Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/94

90 2. Their zeal, upon this suspicion, was very commendable, v. 12. When they apprehended that these tribes, which by the river Jordan were separated from them, were separating themselves from God, they took it as the greatest injury that could be done to themselves, and showed a readiness, if it were necessary, to put their lives in their hands, in defence of the altar of God, and to take up arms for the chastising and reducing of these rebels, and to prevent the spreading of the infection, if no gentle methods would serve, by cutting off from their body the gangrened member. They all gathered together, and Shiloh was the place of their rendezvous, because it was in defence of the divine charter lately granted to that place, that they now appeared; their resolution was as became a kingdom of priests, who, being devoted to God and his service, did not acknowledge their brethren, nor know their own children, Deut 33. 9. They would immediately go up to war against them, if it appeared they were revolted from God, and in rebellion against him: though they were bone of their bone, had been companions with them in tribulation in the wilderness, and serviceable to them in the wars of Canaan; yet if they turn to serve other gods, they will treat them as enemies, not as sons of Israel, but as children of whoredoms, for so God had appointed, Deut. 13. 12, &c. They had but lately sheathed their swords, and retired from the perils and fatigues of war to the rest God had given them, and yet they are willing to begin a new war, rather than be any way wanting in their duty to restrain, repress, and revenge idolatry, and every step towards it. A brave resolution, and which shows them hearty for their religion, and, we hope careful and diligent in the practice of it themselves. Corruptions in religion are best dealt with at first, before they get a head, and plead prescription.

3. Their prudence in prosecution of this zealous resolution, is no less commendable. God had appointed them in cases of this nature, to inquire and make search, Deut. 13. 14. that they might not wrong their brethren under pretence of righting their religion; accordingly, they resolve here not to send forth their armies to wage war, till they had first sent their ambassadors to inquire into the merits of the cause, and these men of the first rank, one out of each tribe, and Phinehas at the head of them to be their spokesman, v. 13, 14. Thus was their zeal for God tempered, guided, and governed by the meekness of wisdom. He that knows all things, and hates all evil things, would not punish the worst of criminals, but he would first go down and see, Gen. 18. 21. Many an unhappy strife would be prevented, or soon taken up, by an impartial and favourable inquiry into that which is the matter of the offence. The rectifying of mistakes and misunderstandings, and the setting of misconstrued words and actions in a true light, would be the most effectual way to accommodate both private and public quarrels, and bring them to a happy period.

4. The ambassadors' management of this matter came fully up to the sense and spirit of the congregation concerning it, and bespeaks much both of zeal and prudence.

(1.) The charge they draw up against their brethren, is indeed very high, and admits no other excuse than that it was in their zeal for the honour of God, and was now intended to justify the resentments of the congregation at Shiloh, and to awaken the supposed delinquents to clear themselves, otherwise they might have suspected their judgment, or mollified it at least, and not have taken it for granted, as they do here, v. 16. that the building of this altar was a trespass against the God of Israel, and a trespass, no less heinous than the revolt of soldiers from their captain, (to turn from following the Lord,) and the rebellion of subjects against their sovereign (that ye might rebel this day against the Lord.) Hard words! It is well they were not able to make good their charge. Let not innocency think it strange to be thus misrepresented and accused; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

(2.) The aggravation of the crime charged upon their brethren, is somewhat far-fetched, v. 17. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us? Probably, that is mentioned, because Phinehas, the first commissioner in this treaty, had signalized himself in that matter, Numb. 25. 7. and because we may suppose they were now about the very place in which that iniquity was committed on the other side Jordan. It is good to recollect and improve those instances of the wrath of God, revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which have fallen out in our own time, and which we ourselves have been eye-witnesses of. He reminds them of the iniquity of Peor, [1.] As a very great sin, and very provoking to God. The building of this altar seemed but a small matter, but it might lead to iniquity as bad as that of Peor, and therefore must be crushed in its first rise. Note, The remembrance of great sins committed formerly, should engage us to stand upon our guard against the least occasions and beginnings of sin: for the way of sin is down hill. [2.] As a sin that the whole congregation had smarted for; There was a plague in the congregation of the Lord, of which, in one day, there died no less than twenty-four thousand; was not that enough for ever to warn you against idolatry? What, will you bring upon yourselves another plague? Are you so mad upon an idolatrous altar, that you will run yourselves thus upon the sword's point of God's judgments? Does not our camp still feel from that sin, and the punishment of it? We are not cleansed from it unto this day; there are remaining sparks," First, "Of the infection of that sin; some among us so inclined to idolatry, that if you set up another altar, they will soon take occasion from that, whether you intend it or no, to worship another god." Secondly, "Of the wrath of God against us for that sin: we have reason to fear, that if we provoke God by another sin to visit, he will remember against us the iniquity of Peor, as he threatened to do that of the golden calf, Exod. 32. 34. And dare you wake the sleeping lion of divine vengeance?" Note, It is a foolish and dangerous thing for people to think their former sins little, too little for them, as those do who add sin to sin, and so treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. Let therefore the time past suffice, 1 Pet. 4. 3.

(3.) The reason they give for their concerning themselves so warmly in this matter, is very sufficient; they were obliged to it, in their own necessary defence, by the law of self-preservation; "for if you revolt from God to-day, who knows, but to morrow, his judgments may break in upon the whole congregation, v. 18. as in the case of Achan, v. 20. He sinned, and we all smarted for it, by which we should receive instruction, and from what God did then, infer what we may do, and fear what he will do, if we do not witness against your sin, who are so many, and punish it?" Note, The conservators of the public peace are obliged, in justice to the common safety, to use their power for the restraining and so suppressing of vice and profaneness, lest, if it be connived at, the sin thereby become national, and bring God's judgments upon the community. Nay, We are all concerned therefore to reprove our neighbour when he does amiss, lest we bear sin for him, Lev. 19. 17.

(4.) The offer they make is very fair and kind, v. 19. that if they thought the land of their