patriarchs and prophets-第103部分

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a　higher　state；　forfeited　forever　the　brightness　and　bliss　of　heaven。　And
yet；　notwithstanding　all　these　warnings；　covetousness　abounds。

Everywhere　its　slimy　track　is　seen。　It　creates　discontent　and　dissension　in
families；　it　excites　envy　and　hatred　in　the　poor　against　the　rich；　it
prompts　the　grinding　oppression　of　the　rich　toward　the　poor。　And　this　evil
exists　not　in　the　world　alone；　but　in　the　church。　How　common　even　here　to
find　selfishness；　avarice；　overreaching；　neglect　of　charities；　and　robbery
of　God　〃in　tithes　and　offerings。〃　Among　church　members　〃in　good　and　regular
standing〃　there　are；　alas！　many　Achans。　Many　a　man　comes　statedly　to　church；
and　sits　at　the　table　of　the　Lord；　while　among　his　possessions　are　hidden
unlawful　gains；　the　things　that　God　has　cursed。　For　a　goodly　Babylonish
garment；　multitudes　sacrifice　the　approval　of　conscience　and　their　hope　of
heaven。　Multitudes　barter　their　integrity；　and　their　capabilities　for
usefulness；　for　a　bag　of　silver　shekels。　The　cries　of　the　suffering　poor　are
unheeded；　the　gospel　light　is　hindered　in　its　course；　the　scorn　of
worldlings　is　kindled　by　practices　that　give　the　lie　to　the　Christian
profession；　and　yet　the　covetous　professor　continues　to　heap　up　treasures。
〃Will　a　man　rob　God？　Yet　ye　have　robbed　Me〃　（Malachi　3：8）；　saith　the　Lord。

Achan's　sin　brought　disaster　upon　the　whole　nation。　For　one　man's　sin　the
displeasure　of　God　will　rest　upon　His　church　till　the　transgression　is
searched　out　and　put　away。　The　influence　most　to　be　feared　by　the　church　is
not　that　of　open　opposers；　infidels；　and　blasphemers；　but　of　inconsistent
professors　of　Christ。　These　are　the　ones　that　keep　back　the　blessing　of　the
God　of　Israel　and　bring　weakness　upon　His　people。

When　the　church　is　in　difficulty；　when　coldness　and　spiritual　declension
exist；　giving　occasion　for　the　enemies　of　God　to　triumph；　then；　instead　of
folding　their　hands　and　lamenting　their　unhappy　state；　let　its　members
inquire　if　there　is　not　an　Achan　in　the　camp。　With　humiliation　and　searching
of　heart；　let　each　seek　to　discover　the　hidden　sins　that　shut　out　God's
presence。

Achan　acknowledged　his　guilt；　but　when　it　was　too　late　for　the　confession　to
benefit　himself。　He　had　seen　the　armies　of　Israel　return　from　Ai　defeated
and　disheartened；　yet　he　did　not　come　forward　and　confess　his　sin。　He　had
seen　Joshua　and　the

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elders　of　Israel　bowed　to　the　earth　in　grief　too　great　for　words。　Had　he
then　made　confession；　he　would　have　given　some　proof　of　true　penitence；　but
he　still　kept　silence。　He　had　listened　to　the　proclamation　that　a　great
crime　had　been　committed；　and　had　even　heard　its　character　definitely
stated。　But　his　lips　were　sealed。　Then　came　the　solemn　investigation。　How
his　soul　thrilled　with　terror　as　he　saw　his　tribe　pointed　out；　then　his
family　and　his　household！　But　still　he　uttered　no　confession；　until　the
finger　of　God　was　placed　upon　him。　Then；　when　his　sin　could　no　longer　be
concealed；　he　admitted　the　truth。　How　often　are　similar　confessions　made。
There　is　a　vast　difference　between　admitting　facts　after　they　have　been
proved　and　confessing　sins　known　only　to　ourselves　and　to　God。　Achan　would
not　have　confessed　had　he　not　hoped　by　so　doing　to　avert　the　consequences　of
his　crime。　But　his　confession　only　served　to　show　that　his　punishment　was
just。　There　was　no　genuine　repentance　for　sin；　no　contrition；　no　change　of
purpose；　no　abhorrence　of　evil。

