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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 g!tg^^iefeai^j^s»fe>»j!6 !A^fe^^ "'^''^ Famous Women illustrated. 3i8and5.jo Historical and Centennial and Qiiad- rennial, comprising up- wards of one luindred select orations and p o e ni s, delivered in every State oftlie Union on tlio one luindredtli anniversary of American Independence, by Hon. \Vm. M. H\:;rts, Rev. Or. Storrs, li.W.Beecii- er, ('.havles F. Adams, Robert C. Wintiirop, Horatio Seymour, Geo. Win. (Airiis, ('.'launccy M. Depew, and otliers, - — issued under tile aus- pices of the respective authors. Including tlie dresses of 1X02-91. E Librarian of Astor Librar of Sacred Story ; the GUI and New Testament. Two Volumes; Each a Scries of Si.xteei-. Popular Lectures, faithful delineations and pen pictures of the m o s t noted characters in His- tory. The good and evil traits in these famous women are made to read a salutatory lesson to their sisters of tile present day, em- phasizing reverent faith in 'tile Bible, ratlicr than the new versions of "wo- man's rights." By Rcv.M. B.Wharton, n.D. Beautifully pages. Each, $i'50. Patriotic Addresses, most noted Columbian Ad- dited by F. Saunders, A.M., io48 octavo p, $3.50. E. B TREAT & CO., 211-2^3 W. 23d St., Hew York tory ; lid Ni'vv , Two ; Each a f Sixteei-. Lectures, ineations ctures of t noted in His- pood and in tliese omen are read a lesson to rs of tlie ay, cm- reverent ic Bible, 1 tlio new :)f "wo- lfs." By VViiarton, eautit'uliy $1.50. bian Ad- rs, A.M., 3.50. BIBLE DIFFICULTIES Old Testament KewYork BIBLE DIFFICULTIES AND THEIR Alleviative Interpretation BY y ROBERT STUART MacARTHUR Pastor of Calvary Biiptist Church, New York 0l^ ZTcdtament NEW YORK E. B. TREAT & COMPANY 241-243 West 230 Street 1899 I IXUi) :il Copyright, 1898 Bv E. B. TREAT & COMPANY New Yokk ■%[ TWocopii-:.sr^EOEIVEO. 11 i ;- PREFACE During the past few months, the substance of the chapters comprising this volume was deliv- ered in addresses on consecutive Sunday evenings in the regular course of the author's ministry in the Calvary Baptist Church. He has long felt that most of the difficulties generally supposed to be in the Bible are not really in the Bible; but are in the human interpretation of the Bible, rather than in the divine revelation itself. It is vastly important to separate between erroneous biblical exposition and the actual truth of divme revelation. ... -u i The newer scholarship, it will readily be ad- mitted has disturbed the faith of some Bible stu- dents-' but it is absolutely certain that it has given'the fiible a fresh interest and an increased value It is not necessary to accept all the con- clusions of the so-called Higher Critics; indeed, these conclusions are often at variance with one another, and more careful criticism will entirely refute some of the positions taken. But we can readily see that the later criticism has done much to disabuse the minds of some readers of their traditional interpretations and unauthoritative preconceptions of Holy Scripture; and, as a re- sult the Bible was never so new and so attractive a library as it is at this hour. It never was so I "5^ J ' iSS?- 10 PREFACE. carefully studied as now ; and it never has been to the church or to the race the blessing which it will be in the near future. The aim of these dis- courses is to separate between false interpreta- tion and genuine revelation. Miracles which God performs we unquestioningly receive; miracles which men imagine we are free to accept or re- ject. This volume contains a selection rather than a collection of difficulties in the Old-Testament Scriptures. Questions asked by members of the author's congregation, and by correspondents in different parts of the country, partly guided him in his selection of the difficulties discussed. Doubtless, many passages of Scripture which are serious difficulties to the minds of some readers have been omitted; but it was not possible to m- clude all within the limits of a volume of con- venient size. Still it is believed that the most serious difficulties are here discussed. The au- thor regrets that these discussions do not more fully combine the results of the latest and most reverent scholarship with the spirit of sincere love to the Holy Book and its divine Author. Of his failures in all respects he is distinctly and deeply conscious; nevertheless, he hopes that as these discussions have proved helpful to many hearers, and also to his own spiritual faith and life, they may be blessed in the wider circle to which, through this volume, they are now intro- duced. This is his sincere desire and earnest prayer as this volume goes forth. Calvary Study, New York City, October, 1898. been to vhich it lese dis- erpreta- lich God miracles Dt or re- CONTENTS. !r than a jstament rs of the dents in ided him iscussed. rhich are 2 readers ble to in- ! of con- the most The au- lot more ind most f sincere :hor. Of ictly and s that as to many faith and circle to low intro- i earnest Page *** L Was there Really Light Before the Sun ? . . 13 II. Was the World Made in Six Solar Dayi?. • 25 III. Where and What was the Garden of Eden? . 39 IV. What were the Sin and Sentence in Eden? . 53 V. Whatwas Cain's Mark, and Who was his Wife? 69 VI. Who were the Sons of God and the Daughters of Men? ®' VII. Does God Repent and the Spirit Withdraw? . 107 VIII. Was the Noachian Flood Universal or Local?. 125 IX. What was the Purpose of the Tower of Babel? 145 X. Was Lot Wise in Pitching his Tent toward Sodom? *^3 XI. Who was Melchizedek, the Mysterious King- Priest? ^'^ XII. Was the Destruction of Sodom Natural or Su- pernatural? "' XIII. Did God Mean that Abraham Should Really Offer Isaac? ^^' XIV. Did Rebekah and Jacob Cheat Isaac and Rob Esau? *^^ XV. Who was the Wrestler with Jacob at Jabbok? . 253 XVI. Did God or Pharaoh Harden Pharaoh's Heart? 269 ,fi^^\St&^^»»i-ii^^^^f''^'-'^''^^'^^'' ii •I ! 12 CON TK NTS. Chnpter , J"'** XVII. Was the Passage of the Red Sea Supernatural? 287 XVIII. What were the Symbols called the Uriin and Thummim? 3^5 XIX. Did Balaam's Ass Literally Speak with Man's Voice? 327 XX. Did the Sun and Moon Stand Still at Joshua's Command? S-** XXI. Did Jephthah Really Sacrifice his Daughter? . 359 XXII. Did Samuel Appear when Summoned by the Witch of Endor'? ....•• 373 XXIII. Did Two She-bears Destroy Forty-two Chil- dren? 3^9 XXIV. Was the Destruction of the Canaanites Vin- dicable? 405 XXV. Are the Imprecatory Psalms Justifiable or even Explicable? 4i7 XXVI. Are the Prophet Jonah and the Great Fish His- torical? •♦^s 5!!i i y Page ,tural ? 387 in and . 305 Man's • 327 shua's • 345 Iter? . 359 by the ■ 373 ) Chil- . 389 !S Vin- . 405 or even • 417 sh His- • • 435 I. WAS THERE REALLY LIGHT BEFORE THE SUN? siisMA«-«i»«ft»»:fSK :ii.- iii v'l! MM lit : "1 1 i , » I i( ' ;i i t, if' J I; WAS THERE REALLY LIGHT BEFORE THE SUN? Truly sublime are the opening words of Gene- sis. No other historical writing approaches its first verse in grandeur and majesty. It implies the existence, the eternity, the freedom, the om- nipotence, the intelligence, and the goodness of God. The first sentence denies atheism, for it assumes God. It denies materialism, for it as- serts Creation. It denies pantheism, for it declares the personality of God. The word bara, trans- lated "created," is one of three words, the others being yatsar and asah, used in this section, and bara always has God for its subject, whatever its object may be. Yatsar, formed, and asah, made, both refer to construction out of pre-existing ma- terials, and both are predicablc of God and man. The verb bara, in its simple form, occurs forty- eight times, according to Dr. Murphy, and always in one sense. The word "Elohim," translated God, is found in the Hebrew Scriptures fifty- seven times in the singular, and about three thou- sand times in the plural, according to the same authority. In the plural it may mean the " Eter- nal Powers," but it is correctly translated God. Later references will be made to the significance (tfeSSBH^sies^wM*'' -**«-^-— ■■■«- l6 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. of its plural form, conjoined with verbs and ad- jectives in the singular, being thus somewhat of an anomaly in language, and giving a suggestion of the doctrine of the unity of the Godhead, which was later fully revealed. In the preceding verses the inspired writer de- scribed the condition of the world while in its chaotic state. Now he enters on the details of that stupendous process by which the whole was reduced to order, and the heavens and the earth were made to appear in their beauty and glory. The great secret of the entire process is the being and the power of God. Remove God from this lofty history, this noble poem, this sublime an- them, this glorious oratorio of primeval wisdom and goodness, and you have nothing left behind but darkness, mystery, and chaos. Insert God in the history, and all becomes perfectly reasonable, and partially explicable. Every thoughtful man must admit that there is far less mystery and difficulty with, than without, God. Eliminate God, and you eliminate reason as well as faith. Atheism has no explanation to give of Creation; it leaves the whole subject involved in impene- trable darkness and hopeless mystery. Admit God, and the hymn of Creation has beauty, maj- esty, and glory. Thus it comes to pass that " God said" is the keynote to this sublime song. This word of God rcm(f\'cs all ideas of blind force and senseless matter. Thus it is that God's presence and power in the first majestic words of Genesis ■ ' .^.jv-ri.>i'l':V^i-"ji;^l;'- '.^''J-'* Ly^*i^:4i---ViIi?*K— .*•-■- and ad- jwhat of ggestion Jodhead, Titer de- le in its letails of hole was he earth id glory. ;he being rom this ilime an- 1 wisdom ft behind rt God in asonable, itful man itery and Eliminate as faith. Creation ; I impene- Admit luty, maj- that " God ng. This force and 3 presence of Genesis WAS THERE LIGHT BEFORE THE SUN? i? answer a thousand questions of the human mind and heart. Past all the works of Creation we must go to the person of God as the divine Author. God Not Eliminatep. Behind the visible universe stands God. Men talk of the laws of nature. What do they mean? What is a law? A law is only a name which we give to the manner in which we have observed some force to act. If the force be physical, we have a physical law; if moral, we have a moral law. A law is not a force, but a form; not a motor, but a motion; not a power, but a process. Law implies a lawgiver, evolution an evolver, or- der an ordainer. There stands God. We have often permitted ourselves to be confused as to the true definition of law. We have allowed our- selves to think of law as if it were endowed with power and possessed of personality. Even if evo- lution were fully established, it would not elimi- nate God. Nothing can be evolved that has not first been involved. There stands God. Back of ' all processes is God as the almighty power. But how are we to understand the words " and God said"? Did God literally utter His voice in that primeval solitude? Did His voice echo through that chaotic abyss? This we cannot suppose. We have here an example of the application to God of terms which usually are applied to human beings. In this way the Bible often speaks of % ^1 si l8 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. God's face, ear, hand, and voice. In harmony with this u;age the Bible speaks of God as repent- Tng and as performing other acts charactenstje of nl. This usage is what the theologians caU an example of anthropomorphism. If God is to ^mnunicate with men He must adopt methods which men can understand, and if men are to speak of God, they must use the only language which it is possible for them to employ. God s rpeaking is His willing, and His willing is His doing •• This is the first time that the phrase "God said" is used in this narrative, but it is used in all ten times in the account of the creation. It is also a characteristic form of -pres-on m th^ Old Testament. We have it in such forms as "God spake, saying," "Thus saith the Lord o hosts," Ld such other expressions as " the word of the Lord came, saying." on reading the first chapter of Genesis we are reminded of the first chapter of John's Gosp 1, "In the beginning was the Word." Observe the similarity between these two great opemng chap- ters What is the irresistible conclusion? The " God-said" of the Old Testament is the God-word of the New Testament. The Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament In John we further read that Jesus made all things which were made. At this point also the two records harmonize. In Genesis we have the maiestic words, "Let there be light, and there ^a Ight"; or -re literaU^^ r£5. n harmony 1 as repent- vcteristic of ians call an God is to pt methods men are to ly language yy. " God's lling is His the phrase mt it is used creation. It ession in the ich forms as the Lord of " the word of jnesis we are )hn's Gospel, Observe the jpening chap- slusion? The the God- word /ah of the Old w Testament. ;sus made all point also the is we have the jht, and there Light be, and l^AS THERE LIGHT KEFGRE THE SUN? 19 light was." The sublimity of these words in the original cannot be fully reproduced in English. It appears more completely in the Greek of the Seventy and in the Latin Vulgate. Longinus, the famous Platonic philosopher and finished rhe- torician, born at Athens or in Syria, about 213 A.D., a student in Alexandria and finally a teacher in Athens, the man whose knowledge was so great and varied and his critical taste so acute that he was called a "living library" and a " walking mu- seum," refers to these words as an illustration of his theme when writing of the Sublime. The Eternal Word speaks, and light is. Finely has Dr. George Dana Boardman said: "Man's words are but sounds, God's words are deeds. He but speaks, and lo! light, sky, ocean, mountain, tree, animal, man, star, universe. He spake, and it was; He commanded, and it stood fast." Light before the Sun. But just here a difficulty arises. Whenever the mind of the Infinite comes into contact with the finite, an insoluble problem emerges. The finite can apprehend, but cannot comprehend the In- finite. Now we know God, not as He is, but as we are. Now at best we see through a glass darkly. Could there have been light before the sun's creation? Can there be any alleviative ex- planation? Assuredly there can. We are told that the sun is the primary source of light, and, .,^^^^^^,,^^SH5aass«ss««ww5 3W8aBI««*?«*»Kr'-' 20 Orn TESTAMENT DfFEICULTIES. in a measure, the statement is true. We are now, kt it be borne in mind, in the first clay of Creation, but when we reach the fourtli day we are told that ( lod made the sun. We immediately ask, " How, then, could there have been li^dit on the' first day?" At this point many are embar- rassed and some are sta^^gcred. I well remember how I once was puzzled because of this apparent contradiction in the inspired narrative. Sceptics quickly seized upon these statements as if they were the result of crass ijjfnorance on the part of the writer of the Creation records. As early as the days of Celsus, who lived in the second cen- tury after Christ, and wrote about 150 a.d., this objection to the Mosiac record of the Creation was urged. But in wonderful ways have the au- thoritative conclusions of science come forward as witnesses to the truth of this sacred story. Let us look at some of the explanations which have been offered. Some say that the sun was created at the first a perfectly luminous body, but that the vapors arising from the condition of • the world at the time shut out his light, and that when God said, "Let there be light," He simply dispersed these mists and vapors and thus caused the light of the sun to be seen. They thus make the light only a manifestation of what was pre- viously in existence, and not the creation of sotne- thing which until then had no existence. But they have still to account for the creation of the sun, or at least for the narrative touching that point in ,.X_- 55. We are :st clay of ;h day we mediately n lij(ht on re embar- reniember I apparent Sceptics as if they he part of Ls early as econd cen- ) A.i)., this e Creation ive the au- forward as 3ry. tions which he sun was nous body, ondition of • it, and that He simply thus caused f thus make lat was pre- ion of some- :. But they of the sun, :hat point in WAS THERE LIGHT BEFORE THE SUN? 21 the history of the fourth day. This they do by supposing that there we have not the account of the sun's creation, but only the record of the command that the sun was appointed to rule by day. Augustine thought that this was simply spiritual light; and Calvin recognized the dis- tinction between this light and that mentioned in connection with the creation of the sun, but he had no very clear explanation to give. But the narrative tells us not simply that light began to be visible, but it asserts that light began to be; and it seems certain that the majestic language here attributed to Elohim is too lofty and sublime to be applied to so comparatively unimportant an event as the scattering of the mists and clouds. Here comparatively late discoveries, or at least applications, of scientific knowledge come for- ward to solve the problem. We know that light was once supposed to be a distinct element or substance ; but now it is believed to be simply a mode or condition of matter. Thus it is now known that the light-giving qualities of many bodies are due to their condition of incandescence. It is certainly known that light is not entirely de- pendent on the sun. No one who is at all familiar with the subject now doubts that there is a kind and degree of light apart from the sun ; and it is cer- tain that this chemical or cosmical light possesses some qualities conducive to the growth of vegeta- tion. It is beyond any question tnie that " any solid body can be rendered incandescent by being •^ 1 i 22 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. heated ur to between 700° .nd 800" Fahrenheit," ::^Hnuid. also which are capable ,..ein.J.ea^ up to the rciuired de.^rce cmU hght. ^Ve know Tso t.at hre-flies, certain kinds of wood, and stdl :U e substances in their normal condition, throw out liK-ht. We know, indeed, that there are many ^heortes as to the phenomenon of light, but much connected with it is still wrapped m mystery. It travels much faster than- sound. When a cannon fired at a distance we first see the flash and then later hear the sound. Light travels '^Moo mdes a second, or more than a million times faster than Lund. It therefore takes the light of the sun 4ht minutes to travel from the sun to the earth. Lfght travels farther as well as faster than sound ; LVoof of this statement is the fam.Uar fac that we often see lightning so far off that we eannot hear the thunder which accompanies it a the point of its origin. But much as we know of Tit still has its mysteries. The Pythagorean ami Newtonian theory was that light was trans- mitted to the eye by the emission of small parti- mittea 10 I y J ^^^g_ cles of luminous matter. 1 his ib caiic ,c,M,lnr theorv The earlier theory made sion eorpuscular tneorj . i. n'^ light an attenuated, imponderable substance; the undulatory theory makes ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^'^^^ by the vibrations of matter called ether. These theories were long rivals, but the undulatory theory has completely triumphed over the other^ Professor Dana affirms that the wave lengths in the vibration of molecular force have been as- rcnhcit," ij;- heated ,Ve know and still m, throw arc many but much stery. It a cannon 1 and then ,000 miles aster than )£ the sun the earth, lan sound ; miliar fact fE that we panics it at ,ve know of ythagorean was trans- small parti- ;d the emis- heory made )Stance; the propagated her. These undulatory I- the other. rvLve lengths ave been as- H^AS THERE LIGHT BEFORE THE SUN? 33 certaincd. He also reminds us that the laws of heat and of electrical and chemical action are so involved with those of light that all these condi- tions arc convertible and one in molecular ongm. The nebular hypothesi-s of La Place, wlio stood second to none but Newton in the great science of mathematical astronomy, asserts that the con- densation of the originally void, dark, gaseous chaos would be accompanied by intense molecular or chemcial activity, and so would assuredly emit light Infidelity called Moses a blunderer and the Bible a fraud for affirming that there was light before the sun; and now all the scientists declare that this very result must have occurred. Moses was no scientist; he lived in an age when nothing was known of molecular activity. He never heard of Newton or La Place; he could not have imderstood the nebular hypothesis if he had heard of it. How came he to anticipate the con- clusions of modern science? God taught him ; he was inspired of the Almighty. Let infidelity be dumb; let it hide its empty head. God taught Moses, and Moses teaches the scientists of the nineteenth century. In medicine, as in astron- omy, Moses is abreast of the science of to-day. Regarding all sanitary laws, the medical profes- sion of to-day is only struggling up to the point reached by Moses ages ago. Who taught Moses? The Almighty. How came the cosmogony of Moses to be right, according to the latest dicta of science, while the cosmogonies of all heathen na- .VsyBMKtoSVOW*"*'^' Jfe« t4 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. tions excite the laughter of all scientific men to- day? There stands God. It is high ttme for a shallow atheism to be entirely silent, or to speak with great modesty. Let all believers m dwme revelation rejoice in God's Word, the glortous old Bible, which God is magnifying m the halls ot scientific learning, in the homes of devout be- lievers, and in the churches of Jesus Christ throughout the world! U I! W Is n ..Jte« men to- ne for a to speak n divine rions old halls of vout be- is Christ II. WAS THE WORLD MADE IN SIX DAYS? \ .;»AiiS»**«»*****' l<((liB«»WS*«3»»»*'*-'- i«Mw;*«a«w***«"" II! 1 1 11, '. \ i ^ II. WAS TH?: WORLD MADE IN SIX DAYS? In Genesis, the first chapter and the fifth vtrse, our attention is called to the first day in the his- tory of Creation. In the same verse we are told that God called the light day, and the darkness night. We need not be surprised that God gave names to the things which He had created. The names given to things by us express the impres- sion which they have made upon our minds ; but the names given by God express the nature of the things to which they are given. It seems cer- tain that God, in naming the day and the night, had reference to their phenomena rather than to their duration. The names were not for the benefit of men when first given, as there were no human beings then to make use of the names which God gave ; but these names were rather a declaration of the qualities or nature of the things to which they were applied. It is still true that, in a real sense, "words are things." We may be abso- lutely certain that there was a significance in the words employed by God, which made it fitting that they should be applied to the things which He made. We cannot, for a moment, suppose that the name given to one object could with asiliiJliV-EKJWWKr'.-: I' '1 a V. ;! 28 OLD TESTAMENT DIEFICULTIES. 1 The e names, let it be borne m mmd, were iltriptions of nature rather than measures of 'lie scholars suggest that ,»-« -pres.es^" *e tumult stir and business of the day. Those wno Xi'thl meaning probably eonnect it w,th he si:;"" "= ="=■;: be «a"m to glow with heat." This der,vat on maruknalot-ousto the A-bic.../^";.. - . - with -ineer It has been well said that m a sultry :^^:fSe that of the East, this would bea^ abk description of the day to distmgmsh it from th ntght Gesenius and other Hebrew scholars r Se the word for night with ^^^ r^^.^^^l^^ root /./, meaning to roll up; and ^"^^^^^^^ gested is that night rolls up or wraps all th^ng^m fhe curtains of obscurity and darkness. We may be cute sure that there was entire appropriate- ness tthe terms applied by God - t^e ^^^^^^^^^ the nieht God has a reason, doubtless, for cv er> nleHegivesandforeveryactHeperforins;and :her. But uch uncer- )rds which translated light is la- mind, were leasures of )resses " the Those who ; it with the or foaming to " the yell- ght," and so Jut probably [y correct in meaning " to lis derivation ■htna, to glow lat in a sultry )uld be a suit- iguish it from ibrew scholars 3 rare Hebrew the idea sug- ps all things in less. We may ■e appropriate - to the day and itless, for every ; performs; and n^AS THE IV0K'I.D MADE m SIX DAYS? 29 Whether or not we fully understand the etymology of these words, we may be sure that they pcnnt o the distinguishing peculiarities u the objec. which they are applied. A snnnar ^ematk ^ uU apply to the names given to the heavens and the eiith, to the sea and to the dT land, and to ^1 the other objects named in the account of Crea '"we read in the latter part of this fifth verse " And the evening and the morning were the first dav " The more literal translation is, " And even- ingwas, andmorningwas,dayone." Because the darkness preceded the light, the evemng .s prob- ably mentioned first; and it is likely that for this eaL the Jews began their day of twenty-four hours from the evening. There has always been some difference of opinion as to the exact mean- ing of the language here used. Some have affirmed that we have here an ordinary solar day of twenty-four hours. This, it is claimed, is -the natural meaning of the lang^iage here employed and the words of the fourth commandment are quoted to show that here we have simply an ordi- nary astronomical day. But some who so affirm reckon the day from daybreak to daybreak, while others reckon it from sunset to sunset. Meaning of "One." Let us look carefully into the Scriptural use of the two words " day one." Let us entirely free our minds from any real or supposed necessity, as the '■'imSti^'^' OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. result of modern scientific discovery in geology or any other science, to understand the word day as meaning a period of indefinite duration. Let tas without prejudice one way or the other, get the heart meaning and the Scriptural usage o these two words translated in our version first day and more literally "day one." The two words in Hebrew are >'.;«, day, and ^/W one. The numeral " one " is several times used in Scrip- ture when clearly it means crrfain, peculiar, special, nnioue. It is in these passages used in the sense of L Latin J i. W'» '"^J"^ »mt*m;-- 32 OLD TESTA Af EN T DIFFICULTIES. can readily he seen that the works of the different days of Creation could not be put into the compass of days of twenty-four hours each, except by con- tinuous miracles of the most stupendous character. That God could do this, no one who rightly be- lieves in His omniscience and omnipotence can for a moment doubt; but that God did this is open to doubt so strong as to be virtually a denial. Such enormous haste as the hypothesis of days of twenty-four hours would necessitate is not in har- mony with God's methods, as we see them in Cre- ation or providence. Take, for example, the work of the sixth day. On that day the animals were created; Adam was made; the animals were col- lected together and named as they passed in re- view before Adam; on that day he was cast into a deep sleep by God, and a rib was taken from his side, was fashioned into a woman, and she was presented to Adam. If these were days of twenty-four hours each, then all that is recorded in the first live verses of the first chapter of Gene- sis took place in twenty-four hours. Who can be- lieve it? No one doubts that God could have done this but it is diffieult to believe that God did all this in that time. If these were days of twenty-four hours each, then the world could not have been more than one hundred and forty-four hours older than man; and if he were created in the early part of the sixth day, the world was not even that much older than man. Is this conceiv- able? It is so only, as already remarked, by sup- -" «(l«teM«B«!Si!S»>"M»B»>W!»«»«»'"'"*'- ifferent ompass by con- Eiracter. htly be- can for open to . Such days of : in har- i in Cre- he work als were ^erc col- d in re- cast into en from and she days of recorded of Genc- o can he- ave done God eh't/ days of could not orty-four reated in d was not s conceiv- \, by sup- H^AS THE WORLD MADE IN SIX DAYS? 33 posing continuous miracles of the most stupendous character; but in the economy of God, so far as we can learn His ways, He has always kept the miraculous displays of His power within econom- ical limits. The length of the seventh day de- termines the length of the other six; but most commentators consider that God's Sabbatic day extends from Creation to the present hour. Must not then the other six days be days of indefinite duration? If the six days mentioned in Exodus XX. 1 1 are days of twenty-four hours each, so must the seventh day be one of twenty-four hours; but God is represented as having rested on that day from His creative labors. If that day is still con- tinued, and so is one of indefinite duration, are we not justified in affirming that the other six were also periods of undefined length? Attention has often been called to the fact that many heathen cosmogonies give indirect confir- mation to the view here presented. Egyptian, Persian, Indian, and Etruscan legends are named by different writers on this subject, and while not of authority in themselves, they may be quoted as showing that this idea was widely diffused. Many Christians can remember how a generation ago their simple Christian faith was rudely shocked by scientific affirmations that the world was not made in six days of twenty-four hours each. The writer well remembers that in his boyhood his faith was greatly disturbed, and for a time almost wrecked, by statements of men older ' ?.«*«a9K*e*»*»»***®'**^' L^sflfflMKra^iBiS^*"'***'''*^'^^ 1 ' .1 34 O/.n TESTAMEXT DIFFICULTIES. and wiser than himself, men who read widely in Z cientii^c literature of the times, and who .ffin'd that the statements of the Bible were disproved bv the absolutely conclusive demonstra- tors of science. He was not able to refue these statements; he thought the B,ble t-^^^t ^^^^^J^ world was made in six days, of twenty-four hours ach. He thought he must hold on to the ^we^ ty-four-hour theory or reject the B^ble. Thank God ' we now see that neither science nor Scripture teaches that the world was made in six days of t venty-four hours each! To believe the Bible is 1 thin., but to believe all the in^r^rea -^ which some men choose to give the Bible is quite another thing. ScRirTURK Use of thk Wori> "Day." Now. let us look at the Scripture use of the word "day." Perhaps the highest Hebrew au- Thority favors the etymology which refers the '^Zo a root meaning " to be warm to be ho to glow with heat," as already suggested If this origin of the word be correct, it might refer to the ^wingorheatedperiodsthroughwhichthewoi^ passed ill its successive developments. But the purpose at this point is simply to refer to t^ie ScrTptural use of the word ; thus Scripture will m- fer^r t Scripture. Nothing is more certain than hTthe w..^ yon., day, is repeatedly used in the Scripture when reference is made to epochs, eon.. ii:is Till-: ivoh'i.i) MADE yy ■v/.v n.ivs; 35 idely in nd who )lc were nonstra- ite these that the ur hours he twen- Thank Scripture : days of i Bible is )retations ,e is quite ►ay. ise of the ebrew au- refers the to be hot, d. If this refer to the h the world , But the jfer to the ture will in- ;ertain than used in the pochs, eons, periods ..f indefinite length. We have the first in- stance in this immediate connection in the record of Creation itself; the word is found in Genesis ii. 4. There w". read : " These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were created, in the dav (fnyooi) that the Lord (lod made the earth and the heavens. " Here the word " day- is clearly not a solar day; it is most certainly used to cover the entire period of Creation. This is the first time the word occurs after the history of the day of the creative week, and it will be admitted by all tlKit it is here applied to the entire period. It would seem as if there were a providential pur- pose to show us at this point that the word " day" in the account of Creation meant an epoch, and not a period of twenty-four hours. It is strange that many of the readers of the Bible seem to have overlooked this verse, when they have in- sisted that the six days of Creation were days of twenty-four hours each. It is astonishing that traditional interpretations often close the eyes of even scholarly commentators to the plain reading of God's Word. The Hebrew Scriptures gener- ally clearlv show that the word " day" often de- notes a period of past or future time without limit. In Isaiah xxx. 8, we read, " Now go . . . and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever." The phrase " time to come " as seen in the margin of our Bibles, liter- ally means, "the latter day." Nothing could be clearer than that the word " day" here refers to an -rSS!E9SSI35SS5!W" 36 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. • 1 T„ Tnh xviii. 20 we read, indefinite period. In Job xvm. "They that come after him shall be attorned at his Ly " Here the word "day" stands for the ' oU^periodofaman-slife. ^-^f^^\;VZ ll^ .. . the Lord alone shall be exalted m Sit day," and in the next verse w. have a refer- ence to "the day of the Lord of hosts^ The W day here clearly means the time when God vould punish His people for the. -s; .t rob- ably refers to the captivity in Babylon. Th.s .s a tinfe when Jehovah will inflict vengeanco^^^^^^^^^^ neople- a time is coming when God s righteous !.;;er ;ould be revealed. In Jeremiah xlv. xo we Tate the words, " the day of the Lord God of hosts a day of vengeance. " In Ezekiel xxx. 3 we read . "K the day is near, even the day of the Lord . near, a cloudy day, it shall be the tm.e of the heathen." In Zephaniah i. 7 we read For the day of the Lord is at hand." In Joel n. 31 we have the words: "The sun shall be turned .nto darkness, and the moon into blood before the ereat and the terrible day of the^ord come. In fn These passages a period of trial on the part o the people, and of righteous judgment on the par of God is announced. In Judges xviu x the word days is used for a period of time an history and n Eeclesiastes xii. 3 we have the expression In The day when the keepers of the house shall trem^ Se," vLre the word day is used for old age. We le the word often with that meanmg now. We :S speak of"hisday,""n.yday.""your day. ve read, ;onied at s for the ii. II we xalted in e a refer- ts." The ivhen God i; it prob- This is a ICC on the righteous xlvi. lo we )d of hosts, 3 we read : Lhe Lord is ,me of the "For the ;1 ii. 31 we turned into before the come." In I the part of on the part i. I the word itory, and in iression, " In e shall trem- )ld age. We ig now. We "your day," It^AS THE WORLD MA HE IS SIX DAYS? 37 referring to periods of time and to sections of one's age. . • ,. * There is one very striking passage to which at- tention should be called. In Zcchariah xiv. 6, 7 reference is made probably to the time of our Lord's coming, and to the entire Gospel dispensa- tio . • the words are : " And it shall come to pass in that' day, that the light shall not be clear nor dark but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day nor night. " The day to which reference is here made is certainly a day unique in t)c world's history. It is one of God's days, not one of man's days. It is such a day as distinguishes it from all of man's civil or solar days It is a special time, a unique period, known as the day of the Lord. Reference might be made also to Psalm xc. 4; xcv. 8; Isaiah xlix. 8; 2 Corinthians vi. 2; John ix. 4; i Thessalonians V 2- 2Peteriii. 