We have gone through, by the goodness of God, the five books of Moses. They have set before us, on the one side, the great principles on which the relations of man with God and of God with man are founded, and on the other, the deliverance of a people set apart for Himself, and the different conditions in which they were placed: whether under grace, under la-w, or under God's government established over them by the special mediation of Moses.
We have had occasion in them to examine the history of this people in the wilderness; and the pattern presented by the tabernacle, of things to be afterward revealed; sacrifices and priesthood, means of relationship with God granted to sinners, wherein is indeed wanting the image of our perfect liberty to approach God, the veil not being then rent, but wherein the shadow of heavenly things is placed before our eyes with most interesting detail;-finally, we have seen that God, having, at the end of the journey, in the wilderness, pronounced the definitive justification of His people, and caused His blessing to rest upon them in spite of the efforts of their enemies, declares under what conditions the people should retain possession of the land, and enjoy His blessing in it; and what would be the consequences of disobedience; revealing at the same time His purposes with respect to this people, purposes which He would accomplish for His own glory. This brings us to the taking possession of the land of promise by the people under the guidance of Joshua.
This book is full of interest and instruction, as setting before us in type the conflicts of the inheritors of heaven with spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places. If the church is blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, they were temporal blessings in earthly places which Israel was to enjoy. It is easy to understand, that if we may rightly use the name of Canaan as a figurative expression of the rest of the people of God, that which we have here to do with, is not the rest itself, but the spiritual conflict which secures the enjoyment of the promises of God to true believers. The epistle to the Ephesians presents that which precisely answers to the position of Israel in this book. The church having been quickened and raised up with Jesus, has her conflict in the heavenly places; it is there she gives testimony, the testimony of the infinitely manifold wisdom of God. Joshua then represents Christ, not as coming down in person to take possession of the earth, but as leading His people through the power of the Holy Ghost, who acts and dwells in the midst of this people. Yet in Joshua, as in all other typical persons, those errors and sins are found which betray the weakness of the instrument and the fragility of the vessel in which for the time, God had condescended to put His glory.
OS 1{Let us apply ourselves now to the study of this book. The first chapter shows us Joshua placed in service by the Lord, who commands him to go over Jordan into the land which He had given to the children of Israel.
Let us pause a moment over this immediate commission from the Lord. Moses here holds the place, not of the living mediator, but of the written word. All that he commanded, being from God, was evidently the word of God for Israel. Joshua is the energy which brings them into possession of the promises.
First of all, we have the principle on which possession is taken. The knowledge of the bound aries assigned by God, was not enough; God had defined them very accurately, but a condition was attached to their possession. " Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you." They must go there, overcome the obstacles, with the help and by the power of God, and take actual possession. Without that, they could not possess it; and, in fact, that is what happened. They never took possession of all the land which God had given. Nevertheless, to faith the promise was sure. " There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life." The power of the Spirit of God, of Christ by His Spirit (true energy of the believer) is all-sufficient. For it is, in fact, the power of Christ Himself, who has Almighty power. At the same time, the promise of never being left nor forsaken, maintained all its force. This is what may be reckoned upon, in the Lord's service; such a power of His presence that alone shall be able to stand before His servant, a power which will never forsake him.
After this comes the Lord's exhortation, in verse 7- " Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant (the title always given him here), commanded thee." Spiritual strength and energy, the courage of faith, are necessary, in order that the heart may be free from the influences, the fears, and the motives which act upon the natural man, and that he may take heed unto the Word of God.
There is nothing so unreasonable in the world as the walk set before us in tne Word-nothing which so exposes us to the hatred of its prince. If, then, God be not with us, there is nothing so fbolish, so mad; if He be with us, nothing so wise. If we have not the strength of His presence, we dare not take heed to His Word; and in that case, we must beware of going out to war. But having the courage, which the almighty power of God inspires by His promise, we may lay hold of the good and precious word of our God: its severest precepts are only wisdom to detect the flesh, and instruction how to mortify it; so that it may neither blind nor shackle us. The most difficult path, that which leads to the sharpest conflict, is but the road to victory and repose, causing us to increase in the knowledge of God. It is the road in which we are in communion with God, with Him who is the Source of all joy; it is the earnest and the foretaste of eternal and infinite happiness.
If only this word from God, the Lord, is heard" Turn not from it, to the right hand nor to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou guest," what joy for him who, through grace, comes forward to do the work of God.
The Lord then exhorts him to the diligent study of book of the law-" For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Here, then, are the two great principles of spiritual life and activity: 1st. The assured presence of the almighty power of God, so that nothing can stand before His servant; 2nd. The reception of His Word, submission to His Word, diligent study of His Word, taking it as an absolute guide; and having courage to do so, because of the promise and the exhortation of God. In short,' the Spirit and the Word are all in all for spiritual life. Furnished with this power, faith goes forward, strengthened by the encouraging word of our God. The Spirit and the Word cannot be separated without falling into fanaticism on the one hand, or into rationalism on the other-without putting oneself outside the place of dependance upon God and of His guidance. Mere reason would become the master of some; Imagination, of others. Moreover, there is nothing more imaginative than reason, when destitute of guidance! In result, the enemy of souls would take possession of both. We should have man under Satan's influence, in the place of God. Miserable exchange! for which the unbeliever is consoled by flattering himself that there is nothing beyond his reach, because be reduces everything to the limits of his own mind. Nothing appears to me more pitiful than this unbelief, which pretends that there is nothing in the moral and intellectual sphere beyond the thoughts of man, and which denies man's capacity to receive light from a more exalted mind; the only thing that raises man above himself, while, at the 'same time, rendering him morally excellent, by making him humble through the sense of superiority in another.
Blessed be God, that some are to be found who have profited by the grace which has communicated to man of His perfect wisdom! Even though the imperfect vessel which received it may have a little impaired its features and its perfection; they have, nevertheless, profited by it so as to take their true place. Happy place, before the presence. of Him, whom to know is infinite and everlasting joy!
There is yet an important practical rule to be recognized in these words, 1:9, "Have not I commanded thee?"