So　confessions　will　be　made　by　the　guilty　when　they　stand　before　the　bar　of
God；　after　every　case　has　been　decided　for　life　or　death。　The　consequences
to　result　to　himself　will　draw　from　each　an　acknowledgment　of　his　sin。　It
will　be　forced　from　the　soul　by　an　awful　sense　of　condemnation　and　a　fearful
looking　for　of　judgment。　But　such　confessions　cannot　save　the　sinner。

So　long　as　they　can　conceal　their　transgressions　from　their　fellow　men；
many；　like　Achan；　feel　secure；　and　flatter　themselves　that　God　will　not　be
strict　to　mark　iniquity。　All　too　late　their　sins　will　find　them　out　in　that
day　when　they　shall　not　be　purged　with　sacrifice　or　offering　forever。　When
the　records　of　heaven　shall　be　opened；　the　Judge　will　not　in　words　declare
to　man　his　guilt；　but　will　cast　one　penetrating；　convicting　glance；　and
every　deed；　every　transaction　of　life；　will　be　vividly　impressed　upon　the
memory　of　the　wrongdoer。　The　person　will　not；　as　in　Joshua's　day；　need　to　be
hunted　out　from　tribe　to　family；　but　his　own　lips　will　confess　his　shame。
The　sins　hidden　from　the　knowledge　of　men　will　then　be　proclaimed　to　the
whole　world。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　46

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Blessings　and　the　Curses


After　the　execution　of　the　sentence　upon　Achan；　Joshua　was　commanded　to
marshal　all　the　men　of　war　and　again　advance　against　Ai。　The　power　of　God
was　with　His　people；　and　they　were　soon　in　possession　of　the　city。

Military　operations　were　now　suspended；　that　all　Israel　might　engage　in　a
solemn　religious　service。　The　people　were　eager　to　obtain　a　settlement　in
Canaan；　as　yet　they　had　not　homes　or　lands　for　their　families；　and　in　order
to　gain　these　they　must　drive　out　the　Canaanites；　but　this　important　work
must　be　deferred；　for　a　higher　duty　demanded　their　first　attention。

Before　taking　possession　of　their　inheritance；　they　must　renew　their
covenant　of　loyalty　to　God。　In　the　last　instructions　of　Moses；　direction　had
been　twice　given　for　a　convocation　of　the　tribes　upon　Mounts　Ebal　and
Gerizim；　at　Shechem；　for　the　solemn　recognition　of　the　law　of　God。　In
obedience　to　these　injunctions　the　whole　people；　not　only　men；　but　〃the
women；　and　the　little　ones；　and　the　strangers　that　were　conversant　among
them〃　left　their　camp　at　Gilgal；　and　marched　through　the　country　of　their
enemies；　to　the　vale　of　Shechem；　near　the　center　of　the　land。　Though
surrounded　by　unconquered　foes；　they　were　safe　under　the　protection　of　God
as　long　as　they　were　faithful　to　Him。　Now；　as　in　the　days　of　Jacob；　〃the
terror　of　God　was　upon　the　cities　that　were　round　about　them〃　（Genesis
35：5）；　and　the　Hebrews　were　unmolested。

The　place　appointed　for　this　solemn　service　was　one　already　sacred　from　its
association　with　the　history　of　their　fathers。　It　was　here　that　Abraham
raised　his　first　altar　to　Jehovah　in　the　land　of　Canaan。　Here　both　Abraham
and　Jacob　had　pitched　their　tents。　Here　the　latter　bought　the　field　in　which
the　tribes　were　to　bury　the　body　of　Joseph。　Here　also　was　the　well　that
Jacob

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had　dug；　and　the　oak　under　which　he　had　buried　the　idolatrous　images　of　his
household。

