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6
TRACK THROUGH THE RIRLE
By G. CAMPBELL MORGAN, Westminster Chapel, London, England,
Appearing Ebery Week During 1907. {Copyright American Serial Eights applied Ear by The Golden S9ge Publishing Co. All Eights Eeserbed.)
*• B - C - D - E - Sixth
First Second Third i Fourth Fifth
Discourse. ■ Discourse. Discourse. Discourse. Discourse. ’
„ Resume of „ Song of Moses. Blessing of
Retrospect. t Warnings. Covenant. _ YVI Moses.
Laws. 1. t yyvU 42
i.—iv 43 iv. 44 —xxvii. 10 xxvii. 11 —xxviii. xxix.—xxxi. 13 xxxii. 47 x 48
’ xxxiii.
.I— - “
I. Introduction. |l. Introduction. I. Introduction. I. Introduction. I. Introduction. I. Introduction
I. 1-5 iv. 44-49 xxvii.—ll-26 xxix. 1, 2a xxxi. 14-30 xxxii. 48-52
11. The Discourse 11. The Discourse ||. The Discourse. 11. The Discourse. 11. The Song. 11. The Bless-
f. 6 —iv. 40 v.—xxvi. xxviii. xxix. 2b —xxx. xxxii. 1-43 ing. xxxiii.
I. Review of the i. “Testimo- i. The blessing i. Introduction.
forty years. nies.” of Obedience. l-3a
i. 6—iii. v. —xi. 31 1-14 if. A Contrast.
ii. Exhortation il. “Statutes.” ii. The cursing 3b-5
to obedience. xi. 32—xvi. 17 of Disobedi- 1 iii. An Appeal. 6a
iv. 1-40 iii. “Judgments.” ence. 15-68 iv. A Contrast.
xvi. 18 —xxvi. 6b-18
v. Judgment.
19-28
vi. Lament.
29, 30
vii. Final Deliv-
111. Sequel. 111. Sequel. erance. 31-43
Cities of Provision fur I
Refuge. the Land. 111. Sequel. 111. Sequel.
iv. 41-43 xxvii. 1-10 xxxi. 1-13 xxxii. 44-47]
Historic Conclusion, xxxlv.
EUTERONOiMY is the last of the
books of the Pentateuch. It is didac
tic, rather than historic. Its actual
history covers a very brief period,
probably not many days. It consists
of a collection of the final public ut
terances of Moses. The form in which
we possess it is, in all likelihood, the
result of the work of an editor, who
D
collected these great discourses and connected
them by such information concerning the occasion
of their utterance as should make them a consec
utive series, and thus give them value in their
relation to the earlier books. It has been sur
mised that this work was done by Joshua, and this,
to say the least, is quite probable.
The book is, therefore, essentially a book of
Moses, for it consists of his final words to the peo
ple whom he had led out of Egypt, and for forty
years, of wandering in the wilderness. It may,
therefore, be most simply divided by the six dis
courses which it chronicles. Os these discourses
the first was a restrospect (1-4: 43); the second,
a resume of laws (4: 41-27: 10): the third, the
uttering of warnings (27: 11-31); the fourth
concerned the covenant (29-31: 13); the fifth was
a great farewell song (31: 14-32: 47); and the sixth
a final benediction (32: 48-33).
FIRST DISCOURSE: RETROSPECT.
A. In reviewing the forty years of wandering
Moses dealt with the three great movements; first,
from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea; secondly, from Ka
desh-barnea to Heshbon; and, finally, from Hesh
bon to Beth-peor. In looking back he was careful
to state all the facts in the light of God’s govern
ment. Their disturbances at Horeb was due to the
direct commandment of God, and even, though the
path of the wilderness was a terrible one, they
had not been left to grope their way through it
alone. God had ever moved before them, choosing
them out a place in which to pitch their tents.
Moreover he reminded them that they had not
only been the objects of God’s love, but that His
power had wrought on their behalf.
Having surveyed the history from Horeb to Beth
peor, he exhorted them to obedience. Reminding
them of the importance of the commandments, he
based his appeal upon the greatness of God, and
the perfection of His law, insisting upon it that
their whole existence and history centered around a.
spiritual ideal. There had been granted to them no
DEUTERONOMY—THE BOOK OF REVIEWS.
DEUTERONOMY.
The Golden Age for February 28, 1007.
visible form of God, even amid the majestic mani
festations of Sinai, and, therefore, he warned them
against making any graven image.
Continuing this exhortation to obedience, he
looked into the future, and in the light of subse
quent history his words were indeed prophetic. At
the close of the first discourse we have a brief
account of his appointment of three cities of
refuge.