If we are not conscious that we are doing the will of God,-if before we begin to act we have not assured ourselves of this in His presence, we shall have no courage in performing it. Perhaps, indeed, what we are doing is the will of God; but not being conscious of this, we act with hesitation, without confidence, and without joy: we are repulsed by the smallest opposition, whilst, when we are assured of doing His will, and that He has said, "Have not I commanded thee?" nothing, through grace, can alarm us. Nevertheless, I add one word, or rather I call the reader's attention to what God says; for although the command of God inspires us with a courage which we could not have had without it, yet no revelation is, by itself, strength for action. But God adds-" Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." We have in the New Testament a striking exemplification of this principle: Paul was caught up to the third heaven, where he heard things which it is not lawful for man to utter. Was that his strength in conflict? Doubtless it gave his views an inward bearing, which reacted upon his whole work; but this was not his strength for the work. On the contrary, it tended to feed the false confidence of the flesh; at least, the flesh would have used it for self-exaltation. Such revelations rendered humiliation needful, and drew from God-not fresh favors (though all was favor)-but that which humbled the Apostle, and rendered him weak and contemptible as to the flesh. Being then weak, strength is given him in another way: not in the use or in the consciousness of revelations-that would have made him weak, by ministering to the exaltation of the flesh; but in the grace and the strength of Christ, which were made perfect in this infirmity. There lay his only strength, and he gloried in this infirmity, in which the power of Christ was perfected in him, which gave occasion for the manifestation, of this power; and which, in proving that Paul was weak, proved that Christ Himself was in the work with Paul. We always need immediate strength from Christ, when acting on the part of Christ; strength which is made perfect in weakness, to do His work; abiding strength, for without Him we can do nothing. Let us remember this truth.
I add but one word on the end of the chapter. There are Christians, (I cannot say approved of God), who take their place on this side of Jordan; that is to say, on this side of the power of death and resurrection, applied to the soul by the Spirit of God. The place in which they settle is not Egypt; it is beyond the Red Sea, it is within the limits of Israel's country; outside Egypt and this side the Euphrates, river of Babylon. But it is not Canaan. It is a land they have chosen for their cattle and their possessions; they establish their children and their wives there. It is not Joshua who conquered that land; it is not the place of testimony to the power of the Spirit of God, that Canaan which is beyond Jordan. However, although the children and the families might be placed there, yet the men of war must, whether they will or no, take part in the conflicts of the children of God who seek no rest, except where the power of God is found; that is to say, in Canaan, in the heavenly places, all enemies being driven out. And, indeed, when the sin of Israel and their consequent weakness„ exposed the people to the successful attacks of their enemies, of the enemies of God, this country was the first that fell into their hands. "Know ye that Ramoth Gilead is ours" lead to no blessing to the people when sorrowful on account of its loss. For the time all was well; that is, as long as Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh remained under the authority of Joshua, and through him the power of God conducted the people. They too, say to Joshua, that which God had said, " Be strong and of a good courage."
How often among the children of God some principle or line of conduct is brought in, that is inferior in nature to the excellence of that work which is going on in the purpose of God; but which, as long as the power of God is working according to this purpose, does not disengage itself; so to say, from the work, so as to assume any prominence, and produce uneasiness and sorrow. But when this divine stream becomes shallow in consequence of man's unfaithfulness, then bitter fruits appear; spiritual declensions, weakness, heart-burnings, divisions, which' flow from the impossibility of reconciling that which is spiritual with that which is carnal, and of maintaining a spiritual testimony while conforming to the ways of the world. But this testimony belongs to the other side of Jordan. The two tribes and a half may follow this course if they will, but we cannot come out of Canaan to join them. Alas! these beautiful meadows, well suited to feed their flocks, have found but too many Lots and tribes of Israel to settle in them, to their loss. The shoals that are met with in our Christian voyage, may perhaps be safely crossed at high tide; but at low tide, skilful pilotage is needed to avoid them and to float always in the full current of the grace of God, in the channel it has made for itself. But there is a sure and steadfast pilot, and we are safe if we are content to follow Him. God has given us what we need for this. Perhaps we must be satisfied with a very little boat; the unerring pilot will be in it.
At the first, Moses was not pleased with the proposal of the two tribes and a half. The thing was permitted certainly. But in general the first thoughts of faith are the best; they only contemplate the promises, the full effect of the promises and the thoughts of God. After thoughts are not in connection with that.
OS 2{The second chapter contains the interesting history of Rahab.
How beautiful it is to see the grace of God setting up its way-marks from the beginning, that the eye of faith might know where to rest when God was obliged to narrow His dealings with respect to man, and to limit Himself in His relations to man, until the precious blood of Christ gave that grace its full spring and liberty. Seed of the woman, seed of Abraham, seed of David, it narrows more and more. The promises even, as to the government of God, give place to the law, until a small remnant of Israel-proud in proportion to its poverty-becomes the vessel which contains the yet smaller remnant of faithful ones who were waiting for the redemption of Israel. And what shallow thoughts, though true ones, were found in the hearts of these precious saints, in comparison with the hopes of an Abraham and the solemn declarations of an Enoch! The Lord, ever perfect, ever precious, might well say (one understands it, although the depths of His heart are infinitely beyond our reach) " I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." But there have always been these signals for faith. If God acts, He goes beyond the limits of the existing dispensation, and oversteps His established relations with man. It is thus that the divine nature of Jesus and the divine rights of His person manifested themselves. He was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That was the limit of His formal relations with man. But if faith lays hold of the goodness of God, can that goodness deny itself or limit itself to those who, for the time being, were the alone subjects of His dispensation? No, Christ could not say, God is not good, I am not good, to the degree you have imagined. How could God deny Himself? The Syrophenician woman obtains what she asks for. Precious prerogative of faith, which knows and owns God through everything; which honors Him as He is, and ever finds Him what He is.
Wherein was manifested that faith in Rahab which the Apostle cites as a pattern? Admirable proof that the way in which God acts in grace is before and above law, that grace overleaps the boundary which law prescribes to man, even while maintaining its authority: an authority, however, which can only manifest itself in condemnation. What then was Rahab's faith? It was the faith which recognizes that God is with His people, all weak and few as they may be, unpossessed of their inheritance, wandering on the earth without a country, but beloved of God. If Abraham believed God when there was not a people, Rahab identified herself with this people when they had nothing but God. She well knew that the inheritance was theirs, and that however strong their enemies might be, in spite of their walled cities and their chariots of iron, their heart was melted. This is always the case with the instruments of the enemy, whatever appearances may be, when the people of God are under the guidance of the Spirit of God, in the path of obedience which God has marked out for them.
Thus, in the midst of heathens, this poor simple woman, a bad and despised member of an accursed race doomed to destruction, is saved, and her name is a testimony to the glory of God. Her house, recognized by the sure mark, the line of scarlet thread; becomes the refuge and the security of all who take shelter in it, trusting to the promise given.
And now the people are to enter the promised land; but how enter it? For Jordan, with its flood at the highest, lay as a barrier before the people of God, guarding the territory of those that oppose their hopes. Now Jordan represents death-but death looked at rather as the end of human life, and the token of the enemy's power, than as the fruit and testimony of the just judgment of God. The passage of the Red Sea was also death; but he people were there, as participating (in type) in the death and resurrection of Jesus accomplishing their redemption, and setting them free forever from Egypt, their house of bondage-that is, from every claim of Satan. It was then that the people entered upon their pilgrimage in the wilderness.
