Notes on the Book of Deuteronomy Volume Ii Part 19

Truly, there is an urgent need of a more powerful, practical ministry amongst us. There is a deplorable lack of the prophetic and pastoral element in our ministrations. By the prophetic element, we mean that character of ministry that deals with the conscience, and brings it into the immediate presence of G.o.d. This is _greatly_ needed. There is a good deal of ministry which addresses itself to the intelligence, but sadly too little for the heart and the conscience. The teacher speaks to the understanding; the prophet speaks to the conscience;[24]

the pastor speaks to the heart. We speak, of course, generally. It may so happen that the three elements are found in the ministry of one man; but they are distinct; and we cannot but feel that where the prophetic and pastoral gifts are lacking in any a.s.sembly, the teachers should very earnestly wait upon the Lord for spiritual power to deal with the hearts and consciences of His beloved people. Blessed be His name, He has all needed gift, grace, and power for His servants. All we need is, to wait on Him in real earnestness and sincerity of heart, and He will most a.s.suredly supply us with all suited grace and moral fitness for whatever service we may be called to render in His Church.

[24] Very many seem to entertain the idea that a prophet is one who foretells future events, but it would be a mistake thus to confine the term. 1 Corinthians xiv. 28-32 lets us into the meaning of the words "prophet" and "prophesying." The teacher and the prophet are closely and beautifully connected. The teacher unfolds truth from the Word of G.o.d; the prophet applies it to the conscience; and, we may add, the pastor sees how the ministry of both the one and the other is acting on the heart and in the life.

Oh, that all the Lord's servants may be stirred up to a more deep-toned earnestness, in every department of His blessed work! May we be "instant in season, out of season," and in no wise discouraged by the condition of things around us, but rather find in that very condition an urgent reason for more intense devotedness.

CHAPTER XXVII.

"And Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying, 'Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pa.s.s over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy G.o.d giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster; and thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art pa.s.sed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy G.o.d giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord G.o.d of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster. And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy G.o.d, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy G.o.d of whole stones; and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the Lord thy G.o.d; and thou shalt offer peace-offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy G.o.d. And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.' And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, 'Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; _this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy G.o.d_. Thou shalt _therefore_ obey the voice of the Lord thy G.o.d, and do His commandments and His statutes, which I command thee this day.' And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 'These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan: Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin. And these shall stand upon Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.'" (Ver. 1-13.)

There could not be a more striking contrast than that which is presented in the opening and close of this chapter. In the paragraph which we have just penned, we see Israel entering upon the land of promise--that fair and fruitful land flowing with milk and honey, and there erecting an altar in Mount Ebal, for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. We read nothing about sin-offerings or trespa.s.s-offerings here. The law, in all its fullness, was to be "written very plainly" upon the plastered stones, and the people, in full, recognized, covenant-relations.h.i.+p, were to offer on the altar those special offerings of sweet savor so blessedly expressive of wors.h.i.+p and holy communion. The subject here is not the trespa.s.ser _in act_, or the sinner _in nature_, approaching the brazen altar with a trespa.s.s-offering or a sin-offering; but rather a people fully delivered, accepted, and blessed--a people in the actual enjoyment of their relations.h.i.+p and their inheritance.

True, they were trespa.s.sers and sinners, and as such, needed the precious provision of the brazen altar,--this, of course, is obvious, and fully understood and admitted by every one taught of G.o.d; but it manifestly is not the subject of Deuteronomy xxvii. 1-13, and the spiritual reader will at once perceive the reason. When we see the Israel of G.o.d, in full covenant-relations.h.i.+p, entering into possession of their inheritance, having the revealed will of their covenant-G.o.d, Jehovah, plainly and fully written before them, and the milk and honey flowing around them, we must conclude that all question as to trespa.s.ses and sins is definitively settled, and that nothing remains for a people so highly privileged and so richly blessed but to surround the altar of their covenant-G.o.d and present those sweet-savor offerings which were acceptable to Him and suited to them.

In short, the whole scene unfolded to our view in the first half of our chapter is perfectly beautiful. Israel having avouched Jehovah to be their G.o.d, and Jehovah having avouched Israel to be His peculiar people, to make them high above all nations which He had made, in praise and in name and in honor, and a holy people unto the Lord their G.o.d, as He had spoken,--Israel thus privileged, blessed, and exalted, in full possession of the goodly land, and having all the precious commandments of G.o.d before their eyes, what remained but to present the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, in holy wors.h.i.+p and happy fellows.h.i.+p?

