Joshua, Judges and Ruth (Sections 14-16)
Section 14 "And Joshua said unto the People, Ye cannot serve the Lord."—Joshua 24:19 In answer to Joshua's challenge the people had said, "We will serve the Lord, for he is our God." But Joshua knew them too well to trust them, and reminded them that they were undertaking what they could not perform. They did not believe him, but cried, "Nay, but we will serve the Lord"; but their after history proved the truth of Joshua's warning. God's word knows us better than we know ourselves. God's omniscience sees each part of our being as an anatomist sees the various portions of the body, and he therefore knows our moral and spiritual nature most thoroughly. A watchmaker is the best judge of a watch; and he who made man has the best knowledge of his condition and capacity. Let us dwell upon his verdict as to human ability.
I. The Certainty of the truth that Unrenewed Men cannot serve God.
It is not a physical but a moral inability; and this is not in their nature, but in their fallen nature; not of God, but of sin. It may be said that they could serve God if they liked; but in that "if" lies the hinge of the whole question. Man's inability lies in the want of moral power so to wish and will as actually to perform. This leaves him undiminished responsibility; for he ought to be able to serve God, and his inability is his fault (Jeremiah 13:23).
1. The nature of God renders perfect service impossible to depraved men. "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God, he is a jealous God" (See context).
2. The best they could render as unrenewed men would lack heart and intent, and therefore must be unacceptable. Without love and faith men cannot please God. What are the prayers, alms, and worshippings of a Christless soul? (Isaiah 1:15).
3. The law of God is perfect, comprehensive, spiritual, far-reaching: who can hope to fulfil it? If a look may commit adultery, who shall in all points keep the law? (Matthew 5:28).
4. The carnal mind is inclined to self-will, self-seeking, lust, enmity, pride, and all other evils. "It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7).
5. Let men try to be perfectly obedient. They will not try it. They argue for their ability but they are loath enough to exert it.
II. The Discouragement which arises from this Truth.
It is alleged that this will drive men to despair, and our reply is that the kind of despair to which it drives men is most desirable and salutary.
1. It discourages men from an impossible task.
They might as well hope to invent perpetual motion as to present a perfect obedience of their own, having already sinned. If a man should try to hold up a ladder with his own hand, and at the same time climb to the top of it, he would have less difficulty than in causing his evil nature to attain to holiness.
2. It discourages from a ruinous course.
Self-righteousness is a deadly thing; it is a proud refusal of mercy, and a rebellion against grace. Self-confidence of any sort is the enemy of the Saviour.
3. It discourages reliance upon ceremonies or any other outward religiousness, by assuring men that these cannot suffice.
4. It discourages from every other way of self-salvation, and thus shuts men up to faith in the Lord Jesus. Nothing better can befall them (Galatians 5:22-23).
III. The Necessities of which we are reminded by this Truth.
Unregenerate men, before you can serve God you need— A new nature, which only the Spirit of God can create in you: the old man cannot serve the Lord. An impure fountain must pour out foul streams. The tree must be made good, or the fruit will not be good.
Reconciliation. How shall an enemy serve his king? There must be forgiveness, friendship, mutual delight. God and you must be made friends through the Mediator, or else you cannot be the servant of God.
Acceptance. Till you are accepted, your service cannot please God. Only a perfect righteousness can make you accepted of a holy and jealous God; and none but Jesus can give you a complete justification.
Continued aid. This you must have to keep you in the way when once you are in it (1 Samuel 2:9; Jude 1:24-25).
If you cannot serve God as you are, yet trust in him as he manifests himself in Christ Jesus; and do this just as you are. This will enable you to serve him on better principles. This change of your nature will be effected by the Holy Spirit, who will come and dwell in you. This will fit you for heaven, where "his servants shall serve him."