H. SECOND DISCOURSE: RESUME OF LAWS.
A general introduction indicates the place, time
and subject of this second discourse, which deals
with testimonies, statutes and judgments. The
testimonies were the actual words of the law given,
and these were first dealt with. The statutes were
the provisions for worship, and the conduct har
monizing therewith. The judgments dealt with the
arrangements for civil and religious authority, and
the administration of justice.
A study of the testimonies or uttered words of
the law, reveals the fact that no vital change was
made at any point in the nature or binding force
of these commandments. There were slight verbal
alterations, but these were due to the circumstances
in which they were uttered. One striking differ
ence is that in connection with the law concerning
the 'Sabbath, the ground of appeal is no longer*
the rest of God in creation, but their position as
redeemed from Egypt’s (bondage. Having referred
to the ten. words, a great statement was made as
to the deepest value thereof, and as to the people’s
corresponding responsibility. “ Jehovah our God,
is one Jehovah.” The 'true response of the people
to this truth was that of fear issuing in obedience
and resulting in well-being. The discourse then
proceeded to deal with the responsibilities in de
tail.
Dealing with the statutes, he carefully warned
them against idolatry, and commanded that all idols
and false places of worship were to be destroyed
as they entered the land. Nothing was to be al
lowed to seduce them from their loyalty to Jehovah
in worship. He then passed to injunctions, which
revealed his consciousness of the effect of worship
on conduct: and, finally, re-stated the arrange
ments for the observation of the great feasts.
In dealing with judgments, he first commanded
the appointment of judges and officers, and then
declared the principles upon which they were to
act. The threefold medium through which the
will of God would be interpreted to the people, that
namely, of king, priest and prophet, he then de-
scribed. The laws of peace and of war were set
out in great detail; and, finally, provision was made
for a ceremony of blessing and cursing on the
mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, when the land
was entered.
C. THE THIRD DISCOURSE: WARNINGS.
In this third discourse Moses devoted himself
to solemnly warning the people. Before proceed
ing to this more specific purpose of his discourse,
he spoke of the blessings which would follow obe
dience. The effect of disobedience he described,
first, in their own borders. Adversity of every
kind would overtake them in trade, agriculture and
in matters of health, and in every way there would
be suffering if there were disobedience. In all this
he really uttered prophetic words, for we find here
a detailed description of the Roman victories, which
came so long after, and the ultimate destruction of
the city, and the driving out of the people.
D. FOURTH DISCOURSE: THE COVENANT.
The terms of the covenant had been already given.
In urging the people to be true to it, Moses, first
of all, referred to the Lord’s deliverance wrought
in the past from Egypt, and through the wilderness
experience, and in the day of battle on the eve of
their coming into possession. His appeal was made
to all classes. In prophetic and burning words
he described what would be the result of their break
ing the covenant. Recognizing their imperfection,
and their inability to appreciate the methods of
the divine government, he enunciated a principle
of far-reaching importance and perpetual applica
tion. He declared that the secret, or hidden, or
mysterious things belong to God; while the things
revealed belong to us and to our children. Con
tinuing his discourse he uttered words thrilling at
once with all tenderness and urgency of appeal.
We have here a great prophetic evangel, the value
of which Israel has perhaps not learned even qntil
today.
After the conclusion of the formal discourse,
Moses spoke to the people of his own departure,
and encouraged their hearts in view of their coming
into the land, by reassuring them of the presence
and power of God.
E. FIFTH DISCOURSE: THE SONG OF MOSES.
Preceding the public uttering of the great Song-
Moses and Joshua appeared before the Lord in
order that the latter might be officially appointed
to succeed in the administration of affairs. Jeho
vah then solemnly spoke to His Servant, telling
him that his time had come to sleep with his fath
ers, but that the people he had so long loved and
cAred for would indeed fulfil his predictions con
cerning failure, and would be visited with punish
ment. Gloomy enough was the outlook for the
great leader, but it was the occasion of one of those
manifestations of the divine love which are so full
of beauty.
It was in the face of this foreknown fact of
failure that he was commanded to write the song.
The purpose of it was distinctly stated. A song
embodied in the nation’s life remains from gener
ation to generation, and in days of disaster will con
stitute a haunting memory, testifying to truth con
cerning God. Songs often remain after command
ments are forgotten. The law was written and com
mitted to the priests. The song was written and
taught to the people. The first part of the song
consisted of a call to attention, and a statement
concerning its nature. Heaven and earth were call
ed to listen while the seiwant of God proclaimed
the name of God. Moses sang- of God as to His
greatness, His perfection, His justice, His faithful
ness. Then, in a description equally brief, he re
ferred to the people. It was a sad contrast. There
is nothing said of them which is good. There fol
lows a description of the tender government of
God which is full of exquisite beauty. It is a reve
lation of the love which lies behind all law. The
figure pf the eagle and its method with its young
(Continued or) Page 11.)