But in the latter half of our chapter, we find something quite different. Moses appoints six tribes to stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people, and six on Mount Ebal to curse; but alas! when we come to the actual history--the positive facts of the case, there is not a single syllable of blessing, nothing but twelve awful curses, each confirmed by a solemn "amen" from the whole congregation.

What a sad change! what a striking contrast! It reminds us of what pa.s.sed before us in our study of Exodus xix. There could not be a more impressive commentary on the words of the inspired apostle in Galatians iii. 10.--"For as many as are of the works of the law"--as many as are on that ground--"are under the curse; for it is written,"--and here he quotes Deuteronomy xxvii.--"Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

Here we have the real solution of the question. Israel, as to their actual moral condition, were on the ground of law; and hence, although the opening of our chapter presents a lovely picture of G.o.d's thoughts respecting Israel, yet the close of it sets forth the sad and humiliating result of Israel's real state before G.o.d. There is not a sound from Mount Gerizim, not one word of benediction; but, instead thereof, curse upon curse falls on the ears of the people.

Nor could it possibly be otherwise. Let people contend for it as they will, nothing but a curse can come upon "as many as are of the works of the law." It does not merely say, As many as fail to keep the law, though that is true; but, as if to set the truth in the very clearest and most forcible manner before us, the Holy Ghost declares that for _all_, no matter who--Jew, Gentile, or nominal Christian--all who are on the ground or principle of works of law, there is and can be nothing but a curse.

Thus, then, the reader will be able intelligently to account for the profound silence that reigned on Mount Gerizim in the day of Deuteronomy xxvii. The simple fact is, if one solitary benediction had been heard, it would have been a contradiction to the entire teaching of holy Scripture on the question of law.

We have so fully gone into the weighty subject of the law in the first volume of these Notes that we do not feel called upon to dwell upon it here. We can only say that the more we study Scripture, and the more we ponder the law question in the light of the New Testament, the more amazed we are at the manner in which some persist in contending for the opinion that Christians are under the law, whether for life, for righteousness, for holiness, or for any object whatsoever. How can such an opinion stand for a moment in the face of that magnificent and conclusive statement in Romans vi.--"YE ARE NOT UNDER LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE"?

CHAPTER XXVIII.

In approaching the study of this remarkable section of our book, the reader must bear in mind that it is by no means to be confounded with chapter xxvii. Some expositors, in seeking to account for the absence of the blessings in the latter, have sought for them here; but it is a grand mistake--a mistake absolutely fatal to the proper understanding of either chapter. The obvious fact is, the two chapters are wholly distinct, in basis, scope, and practical application. Chapter xxvii.

is (to put it as pointedly and briefly as possible) _moral_ and _personal_; chapter xxviii. is _dispensational_ and _national_. That deals with the great root-principle of man's moral condition as a sinner, utterly ruined and wholly incapable of meeting G.o.d on the ground of law; this, on the other hand, takes up the question of Israel as a nation, under the government of G.o.d. In short, a careful comparison of the two chapters will enable the reader to see their entire distinctness. For instance, what connection can we trace between the six blessings of our chapter and the twelve curses of chapter xxvii? None whatever. It is not possible to establish the slightest relations.h.i.+p. But a child can see the moral link between the blessings and curses of chapter xxviii.

Let us quote a pa.s.sage or two in proof. "And it shall come to pa.s.s, if thou shalt _hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy G.o.d_,"--the grand old Deuteronomic motto, the key-note of the book--"to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy G.o.d will set thee on high above all nations of the earth; and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, _if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy G.o.d_"--the only safeguard, the true secret of happiness, security, victory, and strength.--"Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out."

Is it not perfectly plain to the reader that these are not the blessings p.r.o.nounced by the six tribes on Mount Gerizim? What is here presented to us is Israel's national dignity, prosperity, and glory, founded upon their diligent attention to all the commandments set before them in this book. It was the eternal purpose of G.o.d that Israel should be pre-eminent on the earth, high above all the nations. This purpose shall a.s.suredly be made good, although Israel, in the past, have shamefully failed to render that perfect obedience which was to form the basis of their national pre-eminence and glory.