Striking Pieces No wasp will make honey; before it will do that it must be transformed into a bee. A sow will not sit up to wash its face like the cat before the fire; neither will a debauched person take delight in holiness. No devil could praise the Lord as angels do, and no unregenerate man can offer acceptable service as the saints do. Their inability was wholly of the moral kind. They could not do it because they were not disposed to do it, just as it is said of Joseph's brethren (Genesis 37:4) that they "could not speak peaceably unto him," so strong was their personal dislike to him. . . . But an inability arising from this source was obviously inexcusable, on the same grounds that a drunkard's inability to master his propensity for strong drink is inexcusable. In like manner, the "cannot" of the impenitent sinner, in regard to the performance of his duty, is equally inexcusable. —George Bush, in Notes on Joshua. The existence of sin within us entails on us certain consequences which we have no more power to evade than the idiot has power to change his look of idiocy; or the palsied hand has power to free itself from its torpor.—B. W. Newton.
"A little girl when reproved by her mother for some fault, and told that she should teach her little brothers to do right, replied, 'How can I do right when there is no right in me?' Did not Paul make the same confession?" (Romans 7:18).
"Man cannot be saved by perfect obedience, for he cannot render it; he cannot be saved by imperfect obedience, for God will not accept it." A man deeply exercised about his soul was conversing with a friend on the subject, when the friend said, "Come at once to Jesus, for he will take away all your sins from your back." "Yes, I am aware of that," said the other; "but what about my back?" I find I have not only sins to take away, but there is myself; what is to be done with that? And there is not only my back, but hands and feet, and head and heart are such a mass of iniquity that it's myself I want to get rid of before I can get peace.—British Evangelist.
It is possible I may do an occasional service for one whose servant I am not, but it were mean that a great person should be served only by the servants of another lord.—John Howe.
Run, run, and work, the law commands,
But gives me neither feet nor hands;
But sweeter sounds the gospel brings,
It bids me fly, and gives me wings.
Section 15
"But the Olive Tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and Man, and go to be pro moted over the Trees?"—Judges 9:9 The fable teaches that temptations will come to us all, however sweet, or useful, or fruitful, even as they came to the fig, the olive, and the vine. These temptations may take the shape of proffered honors; if not a crown, yet some form of preferment or power may be the bribe. The trees were under God's government and wanted no king; but in this fable they "went forth," and so quitted their true place. Then they sought to be like men, forgetting that God had not made them to be conformed to a fallen race. Revolting themselves, they strove to win over those better trees which had remained faithful. No wonder they chose the olive, so rich and honored; for it would give their kingdom respectability to have such a monarch; but the olive wisely declined, and gave its reason.
I. Apparent Promotions are not to be snatched at. The question is to be asked, Should I? Let us never do what would be unbecoming, unsuitable, unwise (Genesis 39:9).
Emphasis is to be laid on the I. Should I? If God has given me peculiar gifts or special grace, does it become me to trifle with these endowments? Should I give them up to gain honor for myself? (Nehemiah 6:11). A higher position may seem desirable, but would it be right to gain it by such cost? (Jeremiah 45:5).
It will involve duties and cares. "Go up and down among the trees" implies that there would be care, oversight, traveling, etc.
These duties will be quite new to me; for like an olive, I have been hitherto planted in one place. Should I run into new temptations, new difficulties, etc., of my own wanton will? Can I expect God's blessing upon such strange work? Put the question in the case of wealth, honor, power, which are set before us. Should we grasp at them at the risk of being less at peace, less holy, less prayerful, less useful?
II. Actual Advantages are not to be trifled with.
"Should I leave my fatness?" I have this great boon, should I lightly lose it?
It is the greatest advantage in life to be useful both to God and man. "By me they honor God and man." We ought heartily to prize this high privilege. To leave this for anything which the world can offer would be great loss. "Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon?" etc. (Jeremiah 18:14; Jeremiah 2:13). Our possession of fatness meets the temptation to become a king. We are happy enough in Christ, in his service, with his people, and in the prospect of the reward. We cannot better ourselves by the move; let us stay as we are.