Redemption, complete salvation, purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, introduces the Christian into this pilgrimage. With God, he only passes through' the world as a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; still this pilgrimage is but the life down here, although it is the life of the redeemed. But, as we have seen, there is the heavenly life, the warfare in the heavenly places, which goes on at the same time. When I say at the same time, I do not mean at the same instant, but during the same period of our natural life on the earth. It is one thing to pass through this world faithfully, or unfaithfully, in our daily circumstances, under the influence of a better hope; it is another thing to be waging a spiritual warfare for the enjoyment of the promises, and of heavenly privileges, as men already dead and risen as being absolutely not of the world. Both these things are true of the Christian life. Now, it is as dead and risen again in Christ that we are in spiritual conflict: to make war in Canaan we must have crossed the Jordan. It is, then, death and resurrection in Christ, looked at in their spiritual power, not as to their efficacy for the justification of a sinner, but as to their realization for his life in the heavenly places, into which Christ has entered. A comparison between Phil. 3 and Col. 2 and 3 shows how death and resurrection are bound up with the true character of the circumcision of Christ. In Phil. 3 the return of Christ is introduced as completing the work by the resurrection of the body. In both passages the heavenly life is spoken of as a present thing; but there is entire separation, even down here, between the pilgrimage and this heavenly life, although the latter has a powerful influence on the character of our pilgrim This influence was perfect and entire in the case of the Lord Jesus; but His life in connection with men, although the ever-perfect expression of the effect of His life of heavenly communion, was evidently distinct from it. The joy of the heavenly life entirely set aside all the motives of the lower life; and leading to the sufferings of his earthly life, in connection with man, produced a life of perfect patience before God. In Him all was sinless; but. His joys were elsewhere. Thus, also, with the Christian: there is nothing in common between these two lives. Nature has no part whatever in that above; in that below there are things which belong to nature and to the world, not in the bad sense of the word "world," but considered as creation. Nothing of this enters into the life of Canaan. Christ alone could pass through death, and exhaust its strength, in being in it, as shedding the blood of the everlasting covenant; and He alone could rise again from death, according to the power of the life that was in Him, "for in Him was life." He has opened this way; He has converted death into a power that destroys this flesh which shackles us, and a deliverance from that in us which gives advantage to the enemy with whom we are to fight, being thenceforward brought into Canaan. Therefore the Apostle says, "All things are yours, whether life or death." Now, every true Christian is dead and risen in Christ; the knowing and realizing it is another thing. But the word of God sets Christian privilege before us according to its real power in Christ.
The Ark of the Lord passed over before the people, who were to leave the space of two thousand cubits between it and them, "that they might know the way by which they must go; for they had not passed this way before." Who, indeed, had passed through death until Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, had opened this way? Man, whether innocent or sinful, could do nothing here. This way was alike unknown to both, as was also the heavenly life that follows. This life is altogether beyond Jordan: the scenes of spiritual conflict do not belong to man in his life below. No wilderness experience, be it ever so faithful, has anything to do with it, although the grapes of Canaan may cheer the pilgrims by the way. But Christ has destroyed all the power of death for His people, so far as it is the power of the enemy and the token of his dominion. It is now but the witness of the power of Jesus. It is indeed death; but, as we have said, it is the death of that which fetters us.
OS 3{I will add some brief remarks. "Lord of all the earth" is the title Joshua repeats, as that which God had here taken; for it is in testimony to this great truth that God had planted Israel in Canaan. Hereafter He will establish in power, according to His counsels, that which had been put into the hands of Israel, that they might keep it according to their responsibility. This last principle is the key to the whole history of the Bible; as to man, Israel, the law, and all it has to do with.
Thus this chapter supplies us with very clear indications of that which God has promised to accomplish in the last days, when He will indeed show Himself to be "Lord of all the earth," in Israel brought back in grace by His mighty power. And we must attend to this testimony of the purpose of God in establishing Israel in their land. Harvest time will come, and the strength of the enemy will overflow its banks; but we, as Christians, are already on the other side. The strength of the enemy passed all bounds in the death of Jesus; and we do not say now "Lord of all the earth," but "All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth."
Let us remark, also, how God encourages His people. They must combat; the sole of the foot must tread on every part of the promised land to possess, it; and it must be in conflict that the power of the enemy and entire dependance upon God are realized. But while fighting boldly for Him, He would have us know that victory is certain. The spies said to Joshua, "Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land, for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us." This is what we know and prove by the testimony of the Holy Ghost, so different from that of the flesh, as brought by the ten who came back with Caleb and Joshua.
But if we are introduced into a life which is on the other side of death, by the power of the Spirit of God, as being dead and risen in Christ, there must be the remembrance of that death, by which we have been delivered from that which is on this side of it; of the ruin of man, as he now is, and of the fallen creation to which he belongs. Twelve men, one out of each tribe, were to bring stones from the midst of Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm with the Ark, while all Israel passed over on dry ground. The Holy Ghost brings with Him-so to speak-the touching memorial of the death of Jesus, by the mighty power of which He has turned all the effect of the enemy's strength into life and deliverance. Death rises with us from the grave of Jesus: no longer now as death, it is become life unto us. This memorial was to be set up at Gilgal. The meaning of this circumstance will be considered in the next chapter; we will only dwell here on the memorial itself. The twelve stones, for the twelve tribes, represented the tribes of God as a whole. This number is the symbol of perfection in human agency, in connection here as elsewhere with Christ, as in the case of the show-bread.
Here also the Spirit sets us-Christians-in a more advanced position. There were twelve loaves of the show-bread, and we form but one in our life of union by the Holy Ghost with Christ our Head, which is the life we speak of here. Now, it is His death that is recalled to us, in the memorial left us by the loving-kindness of our Lord, who condescends to value our remembrance of His love. I only speak here of this memorial as the sign of that which should be always a reality. We eat His flesh, we drink His life given for us. Being one now in the power of our union with Christ risen, dead to the world and to sin, it is from the bottom of the river into which He went down to make it the way of life-heavenly life-for us, that we bring back the precious memorial of His love, and of the place in which He fulfilled His work. It is a broken body which we eat, a poured out blood which we drink; and this is the reason why blood was entirely prohibited to Israel after the flesh; for how can death be drunk by those who are mortal? But we drink it, because the death of Christ is our life, and it is in realizing the death of that which is mortal that we live with Him. The remembrance of Jordan, of death when Christ was in it, is the remembrance of that power, which secured our salvation in the last strong-hold of Him who had the power of death. It is the remembrance of that love which went down into death, in order that, as to us, it should lose all its power; except that of doing us good, and being a witness unto us of infinite and unchangeable love.
