patriarchs and prophets-第120节

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The　wars　and　conquest　ended；　Joshua　had　withdrawn　to　the　peaceful　retirement
of　his　home　at　Timnath…serah。　〃And　it　came　to　pass；　a　long　time　after　that
the　Lord　had　given　rest　unto　Israel　from　all　their　enemies　round　about；　that
Joshua　。　。　。　called　for　all　Israel；　and　for　their　elders；　and　for　their
heads；　and　for　their　judges；　and　for　their　officers。〃

Some　years　had　passed　since　the　people　had　settled　in　their　possessions；　and
already　could　be　seen　cropping　out　the　same　evils　that　had　heretofore
brought　judgments　upon　Israel。　As　Joshua　felt　the　infirmities　of　age
stealing　upon　him；　and　realized　that　his　work　must　soon　close；　he　was　filled
with　anxiety　for　the　future　of　his　people。　It　was　with　more　than　a　father's
interest　that　he　addressed　them；　as　they　gathered　once　more　about　their　aged
chief。　〃Ye　have　seen；〃　he　said；　〃all　that　the　Lord　your　God　hath　done　unto
all　these　nations　because　of　you；　for　the　Lord　your　God　is　He　that　hath
fought　for　you。〃　Although　the　Canaanites　had　been　subdued；　they　still
possessed　a　considerable　portion　of　the　land　promised　to　Israel；　and　Joshua
exhorted　his　people　not　to　settle　down　at　ease　and　forget　the　Lord's　command
to　utterly　dispossess　these　idolatrous　nations。

The　people　in　general　were　slow　to　complete　the　work　of　driving　out　the
heathen。　The　tribes　had　dispersed　to　their　possessions；　the　army　had
disbanded；　and　it　was　looked　upon　as　a　difficult　and　doubtful　undertaking　to
renew　the　war。　But　Joshua　declared：　〃The　Lord　your　God；　He　shall　expel　them
from　before　you；　and　drive　them　from　out　of　your　sight；　and　ye　shall　possess
their　land；　as　the　Lord　your　God　hath　promised　unto　you。　Be　ye　therefore
very　courageous　to　keep　and　to　do　all　that　is　written　in　the　book　of　the　law
of　Moses；　that　ye　turn　not　aside　therefrom　to　the　right　hand　or　to　the
left。〃

522


Joshua　appealed　to　the　people　themselves　as　witnesses　that；　so　far　as　they
had　complied　with　the　conditions；　God　had　faithfully　fulfilled　His　promises
to　them。　〃Ye　know　in　all　your　hearts　and　in　all　your　souls；〃　he　said；　〃that
not　one　thing　hath　failed　of　all　the　good　things　which　the　Lord　your　God
spake　concerning　you；　all　are　come　to　pass　unto　you；　and　not　one　thing　hath
failed　thereof。〃　He　declared　to　them　that　as　the　Lord　had　fulfilled　His
promises；　so　He　would　fulfill　His　threatenings。　〃It　shall　come　to　pass；　that
as　all　good　things　are　come　upon　you；　which　the　Lord　your　God　promised　you；
so　shall　the　Lord　bring　upon　you　all　evil　things。　。　。　。　When　ye　have
transgressed　the　covenant　of　the　Lord；　。　。　。　then　shall　the　anger　of　the
Lord　be　kindled　against　you；　and　ye　shall　perish　quickly　from　off　the　good
land　which　He　hath　given　unto　you。〃

Satan　deceives　many　with　the　plausible　theory　that　God's　love　for　His　people
is　so　great　that　He　will　excuse　sin　in　them；　he　represents　that　while　the
threatenings　of　God's　word　are　to　serve　a　certain　purpose　in　His　moral
government；　they　are　never　to　be　literally　fulfilled。　But　in　all　His
dealings　with　his　creatures　God　has　maintained　the　principles　of
righteousness　by　revealing　sin　in　its　true　characterby　demonstrating　that
its　sure　result　is　misery　and　death。　The　unconditional　pardon　of　sin　never
has　been；　and　never　will　be。　Such　pardon　would　show　the　abandonment　of　the
principles　of　righteousness；　which　are　the　very　foundation　of　the　government
of　God。　It　would　fill　the　unfallen　universe　with　consternation。　God　has
faithfully　pointed　out　the　results　of　sin；　and　if　these　warnings　were　not
true；　how　could　we　be　sure　that　His　promises　would　be　fulfilled？　That
so…called　benevolence　which　would　set　aside　justice　is　not　benevolence　but
weakness。

God　is　the　life…giver。　From　the　beginning　all　His　laws　were　ordained　to
life。　But　sin　broke　in　upon　the　order　that　God　had　established；　and　discord
followed。　So　long　as　sin　exists；　suffering　and　death　are　inevitable。　It　is
only　because　the　Redeemer　has　borne　the　curse　of　sin　in　our　behalf　that　man
can　hope　to　escape；　in　his　own　person；　its　dire　results。

Before　the　death　of　Joshua　the　heads　and　representatives　of　the　tribes；
obedient　to　his　summons；　again　assembled　at　Shechem。　No　spot　in　all　the　land
possessed　so　many　sacred　associations；　carrying　their　minds　back　to　God's
covenant　with　Abraham　and　Jacob；　and　recalling　also　their　own　solemn　vows
upon　their