We may also meet it by the reflection— That the prospect is startling—"Shall I leave my fatness?" For an olive to do this would be unnatural: for a believer to leave holy living would be worse (John 6:68). That the retrospect would be terrible—"leave my fatness." What must it be to have left grace, and truth, and holiness, and Christ? Remember Judas. That even an hour of such leaving would be a loss. What would an olive do even for a day if it left its fatness? That it would all end in disappointment; for nothing could compensate for leaving the Lord. All else is death (Jeremiah 17:13). That to abide firmly and reject all baits is like the saints, the martyrs, and their Lord; but to prefer honor to grace is a mere bramble folly.
III. Temptation should be turned to Account.
Let us take deeper root. The mere proposal to leave our fatness should make us hold the faster to it.
Let us be on the watch that we lose not our joy, which is our fatness. If we would not leave it, neither can we bear that it should leave us.
Let us yield more fatness, and bear more fruit: he who gains largely is all the further removed from loss. The more we increase in grace the less are we likely to leave it.
Let us feel the more content, and speak the more lovingly of our gracious state, that none may dare to entice us. When Satan sees us happily established he will have the less hope of overthrowing us.
Memoranda
Many to obtain a higher wage have left holy companionships, and sacred opportunities for hearing the word and growing in grace. They have lost their Sabbaths, quitted a soul-feeding ministry, and fallen among worldlings, to their own sorrowful loss. Such persons are as foolish as the poor Indians who gave the Spaniards gold in exchange for paltry beads. Riches procured by impoverishing the soul are always a curse. To increase your business so that you cannot attend week-night services is to become really poorer; to give up heavenly pleasure and receive earthly cares in exchange is a sorry sort of barter.
Sir Edward Coke, Chief Justice of England in the time of James I., was a man of noble spirit, and often incurred the displeasure of the king by his patriotism. On one occasion, when an unworthy attempt was made to influence his conduct, he replied, "When the case happens I shall do that which shall be fit for a judge to do." Oh, that all Christians in trying moments would act as shall be fit for followers of Christ to do! In Tennyson's story of the village maiden who became the wife of the Lord of Burleigh, we see how burdensome worldly honors may prove, even when though unsought they have been honorably gained. But a trouble weighed upon her, And perplexed her, night and morn, With the burthen of an honor Unto which she was not born. Were it not better to bestow Some place and power on me?
Then should thy praises with me grow, And share in my degree.
How know I, if thou shouldst me raise, That I should then raise thee?
Perhaps great places and thy praise Do not so well agree.
—George Herbert
Say not this calling and vocation to which God has appointed me is too small and insignificant for me. God's will is the best calling, and to be faithful to it is the worthiest. God often places great blessings in little things. Should thy proud heart learn humility and resignation by this humble work, wouldst thou not have high wages for thy low service?—From the German.
Section 16
"And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou Lodgest, I will Lodge, thy People shall be my People, and thy God my God."—Ruth 1:16 This is a brave outspoken confession of faith, and it is made by a woman, a young woman, a poor woman, a widow woman, a foreigner. Her mother-in-law ought to have been cheered, notwithstanding her sharp afflictions, because her great temporal loss was accompanied by a greater spiritual gain. She lost her home in Moab, but found the soul of her daughter. Naomi's return to her true place brought Ruth to a decision: when Christians become consistent, their children and friends frequently become converted.
I. Affection for the Godly should influence us to Godliness.
Many forces combine to effect this—
1. There is the influence of companionship. We ought to be affected by godly people more than we are by the wicked, since we should lend ourselves to their influence.
2. The influence of admiration. Imitation is the most sincere praise; what we favor we follow. Let us therefore copy the saints.
3. The influence of instruction. When we learn from a teacher we are affected by him in many ways. Instruction is a kind of formation.
4. The influence of reverence. Those who are older, wiser, and better than we are create in us a profound respect, and lead us to follow their example.
5. The influence of desire to cheer them. This should lead many of us to be attentive to the word, willing to go with Christian friends to worship, and happy to hearken to their conversation; for we know that this will greatly please them.