10; Hebrews xiii. 8 ; and m 2 Peter iii 8 we have the words: "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day " Unfortunately, many of the Lord s children have seemed to be ignorant of this very one thing. Prof Tayler Lewis is authority for the general statement that Scripture clearly shows that there are days or eras which God supernaturally divided by His own power in the creation of the world and that there are other days concernmg which God said, " Let the sun divide them." These lat- !i 38 OLD TESTA MEN T DTFFICUL TIES. ter are the natural, the solar days, nieasured off by the returning, course of nature. Thus we have in the Bible two kinds of days; the one kind is airectly God-made, the other is -^-^^^^^^Z made Nothing is more certain than that the M 'does not teach that the days of Creation were days of twenty-four hours. We ought no to let any affirmation to that effect disturb our faith. We ought to be calm, truthful, and joyous n the Lord and in the word of His truth Some of the scaffolds which men have erected around the temple of revelation are falling Let them fair Their disappearance will permit the divine temple to be the more clearly seen in its perfect symmetry, spotless beauty, and divine majesty. Lay with false interpretations, away with all forms of superstition, away with all ^c-ds of infi- delity' With glorious old Isaiah, wrmi mder the nspiration of the Almighty, we shall say, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever." ':\f •ed off ■c have cind is y sun- uit the rcation [jht not irb our I joyous Some around 2t them J divine perfect majesty, with all s of infi- - under iiall say, , but the III. WHERE AND WHAT WAS THE GARDEN OF EDEN? in. WHERE AND WHAT WAS THE GARDEN OF EDEN? Tmf Scriptural account of the Garden of Eden is found in the second chapter of Genesis begin- ning with the eighth verse and going to he end of the seventeenth. The ciuestion '-^^t" ^ -J-^' tion and character of the Garden of Eden has always been one of fascinating interest. The writer of the Book of Genesis, in harmony with the well-known character of Hebrew composition, having carried his subject to a convenient resting- place, often reverts to a point already passed over. So i^ giving an account of the Garden of Eden, he' goes back to a time antecedent to man s ap- pearanee on the earth. It is evident, from this account, that the garden was fully prepared some time-how long, of course, we do not know-be- fore the intended occupant was prepared to pos- sess it A wonderful name is Eden! It is music on the tongue as it is pronounced, and its sound thrills the'heart. It awakens the most dei^ous memories, and it suggests the most glorious proi^- ecies The word translated garden properly means an enclosure, from a word ---"^' ^^ fence or to protect. In the Septuagmt it is usu- ^^i^igimtS^^^^'' j.,_-l_5jp^,t3>^lf*^.t«-.iW. . -■.,i«tfc* WS*-: —-■-J ts;rnltSri:^!'^ r 42 OLD TESTAMENT DIEFICULTIES. ally rendered Paradise, but this is a word neither of Greek nor Hebrew origin. It is found in Xenophon's " Cyroptedia" and other of his writ- ings, about r,.c. 400. The Greek translation of the Bible took this word as the translation of the garden which the Creator prepared for innocent man. The word has been generally supposed to be Persian, from which language Xenophon de- rived it. In that language it represents a park, a pleasure garden, a woodland enclosure, pro- tected by a wall, abundantly watered, and abound- ing with fruit-trees, flowers, and other objects of beauty. The word finally came to be applied to any delightful region, and was in this sense intro- duced into the later Hebrew in the form of par- decs. In our version it is sometimes rendered forest and sometimes orchard and garden. Prob- ably the derivation should be carried farther back than the Persian. The word is certainly found in the Armenian tongue, one of the oldest languages of one of the oldest people in the world. In this language it is compounded of two words, meaning edible grains or herbs. The Armenians frequently use the word as applied to a garden adjoining a dwelling; but it is almost certain that the origin of the word goes back to the Sanscrit, paradccsha, standing for a region of surpassing beauty. The word became finally a metaphor to express the idea of 'xquisite delight, and so it was used not only for cue abode of our first parents in their innocence and bliss, -5rffe-5»i«isss»r^S>5ir<;rae!'S neither jund in lis writ- ation of n of the nnocent posed to )hon de- , a park, ire, pro- abound- bjects of pplied to ise intro- 11 of par- rendered 1. Prob- iher back Armenian )ne of the uage it is Die grains ■ use the dwelling ; : the word mding for rd became : 'xquisite iiie abode and bliss, WHERE AND WHAT WAS EDEN? 43 but as a figurative name for Heaven, the home of the blessed. In this sense it is several times used in the New Testament. The word Eden is there- fore one of the most venerable and beloved names in geography. The Greek word hcdonc is nearly identical in sense as well as in sound. It ought to be constantly borne in mind that Eden was a tract of country, of which part, and as we may well be- lieve the most beautiful part, was the Paradise, park, or c^«, garden of all delight. We ought not to suppose that Eden is identical with the Garden of Eden. They are to be constantly distinguished if we are to have an intelligent conception of the Biblical narrative. The Allegorical Interpretation. In almost all ages of the church there have been writers who interpreted the Biblical narrative of Eden as a mere allegory. The same remark will apply to their interpretation of the whole story of the Creation and Fall of Man. Many of these allegorical interpretations are beautiful in them- selves, and are suggestive of important truths although they are not adequate interpretations of the Biblical story. In harmony with this method of exposition, Philo made Paradise the governing faculties of the soul. The four rivers described in the Book of Genesis he made four virtues: Prudence, temperance, courage, and justice. Origen, under the general influence of this method, makes Paradise, Heaven; the trees, an- rsgBa?j«5*M»»»«'-''*''^" i R OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. gels • and the rivers, wisdom. Other mystical in- terpreters have given different signifieations to the various features of the Biblieal narrative, but have still retained the chief features of this alle- gorical method. A few more heroic interpreters have cut the Gordian knot by declaring that the entire story is the spurious interpolation of a com- paratively late age. Luther believed that the Lrden remained und.^r the guardianship of an- tels until the time of the flood, and that so great was the convulsion of nature incident to the flood that all traces of Eden were obliterated. But the narrative in Genesis seems clearly to imply that at the time of the historian the countries and riv- ers described were still in existence. That im- pression grows constantly upon the mind of the careful reader of the Biblical story; he strong y feels that the description of the garden is vividly present to the mind of the writer, and that the garden was capable of being visited by him and his readers. Traditional Edens. Almost all nations have had the idea of a ter- restrial Paradise. The conception of Eden, as in some sense the Garden of God, retains its hold not only on the minds of Hebrew prophets and poets, but in the hearts of poets, historians, and philoso- phers among all the nations with whose records we have become familiar. Arabian legends tell us of a garden on the summit of a great and glorious ical in- ions to ve, but is alle- preters hat the ■ a com- lat the I of an- io great he flood But the ply that and riv- 'hat im- id of the strongly s vividly that the him and of ater- len, as in 1 hold not ind poets, d philoso- ecords we ds tell us d glorious WHERE AND WHAT WAS EDEN? 45 mountain inaccessible to men. Hindu traditions have their Garden of Eden on the top of a moun- tain shaped like the seed-cup of the sacred lotus. In this blessed abode of divinity is the holy grove of Indra; there also is the Jambu tree, whose fruit fed the waters of the Jambu River, waters which impart immortal life, beauty, and glory to all who drink thereof. The Chinese have their enchanted garden in one of the high ranges of the Houanlun Mountains. The Medo-Persians had theirs also. The Greeks had their Hespendes, suggestive of innocence, beauty, and immortality. All these traditions are but echoes of the Hebrew story. They bear eloquent testimony to the real- ity of the Biblical narrative. It is difficult, if not impossible, to account for the universality of this belief, except on the hypothesis of the historicity of the thing so widely believed. The Location ok EnEN. Where were the tract of Eden and the Garden of Paradise in Eden? Is it possible for us to an- swer these questions with any degree of certainty? In making this search, a starting-point is found in the second chapter of Genesis. This is an artless, child-like, and altogether charming description. In this respect it is in harmony with all the narra- tives of the primitive Hebrew Scriptures. Some would interpret the expression, "Eastward in Eden," in the eighth verse of the second chapter of Genesis, to mean eastward of the place of the • I -' i: n 46 OLD TESTA MENT DIFFICULTIES. writer. We may ask, Where was that writer's standing-point? Perhaps in Palestine. In all ages and lands the religion of the rising sun is poetically supposed to be of surpassing beauty. As a matter of fact, the cradle of the race did he eastward to the land of Israel. But perhaps the phrase, " Eastward in Eden," means in the eastern part of the tract of Eden; this seems to be the most natural interpretation of the phrase. We also have the description of the river which watered the garden, and its division into four dis- tinct streams, to guide us in our discussion. It is well known that few questions are so difficult of a satisfactory solution as the location of Eden. Its discussion has ever temptingly invited, and has often utterly baffled, the investigation of scholars. Europe, Asia, and Africa have been carefully examined to find this garden of beauty. It has been said that from " China to the Canary Isles, from the Mountains of the Moon to the coasts of the Baltic, no locality which in the slightest degree corresponded to the description ot Uie first home of the human race has been left unexamined." Eden has been sought for all the wav from Siberia to the South Sea Islands. Hasse gratified his national pride by placing it on the shore of the Baltic. Rudbeck, who was a Swede, located Eden in Scandinavia. The Greeks placed the (iardL-n of Ilcsperides in the extreme west, and others would have it, as we have seen, in some of the ranges of the glorious Himalayan WHERE AXn WHAT WAS ED EN? 47 Mountains, near the region whicli traditionally, and perhaps correctly, is called the cradle of the race and the birthplace of mythical gods and his- torical men. Some have given up the (picst as utterly hopeless. They put the solution of this problem in the same category with that of per- petual motion, the quadrature of the circle, and the interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy. Two points, however, are absolutely clear in this whole discussion. We must find a river whicl: is divided as one current, or, as a river system, into four streams, two of which are the Tigris and the Euphrates. The identification of these two rivers with the Hiddekel and the Phrat, has never been disputed. But what rivers shall stand for the Pison and the Gihon? It may be said that investigators here usually divide themselves into two great classes— those who place the Garden of Eden be- low the junction of the Tigris and the Euphrates, and those who seek it in the high tablelands of Armenia. All other interpretations may be readily eliminated from our problem. Those theories which make the Ganges, the Indus, or the Nile the rivers described in the narrative may at once be set aside. The men who sug- gested these theories, as a rule, deny the histori- cal reality of the Biblical description. They re- duce the inspired narrative to the level of a myth or saga. Let us again bear in mind that Eden was not a garden, but the region or territory in which the ;i»aKS»»'«"«*'"' ,8 OLD TKSTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. 1 i.,v 'uid that there is no good reason to garden X^^ th ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ suppose that the ^^^^^ suggested, the writer of the country. As already s ^^ ^.^ was evidently describing a ^^^^^ ^^J * ^^.^ft,^. it IS appl-od; and let lis ^.^_^^^ the senoral situation ,s -^ -' «-^ ^^^ , ^<, Ti.rris 'ind Euphrates. \ve are ntnv ^ ^ ligris.iin-i i-. ; vli 5a OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. -PUcvo is . .livin.r tree of life n.ore crystalline ^Las...limcr ana aivincrPanunsc than th^ t den. The rainbow of promise span s^ the rnmn cnt of Revelation, and the .dory o Para- dC: lost is ineffably trunseended by the glory of Paradise regained. ' '«! t IV. WHAT WERE THE SIN AND SENTENCE IN ^ EDEN? f I'. ! 1 .^-jL^yr.'-''.:f^i-' •JrtK«iW«*!^WW*»**'^**^- IV. WHAT WERE THE SIN AND SENTENCE IN EDEN? The account of the temptation, transgression, and sentence in Eden is found in the third chap- ter of Genesis. We are safe in saying that no words can overestimate the happiness of Adam and Eve during the period of their innocence. Made in the image of God, unassailed by temp- tation, pure iu thought, word, and act, and holdmg communion with God as a man does with his dear- est friend, theirs was celestial joy amid terres trial environments. But a sad experience awaited them; their joy was to end in sorrow, their in nocence in transgression, and their Eden in Aven. Their history is forever after associated with that of a malignant spirit, and they are to become sm- ful wretched, degraded, and despicable. We do not know how long was their period of ioy and felicity ; many writers have given us vari- ous speculations on that point, but the Bible gives us no information. Somehow, in reading the story one cannot help feeling that the period was short', although on that point no affirmation can be made. We now enter on the story of the in- troduction of sin and all its woes. This chapter as'^a=a««*'**''*=****^" -^ V'^y 56 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. gives us the tragic scene which brought Eden to an end The story is the saddest which was ever told The sin of our first parents changed Para- dise into pandemonium and Edenic bliss mto Hadean woe. The Temptation. Our attention is directed in the study of this chapter to the instrument in the temptation of Adam and Eve; this instrument or agent is in- troduced to us as " the serpent." It should, how- ever be borne in mind that the English word ser- pent comes to us from the Latin word scrpo, to creep, and when we turn to the Hebrew word, na- hash^e see that it has no suggestion whatever o ':: motion of the serpent. The Hebrew word translated serpent is one of extreme difficulty. t would have been vastly better had it been simply accurately transliterated, rather than incur the liability of being incorrectly translated. Gese- nius. in kis Hebrew and English lexicon in- forms us that the word is unused m Kal is onomatopoetic, and that it means to hiss, to whis- per and is used especially of the whisperings of soothsayers. In Piel he makes it mean to prac- tise enchantment, to use sorcery, and also to augur, to forbode, to divine. He gives us a second root, probably signifying, as he says, to shine, and from that he gives us the word mean- ing brass. The question arises as to whether the latter word which he gives is really a second root. •j«S»Sa««SSiiiw V'-'i-^ ■ ruE SIX Axn sExr^yc, av i^n.x. 57 ES. it Eden to h was ever tiged Para- bliss into udy of this nptation of igent is in- hould, how- sh word ser- rd strpo, to ;w word, na- whatever of ebrew word ifficulty. It been simply m incur the lated. Gese- lexicon, in- 1 in Kal, is hiss, to whis- hisperings of nean to prac- and also to 3 gives us a is he says, to e word mean- ,o whether the a second root. n. 1 T ,>wi^ in his comiiicnts on the pas- sage m Vu Lan, (,„;, .-ovJ) is far Gescmus, and then auu. y ,,rimary „„re likely, however to ^-^-}^^^X, „,,,„. f\,.,i- from wh eh comes the seconuui v sense th.t f^"" ^^ brcnzc-.A^V'^-^'i^ "^^^^^^1- ing of brass, ^^^f^^ ,,, ,iea of splendor. This gives, as the puma,> ^^^^^^ ^^ ^''■^''■'"■''^r/r:l::. !■.«". =nn^--- -:;;f;„ro.eeu.«..^rr«»^--:- shining awearanee, a. a .tnkm,^^^ ^^^.^ ^^^_ ful, though terrible objeet. ^^ • ,, ^^^ .,„. is simply a gener.e ""■"'-; 'f'^'; ,„^ ^ee- :„rd has really for - --"-^^^^tn.e. then rrusTIHe ■;::■ in . ....^ o^ nrean. '"^'" • ( H. uses and connections it will In certain of it es a ^^.^^^^ ^^ ^^ -ean to examine fulbodo therefore, ap- practise divination. The nan ^^^.^^ V'rr;rs"tii:vi:g':^se,>tuagint, than to a reptile .-endered the ongi- ^ost modern tva-laton, - ^ e - ^^^^^^^^ ^^ „al word by -H- ; but -c .^ ^,^.^_ the Scripture use of Ic ^^ J ^ .^ding fessor Lewis IS correct m his su^. ^^^^^ its primary and secondary senses, shows ;sa^s^»*|*=*^*' ,S«atir'.>rTi.»»»'*»*— ■ 58 OLD Ti:SI-AMi:XT Diri-]CUI/]IES. it has many significations. It is translated divi- nations and enchantments; it is also rendered brass, brazen, chains, fetters, and in several places it is translated steel, 2 Samuel xxii. 35, Job XX. 24, Psalm xviii. 34. It is also rendered in Ezekiel, xvi. 36, filthiness. In Job xxvi. 13 we have the Hebrew words naliash hariach, rendered "crooked serpent"; but many commentators af- firm that the reference is to some form of sea ani- mal, perhaps the sea-horse. The fact is that the word — if its primary sense was, as Professor Lewis suggests, that from which comes the sec- ondary meaning of brass or bronze— is so broad and varied in its meaning that it is not possible always to be sure of its right translation. The Septuagint translation, as already suggested, ren- ders the Hebrew word naliash by the Greek word ophis, a serpent. But there is no certainty that this translation was chosen because it was its fixed meaning, but rather because it was difficult to de- termine its fixed meaning, and this word, on the whole, seemed to the translators the most appro- priate. Indeed, they do not seem to have care- fully studied the original ; and we have seen that they have not rendered the word uniformly, but variously. The New-Testament writers almost always quoted from the vSeptuagint version, and they seldom changed a word in their quotations. They, therefore, carried over this word opliis into their writings; and thus wc come, as already inti- mated, to have the English word serpent as the THE .S7/V AND SEXTr.isCE IN EDEN. 59 divi- dered ;veral ii- 35, •ed in 3 we ilered translation of the Hebrew word nahash, coming through the Greek word ophis. A diligent study of the narrative in Genesis shows that the nahash stood at the head of all in- ferior animals. He walked erect ; he was endued with the power of speech ; he could reason, allure, and persuade. Adam had named the arimals, perhaps, according to their distinguishing charac- teristics; but the power of speech on the part of the nahash does not seem to have surprised Eve at the time of her temptation nor Adam later. They seem to have been familiar with the posses- ,ion of this po^.er on the part of the nahash. It has sometimes been said that certain species o serpents have , . imentary feet; but no one wil affirm that ai, pent ever had the gifts of speech posses. .. • y the nahash. Serpents have no organs of speech. God could, of course, have given this power to a serpent in Eden; but there \ no hint that any special bestowment was made in this case, as in the ease of Balaam's ass, whether 'that narrative be subjective or obiective. The question arises as to what this agent was, and who was the principal behind the agent. s this narrative history or allegory? It is easier to admit the historicity of the narrative than to ex- plain it on any other hypothesis; but even if we admit that it was allegory, its profound truths and lessons would still remain. The presence of some skilful principal back of the active agent is apparent at every stage. That principal was ba- i«KS Yes, by making man a machine. If man be man he must be free; if not free, he is not man. Freedom is the inalienable attribute of manhood; but if free, he may use his freedom for evil rather than for good. That is the solemn, awful, and yet glorious responsibility of manhood. God could not-it is said reverently-have prevented man's sin without doing violence to the nature of man as a free agent, of man as man. God gave him every persuasive to obedience, and every dissua- sive from disobedience. Milton, to quote him once more, expresses a true thought regarding man in his actual strength and inherent freedom " Sufficient to have stood, but free to fall. " Had God by physical force interposed to prevent this act of disobedience, there would have been no virtue in obedience. Involuntary obedience is no obedience. If there be not freedom, there is neither virtue nor vice. The introduction of sm is the problem of the ages. We can, however, t 1} f 1 "Si ^yB»p^ft*4»sa^<«£*'H*W^ il 64 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. sec some si},nuil benefits arising from these sad catastrophes. If tlie first Adam had net sinned, the second Adam had not redeemed; when; sm uhounded, i,n-ace superabounded. The loss of the terrestrial Paradise made possible a celestial Paradise. The fall ^ives incomparable K'lory to the manifestation of God's wisdom, mercy, and love Redeemed sinners will sing sonjjs m Heaven, to which unfallen anj^els will ever be strangers. Eternity will be the witness of God's refulgent glory, ineffable love, and immaculate holiness in the salvation of lost man! TlIK Sl'.N IKNCK InFLICTEU. The eyes of Adam and Eve were opened. The commission of sin always lets in a terrible light upon the soul. Our judgment of sin changes 3 moment we have committed sin. Innocence d previ.nisly clothed Adam and Eve as with a re ; now leafy vestments perform that office. Con- scious guilt made them cowards, and they es- caped into the dark recesses of the garden, as if they could hide from the all-seeing God. God in the cool of the day sought them out. He was already the good Shepherd, going after the wan- dering sheep. In the ethnic religions we see man toilfully seeking after God; in revealed religion we see God lovingly seeking man. Sin existed in the universe before it blighted the blessedness of Eden, and love was eternal in the heart of God before Adam and Eve were placed in Eden. lir: ...— i--i*!^ r„E SIN AND SENTENCE IN EDEN 65 The light -man .n. 'I---- '^ ^^ .Ju, ..U>,nc the inference is Ih^it ui». „,u\css to deserve -«^^^-^^"t;rtr:"-e::::ithe.. GocVs notice. God doe. n ,elf-moved in harmony ^^Uh his m ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^_ therefore, first fulls he t^^^^^ ^,,,^^^1 13oubtlessthecu^e Uboth^^^ and the ^^«^'f " " . . _,,„t loathsome appear- comes de-raded to its prescn ^^^..^tiful ance. though formerly ^^^^^^^^ erect and may have moved ^-^^^^^^^^ ;;;^,,, poubt- and with beauty and '^^^-^/;!^^ ^^ ..ecy of the less, also, the curse --^^^^^ win over Satan great victory which ^^^ ^^ „„,, ,,t between and all his works. Lnmvty ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ the seed of the nahah '^"'l "^ J^^^ .censtrug- ^-^^"^^rw^d^B-^^^^^^^^^^ gling in the world. ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ "^^" ^1 r^acoV he one .viU be after the ilesh Esau and a Jacob, m ^^^^.^ ^^. and the other atter the pmt^ 1 ^^^^^^ denies the mighty -"f^^\" ^^^^'^ ^ghteous- '^'''' ^irrr hrfoir^teathrnd hen. ness; under batan becomes The battle wiU be -^^f.^f^^ll^,^ as Lord King of all nations, and is recog blessed for evermore ^^^^^^ Motherhood «- "-encefo.^ .J_^_^ J^^ ^^ Motherhood is the glory u SI ■! 66 OU) TESTAMENT DIEE/Cll-TIES. motherhood woman loses herself in another life. In KivinK another life to the world motherhood becomes like Oodhood. If motherhood mnltiplies a woman's sorrows, it multiplies also her power to bestow blessings. Christianity everywh.;re puts the crown of ^lory upon the brow of woman and mother. In bestowing a new life tl>e rapture of life is wondrously and almost divinely experienced. The very jjround was cursed for man's sake, and in more sweat and toil than otherwise would have been necessary was man to eat his bread. Eve's name is now changed from rs/ia, manness, to Cliavah, life or livinR-as the mother of all liv- ing From the skins of animals, probably slam for sacrifices, they made clothing for themselves. They are now sent from the garden; and God, probably in holy sarcasm, rebukes Adam's at- tempt to become like God. He listened to the voice of the tempter, and instead of becommg like God, he has become an outcast. Behold the cherubim and the flaming sword at the gate of Eden! All connected with the cherubim is very obscure. This seems to be the first occasion of the introduction of this mystic symbol, which later was to represent some of the profoundest mysteries of redemption. In this symbol was a glorious element of hope. Promises of Paradise restored marked the sorrowful departure of our first parents from Paradise lost. The gleammg sword from the midst of the cherubim pointed to the cross of Calvary. TJIE SIX AXn SENTENCE IN EDEN. (^ Ethnic Traditions. Many nations have legends of the fall The , a ' rm „f .ho Hebrew „„/...;.. The flrst be.n« ItLi by Brabma, Krishna, triumphs over A,,/ C by trampling on his head. 1'""" - "" he nat on» absorbed something of the trttth My ' ve Ued in the Bible. The Bil,le story teaehes he m er malignity of Satan. Every man has h,s „ v„ ien. Every man is in some sense h« own Adam Every man mnst watch and pray that he ^Z .ed into' temptation. God-s "->■ ™- - a Eolden tltread through the whole <»'•>"'' "^ lation Preparation of the inearnafon of Chnst °en at Men's gate. It is the splendor o oroXy the eharm of history, and the g lory of Tamo/y and it -aches throngh the B.hle ad through the history of the race from Eden lost Eden found. -at^siz-jaoaBW**--- \A V. WHAT WAS CAINS MARK. AND WHO WAS HIS WIFE? V* 'SBMSlOiW**^'**'' iiWaHBai'*™*****"' I f 'I. fc ,t .4 .1 \ .t; 1 WHAT WAS CAIN'S MARK, AND WHO WAS HIS WIFE? Thk fullest account of Cain's life is found in the £ r-„«^cic There was doubtless fofirth chapter of Genesis, inerew much significance in the name by which Eve "Id he? first-born son. What is the meamng o his name? To this question many an-ers have been given. Some writers connect it with the Arabif^.^.., meaning a smith, or kayn, a ance, because of the arts which the Cainites introduced^ Others derive it from a word meaning envy ; others fror^ a word signifying to beat, with a possible l^ionTo the m'urder of Abel. Still others^ rom a word meaning to lament. But the best author- ities derive it from the word kanal, to crea , to acquire, to obtain, making the name mean posses sion," or "acquisition." This -ms ^« ^^^^^^ meaning of Eve's words when she said: I have gotten f man from the Lord." He was, according ?o the record, the first-born of the human race and also the first murderer and fratricide. Wha d^d Eve mean by her statement regarding his birth? Did she imagine that the son now born was no other than the divine personage promised^^^^^^^^^ gracious assurance recorded m the fifteenth verse s»w«w«**"*^" «S»«SMrfl»»*"*'"" 7a OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. of the preceding chapter? Did she really say. "1 hafe go ten a man (even) Jehovah'7 No one w.U doubt that her words can fairly be so ^nterpreted. She -ay have really believed that the seed prom 'edTvlh should bruise the serpent's head had now come. Others make her words to mean I Targotten a man with the help of Jehoval. Those who so interpret her words are not governed rmuchbythelanguageofthetextasbytheopn- on that she could not so soon have developed the ion that sne c ^^^^.^ ^^^ Messianic idea, that this Deuei with too mature a christological conception. But Z know that Enoch, in the seventh generation recognized Jehovah as the commg one; and Eve ^ ght have done so thus early. It is certain hat the mind of Eve was much occupied w^th the ^^ea of the coming deliverer. It was natura or a voung mother, especially in the wonderful cir- cumsLces of this birth, to cherish high hopes of cumsiauv. words mdi- her first-born son. In any case ner cate a beautiful faith. In the birth of Cam, her th laid hold of the word " Jehovah," as seen - the fact that she used the divine name Jehovah Ind not the vaguer Elohim, the name she used Then holdLg the colloquy with the wicked ,.- hash. Some have supposed that P-vtous o this she had borne daughters, and that the birth of a o^ was thusemphasi.ed;butthe natural impres A-^cr iho narrative is that Cain was the l':;lw o 1 trice. W^at aelight n,us. tlve been experienced when .his child was bornl ii; m. i will •eted. prom- d had in, " I )vali." rerned ! opin- ed the lit her . But ration, nd Eve lin that he idea il for a •ful cir- lopes of ds indi- ;ain, her seen in fehovah, ihe used eked na- is to this lirth of a .1 impres- 1 was the ight must was born! c,/A-5 maka; and his wife. 73 11 tv,f> marvels of this won- E.„y mother can recall *e-r ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ dvous -"P^'r at kUTofar a, this rccvd in- *= «'^' "t'Se't o tie first-bom tnan chiW. forms us— at tne mn conceive NO imagination, hosyever v. 1, can f ; the reality »« *is mipres = case^ _^ ^„^ Eve titinlttitat tL-h-ld wa -^^ot^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ promised deltvererTtas ^^^^ ^_^^.^^^^^ ^^ are safe m saymg *<= P';*"^^, ,i„,e,f that de- some time, even if He xic mother Okferinos «v Cain and Abel. 1 Fve another son was born. Him To Adam and Eve a«°^"^ direction in allu^ they called, perhaps b>^clivm d. ^^^.^^^^ sion to his untimely end Abel ^^^^ ^^ ^ a term which the psalmist -PP^^^ .^ ,,^i„g ^hole. Eve seems more sober n ^_^^^^ ^^_ this child than when she -^ '^^^Herious. The periences are -^ ^^^h ^at^^^^^ iteration, ,i,torian --^^^^Tbel w'as Cain's brother, mentions the tact tnat .^ ^^^^^ ^^ If the name were divinely S;^^"' ^^ ^beVs unconscious and -^-^^^^>7j^^^ Cain early death. Abel was a keeper 1^^^^^^^^^ --^^^^^^^^\t;SrofinLtry. The duty of up their sons o habits ^^^ ^^, religious worship had also f^MBSS*****'®*'^'' I 74 of.n TESTA^rE^'T difficulties. There ^vas already a special time and place sons. There ^^ a^ > ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ,„ i,,ve for worship- AUcaci) phrase, "in „ecn ob.crvec>, as --"-';' ^^J„*?. „fre e'nd of . ^f timo " or more ntcrau), process ot timt, ui ' ,Mcihlo i'lorv of •• To the place where the visible tior> days. To the p ^,,uinah, the sons God was displa>cd ^^ ^^^^ Wight their -«--;;^^,';:flUingsof !n ^I'^X^:: ihelat^^^^^^ human life we see his flock. Ihiismui God must have given some instruction k ^^^^^^ ^^ Here at the very threshold of ^-^«J ^ ^^^j, lations to God. f or xv offering. ^^^ -^^^^^^•' ^er^ltwer re offerings, and There was a d^^^^-^; ^ gain's offering was an also between the o^^V^^J^^ benefactor, he bring- acknowledgment «^ ^od a^^^.^^ 3,, ,^ Ws offer- ing a minchah, or thank-offering ^^_ i.g there was no -f ---^^^^^^^^^^^ V^^^ ^ J.^^ ,vas such --yj;;^^^^ ,,, a thank-offering and Ta'vTcCt he%'ain'or his sins. Here is a also a vKtim to b ^^^.^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^ Abel offered xmto God a more it than Cain." This is suggestive language. CAm'S MARA', AND HIS WIFE. 75 place have , "in :ntl of ory of ! sons 3f the ngs of wc see it have crings. onie on This d its re- ng God )fEering. ngs, and r was an le bring- hisoffer- 1 for par- offering Id make. ;;ring and Here is a ho was a orld. irit of the ; " by faith Lt sacrifice juage. It fice " It possessed a prmcipic - * AhPl ilreadv by faith grasped the lacked; for Abel alreaU) y j^^^^^^^rs were ,ope of the ^^^-^^.^^^'I^^J^^^^^^ of the here and thus dunded. ^hey wcr yp i ,<^.';^^^ found in all ages, one age as Creator mi ^^^^^^ sinfulness acknowledging the otterer v , ,:_ess Al- and God's divine and ■^^-^-^-'f^^''^^,^ ...t ready we have a suggestion of the trutn ::ifhout the shedding of blood there is no remis sion of sin. Cain's Awful Cri>'E. ( rain'^ offering made him °"'" rTe\hwTfieUa„ge? against Ms brother. His staic ui notwith- ..„ic.. but God was P-''-';"a"d«ith standing '- "r^'T^^^It xecTvla Messing. Mm as to how he also m ght reeew P„, hin, »'-X'™t ;tZee''«snot countenance of Goi But ^^^ P ^^^^^^^_ „„^,, :::ratCiro"eadytospringupo^^^^^^^^^^^^^ •-.^siBests'!''"^''^ *■'''"" I'' \ 111 1. f iju;' jf' ;■ l! ''^T !, I if 7« 0/./? TESTAMENT DIEFICULTIES. are responsible for acts of irreliKion. Cain con- cealed his true sentiments toward Abel and con- versed freely with him until he could carry out his murderous design. So acted Joab toward Ab- ncr and Amasa ; so acted Absalom toward Amnon. Cain was naturally a morose and vengeful man ; and so he rose up and slew his brother. We arc fully informed as to why he committed this Sa- tanic deed (i John iii. 1 2), " because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." No crime in the world's history impresses the mind with horror more than the crime of Cain; and treachery adds blackness to the fratricide. Per- haps he did not fully know how small a matter might cause death, as, according to the record, this was the first instance of human mortality. But it is certain that the spirit of murder was in his heart. Solemn to us are the words of our Lord at this point, teaching us that the spirit of hate, ardently cherished, makes any man a mur- derer in fiod's sight. Thus by the act of Cain death came into the world, and the first man who became its victim died a martyr for truth and God. How the hearts of Adam and Eve must have bled! Their first-born son is a murderer, and their next born is the victim ! We may be sure that over the living sinner they grieved more than over the dead saint. Abel was the first from earth to enter Heaven, and he entered it as the first of the noble army of martyrs. It was mar- vellous mercy on the part of God that He should CAIN'^ ^tARh\ AND niS WIFE. 77 enter into a c„no.,,ywm, «„,..» no., a^^^ ivinL' to munler. It wonM be chfflcmt to t.so :* which «ere nK.re insolent. conten„..no„s la ,nent,acion» ti ^"^ '^^'^l^^^tZ rod when He aslcrr Hi. heart -as Xeacly hainec, towaM '- ^'-^^J - '< - 1 (^,^,\ Terrible is uocl s curbc itnoious toward (jou- itriu'i'- ,. ,, i uZ Cain! Abel'H voice was silent, bnt h,» blood Ts shed, and that blood with trnmpet ton.n.c Til cry from the Knamd until its vo.cc shall ea h the throne of the Almi.d.ty, cailms down 'vet^eance on the guilty, ^o Cain the^nV ground is cursed, so that " ™»'%-\> ^''^ "'^^ Late results for the most careful tmage. A ?