The power of resurrection-life takes all strength from Satan: "He who is born of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." In our earthly life, the flesh being in us, we are exposed to the power of the enemy; and the creature has no strength against him, even though it should not be drawn away into actual sin. But if death is become our shelter, causing us to die unto all that would give Satan an advantage over us, what can he do? Can he tempt one who is dead, or overcome one who, having died, is alive again? But, if this be true, it is also necessary to realize it practically. "Ye are dead, therefore mortify " (Col. 3). This is what Gilgal means.
The matter in hand was not yet the taking of cities, the realization of God's magnificent promises. Self must first of all be mortified. Before conquering Midian, Gideon must cast down the altar that was in his own house. The wilderness is not the place where circumcision is carried out, even though we may have been faithful there. Circumcision is the application of the Spirit's power to the mortification of the flesh in him who has fellowship with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Therefore Paul says (Phil. 3): "We are the circumcision." As to an outwardly moral life, Paul had that before. Had he now added true piety to his religion of forms, the true fear of God to his good works? It was far more than that. Christ had taken the place of all, in Him: first of all as to righteousness, which is the ground-work; but further, the Apostle says, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Therefore it is in "pressing towards the mark," that he waits for the coming of Jesus, to accomplish this resurrection, as to his body. In the Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2, he speaks to us of the circumcision of Christ. Is it only that he has ceased to sin (the certain effect indeed of this work of God)? No; for in describing this work, he adds, "Being buried with Him in baptism, wherein also we are risen with Him, through faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead.' The consequences of this heavenly life are found in chap. 3 ver. 1; which is in immediate connection with the verse just quoted. Here also the work is crowned by the manifestation of the Saints with Jesus when he shall appear.
OS 4{Our Gilgal is in the 5th verse. " Mortify therefore." We see that it is founded on grace. " Ye are dead, mortify therefore." This being the standing, it is realized. " Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead," said the Apostle (Rom. 6), when speaking on the same subject. This is the practical power of the type of the stones brought from Jordan. They are a symbol of our union with Christ who was dead. Raised up together with Him, we can say that we were dead with Him: He, dead for sin; we dead in sin; God has quickened us together with Him. All that He did was for us. Associated with Him in life, united to Him by the Spirit, I appropriate to myself, or rather God ascribes to me all that He has done, as though it had happened to, myself; He is dead to sin, in Him I am dead to sin. Therefore I can "mortify;" which I could not do as being still alive. Now, circumcision being the practical application of that of which we have been speaking, we remember the death of Christ, and mortification is accomplished through grace, in the consciousness of grace. Otherwise it would only be the effort of a soul under the law, and in that case there would be a bad conscience and no strength. This is what sincere monks attempted; but their efforts were not made in the power of grace, of Christ and His strength. If there was sincerity, there was also the deepest spiritual misery. In order to die there must be life; and if we have life, we have already died in Him who died for us. The stones set up in Gilgal, were taken out of the midst of Jordan, and Jordan was already crossed before Israel was circumcised. The memorial of grace, and of death as the witness to us of a love which wrought out our salvation, by taking up our sins in grace, stood in the place where mortification was to be effected. Christ dying for sins, in perfect love, in unfailing efficacy, is our strength in dying unto sin. In every circumstance, then, we must remember that we are dead, and say to ourselves, if through grace I am dead, what have I to do with sin, which supposes me to be alive? Christ is in this death in the beauty and in the power of His grace; it is deliverance itself. As to growth, the Apostle says: "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."
Thus, in being dead, and only thus, will the reproach of Egypt be taken away. Every mark of the world is a reproach to him who is heavenly. It is only the heavenly man, who has died with Christ, that disentangles himself from all that is of Egypt. The life of the flesh always cleaves to Egypt; but the principle of worldliness is uprooted in him who is dead and risen with Christ and living a heavenly life. There is in the life of man a necessary link with the world as God sees it; with a dead man there is no such link. The life of a risen man is not of this world; it has no connection with him. He who possesses this life may pass through the world and do many things that others do. He eats, works, suffers; but as to his life and his object, he is not of the world, even as Christ was not of the world. Christ, risen and ascended up on high, is his life. He subdues his flesh-he mortifies it-for in point of fact he is down here! but he does not live in it. The camp was always at Gilgal. The people-the army of the Lord-returned thither, after their victories and their conquests. If we do not the same, we shall be feeble, the flesh will betray us; we shall fall before the enemy in the hour of conflict, even though it may he honestly entered into in the service of God. It is at Gilgal the monument of the stones from Jordan is set up; for if the consciousness of being dead with Jesus is necessary to enable us to mortify the flesh, it is through this mortification that we attain to the knowledge of what it is to be thus dead. We do not realize the inward communion (I am not speaking now of justification), the sweet and divine enjoyment of the death of Jesus for us, if the flesh is unmortified. It is impossible. But if we return to Gilgal, to the blessed mortification of our own flesh, we find there all the sweetness (and it is infinite), all the powerful efficacy of this communion with the death of Jesus-with the love manifested in it. Thus we do not remain in Jordan; but there remains in the heart all the preciousness of this glorious work, a work which the angels desire to look into, which is for us, and which Christ, in His love, appropriates to us. We find Him with us at Gilgal-a place of no outward show or victory, to attract the eyes of men; but where He, who is the source of all victory, is found in the power and the communion which enable us to overcome.
But there were, also, twelve stones set up in the midst of Jordan; and, indeed, if we apply the power of the death of Christ to mortify the flesh, the heart-exercised in, and fully enjoying heavenly things-loves to turn again to Jordan, to the place where Jesus went down in the power of life and obedience, and to gaze upon that Ark of the Covenant, which stood there and stayed those impetuous waters till all the people had passed over. One loves, while viewing the power of death in all its extent, to behold Jesus there, who went down into it; but who destroyed its power for us. In the overflowing of the nations, Christ will be the security and the salvation of Israel; but He has been our security and our salvation, with respect to much more terrible enemies. The heart loves to stand on the banks of that river-already crossed-and to realize, while studying what Jesus was, the work and the wondrous love of Him who went down into it alone, until all was accomplished. But in one sense we were there; the twelve stones show that the people had to do with this work, although the ark was there alone when the waters were to be restrained. In the Psalms we can especially there contemplate the Lord, now that we are in peace on the other side the stream. Oh, if the Church knew how to seat herself there, and there meditate on Jesus! In doctrine, the Psalms set forth, also, the connection between the death of Jesus and Israel passing through the waters of tribulation in the last days.
Behold, then, the people out of Egypt and in Canaan, according to the faithfulness of God's promise; not only redeemed out of Egypt, but brought into Canaan; the reproach of Egypt being rolled away, and the people of God having taken their place at Gilgal-the true circumcision of heart, of which we have spoken.