6. The influence of fear of separation. It will be an awful thing to be eternally divided from the dear ones who seek our salvation; it is even painful to have to leave them at the Lord's table, when they partake and we do not.
II. Resolves to Godliness will be tested.
1. By the poverty of the godly and their other trials. Naomi was penniless, but Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee." Poor saints are often despised saints, and young people are apt to decline the religion of the poor.
2. By counting the cost. You yourself will have to come out from your friends, as Ruth did. You will have to share the lot of God's people, as Ruth shared with Naomi (Hebrews 11:24-26).
3. By the drawing back of others. Orpah turned back with a kiss, as many do who promised well for a time. The return of Pliable must not discourage Christian.
4. By the duties involved in religion. Ruth must work in the fields. Some proud people will not submit to the rules of Christ's house, nor to the regulations which govern the daily lives of believers.
5. By the apparent coldness of believers. Naomi does not persuade her to keep with her, but the reverse. She was a prudent woman, and did not wish Ruth to come with her by persuasion, but by conviction.
6. By the silent sorrow of some Christians. Naomi said, "Call me not Naomi, but call me Bitterness." Persons of a sorrowful spirit there always will be; but this must not hinder us from following the Lord.
III. Such Godliness must mainly lie in the Choice of God.
1. This the believer's distinguishing possession. "Thy God shall be my God."
2. His great article of belief. "I believe in God."
3. His ruler and lawgiver. "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments" (Psalms 119:38).
4. His instructor. "Teach me thy way, O Lord" (Psalms 28:2).
5. His trust and stay. See Ruth 2:12. "This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death" (Psalms 48:14).
IV. But it should involve the Choice of his People.
"Thy people shall be my people."
They are ill spoken of by the other kingdom. Not all we could wish them to be. Not a people out of whom much is to be gained. But Jehovah is their God, and they are his people. Our eternal inheritance is part and parcel of theirs. A near kinsman is among them. The true Boaz is willing to take us to himself, and to redeem our inheritance.
Let us make deliberate, humble, firm, joyful, immediate choice for God and his saints; accepting their lodging in this world, and going with them whither they are going.
What say our hearers to this? Will you cling to your godly relatives? Or do you now take another road, and so choose an end far removed from theirs?
Lights
Often have I met with cases where love to mother has created in the young bosom a desire to know mother's God. The idea of never seeing again a departed father has full often led children to seek the Lord. Is not human love a highly suitable means for heavenly love to use? Babes are induced to walk by their desire to be in their mother's arms; many have made their first essays at faith because they would fain give a dear parent delight. The converted freedman gave happy expression to his decided adhesion to Christ when he said, "I have got safe past de go-back corner. I'm goin' all de journey home. And if you don't see me at de first of them twelve gates up dere, just look on to the next one, for I'm bound to be dere." Alas! for thousands in all our congregations; they never get by the "go-back corner."—Dr. Cuyler. The power of Christian character shining forth from the face, form, and through the speech of a Christian man is finely illustrated in the following incident:—An Afghan once spent an hour in the company of Dr. William Marsh, of England. When he heard that Dr. Marsh was dead, he said: "His religion shall now be my religion; his God shall be my God; for I must go where he is, and see his face again."
I know his sackcloth and ashes are better than the fool's laughter.—Rutherford. In a memoir of the Rev. G. G. Letters, it is stated that he was converted at a prayer-meeting one Sabbath evening. That same evening as bis mother sat with her children by the fire, she talked of the delight it would give her if they, as one family, were traveling together on the King's highway. Suddenly George sprang up, and looking around him, said with calm, resolute voice, "I, for one, have decided for Christ."—Wesleyan Methodist Magazine.
Open union with the people of God is most desirable. It would argue disloyalty in a soldier if he would not wear his regimentals, and refused to take his place in the ranks. True, he might fight alone, but it would probably turn out to be a sorry business. If God's people will not be ashamed of us we need not be ashamed of them. I should not like to go into a public assembly disguised in the dress of a thief; I prefer my own clothes, and I cannot understand how Christians can bear themselves in the array of worldlings.