„gitive and a vagabond shaU ^- ^^ JJ^ n,tht he exclaim. " My punishment .s trcater 2n I can bear. ■' If we can take as .accurate the oZ rendering. "My iniquity is S-ater ban Lgiveness," we may cherish the hope of h s r • oentance He is driven from the place whe, c th. V sMe symbols of God's presence were man.tested. In?r„ more shall he see the divine glory shmmg orth b ween the cherubim. From the soaety of his parettts he is driven forth as a vagabond ireCh. Which is cursed to a do„b~n ness wherever he shall set h.s foot. Remorse "ha 1 gnaw his soul. Every str.angcr he fane.es will seek to slay him. Thus the KU.l.y--teh almost excites the pity of angels, and he has alto- gether won the fellowship of devils. t« 4 .-5E^O»«««*B»J^5««*W^* I'' 'II i' ! i'\ ■B« 4!!! ill ill 1.^ 4' 78 £)/./> TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. His Mark. We do not know where the "land of Nod" was. The name means simply flight, or exile, or va- grancy Some have fancifully supposed that they found a connection between the original word and India; others have seen a relation between the words Cain and China; but all that we know of its position is that it was " east of Eden. It is utterlv vain to attempt the identification of Nod with any definite locality. There he built a city or fort, or kremlin, and named it after his son Enoch, as his own name would dishonor the place, he built the fort, or keep, for self-protec- lion under the instinct of fear. Perhaps in his effort to build a city he disobeyed God; and pos- sibly also, in that effort we see how vigorously he strove to overcome the disadvantages under which he suffered as a tiller of the ground, which now as a part of his curse, had become virtually barren under his hand. As a vagrant, perhaps hating and hated, he lived, with awful memories of sin, and thus with terrible exp'^riences of re- morse. , u- 1, This leads us to ask. What was the mark which, in our common version, it is said that the Lord put upon Cain? This (lucstion has given rise to manv foolish conjectures. Four out of every five persons whom we meet believe that some brand, mark, or stigma was placed on the brow of Cam. Nothing is further from the truth. The Scrip- iMKtf- ia*t»J»^ word translated niarw not be shun. 'The -rd ^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ In like manner ^^^^ , ^^^ \j^^^,%^^odus iii. -; Noah, Genesis ix. K^; to Mose. ^^_ offered one to Aha. s^ahvn^^^^^^^^^^^^^ visible to Lam oniy, ^^,,j^ ^^^ -->''"'= " :r:Se < ;t ni' hu/n„.h,„« u m»y never be ''1'1'= '° ..brond upon ,„.,„ eertam than tha^^ . «- ^^^^^ ^.^ ''""^"":. ":;;:;;« Wd he found in .he conceptions of heripuu ^^^ thought and "t-atn.-c o our «-;^^^^„^,^,,„„ through the past Z^*^ "'^^ , „ even „aen l-n-tna,os .sd ;" ,^^.> /„, ,,, p,,. ir:h;:hC::nUnuet„.n.repre.nt. Cain's Wive. Who wa. Cain. wife, ^hi^^testion Js - ^ .Ue .tandiug -"»^™"J, J.^Lrmen and wo- i„everent or >-l'K'°''»'>';"' f ' me of the most ,„„n. It han also P=f <;^"' ^"^ivine revela- rtoughtful and devout ^*-" ;'^„tn "men are s. been the 1 him the nply gave he should rk" is oth. token, to Ills iii- 12; 1 to Heze- lis sign was ly way per- gn was we nothing is orand upon Lt such mis- ound in the as well as istranslation speech even r of the pas- esent. don is one of irt of certain men and wo- of the most divine revela- lany men are ;heir desire to rative. When Uately ask un- CA/.V'S MAKK, AXn ///V irfFE. 81 answerable questions rcj^arding the Bible. It is well to remind such cavillers that it will be quite time enoujjh for them to demand solutions of per- plexing problems when they hav: obeyed Clod in all known duties. So long as they are disobe- dient to what tliey thoroughly know, they have no right to expect light on problems which they may never be able exhaustively to understand. Some one has quaintily said that these critics arc determined to choke themselves with bones, while they reject the supply of boneless fish which is suf- ficient for all their wants. Every earnest student of the Bible, however, may properly study and, if possible, discover all the truth which it contains. Doubtless, as John Robinson in circumstances of the greatest interest said in substance, God has more light yet to break forth from His word. We do well to study it carefully, and to master all the discoverable truth which it contains. Was Cain's wife his sister? So it has been frequently and emphatically af- firmed. If there were not various centres of Creation, and so a possible pre-Adamite race, there must have been a marriage between some brother and sister in the Adamite family. It is barely possible, however, that this incestuous marriage, as we now judge, was not between Cain and his sister. Adam must already have had daughters of whose birth we have no information. There was now a very considerable population. We know that at the 6 p) Wrth ..f Sell,, A.la." w»* on. l,unr..b.l.ili.y tluTC were ,„any . .„„ iVui.-htcrs bcsKlra th..»c spccfically r::.; Tt:^' eruinly ».. . ,><,...la.i..n w„om cXfcarod,lcst,Kn,i..nlKMn.t.o.l.a.. W; cm hardly su„.- '»»' hcMvu. atrauW . f thcr an»Wo th.a 'her" wa, a very considerable i«,,,..lat.on before Cam s :: ■a.e.\uul hi, wife may have been r,«^^^^^ of these f.amilies. It is not .mposs.Ue, h, te er that she was literally his sister. We may w 11 *ett that if she stood in this relatnm^hn.^ „.., married to Cain before the death of Abel, for Terhardly believe that after that event she ^leonsidLdatthatti^nee^^^^^^^^^^ ;rerrr i'r^re':;- day the eontras. .^.Un member, of the primitive famdy as ^etLenCain and Abel, were stron.b^ mar. ^ Thns the amditions ot marnaEe would be more Lrma than between members of the same famdy "n o^r dav We know also that the laws prohtb.t- :; L lion of brother, and sister,, which after w.trd were enaeted, were then nnknown. I tts a remarlable fact also th.at in very much later t,me, andCong what were then the most eivd,.ed na- "o J"nch alliance, were not forbidden, and were not insidered incestnou,. We know that not only da the Athenian law not forbid sneh marrtages, 1 ii ^1 x^sf^i^i^t^''^''- wi*'^""' ^'rt*i' .S^siW&SBaS***^*'*''**^''^^*'*' CAlN'fi MARK. AXn l/l'< "'^''''^• 83 thirty many ifically whom I. Wc ; father it there : Cain's 3m one :)\vever, ay well hip she ibel, for cnt she \'s wife, luy have ondition well be- :ontrasts imily, as marked be more le family prohibit- lich after- i. It is a [Iter times /ilized na- , and were at not only iiarriages, but it made it conM)ulsory for a brother <> ma r j sister, if after reaehin^^ a certain auv she luul not Lui a husband. Wc know also that A. nduin ,„.rricd Sarah, who was his half-s.ster, and Mo ,v.s himself the otTsprin,^ of a nuwrujue which lu laws he promul^.Ucd would have pn.lubUcd as un- holy. The ciucstion as to Cain's w.tc is not rcall> one of much importance. The frequency and per- sistency with which it is asked is no evulence of its real importance, but rather of the uupusiive if not perverse, spirit of the questioners. Us r.tlinK, however, that all the l.Kht winch the Seriptuve enables us t<. possess should be thrown upon the subject. When objectors to dmne reve- ultion ask this cpiestion, supposing- that 1 in some sense an excuse for their ne.^lect o duty, they deserve very little consideration at our hands When they will in the spirit of reverence obey aU the commands which they fully know, it will be ,uite time enough for us to give them -^^tions o the perplexing problems of Scripture. Were Uod to give them full light on unknown duties, so long as they refuse to walk in the light they now have God would then be putting a premium on the r «ienee and perversity. Those who do God's will fully know that will. This is a law illustrated in the study of every seienee and art as truly as in the experience and practice of true r llg^n. Only as we walk in the light which we have, in the study of any V^^y^--\V^---^^2vl can we expect to have additional light falling filV 84 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. f! ;:: upon unseen paths. We must walk up to the limit of the known, before we can .,tep over into the realm of the unknown, in all the broad spheres of scientific thought, as truly as in the great realms of divine revelation. There is so much worthful knowledge which we can acquire that it is use- less to spend time in the effort to acquire knowl- edge which never can be certain, and which if certain is practically worthless. It is well some- times frankly to say, "we do not know." Often the profoundest ignorance is the serenest knowl- edge. Time and energy are too valuable to be wasted in useless pursuits; and further inquiry concerning Cain's wife belongs to this class of useless efforts. His Fate. His character seems to have been morose and malicious to a remarkable degree. His de- scendants ar-i enumerated to the sixth generation. They became numerous and powerful. Lamech instituted polygamy. Jabal adopted a nomadic life. Tubal invented musical instruments, and Tubal-Cain was the first of the great family of smiths. The civilization of this line was marked by violence and godlessness and by song and love. The names of the women bespeak their beauty and attractiveness. Theirs was an unsanctified civilization, while that of Seth was marked by great simplicity and godly sincerity. Cain may have obtained divine forgiveness. His penitence w>»Jr.»6wi«i««i>«w».-~««s>»««««»=««Wi»»J-Jia«^^ to the cr into spheres rcahns ;orthful is iise- knowl- vhich if 11 some- Often knowl- le to be inquiry class of rose and His de- leration. Lamech nomadic nts, and amily of i marked and love, r beauty sanctified irked by ;^ain may penitence CAIN'S MAKK\ AND HIS WIFE. 8S may have been long and sincere. If the transla- tion of Genesis iv. 13 may be, "mine imqmty is greater than that it may be forgiven," there is some hope of his sincere repentance and final sal- vation. We know that our Lord in dying prayed for His murderers, and we know that Stephen followed the example of his Lord in this regard, and possibly so did Abel. We know that we are all in danger of being murderers in heart, for hatred of our brother, according to Christ s higher law, is murder. Thank God I that for us and for Cain there is power enough in the cleansing blood of Christ to give us the whiteness of snow! The words of God in Isaiah i. .8, fall like a benediction upon our hearts, conscious of the-'.r many and heinous sins- "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." miiamii^m Ilii It J ,. ^^re^s^'^*^^ ^* .,,-»»*««»««»'«*»•■• VI. WHO WERE THE SONS OF GOD AND THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN? iW»i^Sl,=alWS>'*P*' '^' ■ 'lit PM>»^»*«S«»'»*»-' VI. WHO WERE THE SONS OF GOD AND THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN? In Genesis, the sixth chapter and the first and second verses, our attention is called to these two classes, and to their relations with each other. It is (uiite certain that the patriarchal age was not one of general innocence. So soon as daughters were born, the beauty of womanhood tempted de- praved men, and the holiness of married love soon gave place to unhallowed desire. Thus the primeval sanctities of domestic life early degener- ated into sinful unions between those who were called "sons of God," and those who are de- scribed as daughters of men. Distinct Classes. Soon after the sin of Cain mankind was divided into two distinct clu.s.s; the one class was repre- sented by Cain, who went out from the presence of God, and the other class was represented by Seth who still abode where God's glory was spe- cially manifested. The Sethites were of the seed of the woman; the Cainites were of the seed o the serpent. We see that in his exile Cam bmlt a city, a fort, or a keep, the fear of harm ana the instinct of self-defence being strong in his mmd. , ..!,jBi|B»W»aB5^!«MW«>«»*»* H'^ ^,;»*i. 90 OLD TESTAMENT DIEEICULTIES. ,1^ When the Cainitcs were relcasc.d from the fear which marred all the happiness of their progeni- tor, they became numerous and prosperous. Therefore we now first learn of the building of tents, and thus we see that the people must have had some skill in carpentry; they also showed that they had acquired some knowledge of spin- ning, weaving, and working in iron and brass for agricultural implements and martial weapons. They also manifested considerable skill in what may be called the fine arts. Lamech's fragment of song exhibits the poetical knowledge which the people thus early possessed; for that song, according to authoritative critics, possesses the characteristics of perfect Hebrew poetry. The birth of Seth Eve distinctly recognized as a compensation for the death of Abel. In a spe- cial sense she received him as a gift from God ; and she expected that his descendants would be worthy to be called the "sons of God." We shall later see that her hope was realized, for the descendants of Seth were ruled by the spirit of God, and so were truly the sons of God. With the birth of Enos we are told that men began to call upon the name of the Lord. The interpreta- tion of this statement is not free from difficulties. Some suppose that this language means that men and women began profanely to use the name of God. It is barely possible that the words are capable of such a meaning; but it is more natural to see in them a solemn invocation of God in audi- sr^s^PCT-TMyjiSr^j^agai^'?* •? sSiJjtfS'jMju-i— ^ SOXS OF con AND DAUGHTERS OF MEN. 9^ ble and social prayer. This method of appyoach- injr God took place, as we have seen, at the birth of Enos, two hundred and thirty-fiva years after the creation of Adam. Some have supposed that the words mean that God's name was now called upon or applied to certain men. That sense o the ex- pression is not really opposed to the idea that men now began to call upon the name of the Lord. I seems wellnigh certain that we are here taught that a new method of approaching God was mtro- duced It is an interesting fact that up to this time we never read that man spoke to God, al- though we often read that God spoke to man. it is difficult correctly to appreciate the primeval simplicity of the thoughts then entertained re- garding God. Perhaps a sense of guilt, after the disobedience of Eden, prevented Adam and Eve from addressing God; and perhaps a Profound reverence might produce the same result The lines of human life are now diverging; faith is growing on the one side, and iniquity is increas- ing on the other. The race is passing beyond its infancy We are not to suppose that all of the line of Seth were righteous, and all of the line of Cain iniquitous; but believing penitents were chiefly in the line of Seth, and proud defiers chiefly in the line of Cain. The progress of evil showed itself in fratricide, in polygamy, and m many forms of violence. 92 J if I OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Statisticat, and Genealogical. SONS Dr. Murphy calls the first four chapters of Gene- sis the primeval Bible of mankind. With the be- ginning of the fifth chapter we enter upon a docu- ment containing a genealogy which is far-reaching in its relations. The fifth chapter contains the his- tory of the line from Adam to Noah, the genealogy ending with the flood. Dr Joseph Parker entitles his paragraph on the fifth chapter, " Nobodyism. " There are, however, names in this chapter which shine like diamonds amid common stones and semi-precious jewels. Noah was the second head of the line of faith and hope of which Adam was the first head. Enoch "walked with God." This is a remarkably suggestive statement in the midst of the com- paratively dry list of names in this chapter. Enoch's life was far in advance of the highest attainments of his ancestor Seth. Singularly enough we have in this connection the word God for the first time with the definite article-Gou with whom Enoch walked; but this sacred name often appears afterward with the definite article. He is thus clearly distinguished from all the false gods of all times and peoples. In Abel's offering we had a suggestion of an atonement; m Seth s time we had the devout heart voicing itself m prayer; and now, in Enoch's life, we have a man walking with God: and for three hundred years at least he so walked, and during this period ■iHSa&S!S33Pta^*i»»fe'«»*«!f, ..«SM>MMiii»M>w»s«as»<£iaan«*'i Gene- lie be- docu- iching hehis- ealogy on the vvever, monds jewels. Lth and Enoch irk ably e com- hapter. highest igularly )rd God [e — God d name article. ;he false offering 1 Seth's itself in have a hundred is period SONS OF GOD AND DAUGHTERS OF MEN. 93 he was not withdrawn from the world, but begat Inland daughters, and discharged the vaned dut eB of his station in life. He was account d "prophet and the epistle of Jude shows tha he ;^:!;^ecommgoftheLord. Itis^^cn^te^ ward of Noah, as now of Enoch, that he walk withGod,"andofnootherinthelnstory.tlus affirmation made. Enoch was translated a wc learn in the epistle to the Hebrews, and did not ^ee d ath. In his walking with God we have Eden partially restored. We are told that Me- Sfuselah lived to be nine hundred and sixty-mne ears old. We have no warrant for supposing Hat at that time a year stood for a month now o that there was any real difference m ^f^'^J recounting time. Perhaps the tree of hfc g^we the proper support to the human constitution and perhaps also, bodily vigor was greater in that primeval period than now. There is no good eason for doubting that, by a proper observance of all human laws, human life might be much more prolonged than it is in our t--; but - ha prolongation would not be an unmixed blessing^ It is difficult to conceive of a life spen m the primeval simplicity of the days of Methi^elah We live more in a decade now, with our steam shU railways, telegraphs, telephones, and al "e other n Jt^lied activities of the closing days Tf the nineteenth century, than Methuselah coM have lived in a millennium. We can truly say with Bailey in his "Festus": ijWBiiaWS""""" 94 OLD TESTA M EN r DIFFICULTIES. "We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths; In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count tin liy heart-throbs. He most lives Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best." Thk Downward Trend. A long period has elapsed since the creation of Adam before we reach Noah, perhaps not less than fifteen htmdred years. We are now told, at the opening- of the sixth chapter of Genesis, that the race had made great progress in moral evil. We shall soon see that God is preparing to inflict summary vcngeanco on the guilty, if they will not listen to the voice of His servant Noah, and repent of their evil ways. The diver- gence between the two lines of human character to which reference has been made has now be- come very marked, but as the race began rapid- ly to multiply the representatives of the two classes came into close relation. Corrupt men partook in a remarkable degree of the worst qual- ities of the fallen Adam. The purpose of the sacred writer is to trace to its fountain-head the stream of corruption which resulted finally in bringing the deluge upon the world of the ungod- ly. Promiscuous marriages he emphasizes as the chief cause of general degeneracy, and of hasten- ing the judgment of God. One of the old divines has well said that " but for the deluge of sin there had not been a deluge of water." To inequality in the yoke of marriage, the union of believers SONS with in due thi ill mari lations birth o of sons auu this supcrlluity of wickedness. ^'^^ "'^' > . • n. of life Unequal marriages resulted in the of sons and daughters of (5«>d. TllK. SOiNS ol- (inl). «f iw the "sons of Elohim," men- VVho are meant by v»c fe.ua tiolcUn this Scripture? To this ciuestu.n many :d conmulictovy answers have been ..yen ; these ::!:.nsmust.efairlyconsideredm...d^ Several ^ii'-^\*l-"f;"": ." ^...^ Who were Who were the " daughters of men . vv ,. " AVM/Vm" ' What is the meaning of the the ^ipniiim Whit of the limita- Spirifs striving with men ? What ot i tion to one hundred and twenty years ? bev era of these ciuestions will later receive eons^deratlon luhe one immediately before us is concerning n:r;:^:::^vesaid..th^e.s^^ nrinces or other men of high ranK. w prmces or ^^^ ^^.^ language men of mgn ranK uej^ic. nninion was ing women of inferior position? This op^""'^ J L^lyheld and ^^^^^^f^ ^^t^^lT^Z- and other scholars, ^^^^^^'^^l ,,^ Held fully elaborated by Se^^e- But ^ ^^^^^.^^^ by very few commentators ot wm v •.-assaEss^'**''**"**' aKllSWS!.^'***''**'"**'*^ ^pEOSJJSSMWiSa^*^^" 9<5 01. n TESTA MEW Dl EEICV I.TIES. careful scholarslui,, .iiul sound jutlKniieiiL. It may at once be eliminated from our discii:.!-ton. A second interpretatiim is, that the "sons of Elo- him" were servants and worshippers of false k<'(1«' 'IMiose who hold tliis view make the word Elohim mean not the true (?od, Inu i'lols; they also mi-ke the servants or worshippers of these false k<«1« to he the descendants of some pre-Adamite race. This view, tliercfore, is ol)lij,'ed to assume differ- ent centres of creation and various w <:')rs of cre- ated l)ein},'S. If it could be proved tli, L there was a pre-A>Iamite race, new meanin.i,^ w.nild be given to Rc:;rians v. 14: 'Nevertheless death reij^ned from Adam to Mo.ie;-, ev^m over them that had not sinned after thu similitude of Adam's trans- gressi(m." That view mai.es the " dauj^hters of men" to be the da-,i,'hlers of the Adamites, as coti- tradi>iin};uished fru;;. the sons of the prc-Adam- itcs. It holds I'iuit the women thus descended from Adam wer. true in their spiritual faith and wi>rship, I at were now perverted by their mar- ria;^rc with idolatrous men. This opinion has been supported with striking ingenuity. It quite re- verses the ordinary explanation of both the classes mentioned in the narrative. The earlier chapters of Genesis, however, confine our attention simply to the Adamites. A third interpretation is that which under- stands by the phrase "sons of Elohim," angels. This explanation requires careful consideration ; and it is not so easily disposed of as the others, i ^> i^a. ^o.. ^^>t>^^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ f/j 1.0 I.! If IM IIM •^ 1^ 1112.2 ^ 1^ ill 2-0 1.8 1.25 u |i6 ^ 6" ► '4'!:^ M Photographic Sciences Corporation ./ 4- 4^ m <> '*i> V 1^ V.-<^ <^' 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 .-.ivn ^,r i "■' 'fei«*/''-T7a^.?i^ SOJVS OF GOD AND DA UGHTERS OF MEN. 97 to which attention has been directed. It was held by some Hebrew scholars of the early days and of well-known repnte; it was also emphati- cally taught by many of the Christian fathers, and in our day by the learned Delitzsch, by Kurtz, and by so popular a writer as Canon Farrar. We know also that Byron, in his " Mystery of Cain," has taken advantage of this interpretation for some of his finest dramatic effects; and that Moore in his " Loves of the Angels" has with glowing imagery, poetical fervor, and rhetorical beauty embodied this theory, which may be so presented as to be attractive, but at other times is simply monstrous. It is only fair to those hold- ing this view that the grounds upon which they maintain it should be stated. They affirm that generally in the Old Testament the phrase, "the sons of God," is a name for the angels; and it is frankly admitted by those who oppose the theory that at times the phrase is so used in the Old- Testament Scriptures. But with equal earnest- ness it is denied that it always has this mean- ing. It will scarcely be claimed that this is the necessary meaning even in Psalm xxix. i, or Psalm Ixxxix. 6; but that this is its meaning m Job xxxviii. 7, and in Daniel iii. 25, is generally ad- mitted. In these two places the phrase with its context certainly refers to angels. The strongest argument in favor of this interpretation is found in the epistle of Jude, and in 2 Peter ii. 4. Per- haps both these writers refer to the same apos- 7 98 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. tasy Jude quotes from the book of Enoch, which apparently indorses this view. It seems clear that angels possessed the power of assummg the human form. Without doubt this interpretation jrave rise to many of the heathen mythologies re- garding the relation of the gods above to men and women on the earth; and the heroes of clas- sical story are generally supposed to' have found their origin in fantastic legends of this character; so also probably had the vague myths of the Incubi and Succubi of the Middle Ages. But there is so mythical a character to these stories of the loves of the fallen angels with the daugh- ters of men that it becomes difficult to receive such an interpretation of a passage of Scripture. To this view reference will again be made a little ^T'fourth interpretation is that which under- stands by the phrase "sons of God" the descend- ants of Seth, and by the " daughters of men un- godly women. Who, then, are the " sons of God A host of commentators, some ancient, nearly all of the leading reformers, and many scholars of the present day on both sides of the sea, adopt this view They make the descendants of Seth to marry the descendants of Cain, and to this mm- aling of the races they refer the corruptions which preceded the flood. These are called the sons of God because they have the spirit or disposition of God Those mentioned in Job xxxviu. 7, as joining in the symphony of the universe, seem to ,^^ ^-x^i>iiaymjv ^f;' -mm, «rfii:-ff& ^,..^ ,.. .■,.^>i^ii«f&^s s:^a:sm^i^ee^^^u I, which IS clear ling the retation )gies re- to men ; of clas- /e found laracter ; s of the es. But ,e stories e daugh- 5 receive Icripture. ie a little ;h under- ! descend- men" un- s of God"? nearly all lars of the adopt this f Seth to this min- ions which the sons of disposition xviii. 7. ^s se, seem to so.-:-: or GOD .«•/, dauctkhs of ^fE^^. 99 te an order of creatures e:.isting tefore the crea- tfon of man. As holy beings they might we 1 i.e cXa the "sons of God." Those referred to m e Scripture we are especially cons.dcnng ap- proaehed God with appropriate oftermgs. rhey rightly called upon His name; and, lAe Enoch, Zy L some measure daily walked w,th God By ancestry they were nominally the "sons of God " and in actual We they were personally the °sons of God." We know that the word son .s often used in Scripture to describe a v.ar>ety of : ationt When Seth was born he was recog- ntd as given in the place of Abel, and so. ma "reial sense, was the son of God. We have ^- Sdy seen that when Enos was born men began to call upon the name of the Lord. They w«e irsetaVrt as standing '" -P^^"™ t God They were believers ; they walked not after ?he flesh but after the Spirit. They were born of the spirit, were led by the Spirit, and so were he "sons of bod " They thus had the lofty ,nal. ties of likeness to God. Here was alreadv the e ent al idea of the church of God. These men we e he salt of the earth; and, when they con- Tracted promiscuous marriages with the heathen- ::;=:» about them, they ^-f /'-J'^; tionof the world into the church of ^od. We cannot, therefore, think that *e^ »- an^e^ m 1 „„ ^( fVint term We are aisnnciiy the usual sense of that term. ■ . ^A fh^t the angels neither marry nor give mformed '^^''^J^^^^^. , The teaching o£ in mamage (Matthew xxu.30;. 100 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Scriptiire seems to be that angels have no distinc- tion of sex, and have not the sexual affections characteristic of men; and, moreover, we cannot conceive of different species, even of earthly crea- tures, being attracted to one another in these re- lationships. Much less can we suppose that su- perhuman spirits would have affectional desires after human creatures. The whole narrative im- plies that we are in the region of humanity, and not of angelic beings. If these were good angels we can hardly suppose that they would commit the sin here charged, and we cannot suppose that if they were bad angels they would be called the " sons of God. " We are not to give this interpre- tation to the statement in Jude, except it be im- possible otherwise to interpret the passage; and it is clear that there is no absolute necessity for so forced an explanation. When we take the phrase " sons of God" to mean the pious Sethites, \ we have an interpretation which is natural, con- 1 sistent, and scriptural; and it enables us to avoid the mythical and often suggestively monstrous exposition which makes the "sons as of God" to be angels. The Daughters of Men, By the " daughters of men" we need not under- stand the daughters of the Cainitic race exclusive- ly; it includes the daughters of men generally. They were " the daughters of Adam" ; they were the daughters of the profane and impious race of L. ri^ffiliWtairr •tatl'^- ■ )t under- xclusive- enerally. hey were IS race of SO.VS OF COD AJVD DAUCHTERS OF MEN. Id the "old Adam"; they had In them the "ature of the fallen Adam. In several passages of the New Testament the word " men" is used as equ.v^n to fallen, degenerate, and sinful men Ihese " sons of God" departed from the preeep s of hetr early and godly training; ^hcy thus_ relaxe t^^^^ strictness of their religious and soeial relations Tucy yielded to the fascinations of mere physical beauty, and their sin was that of promiscuoiis Carriage, irrespective of moral and spmtual char- acter. Their Sinful Choice. They were governed simply by what was pleas- ing to the eye, as was Eve when she partook o the forbidden fruit. Thus it came to pass that "they took them wives, of all which they chose. Here we see laxity of choice without discernment of character. It has been well said that they chose wives, " not from the godliness of their ives, but for the goodliness of their looks. " Social man now repeated the act of individual man m the first sin- thus socially they apostatized from God as AdLm did individually. The sensual triumphed over the spiritual; the nobler elements of the „.arital relations were debased to the level of ,nere physical attractions. Thus God's professed people destroyed the last hope of the church of Jhat day by their profligacy. It was folly to sup- pose that ungodly mothers would be likely to train up godly children. The sm of promiscuous Is?' % S9i OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. marriages .opened the way to the evils which finally overwhelmed the race Degeneracy of the whole race must now go on apace. Unequal Yokings. We have already seen that in the seventh gen- eration Lamech became a polygamist. We have also seen that the Cainitic women possessed the charms of beauty, grace, and other forms of phys- ical attractiveness. Their very names mdicate their personal charms; they were Adah (beauty), Zillah (shade), and xNaamah (lovely). These names suggest the dominant characteristics of the Cainitic race. Fascinated by the charms of beauty, the "sons of God" cast aside all religious principles. They were ensnared by outward charms rather than by inward character. They did not deliberate upon the consequences of their sensual choices. Young men and women commit similar sins to-day. They are attracted by the charms of beauty, by the graces of mere intellec- tual culture, and by the fascinations of wealth and station. Many a woman virtually sells body and soul for a title, and some for a home; and many a man sells all that he has for filthy lucre. Such marriages are not marriages in the eyes of God, and perhaps ought not to be so considered in the eyes of men. Many young men and women enter the marriage relation with as little thought as if they were birds of the air. There are marriages which ought for physical reasons to be forbidden i. i nyi itrn r i Tdiff'Mf*^''"'^'^''"^''* . which y of the ith gen- Ne have jsed the of phys- indicate beauty) , These •istics of harms of religious outward r. They s of their ti commit id by the i intellec- ealth and body and md many re. Such es of God, red in the men enter )Ught as if marriages forbidden SONS OF COD AND DAUGHTERS OF MEN. -3 by the laws of the State. We pay vastly more attention to laws of pedigree, hered^ty. and affin^ itv among animals than we do among men and womT one's heart is saddened as he thmlcs o The reckless manner in which many en er the Wsof holy matrimony. It is suffic.enUy diffi- cult for a man to climb the rugged heights of fame when his wife keeps equal step by Ins side ; but . Ts almost impossible for him to chmb when he 1st drag her up by main force Many men and women become engaged in early youth, the man To pursue courses of liberal education and the 1 ^o starve in the daily routine of domestic rr S^L impassable intellectual cha- wUl separate them. They grow apart, and broken Uves and bleeding hearts are the inevitable re- sult Tennyson in " Locksley Hall" tells the sad story: "H. will hold thee. wl... bU p».ion .fU !»" sp..< i" SoltSttter than hi, do.. . .i«l. dea„, than hi. horse." Often the case is reversed, and the other words of Tennyson have their sorrowful application : "Asthehusband is. the wifeis-.thou art mated withaclow^^ And the grossness of his nature will have weight to drag thee down." God help the girls who marry young men to re- form them. They are undertaking - tremendous responsibility. God help the girls the breath of "'■. .