We must never forget or surrender this great truth. Some expositors have adopted a system of interpretation by which the covenant-blessings of Israel are spiritualized and made over to the Church of G.o.d. This is a most fatal mistake. Indeed, it is hardly possible to set forth in language, or even to conceive, the pernicious effects of such a method of handling the precious Word of G.o.d. Nothing is more certain than that it is diametrically opposed to the mind and will of G.o.d. He will not and cannot sanction such tampering with His truth, or such an unwarrantable alienation of the blessings and privileges of His people Israel.

True, we read, in Galatians iii, "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive"--what? Blessings in the city and in the field? blessings in our basket and store? Nay; but "the promise of the Spirit through faith." So also we learn from the same epistle, in chapter iv, that restored Israel will be permitted to reckon amongst her children all those who are born of the Spirit during the Christian period. "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, 'Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath a husband.'"

All this is blessedly true, but it affords no warrant whatever for transferring the promises made to Israel to New-Testament believers.

G.o.d has pledged Himself by an oath to bless the seed of Abraham His friend--to bless them with all earthly blessings, in the land of Canaan. This promise holds good, and is absolutely inalienable. Woe be to all who attempt to interfere with its literal fulfillment in G.o.d's own time. We have referred to this in our studies on the earlier part of this book, and must now rest content with warning the reader most solemnly against every system of interpretation which involves such serious consequences as to the Word and ways of G.o.d. We must ever remember that Israel's blessings are earthly; the Church's blessings are heavenly. "Blessed be the G.o.d and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with _all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ_."

Thus, both the nature and the sphere of the Church's blessings are wholly different from those of Israel, and must never be confounded.

But the system of interpretation above referred to does confound them, to the marring of the integrity of holy Scripture, and the serious damage of souls. To attempt to apply the promises made to Israel to the Church of G.o.d, either now or hereafter, on earth or in heaven, is to turn things completely upside down, and to produce the most hopeless confusion in the exposition and application of Scripture. We feel called upon, in simple faithfulness to the Word of G.o.d and to the soul of the reader, to press this matter upon his earnest attention. He may rest a.s.sured it is by no means an unimportant question; so far from this, we are persuaded that it is utterly impossible for any one who confounds Israel and the Church--the earthly and the heavenly, to be a sound or accurate interpreter of the Word of G.o.d.

However, we cannot pursue this subject further here. We only trust that the Spirit of G.o.d will arouse the heart of the reader to feel its interest and importance, and give him to see the necessity of rightly dividing the word of truth. If this be so, our object will be fully gained.

With regard to this twenty-eighth of Deuteronomy, if the reader only seizes the fact of its entire distinctness from its predecessor, he will be able to read it with spiritual intelligence and real profit.

There is no need whatever for elaborate exposition. It divides itself naturally and obviously into two parts. In the first, we have a full and most blessed statement of the results of obedience (See verses 1-15.); in the second, we have a deeply solemn and affecting statement of the awful consequences of disobedience. (See verses 16-68.) And we cannot but be struck with the fact that the section containing the curses is more than three times the length of the one containing the blessings. That consists of fifteen verses; this, of fifty-three. The whole chapter furnishes an impressive commentary on the government of G.o.d, and a most forcible ill.u.s.tration of the fact that "our G.o.d is a consuming fire." All the nations of the earth may learn from Israel's marvelous history that G.o.d must punish disobedience, and that, too, first of all, in His own. And if He has not spared His own people, what shall be the end of those who know Him not? "The wicked shall be turned into h.e.l.l, and all the nations that forget G.o.d." "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living G.o.d." It is the very height of extravagant folly for any one to attempt to evade the full force of such pa.s.sages, or to explain them away. It cannot be done. Let any one read the chapter before us and compare it with the actual history of Israel, and he will see that as sure as there is a G.o.d on the throne of the majesty in the heavens, so surely will He punish evil-doers, both here and hereafter. It cannot be otherwise.