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entrance　into　Canaan。　Here　were　the　mountains　Ebal　and　Gerizim；　the　silent
witnesses　of　those　vows　which　now；　in　the　presence　of　their　dying　leader；
they　had　assembled　to　renew。　On　every　side　were　evidences　of　what　God　had
wrought　for　them；　how　He　had　given　them　a　land　for　which　they　did　not　labor；
and　cities　which　they　built　not；　vineyards　and　oliveyards　which　they　planted
not。　Joshua　reviewed　once　more　the　history　of　Israel；　recounting　the
wonderful　works　of　God；　that　all　might　have　a　sense　of　His　love　and　mercy
and　might　serve　Him　〃in　sincerity　and　in　truth。〃

By　Joshua's　direction　the　ark　had　been　brought　from　Shiloh。　The　occasion　was
one　of　great　solemnity；　and　this　symbol　of　God's　presence　would　deepen　the
impression　he　wished　to　make　upon　the　people。　After　presenting　the　goodness
of　God　toward　Israel；　he　called　upon　them；　in　the　name　of　Jehovah；　to　choose
whom　they　would　serve。　The　worship　of　idols　was　still　to　some　extent
secretly　practiced；　and　Joshua　endeavored　now　to　bring　them　to　a　decision
that　should　banish　this　sin　from　Israel。　〃If　it　seem　evil　unto　you　to　serve
Jehovah；〃　he　said；　〃choose　you　this　day　whom　ye　will　serve。〃　Joshua　desired
to　lead　them　to　serve　God；　not　by　compulsion；　but　willingly。　Love　to　God　is
the　very　foundation　of　religion。　To　engage　in　His　service　merely　from　hope
of　reward　or　fear　of　punishment　would　avail　nothing。　Open　apostasy　would　not
be　more　offensive　to　God　than　hypocrisy　and　mere　formal　worship。

The　aged　leader　urged　the　people　to　consider；　in　all　its　bearings；　what　he
had　set　before　them；　and　to　decide　if　they　really　desired　to　live　as　did　the
degraded　idolatrous　nations　around　them。　If　it　seemed　evil　to　them　to　serve
Jehovah；　the　source　of　power；　the　fountain　of　blessing；　let　them　that　day
choose　whom　they　would　serve〃the　gods　which　your　fathers　served；〃　from
whom　Abraham　was　called　out；　〃or　the　gods　of　the　Amorites；　in　whose　land　ye
dwell。〃　These　last　words　were　a　keen　rebuke　to　Israel。　The　gods　of　the
Amorites　had　not　been　able　to　protect　their　worshipers。　Because　of　their
abominable　and　debasing　sins；　that　wicked　nation　had　been　destroyed；　and　the
good　land　which　they　once　possessed　had　been　given　to　God's　people。　What
folly　for　Israel　to　choose　the　deities　for　whose　worship　the　Amorites　had
been　destroyed！　〃As　for　me　and　my　house；〃　said　Joshua；　〃we　will　serve
Jehovah。〃　The　same　holy　zeal　that　inspired　the　leader's　heart　was
communicated　to　the　people。　His　appeals

524

called　forth　the　unhesitating　response；　〃God　forbid　that　we　should　forsake
Jehovah；　to　serve　other　gods。〃

〃Ye　cannot　serve　the　Lord；〃　said　Joshua：　〃for　He　is　a　holy　God；　。　。　。　He
will　not　forgive　your　transgressions　nor　your　sins。〃　Before　there　could　be
any　permanent　reformation　the　people　must　be　led　to　feel　their　utter
inability　in　themselves　to　render　obedience　to　God。　They　had　broken　His　law；
it　condemned　them　as　transgressors；　and　it　provided　no　way　of　escape。　While
they　trusted　in　their　own　strength　and　righteousness；　it　was　impossible　for
them　to　secure　the　pardon　of　their　sins；　they　could　not　meet　the　claims　of
God's　perfect　law；　and　it　was　in　vain　that　they　pledged　themselves　to　serve
God。　It　was　only　by　faith　in　Christ　that　they　could　secure　pardon　of　sin　and
receive　strength　to　obey　God's　law。　They　must　cease　to　rely　upon　their　own
efforts　for　salvation；　they　must　trust　wholly　in　the　merits　of　the　promised
Saviour；　if　they　would　be　accepted　of　God。

Joshua　endeavored　to　lead　his　hearers　to　weigh　well　their　words；　and　refrain
from　vows　which　they　would　be　unprepared　to　fulfill。　With　deep　earnestness
they　repeated　the　declaration：　〃Nay；　but　we　will　serve　the　Lord。〃　Solemnly
consenting　to　the　witness　against　themselves　that　they　had　chosen　Jehovah；
they　once　more　reiterated　their　pledge　of　loyalty：　〃The　Lord　our　God　will　we
serve；　and　His　voice　will　we　obey。

〃So　Joshua　made　a　covenant　with　the　people　that　day；　and　set　them　a　statute
and　an　ordinance　in　Shechem。〃　Having　written　an　account　of　this　solemn
transaction；　he　placed　it；　with　the　book　of　the　law；　in　the　side　of　the　ark。
And　he　set　up　a　pillar　as　a　memorial；　saying；　〃Behold；　this　stone　shall　be　a
witness　unto　us；　for　it　hath　heard　all　the　words　of　the　Lord　which　He　spake
unto　us；　it　shall　be　therefore　a　witness　unto　you；　lest　ye　deny　your　God。　So
Joshua　let　the　people　depart；　every　man　unto　his　inheritance。〃

Joshua's　work　for　Israel　was　done。　He　had　〃wholly　followed　the　Lord；〃　and　in
the　book　of　God　he　is　written；　〃The　servant　of　Jehovah。〃　The　noblest
testimony　to　his　character　as　a　public　leader　is　the　history　of　the
generation　that　had　enjoyed　his　labors：　〃Israel　served　the　Lord　all　the　days
of　Joshua；　and　all　the　days　of　the　elders　that　overlived　Joshua。〃