-, ', f'-*".!.;^ . W/ 104 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Whose lovers is tainted with intoxicating drink. There is little before such but fearful anxiety, hopeless sorrow, and indescribable grief. Too often in the marriage relation the bad corrupts the good, and the good does not convert the bad Wrecked lives, broken homes, and bleeding hearts are the almost inevitable results of such marriages. O Christian men and women, be not unequally yoked with unbelievers. Marry m the Lord. What fellowship can light have with darkness, the church with the world. Christ with Belial? . ., Glorious is the river Rhone as it leaps from the Rhone glacier, more than five thousand feet above the sea Turbid are its waters as it enters Lake Geneva; but stand on this bridge and watch it as it issues from the lake, with the clearness of heaven's blue, and with the swiftness of an ar- row Nearly two miles below Geneva, the Arve, milky with powdered granite, pours its waters against the cerulean Rhone. The Rhone resists the proposed union. Side by side they run for many mi^^ ^s, the milky Arve and the azure Rhone. Slowly but surely the muddy waters of the Arve are gaining the ascendancy. Standing upon the bridge at Lyons the mighty river rolls beneath us, a muddy, milky stream, and so pours its wa- ters into the Gulf of Lyons, after its course of six hundred miles has been run. God help us that the heavenly purity of our Christian lives may never become the muddy waters of earth, when ...las: drink, nxiety, f. Too orrupts ert the ileeding of sxich , be not [arry in ive with rist with SO^S Of GOD ANO DAUCIiTEKS OF MEN. ^o, .1,. streams of other live, are mingled with ours rmtriaKe relations. God help our youn, :r andTo^nen to live for truth, for honor, for love, for God, for Heaven! from the :et above ers Lake Itch it as irness of af an ar- ;he Arve, ts waters ne resists y run for re Rhone. the Arve ; upon the s beneath irs its wa- urse of six sip us that lives may arth, when ^ii ■llYTffffff*^*^'^'^^"^~^. VII. DOES GOD REPENT AND THE SPIRIT WITHDRAW? 5! 1 I--'^'-- i,^ VII. Does God Repent and the Spirit Withdraw? This is a startling heading for a chapter or an article but it is fully justified by the narrative in rjl^th chapter of Genesis, beginning with the bird verse and ending with the eighth verse. tI human race is approaching a fearful crisi. The cup of divine judgment is almost full The whole race is on probation. Part of it has re- Teived God's gracious approbation, ^ut the grea^r part must suffer His righteous -Probation _ We are brought face to face with the terrible fact that Ln is unworthy to be longer the tenant of the glorious temple erected by God for his occu,^ncy^ !t is difficult to exaggerate the language of he Scripture, which describes man's sinfulness be- fore God- Man has become flesh rather than spirit- and the temporal and sensual have tri- umphed over the spiritual and eternal. Man has Tcome renowned for violence rather tHan honor able for reverence. A deluge of evil will be fol- lowed by a deluge of water. The -hole r-e with the exception of one family, must suffer the infliction of God's righteous judgment. J IIO OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. rp^A^iNG TO Strive. The Spirit Ceasing of the third verse of this chapter The language of the n ^^^,i solemn. is somewhat obscure, but IS tre _^ ^^^ ^^^^^,^ We suppose the spirit ^-f ^^^ ^^ ,^ the in- Elokun. Here. - ^^^^^f the Godhead is spired narrative, the ^^fV ..or^., " Jehovah i„.plied. When ^ve read ^h ^^ ^.^^^^^ said." we -^-^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The language or to others m the sacre .posed or re- is equivalent to saying that b P ^^^^^.^^^ solved upon ^"^^ ^J^^'^' fj'^^on as to the ex- THere is ^^r^^ f^^Z:::^^.... " strive." It act meaning of the word ^^ ^^ .^^^^ . ,, ^,y mean ^o^^X^^oi reproving in some has in it usually ^^^J^ ^^^^^^^^^ mean that God s judicial sense. ^^^'^iJ humbled by dwelling Ut -g^^ -^ tr has beco-e flesh. By flesh in man, because "^^ ^^^J ^^ and not sim- .e are to -f^^^s ^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^-e pw corporeal creatures, i ^g is the word Led in its ^^^^\:it^^^- ^«-^^^^^^ . sarks, flesh, in the New ^^^^f ^^ ^^^^d from the of God tes strive w,th m . ^^^„ us that one of tho-ffi-""' ,„,,a be to "re- »;:rt;r«:?:-""»-'^^'"-"^"'""" itweM , C-f jaW flf y'r*' "''""i""''^" ' ''- ' ' DOES GOD REPENT? Ill 5. is chapter ly solemn, the Ruach in the in- iodhead is " Jehovah to Himself ae language posed or re- r described. 3 to the ex- ' strive." It to judge; it ving in some an that God's I by dwelling ;sh. By flesh and not sim- bashar is here 3 is the word Possibly the ished from the ; Apostle Paul, that the Spirit ur Lord taught >ly Spirit, when rouldbe to"re- hteousness, and f • We see the Spirit, thus early in llO th! -: engaged in this blessed work In the negative statement contamed m This verse we have shining forth the brtght hght of Gods -rcy to sinful man. His Spmt comes to mumine their darkness, to arouse their con- cience and, if possible, to win their affection to uth and t; God. We cannot too strongly em- ;^:si.: this messed truth. Graciously does the Spirit call to mind former 3udgments; lovmgly does He present persuasive arguments, and re- pea edly does He emphasize encouragmg prom- • E During the period of one hundred and twenty years the Spirit did thus intercede for God ; h the antediluvian world. But the stru.ng ot L Spirit implies resistance on ^^^^T.^l^^ri and that resistance may so ^^-'^-^^'''^J^^^^Z n.nv finallv entirely withdraw. The Spirit s w ith There certainly is a point l>eyo„d «•>->■ J/J^^i not go in His entreaties with men. In harmon, :l'our freedom and God's divine purpose *» Spirit will not exercise force on the wdls of inen. G« l; not interfere with the law o freedom which He has established in H-s control w.th free moral agents. Involuntary obcd.ence ,s not obe Zl^ompnl.rylov.faiO.and'^^^^^ nrwrr :her:hr.- «» from Their hearts. The Whole ^.Id-svoca-^^ God's calls of mercy; the very air we f H2 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. laden with God's gracious ministries. The Spirit pleads, wrestles, and even agonizes with men Nothing in human thought is more wonderful than God's patience with the disobedient and re- bellious The history of the world is a history of rebellion against God. Think of the sins of that antediluvian world, so aggravated and so hemous. God was patient with men, even though they were ripe for destruction. He could do nothing more then, he can do nothing more now to induce men to repent, without interfering with their moral freedom. The Spirit of God knocks at all the doors of the heart, but the time will come when He will depart and leave men to the terrible fate which they have brought upon themselves. God condemns no soul to eternal death; men brmg condemnation upon themselves. They are lost because they wish to be lost; a little reflection will show that this statement is true in its deepest me-^ning. Every man will go where, in his deep- est heart, he wishes to go. God's providence simply registers the judgment which men pass upon themselves. The time will come, if men continue to resist the Spirit, when God must say of each soul, " Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" We all may well pray with the Psalm- ist " Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." We now see that God declares that man's days are to be one hundred and twenty years. It seems clear that the reference here is not to the life of men but to that of the race, before the commg •JaUtilaMWIkittl mmSmtUiim 55. The Spirit vith men. wonderful mt and re- history of ins of that heinous! they were hing more nduce men lieir moral at all the :ome when errible fate Ives. God men bring ey are lost e reflection its deepest in his deep- providence 1 men pass me, if men )d must say )ereth it the 1 the Psalm- ne." ; man's days -s. It seems ;o the life of the coming DOES GOD REPENT? "3 of God's primitive judgment. The writer goes back to a point of time already passed over, the time before the birth of Shem, Ham, and Japheth; one hundred years intervened between their birth and the flood. It thus seems certain that the ref- erence is to the period of grace allowed the nation, because, while we are not told of men living, after the end of this period, nine hundred years and upward, we know that Noah, Abram, and others, from Shem to Terah, greatly exceeded the limit of one hundred and twenty years. Man is thus seen to be flesh, to be dominantly carnal; the breath which the Almighty breathed into his nos- trils is triumphed over by the corporeal nature. His day of grace is therefore limited. By his act in building the ark as well as by his word in preaching the truth, Noah is to exhort, warn, and rebuke. We are told that Noah was a just man, that he was perfect in his generation, and that he walked with God; these are certainly marked qualities of excellence. The evening of oppor- tunity has come to the doomed race. Their cup is rapidly filling, and its terrible contents will soon be poured out. Who Were the Giants? We are told in the fourth verse that there " were giants in the earth in those days." These were men of vigorous bodies and of violent wills. The word translated giants is rather descriptive of cruelty than of great strength, These giants 8 I if 114 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. were not the issue of the promiscuous marriages, to which reference is here made, for they existed before that time. They ought not then to be con- founded with the children of these mixed mar- riages, as the latter form a separate class. It is perhaps unfortunate that the original word is translated by our word giants. The Septuagint is responsible for this translation, as it gives us the word gigantes, which literally signifies earth- born, but we have translated it giants, and thus conveyed the idea that these were persons of enor- mous size. The Hebrew word is ncphilim ; this word is derived from naphal, meaning to fall. It may refer to apostates, fallen from God and the true faith, and then to violent men, such as ty- rants, usurpers, and oppressors, who fell upon their fellow-men. Later in this verse we have WiQgibboriin ; they were " mighty men, impetuous, heroic men." The whole subject of the Anakim, Ncphilim, Gibborivt, Rcphaim, ILmin, and Zusim, variously translated by our word giants and by similar terms, is obscure to a remarkable degree. Calvin calls these men "the first nobility of the world ; honorable robbers, who boasted of their wickedness." Some have doubted whether they were men of large physical stature ; but perhaps it is not at all surprising that there were physical giants in that early day. The primitive records of most nations contain stories of gigantic men and women. This is true of Great Britain and most European countries. The possibility of gi- ■W^ S^EWg&S iWi^^1Si.>'WaJ Tiarriages, ey existed to be con- ixed mar- ass. It is ,1 word is septuagint u gives us ifies earth- , and thus ns of enor- \iliin ; this to fall. It )d and the uch as ty- fell upon 3 we have impetuous, le Anakim, nd Zusini, Its and by ble degree, ility of the ed of their lether they ut perhaps re physical ive records jantic men Britain and )ility of gi- DOES GOD REPENT? "5 gantic human creatures is tn harmony wtth the Lat structures, such as the pyramids and the Lat gates of ancient cities; and geological m- vestigations reveal to us gigantic ferns, trees, and mosses, and in the animal kingdom we have evi- dences of the megatherium and other enormous creatures, which may have inhabited the world in the earlier day. God Vindicated. Beginning with the fifth verse and going to the end of the eighth verse, we have a striking vindi- cation of God in His terrible acts of judgment. We see here that God did not act in haste, and as the result of a sudden impulse. We are told that He carefully observed the wickedness of His crea- tures The description of the sinfulness of man is minute and accurate. The sin of the race was not local and limited, and was not characterized by ordinary corruption. The one hund-^ -d twenty years of grace have passed, and the ini- quity of'man was widespread and deep-seated- Nothing could surpass the carefulness of the de^ Lption here given of man's sin. It ^f^^f^ a fearful climax. It was characterized by brutal outrage and abominable lust. We are told at the Lse? that men had become flesh; that they no longer discerned their high destiny, but were brutalized and sensualized. We are nex J^m- pressed with the fact that the wickedness of men was not simply an accident but a state. They ii6 OLD TESTAMENT niFFICULTIES. were corrupt within and without. Their wicked- ness,— mV^/'/^ from the root raa, to make a loud noise, to rage, hence to be wicked—" was multi- plied," and it was continually increasing. Mar- vellously strong is the statement in the latter part of the fifth verse, regarding the sinfulness of "every imagination {yctscr, a device) of the thoughts of his heart." We are here taught that the very materials out of which ideas were formed were evil. The embryo of every thought was sinful; the deepest fountain of life was poisoned. The picture is still more fully darkened by the thought that this unmixed evil was without in- terval of good. It was evil continually, literally, every day. This is the most terrific picture of V fallen souls to be found in any literature. The more carefully one studies the words of the origi- nal, the more awful does the picture become. Instead of having the excellences of a Seth, an Enoch, or a Noah, we have men and women possessed of the darkest features of a diabolical character, which the strongest Hebrew words can describe. , * . God Repenting. We are not surprised that we should read in the sixth verse that " it repented Jehovah that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." These are startling words. How are we to understand this language? Can God repent? Do not the Scriptures say that He cannot? In 'frf'W"'^'^"*i^ S. r wicked- ic a loud /as multi- ig. Mar- ;he latter sinfulness e) of the Liight that re formed )ught was poisoned, ed by the 'ithout in- , literally, picture of ture. The : the origi- B become, a Seth, an nd women diabolical words can read in the :hat he had him at his rlow are we fod repent? ;annot? In DOES GOD REPENT? 117 Numbers xxiii.19 we read: "God is not a man, that he should lie ; neither the son of man, that he should repent. Hath he said and shall he not do it, or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good?" And in 1 Samuel xv. 29 we read: "And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man that he should repent." These are strong words. Can a God of infinite perfection be grieved at^ His heart? Does not the suggestion even of this possibility detract from the glory of God's perfection? If rightly under- stood we shall find that this language gives us new, tender, and beautiful conceptions of the mighty and loving God our Saviour. We have here an illustration of what has been called the frankness, even the imprudence, of Scripture. Scripture must be compared with Scripture, in order that wc may get its teaching in entirety. The word yinnahcm, repented, is from mham, to pant, to groan, and finally to grieve. It re- minds us of the German rciicn and the English rue. Let us remember that when repentance is ascribed to God we must not suppose that it implies a change of purpose in the Almighty. When we attribute this act to God it is expres- sive of our conception of God rather than of God's essential character. The language is rather the manner of men; it is simply and frankly anthro- popathic speech. Thus understood it is perfectly intelligible. We cannot speak of God or to God, or He to us, unless language is adopted which we 1,8 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. can understand. Ab far back, however as the days of the Seventy an attempt was made to soften th s lanKnu^Kc; l>"t --1^ -- attempt '^^-^^^^^ necessary to a true ^,nderstandins of the Scrip- ture In harmony with the anthropopathic prin- ciple it speaks of Ood-B hands, eyes, ears, and feet ' The meaning simply is. that Clod has power to perform the acts which we perform in the use Tf Uiese parts of our b.dies. Thus the Scnpture represents Him as exercising the passions of anger, love, and grief which we discover in our^ selves unavoidably. We must reason about God hi the use of comparison and analogy. Repent- an e in God is a change in His att tude tovvard xnen, rather than a change in His mmd and wilb An 'old divine thus speaks: "Repentance w^^ „.an is the change of will; repentance with God s the willing of a change. " The ^--^^f^^";^:^^ of God gives us a wonderful picture of the tender- ness of His fatherly heart. His heart is grieved even when he permits the blow of justice to fall. It has been well said that " though the divine pur- pose is immutable, the divine nature is not im- passable." God's heart is pitiful as the hear o he tenderest earthly father, and gentle as that o the most loving mother. We are B-e that not until men rejected, grieved, and despised His Holy Spirit was the punishment of their sin n- flictld We must not deny to God the attributes of freedom, personality, holiness, and justice^ We may be sure that this statement regarding -II I ' "•"■« l " ^..^fi^ajEixamsaaiaaBiaww s. :r, as the ; to soften tterly itn- [he Scrip- vthic prin- cars, and bus power in the use : Scripture lassions of rev in our- about God . Repent- ude toward d and will, itance with with God is re used here the tendcr- t is grieved stice to fall. I divine pur- e is not im- the heart of tie as that of ure that not lespised His their sin in- he attributes and justice, nt regarding J30ES GOD REPENT t "9 God, in some way not fully known to us. implies processes analogous to those .>f the human 1 cat and will In God are found attributes which to \Z to be inharmonious and contradic- ts may seem to be m. ^^^ tory, but which m Him are in ct ous unison. Righteous Noah. The eighth verse teaches us that " Noah found . fn the eves of Jehovah." The various de- grace m t^^^y;^;' J^i^i, connection are pecul- scriptions of ^oah m th ^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ iarly attractive. They set nun of \ beautifully balanced character. His name Is "rest •• or "consolation," and probably in it h 'father believed that he was the prom- SrdirThe old man. sad Wt turns with hope to the birth of ^- -J'^^^^^^^f, Ts the first man whom the Scriptures call just We are glad to read that he found grace m the M of Tehovah For the first time "grace, sight of J^^^^^*; theology has so tender and which in evangebcal theology n LutiM a meaning, «nd, «P--°» " ^^"t God's love, revealing itself in hnman charac'er m Abel, in Enoch, and in Noah, here reaches a higher "ow have revealed to us the Messed fonn- JXce eon.es true nobility of character and lao OLD TESTAMENT DH-FH' I.TIKS. likeness to God. Noah was a preacher of right- eousness. This truth must ever be emphasized, and the passage in i Peter iii. 18-20 should be studied in tlie light of this antediluvian history, personal and general. We there learn that the Spirit of Christ, through the instrumentality of the pious patriarch, preached to the disobedient spirits of the old world. This passage occupies a prominent place in modern theological discus- sions. It has been cited in support of a second probation, and in proof of a purgatory. We ought to bear in mind that the spirits, to whom reference is thus made, are the souls of those men in prison who once heard the Gospel, and enjoyed the opportunity but rejected the duty of repent- ance. By the Spirit of Christ we may understand either the Holy Spirit or the divine nature of Christ. These men were the sinners destroyed by the flood; their spirits, shades, or wanes, were popularly supposed to be imprisoned in the caves of the earth. To these spirits Christ, through Noah, preached during their lifetime. The fables of the Greeks that the earthquakes were caused by the efforts of imprisoned giants to shake off the mountains heaped upon them, have their ori- gin in the tradition respecting the fate of these antediluvian rebels, who were shut up in subter- ranean regions because of their rebellion agamst God. These antediluvian sinners were those "which some time (once or formerly) were diso- bedient"; "the long-suffering of God waited in irnmiTrnifTf-"''-"---"-'-'-"-" ler of right- emphasized, lo shoiild be v'nxn history, am that the imcntality of li disobedient age occupies )gical discus- t of a second •gatory. We rits, to whom of those men , and enjoyed .ity of repent- ly understand ine nature of ers destroyed r manes, were d in the caves hrist, through e. The fables s were caused s to shake off have their ori- 2 fate of these up in subter- bellion against s were those rly) were diso- God waited in DOES GOP KEPKNTf Iff the days of Noah, while the ark was a prepanng. If Christ had gone after His death and had preached to these spirits, we should have read, " waited until after Christ's death. " Scholars have given us examples fro,n Demos- thenes and other Greek writers, as well as from the Scriptures, to show that the phrase, he went and preached," is simply a pleonasm for he preached.- We have a suggestive example of this construction in Ephesians ii. .5->7, having abolished . . . came and preached peace to j-ou which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. It is certain that after His resurrection Chnst did not personally go to the (icntiles to preach to them ; He went by His apostles. We are familiar with the Latin phrase. Qui facit per alum, Jaeit f,er se Paul in writing to the Ephesians repre- sents Christ as doing that which He did do through His apostles. In like manner Peter reprcjnts Christ as doing that which He did through Noah. Peter spoke of the antediluvians who at the time he wrote were spirits in prison ; that is certain y the fair meaning of his words. This is the only passage in the New Testament on which the Ro- man doctrine of purgatory is supposed to rest; it is the passage also on which some base their be- lief in a second probation. It is also one author- ity for the clause in the so-called Apostles Creed relating to the descent into hell; but we know that this creed was repeated for hundreds of years before thin clause was introduced. No one knows '/— 122 OLD TESTAMENT DIFETCUI. TfES. by whom or when it was inserted. In its present form, this creed cannot be traced to a period earlier than about the middle of the eighth cen- tury. This scripture is certainly a foundation of sand for both these groimdless theories. The argument from this passage, promising a second probation to those who die in ignorance of Christ, is wholly irrelevant. These spirits in prison did not die in ignorance of God's word and will; for they had frequent and solemn warnings. Divine patience waited until divine mercy was exhausted. Even if it be granted that Christ did in person preach in hades, there is no evidence that any spirits there confined repented or were liberated therefrom. This passage suggests hopelessness rather than iiopefulness, even granting, what is not taught in Scripture, that Christ did teach in person in the region of lost souls. We know that but one voice came from that dark region, as taught us by our Lord, and it was a voice of hope- less misery and of sinful unbelief ; that voice gives us the only example in the Bible of a prayer offered to a saint, and that prayer came from hell and was never answered. Romanists certainly have not much encouragement to pray to saints. Solemn are the echoes coming to us from the antediluvian world. Does God's Spirit strive with any to-day? Grieve not the Holy Spirit. Quench not the heavenly flame. Resist not the loving voice. Joyoiisly yield to the gracious promptings of the divine Spirit. Let the prayer .^ .^^f ^-xiaitamfi ' n cubit of eigh- ; these measures IVAS THE FLOOD UNIVERSAL OR LOCAL? 129 as correct, the ark would be 525 feet long, 87 feet wide, and 52 feet and 6 inches high. The Great Eastern is 680 feet long, 691 on deck, 83 feet wide, and 58 feet deep. The ark was intended only to float, to have ample storage, and to keep reasonably steady on the waters. It was a great oblong floating house, a building in the form of a parallelogram. It was without sails or rudder ; it was not a boat in any modern sense. It has been estimated that it would carry at least 20,000 men with ample provision for six months, besides eigh- teen pieces of cannon. It was not, of course, in- tended to move rapidly through the waters. We are told that Peter Jansen, a Dutch Mennonite merchant, constructed in the year 1609, at Hoorn, a vessel on the same model as the ark. , His vessel was 1 20 feet long, 20 feet broad, and 1 2 feet deep. It is also said to have been well adapted to freight- age, but not appropriate for a long voyage. This great vessel failed to accomplish any practical purpose, as it was soon broken to pieces by the waves. The ark of Noah was a colossal oblong chest, smeared with bitumen, and, although well suited for the purpose for which it was con- structed, it would not have been of practical ser- vice outside of that purpose. It is also known that several vessels called fleuten, or floats, were built in Denmark after the proportions of the ark. 1 3© OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. The Animals in thk Ark. Did Noah literally take into the ark a pair of the animals of the whole world? The answer to this question depends upon the question, " Was the flood universal or local?" Could all the animals of the world, by sevens or by pairs, with food sufficient for a year, have been stored away in the ark? This question has been often asked, and de- tailed mathematical answers have been frequently given. Hugh Miller, in his "Testimony of the Rocks," takes up the question in a practical way. He quotes Sir Walter Raleigh's calculations on the subject, but it must be borne in mind that Sir Walter proposed space for less than one hundred distinct species of creatures. His calculations are remarkably interesting, as he arranges the animals in one story, the birds in another, and the provisions in another, with ample space for Noah and his family. There were still earlier classifications of animals and birds, making the number of species larger than that given by Sir Walter Raleigh; but the knowledge which we now possess of the animal kingdom throws all these calculations into utter confusion. Buffon made the distinct species of animals and birds double what Sir Walter reckoned; and now, so astonishing is the progress made, we should have to make the number of species many times greater than that which Buffon gives. A great world is open to us which was entirely unknown riES. irk a pair of he answer to an, " Was the . the animals rs, with food d away in the ,sked, and de- en frequently imony of the practical way. ilculations on mind that Sir I one hundred s calculations arranges the another, and iple space for ■e still earlier s, making the t given by Sir dge which we om throws all usion. Buffon nals and birds i; and now, so le, we should lies many times rives. A great tirely unknown „,,.s- ■/■///•; J-f.OOO UNIVERSAL OK I.OCM.? >3t even a few generations ago. Vast discoveries are made in every department of mciuir)-. Thdse facts incidentally show, what later will be proved from other considerations, that the flood was only local and not general, only partial and not urn- versal To believe that the flood was universal is to believe in continuous miracles of the most stupendous character, and miracles as needless for the moral purpose for which the flood came as they would have been gigantic in themselves All who believe in an infinite God believe that He could have performed all these miracles. The only question is. Did He perform them? From all that we know of God's methods we are abun- dantly warranted in saying that He is invariably economical in the displays of His power and tha He thus always keeps the miraculous element at a minimum. . . Then we have, if we believe in a universal flood to get the animals from the ends of the earth This could not be done, except again by continuous miracles of an enormous nature. Once it was held that all the animals which now are found in all parts of the globe originally pro- ceeded from some common centre, such as the ark might easily have occupied; but no reputable zoologist, no reasonably intelligent man, reason- ably well acquainted with the numbers and dis- tribution of species, will venture now to express such an opinion. Attention has often been called by writers on this subject to the fact that South ,3. 0,.P TESTAMENT mFF,CW.T,E^- Europe, Asm, or Af'"-". ' ^,„k„„„n in other parts of the worW. we ^^_^ ^ „H>r.,viaea wit «.n,s *-*=>' _;,, on the ground t .s ^^ fltetribution of ::r::i:::^ C Sore t,re period of the deluge. Falsk Views ok Gop. ,t is astonishing that some '^^^^^^^^X Bible tltink that they honor ^'''^J^''2l^,^.. fact .^ins our eredniity to ' - "™° ^;"^, „„, the iBthatbysodoinBtlu:ydshonortot ^ Bibie. They V- J-^" ^ .^^iight^^ into the category of •»='"'!^" „cessity, wif. • 't vast displays of P»»^''.-*° '"ey do some- reason, and -it''-'.«'*rBibte to a level with thing '—\-^XoVbrbrL gods and myth- the senseless legends of 1>;'™™ ^ ^^^ ologieal deities. We^ot^ >' to Jhan. ^^^ ^^^^ Urger <="=-" "4"tnrpreta.ions of the oraeles now enters mto the >«"P o„j ^nd the of God. This clement h<"><»-"«^ ,4 j^, Bible, only by '=°""Tr How could the animals be "tought n,to the art How - -a«£;. ~ , i,^8'f„ir^] i 'i i ^UBB B BW , TiF.a. from those of istralia has a unknown in land has birds y can only ran by competent distribution of period ov the erpretersof the md the Bible by ,t, \*hen the fact )oth Ciod and the degree at least, ies, delighting; in lecessity, wit'i ( .It id they do some- e to a level with c gods and myth- hank God for the imon sense which ons of the oracles alike God and the miracles could the Ic. How could the een brought across ;ir home in South o from the forests [ow the polar bear WAS THE FLOOD US' 11 1-. USA I. OK LOCAL? 133 from the icebergs of jjolar regions? How were the carnivorous animals supplied with food dur- ing the year's abode mi tlie ark? Were these animals miraculously supplied with food? Were their teeth and digestive organs so changed that they could live on vegetables? To care for a year for even the limited number of animals which have their home in Noah's vicinity, it has well been said, must have been a task not easy of ac- complishment. To care for all the animals which would have been collected together, if the flood were universal, would have been absolutely im- possible, except by daily miracles of the most enormous character. But was not Noah told to take two of every liv- ing thing of all flesh into the ark? Most assuredly. But how would he understand such a command? Would it suggest to him armadillos from South America, kangaroos from Australia, polar bears from the North Pole? Surely not. He would understand it— how could he understand it other- wise? — to mean two of every kind known to him. Surely he was not a zoological professor. Would any one with sense, except for a few misunder- stood expressions in the narrative, ever suppose that Noah or Moses had such a conception of the meaning of God's words as a belief in a universal deluge supposes? Noah and Moses could hardly have been nineteenth-century zoologists. How could they, after the subsidence of the flood, have been carried back to the distant countries whence 134 Or.n TRSTAAfENT DIFFICULTIES. they came? Who could have transported them? By what ships or railways did they c.me and go How have all vestiges of their journey back and forth been concealed? It is c^tite too bad tha certain classes of biblical students have thottght that they honored the Bible by makmg it as diffi- cult as 'possH^lc of belief. Thank r.cKl. wiser methods of investigation and interpretation now prevail. We can still believe in God and in the Bible without taking farewell of sound reason, clear judgment, and common sense. Thk Biiu.K Narrative, Does the Bible teach that the flood was univer- sal> That is the chief, really the only, question. If it does I accept its statements, even though to „.e they are inexplicable. But the Bible does not so affirm. Fairly interpreted, it makes no such statement. Explaining Scripture by Scripture, we shall see that its strongest expressions are capable of being interpreted in harmony with the idea of a local flood. True, it speaks of the destruction of " all flesh" and of " all in whose nostrils was the breath of life" ; but how did the writer understand such language? Was he referring to North or South America, to Australia, to China, to Japan. Did he not mean all in his own locality? Did he not mean all the world which he knew? How could he have meant anything else? Was he not using such language as is used constantly in the Bible, when clearly only a limited locality is in- 'IBS. nrted them? )me and go? ey back and .00 bad that ave thought ng it as diffi- (iod, wiser rotation now d and in the ound reason, d was univer- nly, question. ;en though to Bible does not lakes no such ' Scripture, we ns are capable ith the idea of he destruction lostrils was the ter understand t to North or lina, to Japan? :ality? Did he J knew? How 3? Was he not )nstantly in the 1 locality is in- IVAS THE Fr.oon ifNrvERHAL on r.oCAT.t 135 tended ? Let the Bible interpret the Bible. Let lis read it wlien it says, "y/// countries came into Egypt to buy corn." What countries, America, Europe, Australia? Clearly the countries with which the writer was familiar. Hear another passage, this time from the New Testament: "A decree went out from Ctesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." What world? Are we to take such passages in an absolutely literal sense? Such an interpretation would be nonsense. It was all the world with which those concerned were familiar. The words of Obadiah in i Kings xviii. 10, "There is no nation or kingdom whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee," no one ever dreams of interpreting literally. One of the strongest expressions in the narrative of the del- uge is, " All the high hills which were under the whole heaven." But this is no stronger than an- other Scripture which says, " This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that arc under the whole heaven." Even the terms of the blessing promised Noah after the flood, though it regards Noah as the head of a new human family and the representa- tive of a new race, can all be interpreted by sup- posing that the flood, in the mind of the writer, was universal only in the sense that it extended to the whole world as then known. There is no reason for supposing that the ark rested on one of the peaks now called Ararat ; for Ararat was a country, and not simply a moun- HHBM M f .1 136 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. tain ; and a range like that of the Zagros would answer all the purposes of the narrative. The local tradition, which finds parts of the ark on the top of the mountain, is, of course, of no authority whatever. Some great and sudden subsidence of the land accompanied by an in-rush of the waters of the Persian Gulf, or some other body of water, to- gether with the rain for one hundred and ninety days, would comply with all the conditions of the breaking up of the great deep and the opening of the windows of heaven. In the year 1819a severe earthquake shock caused a great depression in a part of the salt marsh called the " Runn of Kutch," in India, and many lives were lost and a vast inland sea was soon formed. No reference in the sacred narrative is made to any land, or to any world, except that portion of the earth's sur- face known to the writer. That territory, and an unknown margin adjoining it, were covered with water. The Scripture says nothing of distant portions of Asia, Europe, America, Africa, or Australia; and when the Scripture is silent we ought not to speak. We ought not to be wise above that which is written. The writer speaks constantly as an eye-witness; and within his hor- izon all the hills were covered. We are at this time removed from Adam by ten generations, including Noah's. A careful esti- mate of population would give us from three to four millions in the time of Noah; and every iv- 'FICULTIES. ': the Zagros would lie narrative. The ts of the ark on the rse, of no authority (sidence of the land I the waters of the body of water, to- lundred and ninety [le conditions of the and the opening of le year 1819 a severe eat depression in a led the " Runn of ives were lost and a [ned. No reference de to any land, or to n of the earth's sur- hat territory, and an :, were covered with , nothing of distant A.merica, Africa, or ripture is silent we ight not to be wise The writer speaks ; and within his hor- d. • - : ;d from Adam by ten I's. A careful esti- ive us from three to Noah; and every ir- WAS THE FLOOD UNIVERSAL OR LOCAL? 