The　spot　chosen　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　in　all　Palestine；　and　worthy
to　be　the　theater　where　this　grand　and　impressive　scene　was　to　be　enacted。
The　lovely　valley；　its　green　fields　dotted　with　olive　groves；　watered　with
brooks　from　living　fountains；　and　gemmed　with　wild　flowers；　spread　out
invitingly　between　the　barren　hills。　Ebal　and　Gerizim；　upon　opposite　sides
of　the　valley；　nearly　approach　each　other；　their　lower　spurs　seeming　to　form
a　natural　pulpit；　every　word　spoken　on　one　being　distinctly　audible　on　the
other；　while　the　mountainsides；　receding；　afford　space　for　a　vast
assemblage。

According　to　the　directions　given　by　Moses；　a　monument　of　great　stones　was
erected　upon　Mount　Ebal。　Upon　these　stones；　previously　prepared　by　a
covering　of　plaster；　the　law　was　inscribednot　only　the　ten　precepts　spoken
from　Sinai　and　engraved　on　the　tables　of　stone；　but　the　laws　communicated　to
Moses；　and　by　him　written　in　a　book。　Beside　this　monument　was　built　an　altar
of　unhewn　stone；　upon　which　sacrifices　were　offered　unto　the　Lord。　The　fact
that　the　altar　was　set　up　on　Mount　Ebal；　the　mountain　upon　which　the　curse
was　put；　was　significant；　denoting　that　because　of　their　transgressions　of
God's　law；　Israel　had　justly　incurred　His　wrath；　and　that　it　would　be　at
once　visited；　but　for　the　atonement　of　Christ；　represented　by　the　altar　of
sacrifice。

Six　of　the　tribesall　descended　from　Leah　and　Rachelwere　stationed　upon
Mount　Gerizim；　while　those　that　descended　from　the　handmaids；　together　with
Reuben　and　Zebulun；　took　their　position　on　Ebal；　the　priests　with　the　ark
occupying　the　valley　between　them。　Silence　was　proclaimed　by　the　sound　of
the　signal　trumpet；　and　then　in　the　deep　stillness；　and　in　the　presence　of
this　vast　assembly；　Joshua；　standing　beside　the　sacred　ark；　read　the
blessings　that　were　to　follow　obedience　to　God's　law。　All　the　tribes　on
Gerizim　responded　by　an　Amen。　He　then　read　the　curses；　and　the　tribes　on
Ebal　in　like　manner　gave　their　assent；　thousands　upon　thousands　of　voices
uniting　as　the　voice　of　one　man　in　the　solemn　response。　Following　this　came
the　reading　of　the　law　of　God；　together　with　the　statutes　and　judgments　that
had　been　delivered　to　them　by　Moses。

Israel　had　received　the　law　directly　from　the　mouth　of　God　at　Sinai；　and　its
sacred　precepts；　written　by　His　own　hand；　were

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still　preserved　in　the　ark。　Now　it　had　been　again　written　where　all　could
read　it。　All　had　the　privilege　of　seeing　for　themselves　the　conditions　of
the　covenant　under　which　they　were　to　hold　possession　of　Canaan。　All　were　to
signify　their　acceptance　of　the　terms　of　the　covenant　and　give　their　assent
to　the　blessings　or　curses　for　its　observance　or　neglect。　The　law　was　not
only　written　upon　the　memorial　stones；　but　was　read　by　Joshua　himself　in　the
hearing　of　all　Israel。　It　had　not　been　many　weeks　since　Moses　gave　the　whole
book　of　Deuteronomy　in　discourses　to　the　people；　yet　now　Joshua　read　the　law
again。

Not　alone　the　men　of　Israel；　but　〃all　the　women　and　the　little　ones〃
listened　to　the　reading　of　the　law；　for　it　was　important　that　they　also
should　know　and　do　their　duty。　God　had　commanded　Israel　concerning　His
statutes：　〃Therefore　shall　ye　lay　up　these　My　words　in　your　heart　and　in
your　soul；　and　bind　them　for　a　sign　upon　your　hand；　that　they　may　be　as
frontlets　between　your　eyes。　And　ye　shall　teach　them　your　children；　。　。　。