Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/102

98 fathers before them. God by Joshua recounts the marvels of old, "I did so and so." They must know and consider, not only that such and such things were done, but that God did them. It is a series of wonders that is here recorded, and perhaps many more were mentioned by Joshua, which for brevity's sake are here omitted. See what God had wrought; (1.) He brought Abraham out of Ur of the Cnaldees, v. 2, 3. He and his ancestors had served other gods there, for it was the country in which, though celebrated for learning, idolatry, as some think, had its rise; there the world by wisdom knew not God. Abraham, who afterward was the friend of God, and the great favourite of heaven, was bred up in idolatry and lived long in it, till God by his grace snatched him as a brand out of that burning. Let them remember that rock out of which they were hewn, and not relapse into that sin from which their fathers by a miracle of free grace were delivered. "I took him," says God, "else he had never come out of that sinful state." Hence Abraham's justification is made by the apostle an instance of God's justifying the ungodly, Rom. 4. 5. (2.) He brought him to Canaan, and built up his family, led him through the land to Shechem, where they now were, multiplied his seed by Ishmael, who begat twelve princes, but at last gave him Isaac the promised son, ajnd in him multiplied his seed. When Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau, God provided an inheritance for Esau elsewhere in Mount Seir, that the land of Canaan might be reserved entire for the seed of Jacob, and the posterity of Esau might not pretend to a share in it. (3.) He delivered the seed of Jacob out of Egypt with a high hand, v. 5, 6. and rescued them out of the hands of Pharaoh and his host at the Red-sea, v. 6, 7. The same waters were the Israelites' guard, and the Egyptians' grave; and this in answer to prayer; for though we find in the story, that they in that distress murmured against God, Exod. 14. 11, 12. notice is here taken of their crying to God; he graciously accepted those that prayed to him, and overlooked the folly of those that quarrelled with him. (4.) He protected them in the wilderness, where they are here said, not to wander, but to dwell for a long season, v. 7. So wisely were all their motions directed, and so safely were they kept, that even there they had as certain a dwelling place as if they had been in a walled city. (5.) He gave them the land of the Amorites, on the other side Jordan, v. 8. and there defeated the plot of Balak and Balaam against them, so that Balaam could not curse them, as he desired, and therefore Balak durst not fight them, as he designed, and, because he designed it, is here said to do it. The turning of Balaam's tongue to bless Israel, when he intended to curse them, is often mentioned as an instance of the divine power put forth in Israel's favour, as remarkable as any other, because in it God proved (and does still, more than we are aware of) his dominion over the powers of darkness, and over the spirits of men. (6.) He brought them safely and triumphantly into Canaan, delivered the Canaanites into their hand, v. 11, sent hornets before them, when they were actually engaged in battle with the enemy, which with their stings tormented them, and with their noise terrified them, so that they became a very easy prey to Israel. These dreadful swarms first appeared in their war with Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites, and afterwards in their other battles, v. 12. God had promised to do this for them, Exod. 23. 27, 28. Deut. 7. 20. These hornets, it should seem, annoyed the enemy more than all the artillery of Israel, therefore he adds, not with thy sword nor bow. It was purely the Lord's doings. Lastly, They were now in the peaceable possession of a good land, and lived comfortably upon the fruit of other people's labour, v. 13.

2. The application of this history of God's mercies to them, is by way of exhortation, to fear and serve God, in gratitude for his favour, and that it might be continued to them, v. 14. Now therefore, in consideration of all this, (1.) "Fear the Lord, the Lord and his goodness, Hos. 3. 5. Reverence a God of such infinite power, fear to offend him, and to forfeit his goodness. Keep up an awe of his majesty, a deference to his authority, a dread of his displeasure, and a continual regard to his all-seeing eye upon you." (2.) "Let your practice be consonant to this principle, and serve him, both by the outward acts of religious worship, and every instance of obedience in your whole conversation, and this, in sincerity and truth, with a single eye and an upright heart, and inward impressions, answerable to outward expressions." That is the truth in the inward part, which God requires, Ps. 51. 6. For what good will it do us to dissemble with a God that searches the heart? (3.) Put away the strange gods, both Chaldean and Egyptian idols, for those they were most in danger of revolting to. It should seem by this charge, which is repeated, v. 23. that there were some among them that privately kept in their closets the images or pictures of these dunghill-deities, which came to their hands from their ancestors, as heir-looms of their families, though it maybe, they did not worship them; these Joshua earnestly urges them to throw away. "Deface them, destroy them, lest you be tempted to serve them." Jacob pressed his household to do, this, and at this very place; for when they gave him up the little images they had, he buried them under the oak that grows by Shechem, Gen. 35. 2, 4. Perhaps the oak mentioned here, v. 26. was the same oak, or another in the same place, which might be well called the oak of reformation, as there were idolatrous oaks.

15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the. 16. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the, to serve other gods; 17. For the our God, he it is that brought us up, and our fathers, out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: 18. And the drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the ; for he is our God. 19. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the : for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20. If ye forsake the, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. 21. And the people said unto