137 dicatiou suggests that the population was confined to a limited territory. Dr. Murphy expresses the opinion that an area equal to that of the British Isles would be amply sufficient for the entire population of men, women, and children. It is easy to locate a territory of this size where the subsidence would be a comparatively easy matter, even as judged by recent inundations in different parts of the earth. The earth which was sub- merged is the earth which was corrupt before God ; it was the earth which was filled with violence. It was this earth, and not any other, which was destroyed by the flood. It is easy to see how a people of four millions could be living in the great basin of the Euphrates and Tigris, and how an area in the vicinity of the Indian Ocean, the Per- sian Gulf, the Caspian, the Black, the Mediterra- nean, and the Red seas could readily be sub- merged, in full harmony with the teaching of the Scriptures, while the rest of the universe would not be affected. It must ever be borne in mind that the description is by a man and from his point of view, and not from the point of view of the all-seeing God. It is absolutely certain that the Bible does not affirm that the whole globe was covered with water. If the Bible did so affirm, I should believe it without any hesitancy whatever; but we have no right to read into God's word our unwarranted thought; we ought to get out of God's word simply His authoritative teaching. 138 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Additionai, Difficulties. The astronomical difficulties in the way of a universal flood are insuperable. If the flood were universal, the water must have risen several mi es above the sea-level. Such an increase of water would have affected the equatorial diameter of the earth and its orbit around the sun, and would have increased the sun's attraction on the planets ; and thus disorder would have been produced throughout the remotest regions of space. After the waters had been assuaged enormous changes would have been necessary agaia in order that the former relations of the heavenly bodies might be reestablished. God would have had practically to create the world anew. Can we conceive that this enormous series of miracles could have oc- curred simply for the punishment of a compara- tively small number of people inhabiting a limited portion of the earth's surface? God does not waste power in this way. The geological objec- tions are scarcely less great than the astronomical. The zoological difficulty, as we have already sug- gested, is perhaps greater than either the geo- fogical or the astronomical. Had there been a general deluge, apart from continuous miracles There would have been a general destruction of marine life. The changing depths of water would have destroyed the coral reefs of the Pacific. \ et Noah does not seem to have taken any kind of Irine animals into the ark. A general deluge n TIES. he way of a he flood were several miles ;ase of water ameter of the 1, and would ,11 the planets ; sen produced space. After mous changes order that the jdies might be lad practically i conceive that :ould have oc- of a compara- biting a limited God does not :ological objec- le astronomical. ,ve already sug- either the geo- d there been a nuous miracles, 1 destruction of s of water would he Pacific. Yet ken any kind of . general deluge IVAS THE FLOOD UNIVERSAL OR LOCAL? 139 would have entirely changed the climate of the whole world ; it would have destroyed all kinds of fresh-water fish, and such a submergence of the land in sea-water would have brought destruction upon all terrestrial plants. We have no reason to suppose that Noah took any stock of such plants into the ark. It was once supposed — and the old books may yet so affirm — that geological discover- ies confirmed the opinion that the deluge was uni- versal. The existence of shells and corals upon the high mountains was supposed to be evidence of the imiversality of the deluge. Voltaire once found it difficult to answer the arguments of those wiio cited the existence of fossil shells on high mountains, and his arguments to explain away these supposed evidences are as childish as the evidences themselves were imaginary. Greater knowledge removes the difficulties inseparable from the belief in a universal deluge, and enables us readily to accept the statements of God's word. All these considerations, therefore, lead us to be- lieve that the flood was local. The moral purpose for which it occurred is fully subserved by a limited, rather than by a general, deluge. Ac- cepting this view, nearly all difficulties vanish. With charming simplicity, as well as marvellous sublimity, the Bible narrates the story. Its nar- rative is free from the heart-rending scenes which the painters have so often depicted. The two ideas constantly dwelt upon in the Bible are the blotting out of the sinful race in the submergence 140 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Of the polluted earth, as far as the eye could see, and the absolute safety of Noah and his family in the ark The sending out of the dove, and its final return with the fresh olive leaf, is one of the most charming of pictures. In Psalm xxix.io, the poet sings of the majesty of God, and gives a sublime conception when he says, "Jehovah sat as king at the flood." The prophet Isaiah intro- duces God as referring to the flood to emphasize the truth of His promise. The New Testament gives its full sanction to the historicity of the nar- rative. Our Lord clearly declares that the state of the world at His second coming will be like what it was in the days of Noah. The Apostle Peter draws from the flood lessons as to the long- suffering of God and the separation of the church from the world. He also makes it an instance of the righteous judgment of God, who spared not the old world when it was corrupted by sin. Most beautiful is the closing scene after the judgment had been inflicted. Noah then built his altar, the first altar of which we read in the Bible, and then Jehovah smelled an "odor ot satisfaction" and promised that never again wonld he, for man s sake, curse the ground nor smite any livmg thing Then the rainbow received its new meaning, and the special promises were given regarding seed- time and harvest, cold and heat, day and mght^ This is a peaceful, beautiful, and divine picture of the cleansed earth, spanned by the rainbow in the clouds after the fearful deluge had passed. L TIES. eye could see, a his family in dove, and its f, is one of the »salni xxix. lo, (d, and gives a "Jehovah sat ;t Isaiah intro- \ to emphasize sTew Testament Icity of the nar- 5 that the state ing will be like The Apostle 5 as to the long- n of the church it an instance of who spared' not -A by sin. Most :r the judgment .lilt his altar, the ; Bible, and then ;atisfaction" and Id he, for man's any living thing, ew meaning, and 1 regarding seed- :, day and night. divine picture of he rainbow in the ad passed. WAS THE FLOOD UNIVERSAL OR LOCAL? Ml Traditions of thk Deluge. The literatures of many nations abound in legends of the flood, and between these and the bL narrative marked r^-^-^'^'-^^^^Z' '^^^^^ In various forms these traditions describe the pre Jrvation of one righteous man with his famUy The Chalda^nn traditions are nearest to the He- brew records. The god Belus foretold a vast ram flood. The structure of a great ship -;^-cnbed ; a raven is sent out, and the ark itself is said to ^,1 r^n the hiL^i mountains, have been preserved on the mj,n There are many other notices of the flood such Tthose in the Ph.nician mythology and .n the Phrygian story of King AnnaKos. Tnere is a^so a cycle of traditions in Eastern Asia, such as tho Persian, Indian, and Chinese. These trad, lons^ though varying in so many respects, all point to he truth of the Bible narrative. There is also he ycle of tradition found among the American nations, such as those of Mexico, ^^^^^^ waiian Islands, and those of many Indian tr bes^ There are also legends of the flood P-erv^^^l by the Fiji Islanders, by the Scandinavian Eddas ."d also the account in the Koran; but the mo^ interesting of all these myths -e ^hose of the Greek legends. They had two such -ytl--f;; of Ogyges and that of Deucalion and Pyrrha. This litter is the best known of the '^thnic trad^- tas It teaches us that the world had sunk into iniquity, and that mankind was doomed to de- r 142 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. struction. The ocean and the clouds combined to drown the sinful race. The pious Deucalion, with his wife Pyrrha, floated in a chest, which bore them safely to the peaks of Parnassus. He, like Noah, sent out a dove, which returned the first time, but not the second. God gives in all these traditions confirmation of the truth of His holy Word, Lessons. This solemn and sublime event teaches us im- portant lessons. We see that God is able to exe- cute judgment against the greatest sinners. Though sinners join hand-in-hand they shall not escape God's righteous justice. Sinning angels cannot escape. God burned up the filthy Sodom- ites and drowned the sinful antediluvians. All the resoures of nature are at God's command. He wields the thunderbolt; and through heaven's open windows He poured the flood, and the vol- cano and the hurricane are obedient to His will. God gives ample warning to sinners and abun- dant opportunity for repentance. For one hun- dred and twenty years Noah was a preacher of righteousness. His acts in building the ark, as well as his words in preaching the Gospel, were warnings to impenitent sinners. Doubtless he was often the subject of sneers and jeers. The people may have considered him a good old man, but with strange fancies and amusing forebodings. They doubtless thought him lacking in sense, and . iar't^im^i^^a TIES. Is combined > Deucalion, ;hest, which lassus. He, eturned the gives in all truth of His iches us im- able to exe- jst sinners, ey shall not ning angels Ithy Sodom- ivians. All 5 command, gh heaven's ind the vol- ;o His will, s and abun- )r one hun- preacher of the ark, as rospel, were oubtless he jeers. The 3d old man, orebodings. 1 sense, and WAS THE FLOOD UNIVERSAL OR LOCAL? '43 perhaps wrong in his head; but he still kept on preaching. God's infinite holiness patiently waited. Wonderful was the long-suffering of God in the days of Noah. Well might the Apostle Peter dwell upon God's matchless patience; but the blow eventually fell. This terrible judgment manifested God's holiness, even as it was seen in Eden or on Sinai. There is safety for all true believers. God said to Noah, " Come thou and all thy house into the ark," and then God graciously closed the door and Nolh was safe. The world without perished. God can save all His children, whatever destruc- tion may befall others. Sodom was destroyed, but Lot was saved. Jericho was destroyed, but Rahab was saved. Without, to-day, the flood of evil prevails. Christ is the true ark of safety. Come into Him, and you shall outride the storms of life, and land at last on the shining hills of glory, in the enjoyment of a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. iiMjuiuini i 'i ! iW) i 'm-rnvmi r IX. WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL? ftgaiaatiiitfaKM'iMWMWnw" >■>, IX. WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL? Thk account of the Tower of Babel is found in the eleventh chapter of Genesis and the first nine verses Reference is made several times in the preceding chapter to the division of the race into various settlements; the narrative now before us explains the divisions of the race and the diver- sities of the languages there assumed. This division and diversity resulted from the project of building the temple and tower of Babel, and of God's displeasure with the purpose of the people. In harmony with tlic method often employed by inspired writers, the dispersion of the people is first mentioned, and then the cause of that dis- persion is fully described. . u It is quite certain that the early fathers of the human family, after the deluge, wandered about for some time without any fixed place of abode; but it was also quite certain that they could not always live a nomadic life. Gregariousness is an inseparable instinct of humanity; this tendency of human nature is shown to-day in the desire for city life. It thus comes to pass that the popula- tion of our great cities is increasing at the ex- 148 OLD TESTAMENT PIEEICULTIES. nen.c cf rural p.nMiUUions. This tendency ts seen [n all the countries of the KU.bc Ur.t.sh and Continental cities are Krowin, almost as nnudly as arc the most enterprising cties m Amcnca. In harmonv with this ancient an.l un.versal m- stinct the descendants of Noah finally made a pe - „,,nent residence in the land of ^h^nar. Shjm. was the ancient name of Babylonta or Lha d..a ,, ,he tract of land in later times c^e o be known. This was a great alluvial distnc through which the Tigris and Euphrates flowed before reaching the sea. This country was „.arked by the absence of stone for bmldmg ma- terial, but it was fam us for the excellence of the brick there made, and for the sUme that was uled for mortar. U was known also for Us textile fabrics; the "goodly Babylonish ^-;";^'"\ f Joshua vii. . . , which proved a snare to Achan was a " garment of Shinar. " This country is probably to be identified with the Sumer or the Shumer of the cuneiform inscriptions, and so a name denot W the southern portion of the " land of he Cha^- dLs." The name usually includes the whole . nch and populous alluvial plain to ^^^ ence has been made, reachmg from the Persian Gulf to a point north of the modern Bagdad, a little more than two hundred miles. ;!ri" '--■^-^'■^"-"''''^'^ '-!■'«'**■ cncy is seen Hritish and t as rajjicUy n America, nivcrsal in- made a per- uir. Shinar or Chaldica, came to be vial district irates flowed country was building ma- ,>llence of the me that was for its textile garment" of to Achan, was ry is probably he Shtmier of I name denot- id of the Chal- :lcs the whole o which refer- in the Persian em Bagdad, a PUKl'OSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL, 149 "One Lip." Up to the time mentioned in the Scriptxire under consideration the people had remained to- gether, speaking one language. We arc told that they were, to render the words literally, "of one lip and of words one" ; that is, they employed one kind or stock of words. They also developed one kind of civilization. As the lip is the principal organ in the utterance of words, the word saphah, lip is here employed, although a fre(iuent Scrip- ture term for language is Icshon, tongue. The confusion of the lip is probably a change in the pronunciation of words, and this change will ac count for the babel, or confusion, which took place at this time. Tlie people finding a home in the rich plain of Shinar, the derivation suggesting its name as the land of " the two rivers," they de- termined t(i build a city and tower of great height. All ancient authorities and modern travellers affirm that building material was easy to find m this valley. The people, therefore, proceeded to burn bricks, " burning them to a burning." that is, burning them thoroughly, and to use slime or bitumen for mortar. Bricks were often dried simply by the sun, but these heroic builders wished to secure the most durable material, and 80 they thoroughly burned the bricks. The Scripture narrative teaches us that God interposed and frustrated all their plans, and this mterposi- 1 I h I'i 150 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. tion was brought about by the introduction of hopeless confusion into thetr lanugage. They were thus unable longer to -derstand one an- other They therefore " left off to build the e ty Tn'l soon wL scattered abroad on the face of he , earth This remarkable circumstance gave rise to the word babel, perhaps meaning confusion. This name the Greeks corrupted mto Babylon, :r aUhTugh originally applied cmly to the Tower of Babel, it was afterward extended to the eity of Babylon which grew up about the tower; and L'dly it was extended to the whole provmce of B:;yLnia. We thus see that God did not intend that men should always remain in a limited loca - ity and should speak only one language. Per- hlps the account here given will not explain fully he origin of languages; but it is at least sugges- Le of elements which entered into that ori^n and into the conceptions of the times of the writer regarding the diversity of speech Some Tould derive the word Babel ^^orn Bnt.I.^^ in, "the gate of the god.- This is m substance the story as found on the inspired page. It is l!^.:l:/in a dramatic manner and with rare " poetic beauty. Ethnic Traditions. The Chaldean traditions state that the first • „.en became proud of their great strength and raised a tower reaching toward heaven .n the place where Babylon afterward stood. They ^FICULTIES. the introduction of ir lanugage. They understand one an- M to build the city," Lid on the face of the cumstance gave rise meaning confusion, •uptcd into Babylon, ied only to the Tower ctended to the city of .bout the tower; and he whole province of at God did not intend ;ain in a limited local- one language. Per- L will not explain fully It it is at least sugges- ered into that origin, of the times of the •sity of speech. Some ,el from Bab-iltt, mean- This is in substance ; inspired page. It is oanner and with rare EDITIONS. ns state that the first eir great strength and toward heaven in the iterward stood. They PURPOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL. 15^ State also that the gods, assisted by fierce winds, hurled the building down upon the heads of the builders, and that out of the material thus col- lected the city of Babylon was built. These tra- ditions harmonize with the Bible narrative m say- ing that before this event all the people spoke one language, but after it they differed widely in their tongues. Greek traditions are in substantial harmony with those of Chald^a. Plato makes the uniformity extend to animals as well as to men in the golden age. Perhaps the advance of linguistic science will yet enable us to understand the language of animals, as these traditions affirm concerning the early period of human history. Plato also echoes other parts of the Bible story in saving tha>^ nen in their unholy ambition aspired to' immortality, and that they were punished by Tupiter, who utterly confounded their language. Attention has also been called to the fact that in the account of the wars of the Titans against the aods we clearly see traces of the traditionary re- semblances to the narrative in the Bible concern- ing Babel. Other traditions associate these events with Nimrod, a "bold, bad man," who strove ^o alienate the minds of the people from God, and to build a tower too high for the waters ever to reach its top. This he did, the traditions affirm in order to take revenge for the punishment of the deluge. But this explanation for the cause of the erection of Babel is very unsatisfactory. We know that the people could not have feared an- 15a OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Other deluge, for God had given an express prom- ise to the contrary; and if another deluge should come, they must have known that no tower they could build would protect them, as the waters went over the highest hills in the parts sub- ™ sTve^ral writers on this subject remind us that it was long oelieved that the native Babylonmn records contained references to the tower of Babe and the confusion of speech ; and, it is stated, that recently such a record has been discovered Mr^ George Smith brought a number of clay tab ets from Babylonia and deposited them in the British Museum, and among them is one, "^fo'^t";;;^^^ ^ badly mutilated, but still sufficiently legible to show that it probably contained the Babylonian account of this whole deeply interestmg history. Herodotus, in simple and graphic language, de- scribes the building of the walls of Babylon m ex- pressions which remind us of the Biblical narra- tive of the building of the tower of Babel. In both narratives there is a reference to the excel- lent building materials which the Babylonian soil furnishes in such abundance. Bitumen pits are still found from which bitumen bubbles up, and which can be readily manufactured into cement for use in buildings at the present day It is known that in some parts of southern Califorma there is soil containing materials not unlike those - found in the alluvial plain of Babylon. The tablets found in the British Museum state that the il^iiMiw .- j'.f i' I'r— ^rf ''I'i" '-^"-^ 'ES. press protn- uge shotild tower they the waters parts sub- lind us that Babylonian fiGX of Babel ; stated, that vered. Mr. clay tablets n the British nfortunately y legible to ! Babylonian ting history, anguage, de- abylon in ex- iblical narra- )f Babel. In to the excel- abylonian soil inien pits are bbles up, and i into cement tit day. It is em California 3t unlike those labylon. The a state that the PURPOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL. i53 tower was erected under the supervise .-^ of a semi- divine being called Etanna. In Central America there are traditions similar to the story of the tower of Babel. Xelhua, one of the seven giants rescued from the deluge, so the tradition aflirms, attempted to storm heaven and oppose all the crods and so he built the great pyramid of Cholula But in this case also the gods interposed, destroyed the tower with fire, and utterly confounded the language of the builders. In northern India traces of similar legends are found; and even among certain African tribes Dr. Livingstone met with traditions possessing features similar to the narrative in the Bible. There are also Australian legends regarding the origin of the diversity o speech kindred to those already named. All these traditions point ^ • . original ^storic inci- dent; they tend to cor^- oir faith in the Bible narrative. They are . .. o .uent as to the orig- inal unity of the race and the reaUty of the divine purpose in its dispersion. Reasons for Building the Tower. It is clearly shown in the sacred narrative that the design of the builders was threefold. They wished to make a name ; this is distinctly stated in Genesis xi. 4- A tower is simply another name for a citadel, or place of defence. This reason for the building of the tower sets aside a great many foolish conjectures as to its design. Th'. «S4 OLD TESTAMENT DI EEICV I.TIES. ir't i primary object was to transmit an illustrious name for jjrand desij^ns and heroic enterprises. The project had reference to some warlike move- ments which would enable the people to defend thcmsclvcn ayainst insurrections, and probably to enforce an unholy despotism. Nimrod was prob- ably the leader, and he was one of the first who is recorded to have attempted the exercise of des- potic power over his fellow-men. A second reason was an ambition to erect a structure which in itself should challen-e attention and evoke admiration. A third reason is that the people might not be scattered abroad. The Bible gives no intimation whatever that the tower was built for the purpose of escaping another flood. The great height of the tower would make it a rallying point in the level plains where it was located. In these wide and level plains this was an object of great practical importance, as there are few ob- jects to guide the traveller in his journeys, the plains being virtually a vast sea of land. In the simple fact that the people did not wish to be scattered abroad they were opposing God's pur- pose as several times declared. It is quite cer- tain that some unworthy motives and ungodly ambitions were blended with the desire of the people to remain together. There is much in this desire which elicits our commendation, but we must see that the conduct of the people evinced pride, arrogance, and disobedience against God. They were forcing a conspiracy to establish a uni- II I I ..y:!^:"--'''^^-^-^-^ ■t,..jy..Mi^.aai wninr tiifTriift»'>.{ f-:s. illustrious iitcrprises. like move- to defend )robably to 1 was prob- irst who is ise of des- A second ture which and evoke the people Bible gives r was built lood. The t a rallying seated. In in object of are few ob- urneys, the nd. In the wish to be God's pur- 1 quite cer- id ungodly sire of the nuch in this on, but we pie evinced Sfainst God. iblish a uni- PURPOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL. 155 versal temporal monarchy. God intended that the people should spread themselves abroad, and they attempted to defeat the purpose of God in this regard. They resolved to establish a civihza- tion of their own; they planned to build society, not upon faith in an unseen God, but on lofty brick walls and sky-kissing towers. Thy were believers in a merely material civilization. Their work was an offspring of an unholy ambition. Philo narrates a tradition that each man wrote his name on a brick which was to be placed m the structure. The same tendency is seen to-day. Men strive to shut out God from personal, family, and national life. They talk simply of law, of culture, and of civilization, ignoring God and spiritual and eternal things. God will in some form confound their plans as surely as He did those of the builders on the plains of Shinar. God can overrule and frustrate the ambitious dreams of the Nimrods, the Nebuchadnezzars, the Alex- anders, the Cssars, and the Napoleons of all cen- turies, countries, and civilizations. The Original Language. We do not know what the original language was which was confounded at Babel. For a long time it was claimed that it was the Hebrew, biit that idea has now been largely abandoned. Learned men have not yet reached any satisfac- tory conclusion regarding the original tongue. SilBaJMJUUW*'- V.,1 W-w ,J6 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Some suppose that it is entirely '-'• " ^^ have been the Hebrew or the Arama c We tao« that the Aramaic was long dommant in *« '""'^ of he Euphrates, and that it is closely alUed o tie Hebrew, these two facts make a strong plea n favor of Ihe Aramaic, or Chaldee, as the ve^ lansuage of Noah, or at least as belongmg to the I'e family of languages as that »hieh ^^ 'P" =; Enthusiastic Highland Scotchmen "<= «""'; "^"^^ vinced that the language of Adam --\f-^^^^_ none other than the Gaelic, and some of the argu mcnts which they use in the attempt to estab ,sh rhispoTnt are, to say the least, most suggestive Indswlg. This, however, is a point regardrng thich scholarship has not yet reached any defi lite conclusion. The science of comparat.ve pin- "ology has in recent years made tremendous preg- ress It has enabled us to determine the relat.ons 'bXeen the Sa.„n and the Norman, and between the conquering Aryans in India and the many conquered tribes in that «'-' P-"'* ,\"* ' „ay yet enable us to determme w.th some degree Tf certainty the language which was spoken Wore ' . the confusion of tongues and the disperston of the ;'o;es occurred. God will -ntual y use *e Ichlrship of the world 'or th^/-^; *! ^'^^^^ the salvation of men, and the honor of Jesus Christ. ] ES. t. It may We know n the valley ;ly allied to strong plea as the very iging to the :h he spoke. ; firmly con- d Noah was of the argu- to establish it suggestive int regarding hed any defi- iparative phi- lendous prog- ! the relations , and between nd the many linsula, and it ti some degree spoken before spersion of the tually nse the ry of the Bible, lonor of Jesus PUXFOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL, ^57 The Modern Representative ok Babel. This historic tower is mentioned only once in Scripture, in the passage now under review. Was f v'er c;mpleted. Ml the indications confirm us in believing that it was not; perhaps it never advanced much beyond its founda^ons. The Jewish tradition is that fire fell from Heaven and put the tower into fragments. It is believea ^Lever. that the "Tower of ^;^^^"^^-^^^^, site of the original tower of Babel. Classical :!! in describing Babylon ^^^^^^^^^^ a tower-like building which they call The Tern ^le ^r Tomb of Belus." This structure is de- Libed by Herodotus, and is probably represent- scnucu ;- ^^ RJrs-Nimrud " ; some writers ed by the modern Birs-iNimruu , .„. in this connection speak of what was called The Temple of the Seven Lights of the Earth, dedi- VZ to Nebo at Borsippa, a suburb of Babylon. This structure was completed in the reign of Ne- lu hadne..ar. When he conquered Jerusalem he put its captured treasures in the temple of Be at Clon. When the Jews were carried cap- into Babylonia they saw in many of the great buildings reminders of the tower mentioned in th'ir scriptures. Christian travellers were accus- tomed to call any great mass of rums The Tower of Babel." There was long a consensus of opjn- ion among the learned that Bi-N-rud, or Tow- er of Nimrod. was the tower of Babel, and it is BliTfiMitiii ,58 Ol.n TESTAMENT DIFFICVl.TIES. nnw Dretty generally agreed that it at tet is a now preuj t . ' .,„ri<,nt Baby oman . good reprei«.ntat.ve of an ■J""""' " \ ^ temple-tower. Dr. William Hayes Ward of New Trk a, the head of the Wolfe exped.fon had Uphotographed by Mr. J. H, Haynes, and Dr^ 'k'rd hfs f'lly described this "sto- -n. «^ , i, disposed to regard the story ,n G''"^" ^f" nteresting illustration of folklore; bnt h,s de- s^rp on and illustrations tend t°. -"«™ '^'^ Ithof the story. The building •^"'■ *^^;; •,i Its Rrst basement stage is an exact "' „ f"et eaohway, ^<, feethigh; the second :r:r:fe::r:ay, aid the third .s8 feet. It thus decreases in width as it increases in height, it hiJeen recently conjectured that the upper It has nee ^ ^^ „bserva- portions of this tower moi Ly for astronomical observations. It .s we^l Inlwn that the Babylonians we. en., .tu- rrt^r:— ^"----fh'^""' r-ilcondncivetothec.e.,.^^^^^^ r:p^eT;"2nof';Hs tower were used by the priest?: Seeping-places in the summer-t^e a^ they cave greater coolness and greater freedom tm'insecS than the lower ^-ries furn^ed^ Ml travellers ^^^^f^ Z^Tf.C^^^ ::rv:rr:::o:tr:«ect of great, heat Tthey are vitriSed. It is a fire-blasted pile and Sr^t and fragmentary. Its dreary aspect ha» -IBS. at least is a Babylonian . rard, of New jedition, had nes, and Dr. ic ruin. He Jenesis as an but his de- confirm the is an oblique ; is an exact h; the second . 1 88 feet. It ases in height, hat the upper IS an observa- 18. It is well ■e earnest stu- ivation of this he broad plains tudy of this en- L suggested that ere used by the ummer-time, as greater freedom ories furnished, nass of ruins is at of the desert ct of great heat, j-blasted pile and Ireary aspect has PURPOSE OF THE TOWEK OF BABEL. '59 M to its being called ■• Nebuel.ul«e..ar s 1 n»n^ The entire neighborhootl .ml.cates *.t hero there was some signal overthrow- m fortner t.me. Perha^.s the vitrifieation is a justilleatton of the frlditL that the tower was blasted by the hght- nCofHeaven. The pyramidal temples o "*« L'ntries make belief in this great tower o^>- less diffieult. All who have v'^'^'l J;«'° ;■ '" India are familiar with a tower whteh wdl at atr'snggest that of Babel-the Tower at Tan- ore it is built entirely ct stone, and on >ts top aehapel or temple whose design is m ha^mo^y •,h that of other sacred structtircs m India. ;;'e I'ate of these pagodas always fronts the Tsf they are generally on the banks of great TCLa are usually surrounded by courts. ?he Ireat Mexican pyramid is -t--';- "^ Tat of Taniore. These pyramids show the ten- dency of former days in different parts of the world and among various peoples. God's Purpose m THF. Dispersion OK Rack. _ It was the purpose of God that the three primi- tivermlies =hLd migrate. From the central relrwhere they developed their first cmhza. tons they went out by successive eolomzatrons Id 'soon they established .^f-t eo— Marvellously interesting is it to trace God s hand ta he boundaries and characteristics of varrous lions. The Hamitie. the Semitic, and the Ja- t<9 OLD TESTAMF.NT DIFFICULTIES. photic tad e»ch it» work to do, and it» triumph, to achieve. The sons of Japheth were men o resS^tless will and tireless muscle. Westward and northward they pushed, and 1-/ ^J^, ;='^"™ the authors of Greek literature, of Roman gov- ernment, of modern Europe, and of marvel o..s America. This ~^^ "^ ^^ nlan for saving man physicau>. \ rl can long hold its own. The nat.ve Hawa.- ians must speedily die or unite w.th sotne other r-iccs The modern Frenchman has .n h.s vems rblood of the Celt, the Frank and the Nor. man and he is better than either one alone. "„ "lie veins of the modern Briton are the com- mingling streams of the blood of many nat.ons; Tnd the modern Briton is marching to the ends "thl earth, carrying with him law, liberty, c,v,l. i.ati„n, and Christianity. The Amenean of the future will be an amalgam of many nat.ons; and h tugM to be the noblest product of eiv,l,.at.o„ and Christianity which the world has yet seen^ America deserves the best from all the nat.ons o L earth. The worst nations of -"-crn E.