Israel encamped at Gilgal. The character of their communion with God is pointed out before their victories. They keep the Passover in the plains of Jericho. The Lord prepared a table before them, in the presence of their enemies. It was no longer, as in Egypt, the blood sprinkled upon the lintel and the two side-posts, that they might be sheltered from the destroyer, and preserved from the just judgment which spread terror throughout every house where the blood was not seen.
We need this aspect of the blood of Christ, being in the territory of sin and Satan, although called of God to come out of it. God's justice and our consciences require it. But here it is no longer this; it is the memorial of accomplished salvation. Neither is it participation by grace in the power of the death and resurrection of Christ. It is the soul's communion-it is the sweet spiritual recollection (while peacefully sitting in the heavenlies) of a work all His own, of His death as a lamb without blemish. We feed upon it, as His redeemed people, in the enjoyment of this position in the land of promise and of God-a land which belongs to us in consequence of this redemption, and of our being raised up with Christ. The death of Jesus can only be thus enjoyed on the other side of Jordan, as risen with Him. Then, in peace, in fellowship with Him, and with ineffable feelings of thankfulness, we return to the death of the Lamb; we contemplate it, we feed upon it; our heavenly happiness and intelligence only increase our sense of its preciousness.
On the morrow after the Passover the people eat of the old corn of the land. Thus raised up, and seated in the heavenly places, it is the "things above" which feed the soul, and maintain it in vigor and in joy. From thenceforward, also, the manna ceased. This is the more remarkable, because Christ, we know, is the true Manna; but Christ down here, Christ after the flesh. I contemplate Jesus (God manifest in the flesh) with adoration, my soul feeds upon the powerful attractions of His grace in His humiliation; but in that condition he remained alone. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die, otherwise it abideth alone. But-while knowing what He has been-it is a Christ seated above, who died and is raised again, whom I now know. Paul alludes to this when he says-"Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more." The memorial of His death, of which we have spoken, is undoubtedly the basis of all. There is nothing more precious: but it is a heavenly Christ with whom we have now to do. We contemplate, while seeking to imitate, the precious model which He has set before us, as a heavenly man upon the earth. We delight ourselves with the contemplation of all His grace here below; but our fellowship is with a Christ in heaven. And the Christ, whom we know on earth, is a heavenly Christ, and not an earthly Christ, as He will be to the Jews by-and-bye. In passing through this wilderness (and we are passing through it), Christ, as the manna, is infinitely precious to us. His humiliation-His grace-comfort, relieve, and sustain us. We feel that He has passed through the same trials, and our heart is sustained by the thought that this same Christ is with us. This is the Christ we need for the wilderness-the bread which came down from heaven. But, as a heavenly people, it is Christ at the right hand of God, and heavenly things, which we feed upon; for it is to Christ ascended up on high that we are united; it is there that He is our life. In a word, we feed on heavenly things, on Christ above, on Christ dying, as a sweet remembrance, on Christ living, as the power of life and grace. We feed on the remembrance of Christ on the cross; this is the Passover; but we keep the feast with a Christ who is the center of heavenly things, and feed upon them all (Col. 3:1, 21If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1‑2)). It is the old corn of the land into which we have entered.
Thus, before giving battle, in front of the very walls of Jericho (representative of the enemy's power), God gives us to enjoy the fruit of this land as being all our own. We remember the death of Jesus, as redemption long since wrought out; and we feed on the old corn of the land, on heavenly things, as our own portion. For being risen with Christ by His grace, all is ours. After this beautiful picture of the position and the privileges of God's people, who-according to God's own rights- may enjoy everything before engaging in a single battle, we find that war must follow. But there is one thing necessary for making war and obtaining blessings by conquest.
OS 5{The Lord presented Himself as Captain of the host; it is He Himself who leads us. He is there with a drawn sword in His hand. Faith owns no neutrality in heavenly things. "And Joshua said unto Him, Art thou for us or for our adversaries? And He said, Nay, but as Captain of the host of the Lord am I come." But the presence of the Lord as Captain of the host, as much demanded holiness and reverence, as when He came down to redeem His people (Ex. 3), in that divine holiness and majesty which were manifested according to their just requirements in the death of Jesus, who gave Himself that He might magnify and establish them forever. Such as he was, who called himself "I am," when He thus came down in righteousness and majesty; such also is He when standing in the midst of His people to bless and lead them in conflict.
The almighty power of God is with the Church in her warfare. But His infinite holiness is there also, and He will not make good His power if His holiness is compromised by the defilement, the negligence, the heedless levity of His people; or by the failure in those feelings and affections, which become the presence of God, for it is God Himself who is there.
OS 6{In chapter 6, we find the principles on which the conquests of Israel are founded. The work is altogether God's; He may indeed exercise His people in conflict, but it is He who does all. "They went up every man straight before him." There is submission here in the use of means, readiness to follow a course which, in the eyes of the world, is absurd and without object; but which loudly proclaims the presence of the Lord in the midst of His people; there is entire dependence upon God, a perfect confidence in Him which openly declares it has nothing else to do but to obey Him.
The promise is sure, they act in obedience. That is the principle. Joshua-type of the energy and the mind of the Spirit in one who enjoys communion with the Lord-is certain of success; and in this assurance of faith he acts without hesitation. In effect, all the strength of the enemy falls to the ground without the use of any means that could account for it. Another principle is, that there must be no fellowship whatever with that which constitutes the power of the enemy of God with the world, and that which is its strength. All is accursed. It is so with us in this world. If' the world of Sodom had enriched Abraham, he would have been dependent on that world, he would have owed it something; he would not have been at liberty from it to belong entirely to God. " And ye in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed." God may use these things by consecrating them to Himself, if He will. But if man, if the Christian meddle with them, the Lord must judge him. Cities walled up to heaven-the greatest obstacles-are as nothing; but holiness, complete separation from the world because power is of God, that is the condition of strength. Jericho, representing the enemy's power and means of defense (inasmuch as it was the first city standing as a barrier to arrest the progress of God's people), is put under a curse forever; and sentence is passed against any one who should rebuild it (see 1 Kings 16:3434In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. (1 Kings 16:34)). The abstract principles of the power of God and the enemy's strength, are presented by this city, in what evidences them, and in contrast. But, if God is there, and the world is utterly condemned, His grace calls out from this world a people saved by faith from its abominations.
