patriarchs and prophets-第87章

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Satan　is　binding　his　chains　about　the　soul。

〃Keep　thy　heart　with　all　diligence；〃　is　the　counsel　of　the　wise　man；　〃for
out　of　it　are　the　issues　of　life。〃　Proverbs　4：23。　As　man　〃thinketh　in　his
heart；　so　is　he。〃　Proverbs　23：7。　The　heart　must　be　renewed　by　divine　grace；
or　it　will　be　in　vain　to　seek　for　purity　of　life。　He　who　attempts　to　build
up　a　noble；　virtuous　character　independent　of　the　grace　of　Christ　is
building　his　house　upon　the　shifting　sand。　In　the　fierce　storms　of
temptation　it　will　surely　be　overthrown。　David's　prayer　should　be　the
petition　of　every　soul：　〃Create　in　me　a　clean　heart；　O　God；　and　renew　a
right　spirit　within　me。〃　Psalm　51：10。　And　having　become　partakers　of　the
heavenly　gift；　we　are　to　go　on　unto　perfection；　being　〃kept　by　the　power　of
God　through　faith。〃　1　Peter　1：5。

Yet　we　have　a　work　to　do　to　resist　temptation。　Those　who　would　not　fall　a
prey　to　Satan's　devices　must　guard　well　the　avenues　of　the　soul；　they　must
avoid　reading；　seeing；　or　hearing　that　which　will　suggest　impure　thoughts。
The　mind　should　not　be　left　to　wander　at　random　upon　every　subject　that　the
adversary　of　souls　may　suggest。　〃Girding　up　the　loins　of　your　mind；〃　says
the　apostle　Peter；　〃Be　sober；　。　。　。　not　fashioning　yourselves　according　to
your　former　lusts　in　。　。　。　your　ignorance：　but　like　as　He　which　called　you
is　holy；　be　ye　yourselves　also　holy　in　all　manner　of　living。〃　1　Peter
1：13…15；　R。V。　Says　Paul；　〃Whatsoever　things　are　true；　whatsoever　things　are
honest；　whatsoever　things　are　just；　whatsoever　things　are　pure；　whatsoever
things　are　lovely；　whatsoever　things　are　of　good　report；　if　there　be　any
virtue；　and　if　there　be　any　praise；　think　on　these　things。〃　Philippians　4：8。
This　will　require　earnest　prayer　and　unceasing　watchfulness。　We　must　be
aided　by　the　abiding　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　which　will　attract　the
mind　upward；　and　habituate　it　to　dwell　on　pure　and　holy　things。　And　we　must
give　diligent　study　to　the　word　of　God。　〃Wherewithal　shall　a　young　man
cleanse　his　way？　by　taking　heed　thereto　according　to　Thy　word。〃　〃Thy　word；〃
says　the　psalmist；　〃have　I　hid　in　mine　heart；　that　I　might　not　sin　against
Thee。〃　Psalm　119：9；　11。

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Israel's　sin　at　Beth…peor　brought　the　judgments　of　God　upon　the　nation；　and
though　the　same　sins　may　not　now　be　punished　as　speedily；　they　will　as
surely　meet　retribution。　〃If　any　man　defile　the　temple　of　God；　him　shall　God
destroy。〃　1　Corinthians　3：17。　Nature　has　affixed　terrible　penalties　to　these
crimespenalties　which；　sooner　or　later；　will　be　inflicted　upon　every
transgressor。　It　is　these　sins　more　than　any　other　that　have　caused　the
fearful　degeneracy　of　our　race；　and　the　weight　of　disease　and　misery　with
which　the　world　is　cursed。　Men　may　succeed　in　concealing　their　transgression
from　their　fellow　men；　but　they　will　no　less　surely　reap　the　result；　in
suffering；　disease；　imbecility；　or　death。　And　beyond　this　life　stands　the
tribunal　of　the　judgment；　with　its　award　of　eternal　penalties。　〃They　which
do　such　things　shall　not　inherit　the　kingdom　of　God；〃　but　with　Satan　and
evil　angels　shall　have　their　part　in　that　〃lake　of　fire〃　which　〃is　the
second　death。〃　Galatians　5：21；　Revelation　20：14。

〃The　lips　of　a　strange　woman　drop　as　an　honeycomb；　and　her　mouth　is　smoother
than　oil：　but　her　end　is　bitter　as　wormwood；　sharp　as　a　two…edged　sword。〃
Proverbs　5：3；　4。　〃Remove　thy　way　far　from　her；　and　come　not　nigh　the　door　of
her　house：　lest　thou　give　thine　honor　unto　others；　and　thy　years　unto　the
cruel：　lest　strangers　be　filled　with　thy　wealth；　and　thy　labors　be　in　the
house　of　a　stranger；　and　thou　mourn　at　the　last；　when　thy　flesh　and　thy　body
are　consumed。〃　Verses　8…11。　〃Her　house　inclineth　unto　death。〃　〃None　that　go
unto　her　return　again。〃　Proverbs　2：18；　19。　〃Her　guests　are　in　the　depths　of
hell。〃　Proverbs　9：18。