-p' should no longer be permitted to dump their ref use populations on our American shores. Lessons. There is great danger that we may still mani- fest the spin^of the builders of Babel Men are S under the power o£ unholy ambmons and LTIES. d its iriumphs were men of Westward and ly they became f Roman gov- i of marvellous races is (lod's No unmixed native Hawai- rith some other iias in his veins :, and the Nor- ;her one alone. ,n are the com- f many nations; ing to the ends iw, liberty, civil- American of the my nations ; and ict of civilization Id has yet seen, all the nations of southern Europe dump their ref- a shores. PURPOSE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL. l6l material civilizations. Clod should be the guide of every life, (iod should be the senior partner of every business. It is daring impiety which leaves God out of our plans for life. The church of Jesus Christ had its natal day on the day of Pentecost, and Pentecost is the counterpart of Babel. Pentecost made it possible for the messengers of the cross to go to the ends of the earth with the message of the Ciospel of salvation. Babel made men in some sense aliens ; Pentecost aims to make all men brothers. In the Fatherhood of God we have the true brotherhood of man. The church calls us to labor as Iniilders of the true city of God. Its living stones are ce- mented together by the unity of the faith. The city we are building has enduring foundations, and its top will finally reach to Heaven. In Heaven there is one language, one life, one love. God hasten the blessed consummation when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ! . It ire may still mani- • Babel. Men are )ly ambitions and ■■ r 4 - . ! ? . ' - ' -.' .- ' " ' J^-"t^*"" m J». X. WAS LOT WISE IN PITCHING HIS ThNT TOWARD SODOM? b nit I i r'l « •41' 1' MUmtiUim X. WAS LOT WISE IN PITCHING HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM? In Genesis, the thirteenth chapter and a part of the twelfth verse, we read concerning Lot that he " pitched his tent toward Sodom. ' ' Did he act wisely in so doing? The story suggested by these words is full of interest and instruction. It opens with associative glimpses into family life of the ancient time. We here see how in private life there are op- portunities of displaying a rare heroism and a fine chivalry. We shall observe in studying this nar- rative that common events may reveal selfishness or generosity of character, and may be made an occasion for developing the noblest qualities of manhood and the broadest principles of godliness. This ancient story shows us how true religion beautifies and glorifies domestic life, and how the lowliest duties may manifest the loftiest quahties in human action. Lot's Namf and Family. His name means a covering or a veil. He was the son of Haran, and so the nephew of Abram His grandfather was Terah. About two thousand 41 v i' ' i66 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. years before Christ he removed with his grand- father to Haran in Mesopotamia. There Terah died aged two hundred and five years. About a year later, in company with Abraham, Lot came , into the land of Canaan. In consequence of a famine, he went with Abram and Sarai mto ^ Egypt; soon after he returned to the southern part of Canaan, and then went to the region of Bethel and Ai, where Abram built his first altar . and called upon the name of Jehovah. We shall get a true conception of Lot's character and his- tory by a series of pictures representmg both, at which we may now look. First Picture. We have before us Lot making a selfish choice of the best pastures. This is a most instructive picture. In the background are seen the herds- men of Lot engaged in strife with the herdsmen of Abram. Still farther in the background are seen the Canaanite and the Perizzite who still dwelled in the land; and in the f°-ground are seen the noble Abram and the selfish Let. The presence of the heathen in the land ought to have warned the herdsmen of the danger of their family quarrels. But the spirit of rivalry and jealousy broke forth, notwithstanding the danger to which it subjected both Abram and Lot. They went down into Egypt poor, and they now return rich. The Hebrew words translated " very rich hteral- TIES. h his grand- rhere Terah rs. About a m, Lot came equence of a a Sarai into the southern :he region of lis first altar ih. We shall icter and his- nting both, at WAS LOT WISE? 167 I selfish choice 3St instructive een the herds- the herdsmen ackground are zzite who still foreground are fish Lot. The d ought to have r of their family ry and jealousy ianger to which )t. They went low return rich, ery rich" literal- ly mean exceedingly heavy. The term rich is, of course, a relative one, and judged by British or American standards a wealthy Arab sheik would be considered poor. The wealth of these emirs consisted mostly in flocks of sheep and goats, and in camels. Their increased flocks made herbage in the vicinity of Bethel too scanty for their accom- modation. Behold the two men standing on one of the round swelling hills near Bethel! So far as we can discover, there is no strife between them ; it is limited to their herdsmen. But Abram was sagacious enough to foresee that these jar- ring jealousies would increase more and more, and might finally cause an estrangement between him and his nephew. These two men stand look- ing out over the empty land in the direction of Sodom. The land before them is beaut^ 'ul to the eye ; it is well watered— literally it was " all a- wa- tering "—showing the fertilizing effect which irrigation by various streams produced. The language of the Scripture at this point is verv striking. The land is as beautiful as the wonderfully green Egypt which they had just left, and beautiful even as the garden of Jeho- vah, whose superhuman charms still lingered in the thought of the time. Abram gave Lot his choice. Through the clear air of Palestine the distant valley could clearly be seen. It has been well remarked that we are here reminded of the choice of Hercules, as described in Gre- cian legend, and of the turning back of the l68 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. prophet from Damascus as represented in the fables of Islam. Abram here treats Lot as if they were really brethren, instead of uncle and nephew. The prospect was fascinating in the ^ extreme, and Lot could not resist its attractions. He chose all the plain of Jordan; he journeyed east he pitched his tent toward Sodom, and he separated from his noble uncle. The conduct of Abram was eminently considerate; it was gener- ous almost to a fault. Not only was he the se- nior and superior of the two, but he was especially called of God to lordship in the land. The con- duct of Lot was selfish and covetous to a remark- able degree. His finer feelings were deadened, and he assumed enormous risk in going toward Sodom, because of its well-known character for the practice of abominable evils. This picture makes a powerful appeal to the imagination. We shall later see that Lot paid an enormous price for his rich pastures. We ought always to remember, when we yield to the gratifi- cation of the moment, that there is a to-mor- row with which we must reckon. The people of Sodom were not only wicked, but desperately wicked; they were high-handed and heaven-dar- ing sinners. Yet Lot chose their neighborhood for the sake of its temporal advantage. It may be that the word translated toward means at, or in the vicinity of, Sodom; but it is not quite in Sodom. Choices reveal character. A man is really what his choice declares his inner life to TIES. jnted in the ts Lot as if of uncle and ating in the s attractions, le journeyed odotn, and he le conduct of it was gener- as he the se- was especially ,d. The con- s to a remark- ere deadened, going toward character for appeal to the at Lot paid an es. We ought 1 to the gratifi- 2 is a to-mor- The people of ut desperately nd heaven-dar- • neighborhood titage. It may y-d means at, or is not quite in ^r. A man is is inner life to WAS LOT WISE? 169 be. The man who prefers pebbles to diamonds manifests insanity. The man who chooses a tem- porary earthly good and rejects eternal and spir- itual things is morally insane. So Lot chose. He removed his tent from place to place, but grad- ually he approaches Sodom. Perhaps he intended to keep at some distance from this perilous place; but still he goes imperceptibly onward. He nears this sink of corruption. He treads the borders of forbidden ground. So men trifle to-day with evil; so they parley with the devil. They lie on the bank of the nar- row stream dividing right from wrong. They do not intend to cross that stream; but they love to look upon the blooming flowers and to breathe the pleasant odors of the forbidden land. Things inevitably follow their tendencies. If these men do not quickly change their course both they and Lot will be in Sodom. " Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Second Picture. We next find Lot, together with the inhabitants of Sodom, made a prisoner by Chedorlaomer. Let us quickly get the salient features of this picture. Chedorlaomer came from beyond the Euphrates; he was king of Elam, in Persia. He was the leader of the several allied kings, who invaded Canaan. He had already brought a number of small states under tribute, and among iSm i I I'J 1' li ,70 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. these were the five cities in the region of the Dead Sea. These states were impatient undc, their burden of tribute, and finally they wtthhe d its payment. This led to the invasion of the country, and to the ravaging visitation of the ^hole Country south and east of the Jordan^ , Soon the kings of the plains were defeated and carried away as slaves, as was the custom of the times. Lot was included in this unfortunate num- ber of slaves. He had cast in his lot with these people, and he must share with them ^ their ev fortune. This is part of the price which he is paying for his good pastures. Behold him now borne off . a slave in the power of his cruel cap- *° Nobly does the character of generous Abram appear'n this crisis in the life of Lot. Abram heard of his misfortune and hastened to his rescue The brave uncle immediately armed three hundred and eighteen ^^.^^^ -tainerS-a fact that shows he was a sheik of wealth and power-and joined by three friendly Amorit^h chiefs he pursued the returning invaders. Near the fountains of the Jordan he overtook them as they fled in haste. Some of his allies attacked the enemies by night on the one side and some on the other; and soon they were thrown into utter confusion and fled in hopeless dismay. On, on over the hills went the brave Abram and his heroic men in hot pursuit until they reached the neighborhood of Damascus. They then returned ^h .ii. ii i n ummm* TIES. :gion of the latient under ley withheld ision of the ation of the the Jordan, defeated and istom of the )rtimate num- ot with these n in their evil 2 which he is lold him now his cruel cap- lerous Abram Lot. Abram LStened to his diately armed is retainers — a of wealth and ndly Amoritish ivaders. Near ertook them as ; allies attacked side, and some ;re thrown into iS dismay. On, Abram and his ley reached the y then returned WAS LOT wrsF.? 171 victorious, carrying back the men and the proper- ty seized by the invaders. Doubtless Lot's sad plight influenced Abram to undertake this ex- ploit ; but in delivering Lot he conferred signal benefits on many tribes and peoples; and, as a result, his courage and wisdom were greatly honored throughout the land. It was while on his return from this successful expedition that he was met by Melchizedek, king of Salem, and priest of the most high God. . » _ Abram might have kept, according to the usa- ges of war, then and there, and in many parts of the Orient still, the recovered goods; and the king of Sodom, who met the victors in the val- ley near Salem, freely admitted this right. But Abram, with a truly noble spirit toward men and a loyal devotion toward God, refused the goods, saying: "I have lifted up mine hand unto Jeho- vah, the most high God, and I will not take from a thread to a sandal-thong, lest thou shouldst say, I have made Abram rich." These are stir- ring words; they thrill our hearts to this hour. These heroic achievements and generous senti- ments gave Abram much deserved celebrity in Canaan. The people owed their deliverance to Abram, and even Lot, for his uncle's sake, must have received some respect and gratitude. But the Sodomites were so besotted, corrupt, and bestial as. to have few sentiments of gratitude or generosity above the level of their degraded in- stincts and sensualized desires. ,7. OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. m^' . 1 . Thirp Picture. We now find Lot actually living in Sodom. He i, now married, and probably he found h,, w.fe „ Sodom. That was a l>ad place ,n which to find Twifc Better never be married than marry m , Sodom! Were there no other women whom Ije could have chosen? Had hi» own tastes already be le degraded. Nothin,^ more surely suggests fma" s measure, intellectual and spirttua , than ?hTw"fe he chooses. Marriage should be the out- eomTof the deepest choice and the noblest amm. Tn it should be the wisest act of li e and the fX'st proof of divine guidance. Think of marry- ng a woman in Sodom! This name through a he ages has been the symbol of all that ts v, lest „ human relations. Abram's nephew marned to rlman of Sodom! Soon there are tn h,s house- hold sons and daughters marrtageable and mar ried One would have thought that he would have had more sense, a nobler ambifon, and a truer piety than so to marry. He is now a well- known resident of the town ; he is a leader m tts asTrs All these sad results have come rom ;Uch nghistent toward Sodom. His family later Showed the degrading influences of the socal at- rnosrtere in which they lived. Lot .s paymg a "rfbly high price for his good pastures. Men rke a fearful mistake when for the sake of bus. ness prosperity they knowingly form partnerships wil bad men, and willingly subject themselves to "fl^ mmm^imm WAS LOT WISE? 173 TIES. Sodom. He lund his wife which to find lian marry in len whom he tastes already Lirely suggests spiritual, than ild be the out- : noblest ambi- .£ life, and the 'hink of marry- ne through all 1 that is vilest ihew married to re in his house- eable and mar- that he would tnbition, and a e is now a well- is a leader in its lave come from His family later of the social at- Lot is paying a pastures. Men the sake of busi- orm partnerships ject themselves to moral dangers in their choice of a residence. No man has a right to assume these terrtble risks.^ God help us to avoid even the appearance of evil . Fourth Picture. Behold Lot a judge in Sodom. This is the rabbinical tradition, and there are hints m Scripture looking in this direction In Genesis xix . we read of Lot as sitting in the gate of So- dom He had thus thoroughly identified himself with the city and its people. In ancient times and cities the gates were the chie places of^ re- sort There social intercourse took place, there pleasant recreations were enjoyed, there the mar- kets were held, there public affairs were discussed, and there courts of justice held their sessions. All these things brought great concourses of peo- ple to the gate. Modern Arabs and other Orien- tal people still flock to the gates of the towns and cities- there the news of the day is heard, and all tins of social life are enjoyed. The Jewish commentators, as already suggested, understand the reference to Lot's sitting at the gate as im- plying that he exercised the authority of a mag- Tstrate. The elders of the cities in those early days readily became the acknowledged judges in civil affairs. Lot was now a comparatively old man; he was a resident of long standing m Sodom. He was acknowledged to be a leader m business and in social life ; his ^--^^ ^^^^^^^^ and his social relations are in Sodom. Mrs. Lot. ..MMMMMPli 174 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. it is fair to assume, was also a reco,tfnizecl social leader in the best or worst circles of society in Sodom. The youn^^ ladies of the family were possibly the belles of the town. It is an awful thing for a man to begin by pitching his tent toward Sodom ; there are ten chances to one that he will end by landing in Sodom. It is an un- speakably foolish thing to put one's head into the lion's mouth. One day the lion will close his mouth, and there will be a headless man at the menagerie or circus. Often the best way to over- come temptation is to avoid temptation. It is mockery of God to pray, " Lead us not into temp- tation," and then recklessly run into temptation. God help us to avoid pitching our tent toward Sodom! Fifth Picture. Behold Lot thoroughly humiliated while enter- taining heavenly visitors. He still preserves in the midst of the licentious corruptions of Sodom some of the nobler qualities of a generous hospi- tality. Behold him inviting those heavenly visi- tors to turn in .ad tarry all night in his house. We see the water brought for the dusty feet of the tired travellers ; we sec bread offered them for their hunger ; we witness all the rites of a chival- rous hospitality, even as these mysterious way- farers had enjoyed the hospitality of Abram that very morning on the heights of Hebron. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews does not fail I. TIES. Jtjnizecl social of scciety in ; family were it is an awful :hin}^ his tent ;cs to one that It is an iin- ; head into the will close his ss man at the it way to over- ptation. It is not into temp- to temptation, ir tent toward 2d while enter- 1 preserves in ions of Sodom enerous hospi- heavenly visi- : in his house, le dusty feet of Tered them for tes of a chival- lysterious way- of Abram that Hebron. The vs does not fail WAS LOT WISE? «7S to mention with commendation this charming trait. The Apostle Peter tells us that Lot's righteous soul was vexed, wearied, burdened, from day to day by the filthy conversation and unlawful deeds of his fellow-townsmen. God did indeed keep him from the grosser contaminations of his neighbors; for the Lord knowcth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. Lot was in some sense a just man in the midst of a mob of lawless, sensual, and utterly abominable neigh- bors. But a greater trial than ever before is now in store for him. We have seen him extending the hospitality of his tent to his heavenly visitants. They are the avenging angels sent to destroy guilty Sodom. The news of their arrival is noised about the town; the brutal men of Sodom surround the house of Lot and make a demand for the strangers. Their purpose has made the name of Sodom a synonym for infamy throughout all the ages. The demand is resisted ; the house is attacked ; and then the angels, thus having a fearful illustration of the wickedness which they came to punish, struck the worse than beastly men with blindness. The Hebrew word trans- lated blindness is bassanvcrim ; this word liter- ally means with " dazzled blindnesses." We have the original word only here and in 2 Kings vi. 18, where a similar effect was produced on the Syrian army in answer to Elisha's prayer. In both cases a confused vision, such as is caused by '1 ,ll 176 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. vertigo of the brain, resulted. Still these satanic Sodomites madly persisted in their abommable purpose. Think of bringing up a family in such a social atmosphere! Truly T.ot was paying a high price for his good pastures. Truly the Sodomites were ripe for the judgment whtch was about to fall upon them from God. Ltttle d d they think that vengeance was so near. Men are still fascinated by evil; they are still ^Hnd to the coming of God's judgments. Lot is now told that Sodom will be destroyed, and he is i.rged to flee with his family from the doomed place. Sixth Piciure. Behold Lot in the midst of all the horrors attending the destruction of Sodom. This is a fearful picture; it is impossible to paint its colors too vividly. The angels promised deliverance to Lot's daughters who had married in Sodom but they scorned the offer of mercy. Hastened by the angels. Lot. his wife, and two unmarried daughters, start for a place of safety. His wife lingered, looked lovingly backward, and was soon covered with an incrustation from the saline storm See him and his daughters hastening to Zoar- This was the smallest of the cities of the plain; and to ai?ord him a place of relief it had been spared. In a cavern in the mountains he and they abode for some time. Well had it been for him if he had remained with Abram. All his property is gone, several of his family are gone. IVAS LOT WISE? »77 I. TTES. 11 these Satanic •ir abominable family in such was paying a s. Truly the lent which was )d. Little did near. Men are till blind to the is now told that s urged to flee place. all the horrors lorn. This is a paint its colors id deliverance to a in Sodom, but 7. Hastened by two unmarried safety. His wife ird, and was soon from the saline iters hastening to the cities of the e of relief it had mountains he and 11 had it been for Abram. All his 1 family are gone, his wife is gone, and soon his honor and that of his daughters will go. Terrible is the price which Lot paid for his good pastures! Skvk.nth Picturk. One wishes to draw a veil over this picture and forever to hide the later scenes of Lot's life. Only the barest outlines of this picture can be given. Already the taint of Sodom is manifested in Lot's daughters. They are dishonored, and he is unconsciously degraded. Thus sprang the Moabitcs and the Ammonites. Many attempts at excusing this transaction have been made; but apology for it is impossible. Charity covers it with a mantle. Lot's preservation is alluded to by our Lord, and his character is honored in certain respects by the Apostle Peter. The Mohammedan tradi- tions affirm that he went to Sodom as a preacher of righteousness. They still point out his grave east of Hebron. The names of Lot and Sodom are still associated with the sins which are said to be still the most common in Eastern cities. Lessons. We see the terrible depravity of which human nature is capable. The phrase " total depravity" is not found in the Bible, but it sometimes seems as if the thing itself is found in certain circles of human life. It is often a slander on animals to call some men brutes. God alone can fully see 12 liiil' m m % f 1 . 178 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. the terrible depths of sin to which human souls may fall. There is constant need that we watch and pray that we do not ourselves fall. Sinners are often most reckless when their hour of doom is nearest. The men of Sodom showed their great wickedness in the presence of God's avenging angels. Men little know now how near the cloud of wrath may be whose thunderbolts the prayeis of some saints are warding off from their hearts. We see that God can preserve His saints from the worst forms of contaminations even in fear- fully sinful environments; but men ought not needlessly to expose themselves to danger. What right has a reformed man to go into saloons? The tinkle of glasses and the odors of liquors may set his appetite aflame as with the fires of hell. It is a most dangerous thing for some persons to go " slumming. " A noble physician will not hesi- tate to go to a home whose atmosphere is laden with malaria. A true minister, in like manner, will go where the germs of moral malaria fill the air ; but even he ought to be very sure that it is God who calls for the visit, and that God calls him, and not some one else, to make the visit. Let us all remember, not only Lot's wife, but Lot's selfish choice and fearful fate. God help us to avoid the very appearance of evil, and to turn our face and direct our steps evermore toward truth, purity, Christ, and Heaven! I -i.n i riiiM ii n ni n iii j ii ^ it^/gm^if m W.W' vw nt n i- w wi»!i ■■» »i DIFFICULTIES. vhich human souls may sed that we watch and ives fall. Sinners are their hour of doom is am showed their great ce of God's avenging ow how near the cloud underbolts the prayeis off from their hearts, jserve His saints from inations even in fear- ; but men ought not elves to danger. What m to go into saloons? he odors of liquors may with the fires of hell, ng for some persons to physician will not hesi- se atmosphere is laden nister, in like manner, )f moral malaria fill the be very sure that it is isit, and that God calls -, to make the visit. Let tly Lot's wife, but Lot's fate. God help us to ice of evil, and to turn steps evermore toward L Heaven! XI. WHO WAS MELCHIZEDEK, THE MYSTERIOUS KING-PRIEST? . \m WHO WAS MELCHIZEDEK, THE . TERIOUS KING-PRIEST ? MYS- The first account of this remarkable personage is found in Genesis xiv. 18-20. Around but few characters of history, sacred or profane, is there so great a cloud of mystery as around this king- priest ; and regarding no man whose history is recorded in the Bible has fancy played so large a part. This result is due in great measure to the sudden manner in which he first appears on, and departs from, the page of Bible history. His per- sonality falls upon the sacred narrative as a ray of light from the noonday sky ; this old king-priest, like the flash of a meteor, crosses the path of the conquering patriarch. Thus he emerges from the gloom of historic darkness, and he almost imme- diately disappears into the darkness whence he had emerged, and then into an historic seclusion wellnigh inscrutable. Yet during his brief ap- pearance, he was treated by Abran. wlch so much respect that the mystery of his personality is greatly deepened. Nearly a thousand years pass, and he once more appears upon the historic pages, in the words of i he Psalmist ; then for a flSBUSsMiiSiiiKwma*' ^ 183 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. thousand ydars more there is complete silence concerning him, and his name finally appears surrounded with deeper apparent «^f ^ery m the fifth sixth, and seventh chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. We there learn that his parent- age was unknown, his genealogy unrecorded, and the beginning and ending of his priestly office unchronicled. It is not surprising that m this ancient and enigmatical personage many saw a divinely appointed type of Jesus Christ as he great High-Priest and eternal Kmg. For hun- dreds, perhaps thousands, of years this unique be- ing has been the subject of earnest discussion. It is almost unpardonable temerity to undertake to answer the question asked in the title of this dis- course. We may, however, devoutly study the passages of Scripture in which his name occurs ; and we may firmly hold the conclusion forced upon us, when these Scriptures are interpreted - without prejudice, and with all the ^--^^ ^tW the Holy Spirit may give as the reward of their reverent study. His Name AND Office. Profoundly suf^gestive is the name of Melchi- zedek, " King oi Righteousness." The n.-c in- dicates that the Can.".nitlMi language was prob- ably Semitic. This title seems to be personal rather than official, like the words Pharaoh and Augustus. He is also called " King of Salem - wmm i JLTIF.S. niplete silence inally appears, mystery, in the of the Epistle that his parent- ^ unrecorded, lis priestly office ng that in this re many saw a s Christ as the :ing. For hun- 5 this unique be- t discussion. It to undertake to title of this dis- voutly study the bis name occurs ; onclusion forced are interpreted ;he lucidity which 3 reward of their FICE. ! name of Melchi- ,." The r^ '^I> 4^ ■-"^■k, .-(, j'ai5H».itiWf,¥^,s^to8si«w«cs^5iga5;a»iOT?'f>^BSjaaB^^ WSx ^ ^gis!^B ^t t ^t» ■^l ^ n^ r ^«la^las.il If 7/0 ir.'IS MElXlllAEDEK t I9S LTIES. jvitical priest- ! that of Aaron a priest not by :ment; so was ; not after the )f Melchizedek. i •mony between )ut in the iioth ce between the zedek are very ^evitical order; )oth were kings f peace and of istly records are y of life nor end VIelchizedek one nister of religion ;hizedekthe"top . rendered spoils '. After a battle collect the spoils tributed them to ion from the top ram honored Mel- ist ought to have IS the correct view m a Canaanitish er and godly life, raised up by God e was a man whose genealogy was veiled in mystery, so that in this particular, as in other respects, he is a type of Christ. All God's true children are kings and priests unto God. The lowliest son of God in our day is vastly higher in the kingdom of heaven than was even Melchizedek. We arc heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Wc are a preserved people for a reserved inheritance. In some sense, the very angels are our minister- ing servants. Let us rejoice in our high honors, and loyally perform our lowliest duties. When we return weary from some fierce conflict, there will be some servant of our divine King to minister refreshment in the hour of need. Like Abram we shall eat and be strengthened. Al- though Melchizedek could have had no thought of the Lord's Supper, we can in that ordinance re- joice that Christ gives Himself to us as the Bread of Life. To us, as weary pilgrims and as tired soldiers, He comes forth to cheer us in the path of duty. The weary march and the heavy fighting fit us for His divine companionship in the sacred ordinance. Fierce temptations assail us, the blood of the battle stains us; but the hour of re- freshment assuredly will come. Let us strive to be God's servants for the re- freshment of our fellow-servants. Beautiful was Melchizedek as a type of Christ in his priestly and regal service. Moses did not claim to be either priest or king. David would not intrude into the priestly office. But we are both priests and kings. t k t96 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Melchizedek in his quiet, pure, and myBterious life may never have realized the great honor which was put upon him when - refreshmg Abram he became a type of Christ. He gave to God the honor of Abram's victory. Let us give God similar honor. Let us render similar service to our fellow-pilgrims, and let us ever lay our crowns, here and hereafter, at the Pureed feet of him who was the Lord of both Abram and Mel- chizedek. IVIrt niWIBtTKilf •!>"• !''•• JLTIES. nd mysterious le great honor in refreshing t. He gave to . Let us give r similar service IS ever lay our ; pierced feet of bram and Mel- XII. WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM NAT- URAL OR SUPERNATURAL? ■-[WiiatinwttWawi^awaiM h mmft^a^timmamaswiri^ laisaa^iiu-towiWi wi* iita^rti ^ead Sea, and streams julf of Akaba. It is of careful measure- ;aba is thirty-five feet lean Sea; it is, there- mdred feet above the /alley. Dean Stanley ion which would have I Jordan so far below ive shattered Palestine e whole valley, from Red Sea, was once an adjoining seas. When d the sea somewhat to »w found in this valley n as their connecting thstanding all the dis- ade, to locate with cer- tain. Josephus speaks t he refers to Zoar in :hat it was at the south , uses language of the 'his was the opinion of Middle Ages, and is still dern visitors and topog- Lobinson is very clear mations to that effect, n end of the sea is quite rts as to its depth ; the being thirteen hundred THE DESTRUCTION- OF SODOM. 203 feet deep, and the southern being only thirteen feet deep, indicating that this latter part is of recent formation. The name Usdum, given to the ridge of salt at the southwest corner, seems to locate Sodom. The name Amrah, given to a valley among the mountains in this general neighbor- hood, it is easily seen is a modification of the word Gomorrha. Mr. Tristram, however, for a time gave it as his opinion that the cities were at the northern and not at the southern end of the sea ; but later he modified this view, and adopted the tradi- tional opinion in its stead. Dr. Selah Merrill, whose long residence in Palestine, and whose careful study of all its features, give his opinions weight, locates the cities at the northern end, and Sir J. W. Dawson adopts the opinion of Dr. Merrill in this regard. With the utmost modesty, and yet with considerable certainty, the traditional view is presented in these lectures. It is not plain, as was once the current opinion, that these five cities were submerged in the lake. It was once affirmed that the walls, columns, and capitals of great build- ings were discerned below the water; but that opinion is now virtually abandoned by all whose authority is of any weight. It is not even certain that the destruction was caused by an overflow of water ; the probability is that the overflow of water was a' comparatively unimportant element in the catastrophe. It is affirmed by those who favor the northern end of the lake that Abram and Lot could not see Sodom as they stood between Bethel * \ 1= 304 OLV TESTAMENT DIFEICUI.TIES. f +1.^ cities were located at the ana Ai, -'=,^P *;,,"" B:.t it *ouW be borne nortbern end of the lake. ^ '"^' ^™~ . h ccolt of the invasion of tory. Neither IS ui<= -j^^^^ that the cities the five kings conclus.ve -■<'-- ^^^y.^ i, i, „ere at the -*=" ^J^f^^tn refe/ence is convincing as to that location ^^ ^^_ „,ae to Abram^ v-ew of *e^ ^^^^ ^„^ ^,„, „„,ct.on as "e-tne^s^ ^^^^^^___^^ ^^ ^^^^ near Hebron. J'>;7J„,auional view that the ffives great weight to tne ira ?Uies 'were at the -'^J"" -^^ f Jtt en the one can carefully note *^ f *f,Xe^nd its other depths of the '°«X LcVhi ten made, with- portions, to which reference " . auced ^nt feeling that some terribeeaustrophep the portion of the lake below the Tonga , Lisan. The Dead Sea. ,n studying this -a we «ust — divest - :-;airi:^i:::r:rc:^r.odernt^^^^^ '"^^e idea that no bird could n^cross. he- - -^trrrt^flCSCndevento touch of Its water w ridiculous '*• '^ - ""tnorn— iTa^eiy respon- ■ Xriset^and false notions. There xuiriEs. e located at the it should be borne of the circle, that ements of the his- of the invasion of nee that the cities -lake; nor yet is it when reference is e evidences of de- tn from some point reference to Zoar itional view that the id of the lake. No erences between the be lake and its other ias been made, with- :atastrophe produced V the Tongue, or El- Sea. list entirely divest our IS which are attached ,y some modern trav- lid fly across the sur- .erishing, and that the to health, and even to ss and even ridiculous ,nks are largely respon- false notions. There THE DESTRUCTrON OF SODOM. 