if
he can make you prefer opinions to practice
and controversy to devotion.
3. Guard against despondency. There are indeed many things which
when viewed alone
have a tendency to discourage the mind. We know your
weakness
and we know the difficulties and dangers to which you are exposed.
But you have the promise of a faithful God.
4. Be afraid of presumption. Our dependence upon God is absolute and
universal. “In Him we live
and move
and have our being.” His agency is more
indispensable in spiritual things than in natural; sin has rendered us
peculiarly weak
helpless
and disaffected.
5. It would be profitable for you to “call to remembrance the former
days
” and especially to review the beginning of your religious course.
6. It will not be less profitable for you to look forward
and
survey the close of all. Christians! “it is high time to awake out of sleep;
for now is your salvation nearer.” Would you slumber on the verge of heaven?
The stream increases as it approximates the sea; motion accelerates as it
approaches the centre. (W. Jay.)
Territory yet to be taken by the Church
Who in the sketch of the inheritance given by God
the
outline of the borders assigned to them in the grant of heaven
and sealed by
covenant oath
could
in this seat of plenty and portion of the Church
behold
with satisfaction and content so much of what mercy had made their own
still
retained under the dominion of darkness
and occupied to the keeping out of
their full right the true heirs of promise? Who
whatever his achievements in
conquest and attainments in grace
but in this view feels the confined results
of all his operations
and sees on every hand very much land yet to be
possessed? Notwithstanding all that has been achieved by the Church of God
the
spiritual inclosures of grace
and those precious plants of righteousness
where once grew the thorn and the briar
none whose contemplations seldom reach
beyond such beauteous spots of mercy
such flourishing vineyards of grace
can
possibly conceive of the melancholy darkness which still broods over by far the
greater part of the land
those moral wastes of ignorance and corruption which
everywhere meet the eye and distress the heart of the Christian traveller. Ah!
what extensive wastes of sin everywhere meet the eye
for the cultivation of
which but few hands are found! Vast multitudes in the possession of
intelligence
and bearing the stamp of immortality
are living without the fear
of God
or any hope of futurity
as indifferent to all the momentous concerns
of eternity as they are ignorant of all the affecting realities of the gospel.
The worldly-mindedness
profligacy
and pride of the rich
and their prevailing
disregard of all that is serious and devout
demonstrate that they are equally
without God and without hope in the world
and
till renewed by grace
or
removed by death
are the pollution and burden of the place where they live.
These are the Anakims
a people tall and strong
and as the sons of Anak
a
gigantic race
who in their power and influence contract the inheritance of the
saints
and hold them from a more enlarged possession
till the powers of
heaven subdue or destroy. But with the promise of an inheritance wide as the
world
and stretched in its extent to the remotest boundaries of the earth
how
much
very much land yet remaineth to be possessed! (W. Seaton.)
More beyond
Spain inscribed on her coins the picture of the pillars of
Hercules
which stood on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar
the extreme
boundary of her empire
with only an unexplored ocean beyond; and on the scroll
over there was written
“Ne plus ultra”--nothing beyond. But afterwards
when Columbus had discovered America
Spain struck out the negative and left
the inscription
“Plus ultra”--more beyond.
──《The Biblical Illustrator》