OS 7{The seventh chapter lays open the principles of God's government, or His ways in the midst of His people who are in conflict. Victory leads to negligence. The work is thought easy. After a manifestation of God's power, there is a kind of confidence, which in reality is only self-confidence, for it neglects God. What proves this is, that God is not consulted. Ai was but a small city. Two or three thousand men could easily take it. They went up and viewed the country, but God was forgotten. The consequence of this will be seen. If they had taken counsel of the Lord, either He would have given no answer, on account of the accursed thing, or He would have made its presence known. But they did not seek His counsel; they went forward, and they were defeated. The people of God, surrounded by the enemy, have lost their strength and flee before the least city in the land. What will they do now? This is more than they know. Engaged in battle, and unable to conquer, what can they do there, where victory alone is their safety? " The hearts of the people melted and became as water." Joshua cries unto the Lord, for in such a case even he who has the Spirit is taken by surprise, not having acted according to the Spirit. He must fall on his face before the Lord for their condition is not normal, not according to the Spirit, who is the only guide and wisdom of His people. Joshua, however, recalls the power by which God had brought the people over Jordon, and contrasts it with their present condition: so evidently inconsistent with it. " Wherefore hast Thou at all brought this people over Jordon, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordon! 0 Lord! what shall I say! "
This was a perturbed state of mind: the effect of a mixture of unbelief with the remembrance of the wonders which the power of God had wrought. Joshua loves the people, and he sets. before God the glory of His name; yet with a timorous wish that they had remained on the other side of Jordon (and what to do there? for unbelief ever reasons badly), away from the conflict which led to such disasters; a wish that betrayed the unbelief which disturbed his heart. Such is the state of a believer's soul in the conflict which the. Holy Ghost brings him into, when the state of his soul does not inwardly correspond with the presence of the Holy Ghost, who is our only strength for conflict. There is no escape. It is a position which absolutely requires strength; yet the very nature of God prevents His bestowing it. We lament; we recognize His power, we dread the enemy.—We talk of God's glory; but we are thinking of our own fears and our own condition. Yet the thing was very simple. "Israel hath sinned." Man, even when spiritual, looks at results (because he is in close contact with them), even while owning the power of God, and the connection between Him and His people. But God looks at the cause and also at what He is Himself. It is true that He is love, but He cannot sacrifice the very principles of His being, nor deny Himself in those relationships which are founded upon what He is. His glory is indeed connected, through grace, with the well-being of his people. But He will vindicate His glory, and even bless His people in the end, without compromising these principles.
It would not be maintaining His glory in the midst of His people, if He tolerated amongst them anything contrary to His essential character, and made use of His power to maintain them in a condition which would deny His nature. The relationship would be broken, and God himself compromised; a thing absolutely impossible. They had sin amongst them, and the strength of God is no longer with them; for God cannot identify Himself with sin. And let us remember here that there was also sin in the neglect which went forwards without seeking counsel from God. Joshua's cry did not at once bring deliverance, but discovery first of all of the sin, with respect to which God is very precise and very exact. Observe that when the government of His people is in question, He searches into everything and takes cognizance of the smallest details, (see verse 11 of this chapter). Also, that God not only said " they could not stand" but "Thou canst not stand." Sorrowful change. Before, it was " No man shall be able to stand before thee." Now, they could not stand themselves. Where there is not holiness, God allows the weakness of His people to be practically seen; for there is no strength but in Him, and He will not then go out with them, nor thus sanction and encourage sin. Nevertheless let us remark here, that God does not always withdraw His blessing at once from those who are unfaithful. He frequently chastens them on the one side, and blesses them on the other. He deals patiently, He instructs them, in His grace; He does not bless them on the side where the evil is, but He acts with admirable tenderness and a perfect knowledge of its cause; taking the trouble so to say, of following the soul in detail, according to its condition and for its good, for He is full of grace. How often He thus waits for the repentance of His people! Alas! how often He waits for it in vain!
But we have here the great principle on which He acts; as in the case of Jericho, that of His power exercised on behalf of his people; proving that all is of God. Another important principle is here set before us. The people of God are corporate, as to the effects of sin amongst them. The presence of God is in their midst. Sin is committed there. He is there. But since there is only one God there, and the people are one, if He is displeased and cannot act, the whole people suffer in consequence, for they have no other strength but God. The only remedy is to put away the accursed thing. We find the same thing at Corinth, modified according to the principles of grace. The wicked person must be put away. If not, they are all identified with the sin, until they have put it away, and have thus "approved themselves to be clear." In doing so, they take God's part against the sin, and the relation between God and the body reassumes its normal state. Nevertheless all this cannot fail to produce certain painful effects. If the accursed thing is there, although trod may be glorified-in that the perfection of His ways is manifested, as well as His Jealousy of sin, and perfect knowledge of all that happens (for Achan's confession justifies God, and the people have not a word to say), yet, although the sin is no longer concealed, discipline must be carried out. The confession of Achan, whose sin had been brought to light, through the obedience of the people or of Joshua to the Lord's directions, does but ratify in the eyes of all, the just judgment of God. But it is well to remember here, that Christian discipline has always the recovery of the soul for its object. Even if the offender should be delivered unto Satan, it is for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. A most forcible reason for exercising this discipline, according to the measure of our spiritual power; for we cannot go beyond that. At the least we might always humble ourselves before God, in order that the evil may be removed. To be indifferent to the presence of evil in the church, is to be guilty of high treason against God; it is taking advantage of His love to deny His holiness, despising and dishonoring Him before all. God acts in love in the church; but He acts with holiness and for the maintenance of holiness; otherwise it would not be the love of God which acted; it would not be seeking the prosperity of souls.
It is interesting to see that this valley of Achor, the witness and the memorial of the first sin committed by Israel after they had entered the land, is given them " for a door of hope" (Hos. 2:1515And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (Hosea 2:15)), when the sovereign grace of God is in action. It is always thus. Fear sin, but do not fear the bitterness of its discovery, nor that of its, chastisement: for at this point God resumes the course of blessing. Blessed be His gracious name for it! Let us follow the history of the people's restoration to God's favor. Alas! Shinar (Babylon) and money soon begin to affect the ways of the people of God. They find these things amongst their enemies, and the carnal heart covets them. Observe also, that if there is faithfulness and obedience, God never fails to manifest and take away that which hinders the blessing of His people.
OS 8{Chapter 8 exhibits the return of Israel to their strength in God.
If all the people were compromised by Achan's sin: it was needful that they should be sensibly restored to confidence, that they should be established, and consequently that they should go through whatever was necessary to their restoration. They must experience many things. Much experience of this kind would be avoided by walking in the simplicity and integrity of faith. Jacob had more of it than Abraham, and it was when unfaithful that Abraham went through the most; that is, of such experience as is really felt to exercise the heart. But God makes use of this, to teach us what we are, and what He is: two things which-if we know them not-render experience necessary.
Success is now certain; but all the people must go up against this small city which, judging by human strength, might have been taken by two or three thousand men. Pride and false confidence are sharply rebuked by this. How much trouble must Joshua now take I Lay an ambush, feign to flee, all this to take a small city, and not much glory after all. It costs more pains to return into the path of blessing, than it would have done to avoid the evil. But the simplicity of faith and its natural vigor can be regained no other way.