The government that could or would allow evil to go unjudged, uncondemned, unpunished, would not be a perfect government--would not be the government of G.o.d. It is vain to found arguments upon one-sided views of the goodness, kindness, and mercy of G.o.d. Blessed be His name, He is kind and good and merciful and gracious, long-suffering and full of compa.s.sion; but He is holy and just, righteous and true, and "He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world [the habitable earth--?????e???] in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given a.s.surance [given proof--p?st??] unto all, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." (Acts xvii.)

However, we must draw this section to a close; but ere doing so, we feel it to be our duty to call the reader's attention to a very interesting point in connection with verse 13 of our chapter. "The Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy G.o.d, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them."

This, no doubt, refers to Israel as a nation. They are destined to be the head of all the nations of the earth. Such is the sure and settled purpose and counsel of G.o.d respecting them. Low as they are now sunk, scattered and lost amongst the nations, suffering the terrible consequences of their persistent disobedience, sleeping, as we read in Daniel xii, in the dust of the earth, yet they shall, _as a nation_, arise and s.h.i.+ne in far brighter glory than that of Solomon.

All this is blessedly true, and established beyond all question in manifold pa.s.sages in Moses, the Psalms, the prophets, and the New Testament; but in looking through the history of Israel, we find some very striking instances of individuals who were permitted and enabled, through infinite grace, to make their own of the precious promise contained in verse 13, and that, too, in very dark and depressing periods of the national history, when Israel, as a nation, was the tail and not the head. We shall just give the reader an instance or two, not only to ill.u.s.trate our point, but also to set before him a principle of immense practical importance and universal application.

Let us turn for a moment to that charming little book of Esther--a book so little understood or appreciated--a book which, we may truly say, fills a niche and teaches a lesson which no other book does. It belongs to a period when most a.s.suredly Israel was not the head, but the tail; but, notwithstanding, it presents to our view the very edifying and encouraging picture of an individual son of Abraham so carrying himself as to reach the very highest position, and gaining a splendid victory over Israel's bitterest foe.

As to Israel's condition in the days of Esther, it was such that G.o.d could not publicly own them. Hence it is that His name is not found in this book, from beginning to end. The Gentile was the head and Israel the tail. The relations.h.i.+p between Jehovah and Israel could no longer be publicly owned; but the heart of Jehovah could never forget His people, and, we may add, the heart of a faithful Israelite could never forget Jehovah or His holy law; and these are just the two facts that specially characterize this most interesting little book. G.o.d was acting for Israel behind the scenes, and Mordecai was acting for G.o.d before the scenes. It is worthy of remark that neither Israel's best Friend nor their worst enemy is once named in the book of Esther, and yet the whole book is full of the actings of both. The finger of G.o.d is stamped on every link in the marvelous chain of providence; and on the other hand, the bitter enmity of Amalek comes out in the cruel plot of the haughty Agagite.

All this is intensely interesting. Indeed, in rising from the study of this book, we may well say, "Oh, scenes surpa.s.sing fable and yet true." No romance could possibly exceed in interest this simple but most blessed history. But we must not expatiate, much as we should like to do so. Time and s.p.a.ce forbid. We merely refer to it now in order to point out to the reader the unspeakable value and importance of individual faithfulness at a moment when the national glory was faded and gone. Mordecai stood like a rock for the truth of G.o.d. He refused, with stern decision, to own Amalek. He would save the life of Ahasuerus, and bow to his authority as the expression of the power of G.o.d; but he would not bow to Haman. His conduct in this matter was governed simply by the Word of G.o.d. The authority for his course was to be found in this blessed book of Deuteronomy.--"_Remember_ what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and _he feared not G.o.d_"--here was the true secret of the whole matter--"therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy G.o.d hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy G.o.d giveth for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; _thou shalt not forget it_." (Chap. xxv. 17-19.)

This was distinct enough for every circ.u.mcised ear, every obedient heart, every upright conscience. Equally distinct is the language of Exodus xvii.--"And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehea.r.s.e it in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.' And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it JEHOVAH-nissi [the Lord my banner]; for he said, 'Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'" (Ver.

14-16.)

Here, then, was Mordecai's authority for refusing a single nod of his head to the Agagite. How could a faithful member of the house of Israel bow to a member of a house with which Jehovah was at war?

