_But the children of Israel committed a trespass _ CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY This is here attributed to the whole people, which was really the act of but one man or one family. This is not because of any guilty participation in this trespass by others; there is no intimation that any others of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_They fled before the men of Ai._ THE TRUE MEASURE OF STRENGTH In every estimate of work to be done by men, or by money, the moral element ought to be taken into account as an important factor. Napoleon’s thought was that “God is on the side of the heaviest battalions.” But Napoleon did not conside... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joshua _. .. _ fell _. .. _ before the ark of the Lord._ JOSHUA’S PLEA BEFORE THE ARK The ark was the centre of mercy to Israel, and the glory of the tabernacle, their refuge in trouble, their security in danger, and their deliverance in distress. Here they mourned, and made supplication, where th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?_ GET THEE UP To trust God is manifestly our duty. We are commanded to put our trust in Him. Trust in God is also a crowning means of safety and prosperity. Exceedingly great and precious promises are made to confidence in God. Watch over and ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_Achan _. .. _ was taken._. ACHAN’S SIN 1_._ Look at it in itself. It was sacrilege--a robbing God of what He had directed to be devoted to His glory and appropriated to the use of His sanctuary. 2. View it in its circumstances. It was committed immediately after the offender, together with the r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Achan answered _. .. _ I _coveted and took_._ THE EYE, THE HEART, AND THE HAND I. The eye an occasion of sin. We will suppose that Achan came into contact with this Babylonish garment in the course of his duty. He could not help seeing it, and therefore there was no harm in seeing it; in the simp... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us?_ the Lord shall trouble thee this day. THE TROUBLES OF SIN I. That sin is a very troublesome thing. 1. The load of guilt by which it oppresses us. 2. The shifts, subterfuges, and tricks resorted to for the purpose of concealing our sins, or transferr... [ Continue Reading ]