Meanwhile the power of God is with them, and everything success; although the manifestation of this power was not such as it had been at Jericho. At length by God's command Joshua stretches out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. It does not appear that the ambush saw it, or that it was a concerted signal. But as soon as it was stretched out, the ambush arose, entered the city and set fire to it. It is thus that the Lord, working by His spirit at the opportune moment, produces activity in those even who may not know why. At a given time they are impelled onwards and think they act from motives of their own, while it is the Lord who directs all their steps in harmony with what He is doing elsewhere; and thus He brings about the success of the whole affair.
It is highly interesting to see the Lord thus the hidden spring of all action, giving impulse to the activity of His children, who in detail are ignorant of what it is that puts them in motion; although on the whole the mind of God is revealed to them, even as Israel had the general orders of Joshua. When Christ stretches out the spear, all his activity to bring about the counsels of His wisdom, and lead to the pre-determined results of His mighty grace. May we only have faith to believe it!
We have still two other important points to consider in this chapter. The Lord had already shown in the taking of Jericho, that it was His might alone that gave victory, or rather that made everything fall before Israel, the prince of this world having no power against Him; and that the gold and silver being the Lord's, the people were not to seek the treasures of the conquered world, nor to enrich themselves with its spoils. In general, however, when Israel had exterminated their enemies, they took possession of everything as of the promised land. Now that these two great principles are established, namely, that the power of God is with His people, and that He will have holiness and consecration to Himself maintained in the camp, Joshua takes formal possession of the whole country as belonging to the Lord.
This is not celebrating the memorial of their salvation by the blood of the Lamb; nor is it feeding on the old corn of the heavenly land, in the place of rest; where the grace and perfection of Christ, and the redemption He has wrought out, are peacefully remembered.
The people treat the land itself as belonging of' right to the Lord, according to the strength of the spiritual might which is in activity to assert His rights, and which recognizes them although the conquest of the land is only just begun. At Jericho (in type) they had fellowship with the Cross and with things above, without striking a blow. Here, the conditions of the warfare being laid down, they publicly declare beforehand that it is the Lord's land. Though Satan is still in possession of the contested land, by right it is the Lord's. There were two actions by which Joshua verified this. He commanded the dead body of the king of Ai to be taken down from the tree, as soon as the sun was down. This was the ordinance in Deut. 21:22, 2322And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 21:22‑23). "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in anywise bury him that day (for he that is hanged is accursed of God); that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." Israel's victory was complete. The curse hung over their enemies, who were also God's enemies. They were made a curse, and declared to be so. Now, according to Joshua's faith, the land was so entirely Israel's, as the gift of God, that it ought not to be defiled; he had, therefore, the dead body taken down that it should not be so in fact.
The other action was Joshua's building an altar on Mount Ebal. Having taken possession of Canaan as a consecrated land, they recognize the Lord as the God of Israel, by worshipping Him in the land. The altar was there as a witness, and as a bond between the people and the Lord who had given them the land. The erection of this altar has been already spoken of, when considering the book of Deut. 1 will not recur to it. I leave it to the reader to judge whether Joshua would have done better to set up this altar as soon as they had crossed the Jordan. Be that as it may, we do not always turn at once to God, when we enjoy that which His power has wrought. Our not doing so only proves our folly, whether it be in things connected with our joy or our safety.
Joshua now reads before all the people, not only the curses attached to the violation of the law, but all that made known the ways of God in His government of the people.
But if such a position as this proclaims the rights of God, and manifests the confidence of the people, it soon leads to conflict. The enemy will not consent to the invasion and the taking possession of all the territory he has usurped. But the wiles of the enemy are more to be feared than his strength; indeed it is only these that are to be feared; for in his strength he meets the Lord. In his wiles he deceives, or seeks to deceive, the sons of men. If we resist the devil, he flees; but to stand against his wiles, we need the whole armor of God. Christ met his wiles with scripture, and when he manifested himself, the Lord said, " Get thee hence, Satan."
OS 9{The inhabitants of Gibeon pretended to have come from far. The princes of Israel use their own wisdom instead of asking counsel of the Lord. This time it is not confidence in the strength, but in the wisdom of man. The princes of the congregation, accustomed to reflect and to guide, are more likely to fall into this snare. Bad as they are in their unbelief, the people, eager for the result, are often nearer the mind of God, to whom the result is sure. The princes had some misgivings, so that they are inexcusable: apparently there was much advantage in gaining allies in a place where they had so many enemies. The Gibeonites flattered them too, as the servants of the Lord. Everything was calculated to set their minds at rest.
Satan can talk religiously as well as another; but he deceives only when we take the management into our own hands, instead of consulting the Lord. Communion with Him was needed to discern that these were people of the country, enemies who dared not be enemies: but to make peace with such, is to deprive oneself of a victory, and of one's right to make good the judgment and the glory of God, in the unmingled possession of the land of blessing. Allies can only set aside that single-eyed dependence upon God, and that purity of moral relationship which exist between God and His people, when it is His power alone that sustains them. They spare the enemy; and the name of the Lord, which has been brought in, obliges His people to retain a perpetual snare in their midst.
OS 10{Four centuries later, in the days of Saul, this produced its sorrowful fruits. To a spiritual mind, the presence of the Gibeonites would always be an evil. Besides what had Israel to do with allies? Was not the Lord sufficient? May He give us always to trust in Him, to seek counsel of Him, to own none but Him, and to be always subject to Him! This will ensure victory over every enemy, and the land will be all our own. More- over, this peace with the Gibeonites only brought fresh attacks upon Israel. But now all is plain. The Lord says to Joshua: " Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thy hand." This is all that conflict means, for one who walks in the Spirit before God. There must be conflict, but conflict is only victory. It is the Lord who has delivered the enemy into our hands; none can stand before us.
All things are ours. The sun stands still, and the moon stays its course, witnessing to the power of God, and to the interest He takes in blessing His people. We may be sure that whithersoever the Spirit will go, there the wheels will go (Ezek. 1:2020Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. (Ezekiel 1:20)). Joshua defeated all his enemies, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. This time they were faithful, they made no peace. What had Canaanites to do in the Lord's land? Has Satan any right to the land of promise? This is the light in which Joshua always beholds the land of Canaan (10:27). But after the victory, Israel returned to the camp of Gilgal. We have already explained what Gilgal means. But the return thither of the conquerors of the Canaanitish kings, contains the instructive lesson, that whatever our victories and our conquests may be, we must always return to the place that becomes before God, in the annihilation of self; to the application of the knowledge we have of God, the resurrection of Christ having set us in the heavenly places; to the judging and the mortifying of the flesh; to spiritual circumcision, which is the death of the flesh by the power of resurrection. There is a time to act and a time to be still, waiting upon God that we may be fit for action. Activity, the power that attends us, success, everything, tends to draw us away from God, or at least to divide the attention of our fickle hearts.