Impossible. He could clothe himself in sackcloth, fast and weep for his people, but he could not, he would not, he dare not, bow to an Amalekite. He might be charged with presumption, blind obstinacy, stupid bigotry, and contemptible narrow-mindedness; but with that he had nothing whatever to do. It might seem the most unaccountable folly to withhold the common mark of respect from the highest n.o.ble in the kingdom; but that n.o.ble was an Amalekite, and that was enough for Mordecai. The apparent folly was simple obedience.

It is this which makes the case so interesting and important for us.

Nothing can ever do away with our responsibility to obey the Word of G.o.d. It might be said to Mordecai that the commandment as to Amalek was a by-gone thing, having reference to Israel's palmy days. It was quite right for Joshua to fight with Amalek; Saul, too, ought to have obeyed the word of Jehovah instead of sparing Agag; but now, all was changed; the glory was departed from Israel, and it was perfectly useless to attempt to act on Exodus xvii. or Deuteronomy xxv.

All such arguments, we feel a.s.sured, would have no weight whatever with Mordecai. It was enough for him that Jehovah had said, "_Remember_ what Amalek did.... _Thou shalt not forget it_." How long was this to hold good? "From generation to generation." Jehovah's war with Amalek was never to cease until his very name and remembrance were blotted out from under heaven. And why? Because of his cruel and heartless treatment of Israel. Such was the kindness of G.o.d toward His people! How, then, could a faithful Israelite ever bow to an Amalekite? Impossible. Could Joshua bow to Amalek? Nay. Did Samuel?

Nay; "he hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal." How, then, could Mordecai bow to him? He could not do it, cost what it might. It mattered not to him that the gallows was erected for him. He could be hanged, but he could never do homage to Amalek.

And what was the result? A magnificent triumph! There stood the proud Amalekite near the throne, basking in the suns.h.i.+ne of royal favor, boasting himself in his riches, his greatness, his glory, and about to crush beneath his foot the seed of Abraham. There, on the other hand, lay poor Mordecai in sackcloth and ashes and tears. What could he do?

He could obey. He had neither sword nor spear; but he had the Word of G.o.d, and by simply obeying that Word, he gained a victory over Amalek quite as decisive and splendid in its way as that gained by Joshua in Exodus xvii.--a victory which Saul failed to gain, though surrounded by a host of warriors selected from the twelve tribes of Israel.

Amalek sought to get Mordecai hanged; but instead of that, he was obliged to act as his footman, and conduct him, in all but regal pomp and splendor, through the street of the city. "And Haman answered the king, 'For the man whom the king delighteth to honor, let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head; and let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most n.o.ble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.' Then the king said to Haman, 'Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.' Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, 'Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor.' And Mordecai came again to the king's gate; but Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered."

Here, a.s.suredly, Israel was the head and Amalek the tail--Israel, not nationally, but individually. But this was only the beginning of Amalek's defeat and of Israel's glory. Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had erected for Mordecai, "and Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad."

Nor was this all. The effect of Mordecai's marvelous victory was felt far and wide over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire. "In every province, and in every city whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them." And, to crown all, we read that "Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the mult.i.tude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed."

Now, reader, does not all this prove to us, in the most striking manner, the immense importance of individual faithfulness? Is it not eminently calculated to encourage us to stand for the truth of G.o.d, cost what it may? Only see what marvelous results followed from the actings of one man! Many might have condemned Mordecai's conduct. It might have seemed like unaccountable obstinacy to refuse a simple mark of respect to the highest n.o.ble in the empire; but it was not so. It was simple obedience; it was decision for G.o.d, and it led to a most magnificent victory, the spoils of which were reaped by his brethren at the very ends of the earth.

For further ill.u.s.tration of the subject suggested by Deuteronomy xxviii. 13, we must refer the reader to Daniel iii. and vi. There he will see what morally glorious results can be reached by individual faithfulness to the true G.o.d, at a moment when Israel's national glory was gone--their city and temple in ruins. The three worthies refused to wors.h.i.+p the golden image. They dared to face the wrath of the king, to withstand the universal voice of the empire, yea, to meet the fiery furnace itself, rather than disobey. They could surrender life, but they could not surrender the truth of G.o.d.

And what was the result? A splendid victory! They walked through the furnace with the Son of G.o.d, and were called forth from the furnace as witnesses and servants of the Most High G.o.d. Glorious privilege!