（462）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　42

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Law　Repeated


The　Lord　announced　to　Moses　that　the　appointed　time　for　the　possession　of
Canaan　was　at　hand；　and　as　the　aged　prophet　stood　upon　the　heights
overlooking　the　river　Jordan　and　the　Promised　Land；　he　gazed　with　deep
interest　upon　the　inheritance　of　his　people。　Would　it　be　possible　that　the
sentence　pronounced　against　him　for　his　sin　at　Kadesh　might　be　revoked？　With
deep　earnestness　he　pleaded；　〃O　Lord　God；　Thou　hast　begun　to　show　Thy
servant　Thy　greatness；　and　Thy　mighty　hand；　for　what　god　is　there　in　heaven
or　in　earth；　that　can　do　according　to　Thy　works；　and　according　to　Thy　might？
I　pray　Thee；　let　me　go　over；　and　see　the　good　land　that　is　beyond　Jordan；
that　goodly　mountain；　and　Lebanon。〃　Deuteronomy　3：24…27。

The　answer　was；　〃Let　it　suffice　thee；　speak　no　more　unto　Me　of　this　matter。
Get　thee　up　into　the　top　of　Pisgah；　and　lift　up　thine　eyes　westward；　and
northward；　and　southward；　and　eastward；　and　behold　it　with　thine　eyes；　for
thou　shalt　not　go　over　this　Jordan。〃

Without　a　murmur　Moses　submitted　to　the　decree　of　God。　And　now　his　great
anxiety　was　for　Israel。　Who　would　feel　the　interest　for　their　welfare　that
he　had　felt？　From　a　full　heart　he　poured　forth　the　prayer；　〃Let　the　Lord；
the　God　of　the　spirits　of　all　flesh；　set　a　man　over　the　congregation；　which
may　go　out　before　them；　and　which　may　go　in　before　them；　and　which　may　lead
them　out；　and　which　may　bring　them　in；　that　the　congregation　of　the　Lord　be
not　as　sheep　which　have　no　shepherd。〃　Numbers　27：16；　17。

The　Lord　hearkened　to　the　prayer　of　His　servant；　and　the　answer　came；　〃Take
thee　Joshua；　the　son　of　Nun；　a　man　in　whom　is　the　Spirit；　and　lay　thine　hand
upon　him；　and　set　him　before　Eleazar　the　priest；　and　before　all　the
congregation；　and　give　him　a　charge　in　their　sight。　And　thou　shalt　put　some
of　thine　honor　upon　him；　that　all　the　congregation　of　the　people　of　Israel
may　be　obedient。〃　Verses　18…20。　Joshua　had　long

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attended　Moses；　and　being　a　man　of　wisdom；　ability；　and　faith；　he　was　chosen
to　succeed　him。

Through　the　laying　on　of　hands　by　Moses；　accompanied　by　a　most　impressive
charge；　Joshua　was　solemnly　set　apart　as　the　leader　of　Israel。　He　was　also
admitted　to　a　present　share　in　the　government。　The　words　of　the　Lord
concerning　Joshua　came　through　Moses　to　the　congregation；　〃He　shall　stand
before　Eleazar　the　priest；　who　shall　ask　counsel　for　him；　after　the　judgment
of　Urim　before　the　Lord。　At　his　word　shall　they　go　out；　and　at　his　word　they
shall　come　in；　both　he；　and　all　the　children　of　Israel　with　him；　even　all
the　congregation。〃　Verses　21…23。

Before　relinquishing　his　position　as　the　visible　leader　of　Israel；　Moses　was
directed　to　rehearse　to　them　the　history　of　their　deliverance　from　Egypt　and
their　journeyings　in　the　wilderness；　and　also　to　recapitulate　the　law　spoken
from　Sinai。　When　the　law　was　given；　but　few　of　the　present　congregation　were
old　enough　to　comprehend　the　awful　solemnity　of　the　occasion。　As　they　were
soon　to　pass　over　Jordan　and　take　possession　of　the　Promised　Land；　God　would
present　before　them　the　claims　of　His　law　and　enjoin　upon　them　obedience　as
the　condition　of　prosperity。