205 is not in them a single element of truth. Whether seen in sunshine or storm, the Dead Sea is an im- pressive and beautiful sheet of water. Its waters are pellucid to a remarkable degree, and they are also free from the pollution common to many of our inland lakes. The neighborhood of this sea before the destruction of Sodom was a favorite resort for invalids and pleasure-seekers, and it would not be at all surprising if it should once more become an attractive place for travellers, and, at certain seasons of the year, for invalids. Great hotels may yet be erected on its shores, and lines of railways may carry travellers to its vicin- ity. Nothing can surpass the brilliant colors seen in its direction and over the mountains of Moab as one looks out over both from the Mount of Olives. The brilliant tints in Holman Hunt's "Scapegoat" are not an exaggeration of the glowing colors over sea and mountains under the rays of the setting sun. No one who has enjoyed that sight will ever forget the glory of the burn- ished mountains and the resplendent sea. The enormous evaporation explains in part these at- mospheric effects, which transform sea, moun- tains, and sky into a fairyland of wondrous splen- dor and glory. Its Names. The Dead Sea is a name entirely unknown to Bible writers. They call it the Salt Sea, the Sea of the Plain, the East Sea, and once simply The !l >^: 206 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Sea. The Greeks and the Romans called it the Asphaltic Lake. The absence of living creatures in its waters, and the supposed deadly influence of its neighborhood, led to its being called the Dead Sea. The Arabs call it Bahr Lut, or the Sea of Lot. Until after the fearful catastrophe, with which its name is associated, no notions of horror attach to its name. The valley of the Dead Sea and of the Jordan is between fifteen and six- teen miles from Jerusalem. The Mediterranean Sea is twenty-six hundred feet below Jerusalem, but this descent is spread over about thirty-five miles ; recent and skilful measurements show that the Dead Sea is thirteen hundred feet below the Mediterranean, and almost four thousand feet be- low Jerusalem, although the distance is less than half that to the Mediterranean. Sir J. W. Daw- son informs us that the descent from Jerusalem to the Jordan is about the rate of one foot in twenty feet. The differences in climate are cor- respondingly great. One may leave a temperate climate at Jerusalem, go fifteen miles, and find a tropical climate at the Jordan ; one may leave, as was true in January, 1884, snow-drifts five feet deep at the Jaffa Gate at Jerusalem, go fifteen miles to Jericho, and find there a warm and even a sultry atmosphere. The marked diversi- ties in climate and soil in Palestine must have had a great influence on the habits and character of the people. The Dead Sea occupies the lowest part of the crevasse, about two hundred and fifty «l 1.^ -r 'lll i I I 1 i l in ii' I I I I ir- 1" " '" __ J. UL TIPS. ns called it the living creatures leadly influence leing called the ahr Lut, or the ful catastrophe, 1, no notions of illey of the Dead fifteen and six- j Mediterranean elow Jerusalem, about thirty-five ;ments show that d feet below the ;housand feet be- ance is less than Sir J. W. Daw- : from Jerusalem e of one foot in climate are cor- eave a temperate miles, and find a one may leave, as w-drifts five feet salem, go fifteen ere a warm and ; marked diversi- ine must have had and character of cupies the lowest hundred and fifty THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 207 miles long, reaching from the foot of Mount Her- mon to the Gulf of Akaba. The Dead Sea is forty-six miles long, and is over ten miles wide at its greatest breadth. Its area is three hundred square miles. It receives numerous perennial streams and winter torrents on the east and south, besides the full stream of the Jordan, which pours into it, it is estimated, six million tons of water daily; and this entire amount is carried off by the great evaporation. It is not difficult to see how the hot and dry atmosphere is capable of absorbing this enormous quantity of water. The sea has no outlet, visible or invisible. In the nature of the case, it cannot have an outlet, ex- cept there be, as was once supposed, a great pit at its bottom, leading to the centre of the earth. It is the most depressed sheet of water on the globe. Lake Urmia in Persia, seven miles from the town of Urmia, is said to be more salt than the Dead Sea, and Lake Elton, which is on the steppes east of the Volga, and which supplies a great part of the salt of Russia, is also, perhaps, more salt, although it is difficult to get authorita- tive figures. The great Salt Lake of Utah has marked features in common with the Dead Sea; and this physical likeness confirmed the early Mormons in the belief that this salt sea and its river Jordan were indeed parts of a second land of promise. The American salt sea is daily losing its saltness, and what the final result will be it is difficult to determine. The fish, which are car- t OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICVLTIES. ried aow„ by the Jordan to th^ D^a sea, ^j^ almost immediately, and ev n M> J'" g^^ the Mediterranean d,e soon m the D The Jordan pushes Us brown wa ers^_^ ^^ ,^ erable distance into the -■="•/'«" afternoon vitality and ^"^^^t^^^^o^T^l^ the :ia!r;r:aTb~--dto..thesmo.e nrhCwW il salt, whioh is at the i ne nufe saltness of the south end, accounts m part for t ^^^^ sea, and the great evaporat on of ^^^^^he waters pletes the result in tjat d— ^^ ^^^^^ are usually plaad and are quxtem ^^^^^^^^ limpid, and beautiful. The degr depends naturally upon ^^ J^f ^^^^^ ,,,ers water streams pouruig ^"^o he sea 1 ^.^_ SlX=rbst^n;Ss.t.tl.onot^a^ ^^rtrrrati;hTrsis o« --. re::r:alt;ch,o.deo.r^a^e^^^^^ the bitter taste, and eWonde ot "^°!'^^"='T„t stTHnl'TsdiLu n^i^min, is rdSt!::tTeJt constancy n.^^^^^^ face One rolls about in the water like :Xandonecana^-;---^ter ,„ekin«-cha.. ""--^^^..^rty ^^ .bove the XttlioTof the sum ofun results fro^t \ ULTIES. , Dead Sea, die 1 accustomed to the Dead Sea. ;ers for a consid- : it soon loses its In the afternoon : the sea and the ed to " the smoke It, which is at the ;he saltness of the t fresh water corn- ion. The waters e inodorous, blue, legree of saltness learness of fresh- ; sea. The waters A gallon of dis- ; a gallon of Dead r pounds. A large hloride of sodium, magnesium causes of calcium gives it he water that float- (icult; swimming is antly rise to the sur- e water like a cork 1 it as he would in a •ience strange sensa- :antly rise above the n often results from THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 209 bathing, especially if there are abrasions of the skin, as there are sure to be in a country where insects so abound. In 1848 Lieutenant Lynch, of the United States navy, spent three weeks in a survey of the Dead Sea. It is said that, while coming in metallic boats into the sea from the Jor- dan, he met a gale, and the heavy waves struck the boat as if they were the sledge-hammers of Titans. Ducks occasionally may be seen floating on the water, utterly contradicting the mediaeval theory regarding the water and its immediate atmosphere. Bare mountain ranges flank the sea, rising from fifteen hundred to two thousand feet. Great quantities of bitumen, sulphur, and musca are found on the shores ; from the latter souvenirs are made and offered for sale in Bethlehem and Jerusalem ; this substance takes on a fine polish, and will burn like cannel coal, but emits an al- most intolerable odor. The low promontory called "El-Lisan," the Tongue, pushes westward and northward into the sea from the eastern shore ; it is ten miles long and from five to six miles wide. The greatest depth of the sea is thirteen hundred feet, but south of the Tongue the circular bay, as already remarked, is only about thirteen feet deep. The depth of the sea varies considerably according to the season. It is certainly a remarkable sheet of water. Lake Sir-I-Kol is fifteen thousand six hundred feet above the level of the sea ; this is the most elevated sheet of water on the globe, and it is well called by the natives, Bam-i-duniak^ raean- »4 t. I u f; 2IO O/.D TRSTAhfENT DIFFICULTIES. ing " the roof of the world. " The river Oxus rises in this lake. As it is the most elevated body of water, so the Dead Sea is the most depressed. Beautiful as it is in many respects, it is still a steaming caldron, and so great is the evaporation that it can never be filled to overflowmg. The most impressive thought in Norway, as one ■ watches the splendor of the midnight sun, is that of deep and almost holy awe, in the mulst of the profound silence and the golden sunshine of the midnight hour. In like manner, a sense of death- like silence, of deepest awe, and of the conscious- ness of a holy presence impresses the mmd and heart as one stands by the shores of this mysteri- ous sea. Physical Causes of the Catastrophe. To the discussion of this thought all previous remarks have tended. Here we are to see the meeting of the natural and the supernatural. I ^ we find adequate physical causes for the fearfu cataclysm, let no one say that we on that account denv the supernatural element in the destruction of Sodom. God can avail Himself of His resources stored up in the heart of the earth a. tru y as of His resources in the region vaguely called the heavens. They are inadequate, and often inac- curate, interpreters of the Scriptures who refuse to see the presence of God in the physical as well as in the spiritual forces employed. These inter- preters are often unfair to those who see God as :UL TIES. ! river Oxus rises -levated body of most depressed, ects, it is still a 5 the evaporation /erflowing. The Norway, as one • night sun, is that the midst of the , sunshine of the , a sense of death- of the conscious- jes the mind and ;s of this mysteri- 2ATASTROPHE. mght all previous ,ve are to see the supernatural. If ses for the fearful jve on that account in the destruction elf of His resources earth a& truly as of vaguely called the te, and often inac- ■iptures who refuse ;he physical as well ayed. These inter- ose who see God as THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 2tl truly on earth as in heaven. The men who say that if we give due place to physical phenomena we are disloyal to the Scripture and its divine author ; who say that if Jonah goes the Bible goes, the church goes, and Jesus goes, are guilty of ex- treme folly, alike in their interpretations of and deductions from Holy Scripture. We firmly be- lieve in the historicity of the story of Jonah, but if it could be proved that the story were not his- toric, neither the Bible nor Jesus would go. We firmly believe that the divine character and mis- sion of Jesus Christ do not depend for their reality upon any man's interpretation of the story of Jonah. Men who make statements of this kind play directly into the hands of unbelievers; siich men do all in their power to give away much of their case. Unbelievers will attack the outposts of these men, and perhaps carry some insignifi- cant place of defence, and then, in harmony with the admission of these interpreters, unbelievers will claim that they have captured the citadel. We may believe that the Bible does not say, when fairly interpreted, that the sun and moon stood still at the command of Joshua; indeed, we may be unable to discover that Joshua really ever gave such a command. Do we therefore deny the supernatural? Are we therefore infidel toward the Bible and disloyal toward God? Who has the right so to assert? In adopting such an interpre- tation we may be simply showing our loyalty to the exact teaching of the Bible and our devotion 4l ■-ii^BU D w rntaw * „/ OLD TEsrA»B«r J^i-^'C'^-r"^'- ,■ ■ .„..l,or Personally we may believe ,oit» *""%'' *',-.„„t.i,„ brook Cherith; but that ravens fed I'" ' ' •" ^ „„,„■„,, translated if another interprets the «oru , ,,„ns in onr common ve-»".«° ";;;■; „„ J. n,ea„, .ith ^^^T;^ ^^^^^^ .'Ara. sible man -'"'"'"^ '° ^..^^^ le of Orbi," bians," or "merchants o, th V V „ neighboring '-"■ *^ jf '„' Tay be only the him with dcnymg the B.ble. n > ^^^ ,„orc strict in his -"■"™''= ;,° ''^J 'rteir inter- „en think that if ."V^"^," tslgs we are dis- pretationof -'-fjf^f^rbll than pnb.i- '="":nnners rVeirword they deem to he „ns and """»'- ^„„ „,de these men virtually God J -o ^^^^, "T , Thrmore unscholarly they are the wisdom? The mo Spiritual more authoritative do «"=y i^ the chief insight into the Bible is one thmg^ < ^^^^^ thing in studying -"."'"f'te" rate scholar- parts can be -''-^"^ -^^J/.;, devout study ship as the result of P™'°"8 ,^4 , i,i.„ry^^i^«.J— >- ^^^^^^^ sciences. Certam P v ^^^^.^y ^ter- ,,,,ely responsible or t.e^^^^^^ ^^^ ^_^^^,^,,, pretations, ^"^S-^ ^^^^ , ,,,eir intentions affirmations. Howev s methods is ''rdl:ov:rgr::tenaant physical Phenoni. CUL TIES. ^ we may believe ook Cherith; but orchim, translated ;o mean, as it may res which no sen- thoritative, " '^^*" e people of Orbi," have we to charge tie may be only the ,the Bible. Some doubt their inter- )assagcs we are dis- better than publi- ■d they deem to be ) made these men ; gained they such 3larly they are the become. Spiritual thing; it is the chief )assages. But other r by accurate scholar- red and devout study 'eology, and related etic evangelists are se unscholarly inter- ons, and unscriptural ood their intentions It of their methods is Scripture, and to dis- dant physical phenom- THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 913 ena in the destruction of Sodom we recognize God as the God of heaven and earth, and recognize this fearful catastrophe as perfectly natural, so far as regards the means employed, and as en- tirely supernatural so far as regards their employ- ment at that time, for that purpose, and in the severe degree which secured the result. We are told in Genesis xiv. lo, as we have already seen, that slime-pits abounded in this vicinity. What are slime-pits? Simply petroleum wells. Where- ever bitumen abounds eruptions are liable to occur. Petroleum exudes from the rocks, both on the sides and on the bottom, of the Dead Sea; it is then hardened by evaporation, and asphal- tum is formed. We know that this plain was liable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions from the earliest times of which we have any record. We know that the Dead Sea sends up great masses of asphaltum, especially when earthquakes occur, as in 1834 and in 1837. Sir J. W. Dawson is as loyal, humble, and devout as a believer as he is learned, accurate, and fearless as a scientist ; and he shows that this valley was subject to con- ditions which frequently obtain in the oil regions of our own country and Canada. He shows that a few years ago, in the oil district of Petrolia in Canada, a borehole struck a reservoir of gas which rushed up with tremendous force, carrying with it a great quantity of petroleum. This gas at once took fire, rising in a tall column of flame, and burning petroleum spread over the ground. J „4 0/,/> TESTAMENT nlFFKVt.TIES. ^tting f.™ ... n,.ny Umks in U,. vicinity A vUla^ wa, burnc-d. and sovcrd livc» were lost; a vvh.rl Im van c used, which carried dense smoke m.o r'i" and soon burning hi.n„>cn fell in showers. T, is almost an exact description "f "-t^^P; pened in Sodom when it is said that dod ra.ned !,! it brimstone and fire, that is, '^-nm^ br.m- In" out of heaven. The description of the de- Btnliion of Petrolia is in tnany features a descnp- toTcf the destruction of Sodom. Noth.n, « more certain than that science supports the B.ble. Prof GF. Wright, of Oberlin College, a man X stands high in the rants of scienttsts, show dearly in his volume, "Seientifie Aspects of Chri tian Evidences," that the whole reg.on ahot. the Dead Sea has the appearance now o Wng - ""andoned "oil district," and that al thTconditions for the catastrophe desertbed ,n the BMe were present in the inflammable aeeumula. tions of oil and gas reservoirs. We have only to suppose that at the tune of the destruction quantities of gas and petroleum ex- ttrbclow tL plain; then their escape through 1 fissure would produce the results described. The^combustible materials might be igm.ed by Shying falling upon them, or by a convulsion LCea^h. Kisingintotheheaven^teywou then fall like fiery ram upon the eartn. i then lau j forming a would be an eruption of salme wai brine thick with mud. Lot's wife, no doubt, was overtaken and suffocated by this saline storm, and JCUL TIES. icinity. A village ere lost ; a whirl- dense smoke into -n fell in showers, lion of what hap- l that (iod rained is, burning brim- cription of the de- features a dcscrip- dom. Nothing is mpports the Bible. in College, a man d! scientists, shows ;ntific Aspects of the whole region appearance now of trict," and that all phe described in the ammable accumula- at at the time of the 1 and petroleum ex- heir escape through e results described, might be ignited by or by a convulsion 'heavens, they would n the earth. There line water forming a s wife, no doubt, was this saline storm, and THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. »I5 her body was so encrusted as to become not a pillar, but, as the original has it, a mound of salt. The exhaustion of these subterranean reservoirs would cause a subsidence of the earth, and all the facts described in the Scripture would follow in the must natural way. We do (iod and the Bible great injustice when we shut out the natural phe- nomena from their appropriate share in this supernatural event. God is as much the God of the earth beneath as of the heaven above. Every unprejudiced geologist must see that the narra- tive in Genesis is in perfect harmony with the geological features of the district. Nothing but the occurrence of the events could have given rise to the narrative, and from a scientific point of view the account is wonderfully harmonious with all the facts which scientific investigation has dis- covered in the neighborhood. In giving appro- priate place to these physical phenomena we not only do not detract from the miraculous character of the catastrophe, but we give it the greater prominence, because we see that in the soil itself God had stored up all the forces for its produc- tion. There is nothing in the Bible narrative suggestive of the wild myths which have often been associated with this overthrow ; but all the statements are in the fullest accordance with the physical possibilities of that historic valley. ai6 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Lessons. We see here how God can punish sinners with physical forces associated with their own sin. We see also the danger of looking back. Looking back leads to going back, and going back is per- dition. Obedience would have saved Lot's wife; disobedience wrought her utter bodily destruc tion. It is possible to be nearly saved and yet be wholly lost. Anxiety for salvation is not salva- tion. Conviction is not conversion. Sin may abound amid the most charming en- vironments. Early civilizations gathered about beautiful locations. Civilization without spiritual religion is weakness and danger. God has hidden fountains of judgment about every man's path. Destruction may come in every walk of life. Even the righteous with difficulty are saved. Angels had to lay hold of Lot and hasten him from Sodom. Lot was saved as by fire, but his whole nature was contaminated by his evil sur- roundings. Stay not in the plain. Look not backward to Sodom, but forward and upward to Jesus. FFICULTIES. punish sinners with h their own sin. We cing back. Looking id going back is per- Lve saved Lot's wife; itter bodily destruc- arly saved and yet be ilvation is not salva- version. 3 most charming en- tions gathered about ition without spiritual ger. God has hidden ut every man's path, rery walk of life. \ difficulty are saved. Lot and hasten him ed as by fire, but his nated by his evil sur- the plain. Look not )rward and upward to XIII. DID GOD MEAN THAT ABRAHAM SHOULD REALLY OFFER ISAAC? _*ii. n i H it % m It ^ i m ^ XIII. DID GOD MEAN THAT ABRAHAM SHOULD REALLY OFFER ISAAC? The account of the trial, triumph, and reward of Abraham's faith is found in the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. Abram has now become Abraham, and Sarai has become Sarah, and this change in the names indicates a new relation to God, and suggests a new development of their character. We have passed through several stages of great interest in the remarkable life of the " friend of God." We have seen him leaving country and kin at God's call; and we have seen him in the land of strangers because of the stress of famine. We have seen him returning to his own country, and being separated from Lot, who selfishly sought richer pastures for his numer- ous flocks. We have seen Abraham winning superb victories over plundering kings and ma- rauding hordes. We have seen him in the midst of grievous doubts about his posterity; and we have seen him surrendering his paternal affec- tion in relation to the son of his bond-maid. We have seen him rejoicing in the possession of a son, whose mother was Sarah, and whose birth was in fulfilment of glorious promises from God. 230 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. *» But we are now to see him parsing through the „ost difficult experience of hi, hero.c career U " always fascinatingly interesting to see .llus- rious characters in trying situations, conquenng great difficulties, and rising superior °ver sub U. femptations under the inspirat.on of great n,o« principles. Abraham seemed at thts t,me to have Len approaching the serene evenmg of h.s trouble! life ; the early mormng »- J-^; ^'^^ rui«ed noon had passed, and a calm ""^ "»^ ohant evening seemed to have come. But just tn the severest trial he had ever known came upon him like a thunderbolt out of aclear sky^ The most appalling ordeal --- ^-^^^^^^'^J^^ a new test of faith. The intensity of the strain :,"ch he must su«er baffles all ^-"^-- ^ even exhausts all our power of thought. The terrible blow must be struck with h.s own ^d^ God's precept seems to be antagomsOe to God s " nromise Wver did so terrible trial come to a S of God, and never did a child of God wm a , more glorious triumph. The Severe Trial of Abraham's Faith. All the circumstances of this trial combine to n,ie it extremely severe. To be the means o put ng a human being to death as a holocaus was a terrible thought. Perhaps Abraham was Tt unfamiliar with human sacrifices as offered by the Canaanites and the early Chaldeans; but the peculiar nature of his trial must have severely 221 ULTIES. ng through the itoic career. It ig to see illus- ons, conquering rior over subtle \ of great moral this time to have evening of his g was over, the calm and trium- come. But just ver known came it of a clear sky. summons him to ,sity of the strain ill description ; it jf thought. The ith his own hand, agonistic to God's e trial come to a :hild of God win a iaham's Faith. is trial combine to o be the means of ath as a holocaust laps Abraham was rifices as offered by Chaldeans; but the must have severely SHOULD ABRAHAM OFFER ISAAC? tested his faith in God as a holy Being. Could God give a command to any man to destroy h. own Lid? Was not Isaac the child of specnal promise and hope> Did not the future salvaUon Temporal and spiritual, of milhons -t "P- ^- Ufe> Could God give a command which should n olve such fearful consequences. The though of offering any one in sacrifice is terrMe but when the victim is his own son, and such a son as Isaac, the command is i-ff ably severe The language of the command must have lacerated the heart of Abraham to its very core. Isaac caned "thy son," "thine only son, I-c whom thou lovest." The terms of tl- command mus have gone like sharp swords to the soul of Abra- ham- they must have pierced his heart, even a his inife was to pierce the body of Isaac. It would be difficult to imagine a greater accumula- tion of affectionate terms for ^^^^l^ J^'^^'^^'^ll But we must not suppose that God did thi to tempt" Abraham in the ordinary meanmg of the wTrd tempt. The word is here used in the sense wora lemp Revised Version the of try, prove, or test; in the Kev b word is correctly translated "did prove. The rdinarymeaningoftemptistosolicittoeviland in this sense, as the Apostle James teaches us in ixiis o . Hebrew word ntssah God tempteth no man. The Hebrew w is without doubt, correctly translated trted, tested or proved. All God's children must pass through sivere trials of their faith, and Abraham can be noe-eption. God had only one Son without sm ; our strength. Abrana „weady developed ^^, of great force o.^e ^-J^^ J^^, ,, ,,e a sublime mora ^-^°^^^^ understood by Abra- eommand must ^-vebe^^^ed, not simply as a ham that Isaac was to be ott ^ ^^ ^ ^^^^,. spiritual -^^---td'eea^ Je faith which offering, ^ubbme mdeed w ^^^^^^^,^^^ I'MosXcode, '^-^'^'^l^^^i^fZt^T^!^^^, sacrifices- but -e^J-^ f, ,,„ of God. must as the father of ^^f^^^ ^^ ^^ command, ex- have opposed ^i« «^^«^7;^;;" ^ God's wisdom, cept for his triumphant faith m love, and power ^^n^niand adds to the The divine ongm ^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^ ,ffi,^ed that severity of the tnal. ^^ ^^braUm's faith. Could H ^as God who P--^^^^^;':^^^ such a com- a God who was 3-^ -^ hol^ , ^^^ ^^^^^^^.^ ^and? This q-^^;- ^^f ^^, ,,i,h of men even faith; it sometimes tax^^ t^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^ , to this hour. This con ^^^g^^. ,heme of cavil ^^^^^^^^^^^ °^,, ^3 positively tion through all the cen inconsistent affirmed by some that it is J ^^^ ^^^^ ' with the attributes of ^J^^ ^ declaring endeavored to remove the difficu^ J y ^^^^ .^ , that the entire narrative - ^^^^^o; the part of was merely a subjective impulse on rCULTIES. on without sufEer- rials according to , able to endure a already developed ,e language of the iderstoodbyAbra- ed, not simply as a really as a burnt- as the faith which tnd! It is true that ibition, like that of med against human in Abraham's heart, ., a son of God, must to the command, ex- h in God's wisdom, ^ommand adds to the istinctly affirmed that raham's faith. Could 3ly issue such a com- ht well tax Abraham's the faith of men even ind has been a fruitful smies of divine revela- uries. It is positively is utterly inconsistent holy God. Some have . difficulty by declaring s mythical; some that it impulse oa the part of SHOULD ABRAHAM OFFER ISAAC? 223 Abraham, and others that it was directly inspired by Satan. But it is not too much to say that these suppositions are more difficult of belief than is the plain statement of the narrative. God as the Author of life can take it away as it pleases Him without any shadow of injustice. He did not give life to Isaac upon the condition that it was to be taken away only by the event which we call death. The conduct of Junius Brutus, who passed the sentence upon his own children that before his eyes they should be beaten to death with rods, has been justified by reputable historians and moralists, because of the circumstances of the case. Brutus owed this duty to his country. Did Abraham owe less duty to his God? Abraham seems now to have been on intimate terms with God; he readily distinguished the voice of God from all other voices. It is the high dignity of a moral being that he is placed in circumstances of moral probation. God had a lofty purpose in ap- plying this heart-searching test to Abraham, and only He who knows the heart and who is holy, just, and good, can determine the right tests which are to be employed for reaching the highest moral ends. The event does present many and great diffi- culties, but it also suggests reasonable explana- tions. We cannot suppose that Abraham was in error in believing that God called for the actual sacrifice, but we know that this was an exceptional cor iinand for a unique occasion. We know also L 934 O/.D TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. With absolute certainty that this command does not authorize human sacrifices; on the contrary, the result shows that God virtually prohi-bits hu- man sacrifice. We must bear in mind also that God never intended that the command would be literally executed. He knew from the begmnmg what the result would be; He foresaw the faith of His servant, and He knew when He gave the com- mand that He would intervene at the right moment to save the father's heart and the boy's life. His purpose was to test Abraham's faith. This signa instance of unquestioning submission to the will of God has been a shining light upon the path of many to cheer them in the way of obedience. Had the impulse been from Abraham's own mind, • desiring to rise above his heathen neighbors in the value of his offering, the narrative would not represent God as giving the command. Abraham is to rise to loftier heights of faith than he had yet attained; his faith is to be perfected He must not trust in the life of Isaac, but rather in the promise of God. He must give his son up as if he were dead, so that he may receive him as a gift from God, who, as the writer to the Hebrews tells us, Abraham believed could raise him from the dead. But there is a still higher thought which must enter into this whole discussion. The difficulty is largely removed when we consider that there is here a typical reference to the sacrifice of Christ When the heathen practised human tllWM I •UL TIES. command docs n the contrary, tly pi-ohi'bits hu- i mind also that imand would be tn the beginning esaw the faith of le gave the com- the right moment ; boy's life. His lith. This signal ission to the will upon the path of 'ay of obedience, .ham's own mind, hen neighbors in .rrative would not mand. Abraham iaith than he had )e perfected. He lac, but rather in give his son up as y receive him as a ;er to the Hebrews lid raise him from lought which must )n. The difficulty onsider that there ;o the sacrifice of practised human SHOULD ABRAHAM OFFER ISAAC? a'S sacrifices their act implied their sense of the in- sufficiency of animal sacrifices. The true idea of sacrifice was fulfilled in Christ of whom Isaac was only a type. Isaac's sacrifice was not accom- plished- it foreshadowed its completion m jcsus Christ, who in the fashion of man became obedient unto the death of the cross. We must see. indeed we- cannot help seeing, this fuller meaning m this ancient narrative. In John viii. 56, Jesus, when addressing the unbelieving Jews, said: \our father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; anu he saw it, and was glad." On what occasion in Abraham's life could these words so fittingly have their application as in his constructive offering of Isaac? It is not here said that Abraham rejoiced to see Christ Himself, but to see His day. This must imply that it was the peculiar day or hour in Christ's life which gave that life its essentia : character, which Abraham actually saw Wha was that day or hour but the one to which Christ so often referred as "my hour-the hour, the time when he was betrayed into the hands of sinners? The laying down of his life constituted Jesus the Redeemer of the world. When Abra- ham constructively sacrificed his only son, he saw Christ's day as at no other time in his life. This is the natural interpretation of our Lord's refer- ence to Abraham. If the entire significance of this mysterious command of God was a trial of Abraham's faith, that result could have been se- cured without directing Abraham to the place IS „6 o..n r.sTAME.T n,rr,cvLrrES. ■ .he site of JeruMlem, and to oBcr which later was tl'e WW ° ' ^ „here „p his sacrihce on - -" f/HTJife for the re- ,«erwar.i the son oC God gave ^^ »" '-'"\'r dcmption of men. " ^^ ^j,n„„t help natural mcanina o hcr.pt. , ^^ ,he seeing in A'-^^.»f ,^ .^"^^V; ve His " only ^e- love of God«h,chled "'™' J, ;„, he obedience gotten son" for a - -'^^^^^Jded of Him who of Isaac we cannot fa. to b ^^ ^^^^^ ^ ^ bore His cross to Calvary willing sacrifice for the s,ns of men. T„. T.-.»SCS»DK« V.CTOKV OP F*.TH. J „i,is the crowning event, This was the grand r.s« ^^^ ^^^.^^^^ .,, morions vK^rym the h.st^y ^^ ^^^ ^,^^^,^ He was called to a ni^ promise ; and he has been taken ^n^': ^^^ ^^.^^ vah. More and more does the^g J ^^ ^^^^ i. MS faith and ^J^^ ^^^^^^^ ,e is dead to that he is as one bom aga^^ ,^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ self and alive to God_ ^^^^ ^.^ ^^^ ^^^,,, ,ess than human f tMs ter ^,^ ^^^^.^^^^ ^^^^ Wm indescribable pain_ ^^^^.^^ ^^^ p,,. prompt ; he rose up early ^^^.^ ^^^^ Spared for the 30urney^^ W^^^^ ^^^^, ^^^ „,ust have been ^^^^^^ ^^^ i,,ac, the wood - starting with ^«/;;;^,";:,,t-offering^ Did he being prepared for the ^^^^ ^e had not . tell Sarah of ^^J^^^ ,,, Xsaac might have the courage; her anc i-*,«BieaBWsa»*^'' JCULTIES. alem, and to offer very spot where His life for the re- at all forcing the we cannot help L suggestion of the give His "only be- ad in the obedience nindedofHimwho [ died thereon as a : men. roRY OF Faith. the crowning event, tory of the patriarch. :iny; he has already on Hisl 9 e promise; covenant with Jeho- he glory of God shine He is now to show n, that he is dead to t he would have been ible test did not cause iut his obedience was a the morning and pre- What a morning that ham's tent! See him en and Isaac, the wood ,urnt-offering! Did he a? Perhaps he had not a for Isaac might have snori.n AUKAifAM offek isaac? 827 overpowered Abraham's faith. What wonderful thoughts must have been in his tender, obedient, brave, but breaking heart! The brief senten- tious, and somewhat broken clauses of the narra- tive at this point finely set forth his calm deliber- ation and his unflinching heroism. No one better than he could have appreciated the apparent in- consistency between the divine precept and the divine promise concerning Isaac; but f^th glori- ously triumphed. Still the moral difticulty of offering a human sacrifice remained; and its only solution was in the divine command. The divine Creator, within the limits of absolute rectitude will do right even though human reason cannot understand the divine action. The story is told with exquisite simplicity. The distance from Beersheba to Moriah, the Salem of Melchi.edek is about forty-five miles. Perhaps the first day was somewhat broken by the necessary prepara tions; we may, therefore, assume that they travelled fifteen miles that day, twenty on the second day, and on the third day they would come early within sight of the appointed place Jewish tradition tells us that the place was indicated by a cloud of glory or a pillar of fire. Behold the solemn procession ! Was there ever such a journey taken on this earth? Abraham commands his young men to remain behind while he and the young lad go forward to worship. He dare not open his heart in speech in the presence of his servants. They might have interposed to prevent ■'H L m rm ,.8 OLD TKSTAMKXT PIFI-ICUI.TIES. .he execution of his purpose-, .Ley migl.. have believed llu>t he was aetually l>es,de h.mselt On ,he lad would return to the servant, Wa h.s .n act of pardonable dissimulation? Was it oVe^ultcLfused utterance? Was it not rather ;- „c nrnnhecv' Wa3 It not still more an unconscious propnei.) . fully the voice of his aU-conquenng f.ith? He ZL conceal his full purpose from h.. servants^ There is wonderful pathos in the words of the se venth verse, " my father" and •' my son. Dd not Abraham ;ven now account that God was ab e Traise his son even from the dead? Behold . Isaac with the wood of the burnt-ofJering upon W shoulder! J osephus reports the tradition that wLowtweity-aveyearsold; he certain y^^^^ old enough and strong enough to resist if his spirit had not been sweetly obedient. We cannot hi beholding in him a type of our blessed Lord bear ing His cross, perhaps to the same place. A silence, both dreadful and mysterious, must have ' alien ^o. both father and son, which was broken by Isaac's question regarding a lamb for a burnt offering. This question must have gone to Abra h!ms heart with terrible pain. If his heart could have relented, that question from his beloved and Lnocent boy would have -Ited it into compa - sion Only the scenes of Gethsemane and Cal vaTy surpaL in pathos and tenderness this purvey to L sacrificial altar. Surely it ^-f ^^^^ dawned upon Isaac that he was himself to be the • 41. WUL TIES. they might have side himself. On imate that he and rvants? Was this lation? Was it a Was it not rather IS it not still more uering fi'ith? He from hir. servants. the words of the td"myson." Did t that God was able the dead? Behold >urnt-of?ering upon ts the tradition that Id; he certainly was to resist if his spirit t. We cannot help r blessed Lord bear- he same place. A ysterious, must have 1, which was broken r a lamb for a burnt- it have gone to Abra- n. If his heart could from his beloved and lelted it into compas- ;tethsemane and Cal- inderness this journey jurely it must have was himself to be the SHOULD ABRAIIAS! rF.K ISA AC? "9 sacrificial victim. Wonderful is Abraham's reply, "(iodwiU provide Himself a lamb for a burnt- otTcring " This is the uttcranru of licroic faith and not pi.