The Expositor's Bible: The Book of JoshuaBlaikie, William Garden
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Joshua
Blaikie, William Garden
Bible. Joshua -- Commentaries
It was a very serious undertaking for Joshua, and before attempting it
he stood much in need of the encouragement of Jehovah--"Be not afraid
because of them: for to-morrow about this time will I deliver them up
all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn all
their chariots with fire." Not on the number nor on the bravery of his
own people, though they had stood by him most nobly, was he to place
his reliance, but on the power of God. "Rule thou in the midst of
thine enemies" was his _mot d'ordre_, as it was afterwards of that
other Joshua, whose battles were not with confused noise nor with
garments rolled in blood, but were triumphs of truth and love. Where
else should the true warrior be found but in the midst of his enemies?
Joshua knew it, and with the promised help of God, did not flinch from
the position, though his opponents were like the sand of the seaside,
with a corresponding multitude of chariots and horses. Jesus, too,
knew it, and resting on the same promise did not shrink from the
conflict in His own person; nor did He hesitate to send His apostles
into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature, and look
forward to a victory not less complete than that of Joshua, when the
hordes of the Canaanites were scattered before him.
"To-morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before
Israel." When he got that assurance, Joshua must already have left
Gilgal some days before, and was now within a moderate distance of
Merom. There was to be no delay in the completing of the enterprise.
"To-morrow about this time." Though, as a rule, the mills of God grind
slowly, there are times when their velocity is wonderfully
accelerated. He has sometimes wonderful to-morrows. When Hezekiah was
gazing appalled on the hosts of Sennacherib as they lay coiled round
Jerusalem, God had a "to-morrow about this time" when the terror would
be exchanged for a glorious relief. When the apostles met in the upper
chamber, and were wondering how they were ever to conquer the world
for their Master, there was a "to-morrow" at hand, when the Spirit was
to "come down like rain on the mown grass, and like showers that water
the earth." When, at the end of the world, iniquity abounds and faith
is low, and scoffers are asking, "Where is the promise of His coming?"
there will come a "to-morrow about this time" when the heavens will
pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat, the earth also and all that is therein shall be
destroyed. Hold on, brave Joshua, for a little longer; hold on too, ye
soldiers of the Lord Jesus, though all the powers of darkness are
leagued against you; hold on, ye suffering saints, whose days of pain
and nights of waking are such a weariness to your flesh; the glorious
"to-morrow" may be at hand which is to end your troubles and bring you
the victory!
"We expect a bright to-morrow,
All will be well."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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