Moses　stood　before　the　people　to　repeat　his　last　warnings　and　admonitions。
His　face　was　illumined　with　a　holy　light。　His　hair　was　white　with　age；　but
his　form　was　erect；　his　countenance　expressed　the　unabated　vigor　of　health；
and　his　eye　was　clear　and　undimmed。　It　was　an　important　occasion；　and　with
deep　feeling　he　portrayed　the　love　and　mercy　of　their　Almighty　Protector：

〃Ask　now　of　the　days　that　are　past；　which　were　before　thee；　since　the　day
that　God　created　man　upon　the　earth；　and　ask　from　the　one　side　of　heaven
unto　the　other；　whether　there　hath　been　any　such　thing　as　this　great　thing
is；　or　hath　been　heard　like　it？　Did　ever　people　hear　the　voice　of　God
speaking　out　of　the　midst　of　the　fire；　as　thou　hast　heard；　and　live？　or　hath
God　assayed　to　go　and　take　Him　a　nation　from　the　midst　of　another　nation；　by
temptations；　by　signs；　and　by　wonders；　and　by　war；　and　by　a　mighty　hand；　and
by　a　stretched…out　arm；　and　by　great　terrors；　according　to　all　that　the　Lord
your　God　did　for　you　in　Egypt　before　your　eyes？　Unto　thee　it　was　showed；
that　thou　mightest　know　that　the　Lord　He　is　God；　there　is　none　else　beside
Him。〃

464


〃The　Lord　did　not　set　His　love　upon　you；　nor　choose　you；　because　ye　were
more　in　number　than　any　people；　for　ye　were　the　fewest　of　all　people：　but
because　the　Lord　loved　you；　and　because　He　would　keep　the　oath　which　He　had
sworn　unto　your　fathers；　hath　the　Lord　brought　you　out　with　a　mighty　hand；
and　redeemed　you　out　of　the　house　of　bondmen；　from　the　hand　of　Pharaoh　king
of　Egypt。　Know　therefore　that　Jehovah　thy　God；　He　is　God；　the　faithful　God；
which　keepeth　covenant　and　mercy　with　them　that　love　Him　and　keep　His
commandments　to　a　thousand　generations。〃　Deuteronomy　7：7…9。

The　people　of　Israel　had　been　ready　to　ascribe　their　troubles　to　Moses；　but
now　their　suspicions　that　he　was　controlled　by　pride；　ambition；　or
selfishness；　were　removed；　and　they　listened　with　confidence　to　his　words。
Moses　faithfully　set　before　them　their　errors　and　the　transgressions　of
their　fathers。　They　had　often　felt　impatient　and　rebellious　because　of　their
long　wandering　in　the　wilderness；　but　the　Lord　had　not　been　chargeable　with
this　delay　in　possessing　Canaan；　He　was　more　grieved　than　they　because　He
could　not　bring　them　into　immediate　possession　of　the　Promised　Land；　and
thus　display　before　all　nations　His　mighty　power　in　the　deliverance　of　His
people。　With　their　distrust　of　God；　with　their　pride　and　unbelief；　they　had
not　been　prepared　to　enter　Canaan。　They　would　in　no　way　represent　that
people　whose　God　is　the　Lord；　for　they　did　not　bear　His　character　of　purity；
goodness；　and　benevolence。　Had　their　fathers　yielded　in　faith　to　the
direction　of　God；　being　governed　by　His　judgments　and　walking　in　His
ordinances；　they　would　long　before　have　been　settled　in　Canaan；　a
prosperous；　holy；　happy　people。　Their　delay　to　enter　the　goodly　land
dishonored　God　and　detracted　from　His　glory　in　the　sight　of　surrounding
nations。

Moses；　who　understood　the　character　and　value　of　the　law　of　God；　assured　the
people　that　no　other　nation　had　such　wise；　righteous；　and　merciful　rules　as
had　been　given　to　the　Hebrews。　〃Behold；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　taught　you
statutes　and　judgments；　even　as　the　Lord　my　God　commanded　me；　that　ye　should
do　so　in　the　land　whither　ye　go　to　possess　it。　Keep　therefore　and　do　them；
for　this　is　your　wisdom　and　your　understanding　in　the　sight　of　the　nations；
which　shall　hear　all　these　statutes；　and　say；　Surely　this　great　nation　is　a
wise　and　understanding　people。〃

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Moses　called　their　attention　to　the　〃day　that　thou　stoodest　before　the　Lord
thy　God　in　Horeb。〃　And　he　challenged　the　Hebrew　host：　〃What　nation　is　there
so　great；　who　hath　God　so　nigh　unto　them；　as　the　Lord　our　God　is　in　all
things　that　we　call　upon　Him　for？　And　what　nation　is　there　so　great；　that
hath　statutes　and　judgments　so　righteous　as　all　this　law；　which　I　set　before
you　this　day？〃　To