But the camp, the starting point for victory, is always at Gilgal. It is not there that the enemy attacks us if we are faithful. The attack will be on our side, what' ever the maneuvers of our adversaries may be.
Let us observe also, that in spite of the people's and Joshua's failures, everything turned out well in the end. There were faults, and these faults received their chastisement, as in the case of Gibeon, and of Ai. But the walk of the people being faithful in the main, God made everything work together for good. Thus the peace with Gibeon led to victory over the kings who attacked that people. There was cause for humiliation and for chastisement in the details of their history; but as a whole, the hand of God appears in it most manifestly. It is seldom that every step of our way is taken in faith and dependence upon God. We do well to humble ourselves on account of this; but when the object is the Lord's object, He goes before us, and orders all things for the triumph of His people in this holy war, which is His own war.
Israel's victories bring fresh war upon them; but the confederation of their enemies only serves to deliver them altogether into their hands. If God will not have peace, it is because He will have victory. A new principle is now set before us. God will in no wise allow the world's seat of power to become that of His people, for His people depend exclusively on Him. The natural consequence of taking Hazor would have been to make it the seat of government, and a center of influence in the government of God, so that this city should be that for God which it had before been for the world; " for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms." But it was just the contrary: Hazor is totally destroyed. God will not leave a vestige of former power; He will make all things new. The center and the source of power must be His, entirely and exclusively His: a very important lesson for His children, if they would preserve their spiritual integrity.
In a certain sense the conquest of the land seemed complete;-that is to say, there was no outward strength left, either to stand before them or to form a kingdom. But Israel had still many enemies in this land, enemies who did not, indeed, molest them while they continued faithful, but who taught the people many things that afterward helped on their ruin. They had divided the conquered land-they had rest from war. When all is finished we may reckon up our victories, but not before; till then we ought rather to be occupied in gaining more. We may remark here, that in the result of God's dealings, the fault committed previously to the attack upon Ai, seems blotted out, and had even contributed to the development of His purposes. At the time it had kept them back, and was punished. But God applied Himself to Israel's moral restoration to the confidence of faith, and the grand object of His dealings was in no wise hindered. This is no excuse; but it is a sweet and strong consolation which leads so much the more into worship. The fault committed in the matter of the. Gibeonites appears to me more serious. It did not delay their progress; but being the act of Joshua and the princes, it set them forever in a false position with respect to those whom they spared.
OS 11{The 11th chapter closes the first division of the book,—that is to say, the history of Joshua's victories; typically, that of the Lord's power by the Spirit, giving His people possession of the promises.
OS 12{The 12th is only a summary of their conquests. The Holy Ghost not only gives us the victory over our enemies, but makes us understand and know the whole extent of the country, and defines the particular portion of each, giving us details of everything it contains; of God's perfect arrangements for the appropriation of the whole, and the distribution of each part to His people, so as to produce a well-ordered whole, one and perfect in all its parts, according to the wisdom of God. But here we have to realize the distinction maintained in the New Testament between the gifts of God and the enjoyment of the gifts given. "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." "He hath made us sit together in heavenly, places," (by the same power which placed Christ there when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him above every name that is named.) Alas! how many earthly things are still unsubdued among Christians! But the Holy Ghost takes cognizance of this condition, in view of and in connection with that which rightfully belongs to them: it is this which enables us to understand the second division of this book.
OS 13-15{Although there was still a considerable part of the land to be possessed, Joshua parcels out the whole amongst the tribes of Israel, according to the command of the Lord, who declares that He will Himself drive out its inhabitants before them. But the people poorly responded to this promise. The cities of the Philistines were indeed taken, but their inhabitants were not exterminated; they were spared, and soon regained power. Here we may remark, that wherever there is faithfulness there is rest. The effect of Joshua's work was, that "the land had rest from war;" so also with that of Caleb (14:15). When the cities of the Levites were allotted them, we find the same thing again (21:43, 44). It is not so in detail; the whole extent of country is given to Israel, and each tribe has his share; the portion, there- fore, which fell to each tribe was given them in full right by the Lord Himself. Their borders were marked out, for the Spirit of God takes notice of everything in distributing the spiritual inheritance, and gives to each according to the mind of God. There is nothing uncertain in God's arrangements. But we find that not one tribe drove out all the enemies of God from his inheritance, not one realized the possession of all that God had given him.
OS 16-19{Judah and Joseph take possession of their lots; we know that they always remained chief amongst Israel, fulfilling thus the counsels of God as to royalty for Judah, and the birthright which fell by grace to Joseph (16, 17). The Tabernacle of God was also set up in peace (18); but, once at rest, the tribes are very slow in taking possession of their portion: too frequently the history of God's people. Having found peace they neglect His promises; nevertheless, as we have seen, the Spirit of God did not fail to point out to the people in detail all that belonged to them.
OS 20{The cities of refuge are appointed (20); that is, the land being the Lord's, provision is made that it may not be defiled, and for the return of every man to his inheritance, after he had fled from it for a time, because of killing some person unawares.
The establishment of the two tribes and a half on the other side Jordan gave rise to difficulties and suspicions; nevertheless, these tribes were faithful at heart. Their position had done them harm, their self-seeking having somewhat marred the energy of their faith; still faithfulness to the Lord was found in them.
Finally, Joshua sets the people in the way of warning -under curse, or under blessing, according to their obedience or disobedience; and then recapitulates their history, telling them that their fathers had been idolaters, and that the people around them were so still.
But the people, not having yet lost the sense of the power of God, who had blessed them, declare that they will serve the Lord alone. They are thus placed under responsibility; and undertake to obey, as the condition of their possessing the land and enjoying the fruit of God's promise. They are left there, it is true, in peaceable possession of it all, but under the condition of obedience, after having already allowed those, who should have been utterly destroyed, to remain in the land; and when, from the outset, they had not at all realized that which God had given them. What a picture of the Church ever since the days of the Apostles!
There is yet one remark to be made. When Christ shall return in glory we shall inherit all things, Satan being bound. Now, the Church ought to realize, by the Holy Ghost, the power of this glory. But there are things, properly called heavenly, which are ours, as being our dwelling-place, our standing, our calling; there are others which are subjected to us, and which are a sphere for the exercise of the power that we possess. Thus the limits of Israel's abode were less extensive than those of the territory to which they had a right. Jordan was the boundary of their abode, the Euphrates that of their possession. The heavenly things are ours; but the manifestation of the power of Christ over creation, and the deliverance of this creation, is granted to us. It will be delivered when Christ Himself shall exercise this power.
Thus the " powers of the world to come" were deliverances from the yoke of the enemy. These were not things proper to us; nevertheless, they were ours.