-us clissimuluticn. Silence then seems again to have fallen upon both as they went on together; it was a terrible moment fur f^'ther and son Isaac seems to have assisted in all the affcct- ing preparations for the proposed sacrifice. Then he is bound, and the mighty secret. wW^^h "lust have been suspected by himself and with difficulty was concealed by his father, is fully divulged. Isaac now knows that he is the destined victim As noble as is Abraham's faith, so heroic and divine is Isaac's obedience; truly he also ' was led as a lamb to the slaughter." We are grateful that the sacred historian has drawn a veil over this affecting scene; we shall not rudely lift that veil- wc shall not coarsely describe this painful, solemn, and sublime event. We cannot but see illustrations of the unspeakable love of God and the unresisting obedience of the Lamb of God as the sacrifice for sinners. Abraham is thoroughly in earnest. With unhesitating promptness he stretches forth his hand to slay his son. We al- most shudder as we approach the terrible crisis, and nature shrinks back at the fearful spectacle^ At this crucial moment the Angel of Jehovah interposes for Isaac's deliverance. In this fear- ful moment the awful mandate is countermanded. The title given to this divine messenger shows that he was not a created being, but a divine per- 230 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. sonage, who often appears in the narrative under the title of Angel of Jehovah, or the Angel of the Covenant. Just then a substitute is found in the ram caught in the thicket by his horns; thus God provided Himself with a burnt-offenng. We cannot help seeing here a foreshadowing of Christ, who was the true sacrifice, even from before the founda- tion of the world. Faith in God was the secret of Abraham's great triumph. There was danger lest he should trust in Isaac rather than in God to fulfil all of God's great promises. He now shows that his faith rested on the bare word of God as the ground of all his hope. Such an act of self- sacrifice is of the highest value. It teaches lessons of the utmost importance. It has proved a school of faith throughout all countries and cei. turies. From the terrible ordeal Abraham came forth like gold tried in the furnace. We may almost hear God addressing him in these sugges- tive words: ^ "AH thy vexations Were but my trials of thy love, and thou Hast strangely stood the test. " The Divine Approval of Faith. The voice from heaven declares that God does not accept human sacrifices. Man is rather a doomed culprit than an appointed victim. The intention was enough to show Abraham's faith, and that test had been conspicuously given by ::a(^8»a62^^S®aai'S8®'®*^** DIFFICULTIES. s in the narrative under vah, or the Angel of the found in the ram caught rns; thus God provided ermg. We cannot help ving of Christ, who was from before the founda- 1 in God was the secret nph. There was danger aac rather than in God to romises. He now shows the bare word of God as pe. Such an act of self- value . It teaches lessons nee. It has proved a lut all countries and cei. )le ordeal Abraham came 1 the furnace. We may sing him in these sugges- " All thy vexations of thy love, and thou i the test." •PROVAL OF Faith. en declares that God does :rifices. Man is rather a ,n appointed victim. The to show Abraham's faith, in conspicuously given by SHOULD ABRAHAM OFFER ISAAC? *3» actual experiment. Abraham's voluntary sur- render was the keystone in the sublime arch of his faith, which still stands before the world giv- ing Abraham praise and God glory. God mter- posed at the right time. It has been well said, that if His interposition had been sooner, Abra- ham's faith would not have been fully tested; and had it been later, Isaac's life had not been saved God accepted the will for the deed, the arresting voice being heard when the knife was ready to strike. The ram was then substituted ' for Isaac. Abraham rises here almost to a divine height, for in his intent he withheld not his only son, and yet in fact he offered a substitute. We may well see in Abraham's act a shadow of the love of God who spared not His only Son; and m the substituted ram we see an emblem of Him who, as the Lamb of God, gave Himself as an offering for sinners. God's approval was shown in the new name given to the place-^Jehovah-jireh. the Lord will provide, or will see. The name was thus changed from Moriah, which by interpretation meant the land of vision," a name probably given from this event, in reference to the remarkable vision or manifestation of God which was there made, and to which fuller allusion is found in the new name Tehovah-jireh. There are many interpretations of both these names; the latter name is in some sense a proverb: it declares that on the mount of Abraham's sacrifice Jehovah would afterward re- 232 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. veal a greater sacrifice for the salvation of His people. It clearly suggests that " man's extrem- ity is God's opportunity." This prophecy had many fulfilments and applications, but it was literally fulfilled in the manifestation of the di- vine glory in Solomon's temple, and later m the incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Some believe that Calvary and Moriah were identical ; this we cannot affirm with certainty, but the lessons taught by both are sub- stantially similar. He who provided a ram has . since provided the atoning Lamb, of whom this ram was a type. Thus it was that Abraham saw Christ's day and was glad. In the Mount, in the highest experience of trial, God will appear to deliver His saints. Abraham has now reached a crreat moral elevation; the angel of the Lord, therefore, confirms with great solemnity all the special promises already made. Abraham's off spring, instead of being cut off by the death of Isaac will be as the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore. He shall also have a great tem- tory and vast temporal power and influence. He takes his place at the head of the faithful and as a type of the justified. He shows that he deserves the twofold title, the father of the faithful and the friend of God. Thus it comes to pass that the lessons of Moriah and Calvary sweetly blend. East of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre a spot ■ is pointed out with the idea of connecting the " sacrifice of Isaac with th^ crucifixion of Christ. V...- li-rriWifiif"- ^»»'*« ^FICULTTES. le salvation of His lat "man's extrem- rhis prophecy had ations, but it was testation of the di- ale, and later in the ion, and ascension re that Calvary and e cannot affirm with ght by both are sub- provided a ram has • Lamb, of whom this s that Abraham saw [n the Mount, in the God will appear to n has now reached a angel of the Lord, sat solemnity all the ide. Abraham's oft off by the death of heaven and the sand Iso have a great terri- er and influence. He of the faithful and as shows that he deserves r of the faithful and t comes to pass that Calvary sweetly blend. Holy Sepulchre a spot [ea of connecting the crucifixion of Christ. SHOULD APKAIIAM OFFER ISAACS 233 lust at hand there is an ancient thorn-tree, which is usually covered with the rags of pilgnms. ami tradition affirms that it is the thicket in which the ram was caught. Some writers have gone so far as to see in the thorn-tree a shadow of the croun of thorns. We need not dwell upon these fanci- ful allusions, but we can rest securely upon the great fact that the deepest significance of this offering of Isaac is found in the sacrifice of Jesus. Additional Teachings. We may learn from this most interesting his- tory that trials are sure to come to the greatest as well as to the humblest of God's samts. All God's children must pass through deep waters; but God has promised that the waters shall not overflow them. They all must go into some fiercely heated furnace; but it is certain that a divine presence will be with them, so that the flames shall not consume even ..;eir garments. God has not promised to save His people from trial but to make them victorious over trial. San-^tified trials separate the chaff from the wheat ; they consume the dross and so purify the gold. They develop character, ennoble life, and prepare for heaven. ^- tv,« We see also in studying this narrative the blessedness of trusting God. It is evermore true that the time of greatest trial gives the opportum y for exercising the sweetest trust. Abraham would never know the blessedness of receiving Isaac as 134 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. one raised from the dead had he not trusted God with unquestioning faith. Not until the summit of the mountain is reached can we behold the grandest display of God's glory. He who with- holds nothing from God will by a blessed experi- ence realize that God withholds nothing from him. We here behold with new beauty and radiant glory the true Lamb of God provided as an offer- ing for sin. Abraham may not have understood this great truth in all its fulness, but he certainly had some glimpses of the glory that was to be fully revealed. In some sense Isaac bound and laid upon the altar was a type of man's helpless- ness; in another sense he was the type of Christ as the deliverer. All the sacrifices of the olden time pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. Past every type and shadow, past every symbol and offering, let us look away unto Jesus, the author and fin- isher of our faith. rCULTIES. e not trusted God : until the summit in we behold the y. He who with- 7 a blessed experi- nothing from him. )eauty and radiant ovided as an ofEer- it have understood iS, but he certainly jry that was to be e Isaac bound and of man's helpless- the type of Christ ■ifices of the olden Lamb of God, who world. Past every ymbol and offering, ;he author and fin- w XIV. DID REBEKAH AND JACOB CHEAT ISAAC AND ROB ESAU? We now enter, in the twenty-seventh chapter of Genesis, upon the study of one of the -ost p^c- turesque and pathetic stories in the Bible. It s a story which at one time makes the eye moist with tenderness, and at another time makes the heart throb with indignation. But whether it ex- cites our praise or blame, it never fails to secure ou interest. It attracts childhood and old age with equal force, and holds both with a resistless rarm The inspired historian tells the story fully and frankly, but without any comments of his own. A thoughtless reader might suppose that the sacred writer considered the conduct of Rebekah and Jacob to be simply a dexterous trick not involving any great moral ^-^^-^-^^^y- f^l the later development of the story show, plainly how a just God punished the sins of all concerned and we thus learn instructive lessons as to the baleful results of fraud and deceit. We see plainly that no one can oppose God and prosper. 238 OLD TESTAMENT DJFFICUI. TIES. Preparations kor the Paternal Blessing. Isaac was now growing old. He evidently had fallen into physical, mental, and spiritual feeble- ness. It is clear that Rebekah anticipated his speedy death, but he surprised her by living still for more than forty years. He did not seem to understand that in the purpose of God Jacob was heir to the promises. He seems to have been stricken with some sharp malady, as well as in- creasing blindness; and, like most other men, he was unduly alarmed by his physical symptoms. Perhaps he had not fully learned of the command of God to Rebekah concerning her sons; neither may he have known of the transference of the birthright of Esau to Jacob. He therefore makes arrangements for bestowing the paternal blessing on Esau; and so he called Esau to \\\m—Esau bcno haggadol, " Esau his son the great"— mean- ' ing the greater or older of his sons. Notwith- standing Esau's undutiful conduct in marrying into the people of Canaan, his father still treated him with great and even culpable partiality. He directed Esau to take his weapons, kde, a word signifying implements or utensils of any kind; and it is probable that our English word weapon originally had this broad meaning, and was not limited to instruments of warfare. He instructs Esau to go out to the field and secure some veni- son. The expression in the original, as Dr. Bush has pointed out, is striking; Esau is to "hunt me ^CUL TIES. *NAL Blessing. He evidently had I spiritual feeble- h anticipated his lier by living still did not seem to of God Jacob was ms to have been dy, as well as in- ost other men, he lysical symptoms, d of the command her sons ; neither ansference of the [e therefore makes ; paternal blessing sau to him — Esau ;he great" — mean- s sons. Notwith- iduct in marrying father still treated ble partiality. He ipons, kele, a word nsils of any kind; glish word weapon ning, and was not are. He instructs secure some veni- iginal, as Dr. Bush sau is to " hunt me ESAU'S BIRTHRIGHT. 239 a hunting." Hudah li t.ayuiah-i^^^i is, game ot whatever kind. The result shows that a kid of the goats might have sufficed, but a cunning hunter like Esau would naturally prefer game o kids The Orientals were and are fond of highly flavored and luxurious disheS, and this is implied in the Hebrew which we translate, savory meat " The original is matammim, from a word meaning to taste. There is almost no end to the salts, spices, garlics, and onionsof Oriental dishes ; thus sweet and sour, oil and acid, comb me to trvstify the dish and to enhance its value m the Judgment of the Oriental palate. This Hebrew word means delicacies of any kind which would be grateful to the taste of Isaac, whose appetite, as the result of his illness, needed tempting. There is little doubt but that there was also a religious significance in the meal of which he desired to partake. It was probably part of a re- ligious solemnity; it was in some sense a sacrifice offered by the recipient of the blessing, and thus it would be considered as a ratification of the pro- ceeding Thus Jacob killed two kids of the goats, although one would have been sufficient for the meal In addition to the religious idea involved, • Isaac's spirits would be revived and his vigor m- creased by the delicacies, for the solemn work of bestowing the parental blessing. We thus see Isaac preparing to perform his part m discharg- ing the solemn obligations which belonged to his position. As Elisha demanded the influence of ^^S*»-H.--rf-'WV*^ui«-UU •40 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICUl TIES. '\ music before speaking the word of the Lord, so Isaac sought to secure the necessary physical vigor and inspiration for this great occasion. - Rebekah's WiLV Stratagem. Rebekah overheard Isaac giving his instruc- tions to Esau. She, doubtless, was greatly ex- cited A crucial moment in the family history had arrived; a sad domestic drama is to be en- acted; plotting and counter-plotting are to be the order of the hour. When Rebekah sees Isaac about to bestow the blessing on Esau, she deter- mines to trust her own skill and deceit rather than God's wisdom and purpose. Perhaps she thought she was justified in using deceit to forward God s plans; perhaps she saw no other way to prevent Isaac from thwarting the divine purpose; and perhaps there was a strange mingling of blamable maternal jealousy and commendable faith in the divine and prenatal oracle. It is possible that she did not clearly distinguish between the good and evil in her motives. She is a resourceful woman ; she is master of the duplicity characteristic of her family. She braves the indignation of Isaac, the anger of Esau, and the displeasure of God. Her course was deplorably wicked; it ought never to have an apologist. It was an act of cruel deceit toward her husband, of great guilt toward Esau, and perhaps of even greater wrong toward Jacob; but it was most of all a signal offence against ^ God Her conduct has found apologists, but the FICUITIES. : rd of the Lord, so necessary physical ;reat occasion. ( RATAOEM. giving his instruc- ss, was greatly ex- the family history drama is to be en- iotting are to be the Rebckah sees Isaac on Esau, she deter- id deceit rather than Perhaps she thought cit to forward God's ther way to prevent ivine purpose; and ningling of blamable lendable faith in the It is possible that she 3tween the good and I resourceful woman ; r characteristic of her ignation of Isaac, the easure of God. Her ;d; it ought never to an act of cruel deceit at guilt toward Esau, wrong toward Jacob; ignal offence against id apologists, but the ESAU'S BIRTHRIGHT. '^l result showed that it never received the approval of God. She was equally weak and wicked m supposing that the fulfilment of God's promise required treachery on her part. Her poUcy was hopelessly crooked, and wholly at variance with the trustfulness and honesty of a true child of God She distrusted God, and endeavored to accomplish His purpose by utterly unrighteous means. She is a proficient in the arts of dis- simulation; she adopted the aatanical and Jesui- tical maxim that the end justifies the means She was impiously daring in commanding Jacob to obey her voice, and in her willingness to as- sume God's curse. One is startled at her words and acts. She loved Jacob unwisely ; she rightly recognized that he was the birthright son, and she also remembered Esau's reckless and contemp- tuous treatment of the privileges of the birthright ; but nothing could justify her in the wrongs she did. She was the cunning mother of a cunning, though cowardly, son. ;= Progress of the Plot. Esau has now gone to the field to hunt for the venison; the way is therefore clear in the home for the course of deception which Rebekah has determined to pursue. Jacob, in harmony with his timorous nature, views the matter more coolly than does his mother; he sees and rightly esti- mates the dangers in the way, but he is far more concerned that he may be safe than that he may 1$ 343 OLD TESTAMENT DISSICULTIES. be right; he cares only for the risk, and not for the sin of the course proposed. He is not con- cerned with the enormity of his offence against God He fears that he shall seem to his father as a deceiver, kimtataa, as one that causeth greatly to err. as a very deceiver. The original is most emphatic; perhaps it includes the idea of despis- ing or mocking another. He may have no objec- tions to the imposition on his senile father or his open-hearted brother, but he is greatly alarmed lest he should be detected in his frauds, and so a curse and not a blessing should come upon him from his father. Rebekah might have gone to Isaac, if she found that he was determined to give the birthright to Esau, and might have urged him to follow the counsels of God. The temptation which came to her was in its essence that which came to our Lord in the wilderness, when batan offered Him the kingdoms of the world if he would give Satan His homage ; it is the temptation which comes to all of us in every walk of li^^; it is the temptation which we must resist with holy indig- nation, or before which we shall fall in hopeless subjection. Jacob's Acquiescence. Rebekah assured her son that she would take the curse upon herself. She ran a fearful risk in making such a declaration, and she thus mam- fested a low tone of moral sentiment. She cou d not take Jacob's curse, even if she would; only ICUL TIES. ! risk, and not for [. He is not con- is offence against em to his father as at causcth greatly le original is most the idea of df;spis- nay have no objec- senile father or his is greatly alarmed Ills frauds, and so a lid come upon him light have gone to , determined to give ght have urged him i. The temptation essence that which erness, v^rhen Satan he world if he would he temptation which ralk of life ; it is the isist with holy indig- ihall fall in hopeless ;SCENCE. that she would take . ran a fearful risk in and she thus mani- jntiment. She could 1 if she would; only ESAU' S Ji/K Til R HI 11 T. 843 the compassionate Saviour of sinners, who bore our sins in His own body on the tree, can take the curse upon Himself. Her words, perhaps, show great faith in the divine prediction, but they magnify rather than minify the fraud which she purposes to practise upon Isaac. It is simplv astonishing that in the form of solemnization of matrimony in one of the prayer- books, a petition is offered that the man and woman entering into this sacred relationship should live together as did Isaac and Rebekah. Doubtless this petition is based upon the monog- amy characteristic of Isaac and Rebekah, as dis- tinguished from the polygamy of that day; but it is, to say the least, a most unfortunate prayer to be offered at the marriage ceremony. When one remembers the domestic drama in that an- cient family, and the painfully unwifely conduct of which Rebekah was guilty toward her invalid and blind husband, one would surely prefer some other prayer on such an occasion. Rebekah s greater force of character entirely overcame Jacob's hesitancy. He goes to the ilock and se- cures two kids of the goats, and Rebekah deter- mines that with all the witchery of her cookery she shall make Isaac believe that the delicacies which he desired are now prepared. She is thor- oughly master of the situation; and Jacob was both her tool and accomplice. She prepares goodly raiment, haluimudoth, desirable garments, with which to impose further on her husband. ,44 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. She also will .over Jacob's hands and neck with f, e sSns of .he Wds so as to n,ake h,m appear ha ,„o,c like Esau. It is well ™'l-'^'-'' " ^ *^ Oriental camel goats, as they arc called, fnrn^h a wool that is sott and silky, and of a nntch finer ,e..tt,re than that of the European .^ r"rhr:,;:iit::tthin. undone to \ h.r Dl-ms She could readily impose rponCrsSrandthedulUouehofthehlind invalid. A Dramatic Scene. The scene at this point is as striking as it is .ruTdifficult to surpass the «f -f fcep- ---":iriSf :^" -- Es^ ir re- Tntr ht v"s also, whether this can real^ Tl Lr. And now Jacob deliberately and re- "Z^^^e^^^ faihcr. at this solemn hour Td in connection with this solemn event. ^Ve 1st call things by their right names; we need s^vcAy a fallible man whom God destgned threat 7 tohonor- but none of tl>e patriarchs can be taken to honor, uut Thev lived under a as models for our conduct. Ihe) uv A DIFFICULTIES. s hands and neck with lo make him appear the ;11 understood that the :hey are called, furnish iy, and of a much finer European goat. This a substitute for human ,ve nothing undone to ,c could readily impose le dull touch of the blind ric Scene. nt is as striking as it is -pass the spirit of decep- vt this point. The father nth which Esau has re- o, whether this can really ia'cob deliberately and te- ther, at this solemn hour this solemn event. We ;ir right names; we need [or the character of Jacob ibtless by some mental and c justifies himself. Aug- iv^.t to justify his conduct already had purchased the wish to criticise with undue whom God designed greatly the patriarchs can be taken iduct. They lived under a ESA U ' S BIR Til RIGHT. a45 primitive and very imperfect code of morals The Bible nowhere justifies the conduct of Jacob and Rebekah; if the Bible had been written by uninspired men, this story had never been told. Uninspired writers often magnify and even create the virtues of their heroes; and they often mmify and even deny the vices of their heroes But while the Bible sets down naught in malice, it dares tell the truth and the whole truth. Jacob even went so far as to bring in God as sharing in the deception he had practised. He found the venhvm so soon "because the Lord thy God brought it to me." The original is here very striking, hihrah kphanai, made it to occur, or caused it to come before me. Jacob here uses language expressive of a special interposition of Providence on his behalf. But Isaac is not yet through with Jacob, and his falsehoods must be repeated. Isaac's ear denotes the difference of tone, although his eyes give no testn..ony. A thrill of alarm must have filled Jacob s soul as Isaac commands him to come near. Martin Luther strikingly says: " I should have probably ^un away with horror and let the dish fall. " Isaac feels the hairy skin, and it resembles Esau s ; sti 1 he has a lurking doubt, ^nd in response to his question, Jacob affirms that he is his very son Esau Had there been a failure at this point the whole scheme would have failed, but Rebekah guarded against this danger. Jacob was after- ward the victim of the deceits which his sons „6 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFfCVLTrES. poetised upon him in connection with the coat of Kt. religion is not responsible i"^ i'^f' ^^ r , V nf true religion which made h.m de- "^T He hid not yet passed through that ex- " ^hicf we understand by conversion, Turw-h^irwrhilatthebrooWabbo. -e^^^ irsrpr:herr;::t::dt believers of his father, and the g'^^^P;^^ .,,i, ^f his reresfL^Hehrews. -^^:^::Z driving bargain. "^^ ^^^'^^^Z.r necessi- that God's promises and P^^^^J^^/ ^^^^^^^^e. tate certainly never justify, fraud ana la tate, certdii y accomphsh all His ou the part of men. ^^^ '^^'^ "^^ ,i,;„art of His purposes without wrong-domg on the part creatures. ; . The Paternal Kiss. rrl :X:nt we U^ow that often in blind ■ ^Ihe s nToT smell helps them to reeogn,.e T T Aslaeob was supposed to have returned f thefie^Ttwas eKpSed that his garmen s from the hew, u w t- common in " would smell of the chase. It is stiu ficulties, ,on with the coat of isible for Jacob; it vhich made him de- ed through that ex- ind by conversion, k Jabbok. True re- )le for this act than ecuted the believers L the quiet patience Ding selfishness and ■haracteristic of his [amond cut diamond iban and Jacob, were ht ever to remember rposes never necessi- , fraud and falsehood an accomplish all His ,ng on the part of His ESAU'S BIRTHRIGHT. 247 A.L Kiss. that the paternal kiss benediction bestowed, ather's kiss would have [saac smelled the smell now that often in blind ilps them to recognize pposed to have returned ected that his garments It is still common in many parts of the Orient to distinguish persons by smelling the crown of the head or other parts of the body; of an amiable man it is often said: "How sweet is the smell of that man; the smel of his goodness is universal." Thus Isaac smelled and kissed him. The kiss was the sign ot affec- tion, the token of friendship, and, m some sense a symbol of homage. And while he kissed Jacob the odor of Esau's garments, impregnated by aromatic herbs, excited the sensibilities of the aged man and inspired him to pour forth his bene- diction. Jacob was to receive the fatness of the earth, the dew .f heaven, the homage of nations, and to exercise • 'd-hip over hismother's sons. ■:,,.u's Return. A thrilling scene comes before us. Es^^/"' expectedly returns. Clandestinely Jacob had re- ceived the blessing. No wonder we read • Isaac trembled very exceedingly." The painful il^- sion is dispelled, the abominable deception is dis- covered, and the guilt of wife and son is revealed. Isaac's emotions must have been absolutely over^ whelming. A just indignation must have filled < his soul He must at the same time have been conscious of his own wrong in allowing his unwise love for Esau to lead him to disobey God. Years before, he was willing to trust God, even to laying himselfuponthealtarofsacrifice. Butthebene- diction had been given, and it cannot be recalled^ He now saw that it was God's purpose that the ,^ OW TESTAMENT mEEJCVLT.ES. terrible «»-PI»»"J"Vrr«ht There is an M™ for despising "^ ~^,„e when Esau obvious reference '° J°= ,,,j„„,_me these ,aid: -He hath supplanted y ^^^ ^^^^ two times." Jacob s "^»';/ j^^ that there „as Stound for these r ^ ^^^^^^ ^^ supplaoter. But Isaac it ^^dated do- also. With his name "^ '°"« , ,„o„g the „inion by the sword ->* J^^J J^tasteful, as it people. Tohimap^lor^l*'^ „ere U afterward with htsra^. -^uered by David long independent, but w j_^^ ^,^. and others. febeta^J' "^^'f., v,er brother, ^d loved Jacob to «« ^^.^^^.^^ ^^.al abate. She there remam until Esau s .^ ^^^ j^^,jy^ wasthecau^ofmud^o^^*- ^^^.^„,„.,. 3,, and she ="«^"'='"*"'^, wm for twenty years, parts with Jacob, not to «e mn ^.^^ ^^.^ Tt ever after; and even n ttas P g ^^^ ^^ she artfully plans so as to conceal worst features ol the ease. Lessons. •^«t <;torv the danger that We see by this ancient stoj ^^^^ ^^^_ „en may sin even -^^^^J „,,,ay sinned niCULTIES. line of Jacob rather rrief is distressing; Je with hitn in his though we blame ght There is an ; name when Esau .yakebani—raQ these yaakob, Esau here e denied that there ons upon Jacob the a blessing for Esau long associated do- eat power among the ife is distasteful, as it The Edomites were conquered by David liged to urge her be- ban, her brother, and rrath shall abate. She e sorrow in her family, e chastisements. She . him for twenty years, 'this parting with him conceal from Isaac the )NS. t Story the danger that , seeking a worthy end domestic tragedy sinned ,d against God. Isaac ESAU'S BIRTHRIGHT. 249 Sinned by Striving to set aside the will of God, because of his unwise partiality toward Esau. Rebekah sinned by distrusting God, and by prac- tising abominable deceptions. She did evil that good might come. Her course was evil, and that continually. Jacob sinned in a most revolting way, in the transaction by which he secured the birthright. He took a mean advantage of Esau's hunger, and robbed him of that which should have been dearer to Esau than life itself. He sinned m obeying his mother rather than God, and one sm led to another, until his falsehood became pro- fanity, making God a partner in his crime. Esau sinned in despising his birthright and also in his marital relations. We have no right ever to make God's supposed designs the rule of our conduct. God does not give us His prophecies as maxims for the government of our actions. We are simply to do right, even though the heavens should fall. Parents are in danger of cherishing an unwarranted partiality for sons or daughters, and against this tendency they must ever be watchful. We learn, also, that sin must evermore be pun- ished Punishment followed according to the most natural laws all concerned in this guilty transaction. The best men and women are com- passed with infirmity; sinless perfection does not belong to this life. The old Greek tragedies show us the close relation between crime and punish- ^50 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. xnent, between sin and sorrow; they teach this lesson as truly as it is taught even in the Bible. In the end wicked schemes prove abortive ; in the end the deceiver is himself deceived; "the engi- neer is hoist on his own petard." Jacob suffered from the cupidity of Laban, and afterward from the deception of his own sons. Terrible was the sorrow of Rebekah as she parts, probably forever, irom her beloved Jacob. As the chief offender, she probably was the chief sufferer. AVhatsoever we sow that shall we reap ; that is one of the rnost solemn statements in the whole Bible As God lives the man who sows the wind shall reap the •whirlwind. Thank God! there is forgiveness with Him, if we but turn to Him in penitence and faith. ' , ^. We read that " Esau found no place of repent- ance, though he sought it carefully with tears. We must not suppose that Esau, wishmg to re- pent, could not; the meaning clearly is that he sought for his father's repentance, in the sense of a change in his purpose; but all his tears could not change that purpose. He sowed to the flesh, and he could not expect to reap the fruit of the spirit We sympathize with him in his great and bitter cry, and in contrast with his dashing con- duct we stigmatize the mean cupidity and com- mercial sharpness of Jacob; but Esau's cry is simply that of one who did not heed God's warn- ing and who despised God's gracious gifts. He threw away his blessing for a mess of pottage, ZUL TIES. they teach this en in the Bible. ; abortive ; in the ived; "the engi- • Jacob suffered 1 afterward from Terrible was the probably forever, le chief offender, rer. AVhatsoever is one of the most e Bible. As God ind shall reap the re is forgiveness m in penitence and lo place of repent- ■efuUy with tears." ;au, wishing to re- ; clearly is that he nee, in the sense of all his tears could sowed to the flesh, jap the fruit of the lim in his great and ;h his dashing con- L cupidity and com- but Esau's cry is 3t heed God's wam- gracious gifts. He a mess of pottage, ESAU'S BIRTHRIGHT. »SI and he cannot now get it for a flood of tears^ Happy are they who know the time of grace, and who do not despise the opportunity of mercy. Esau's tears are too late; he must reap as he sowed We also have a great and glorious birth- right, and we also may lose it for some temporary pleasure. Adam and Eve sold theirs for a httle fruit God help us not to choose baubles for diamonds, earth for heaven, time for etermty. and self for Christ! ;ij| 'If m. XV. WHO WAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB AT JABBOK ? n XV. WHO WAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB AT JABBOK? In the ,2d chapter of Genesis we have an ac- count of the turning-point in the lif^«^ ^^^°^- We here see another wonderful event m the sU - Ig career of this historic patriarch. Before th.s perL we observed his cunning devices, his nu- ^. erous artifice, and his intense selfisna, g^wm. out of a weak and defective faith. But after this pe iod we shall notice his great humility, com- readable resignation, and beautiful confidence a. a child of God and a patriarch of Israel. The old tacob with his desire to supplant his brother and iruicle by his commercial shrewdness, disap- pears the new Jacob, who is now Israel, appears 'and r;mains ever afterward on the historic page^ U required much sorrow, many trials, and severe L ttements to eliminate Jacob and to introduce Israel All the previous events m his life were buT he divine preparations for his change of hear and of name. Hitherto his conduct was that of a ^ c^i, self-reliant, and not over-scrupulous man. tZto he has fought with the weapons of human shrewdness and unholy cunning. Now we are to se him relying on God and doing his duty as a .A. as6 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. follower of the lioly One, and as the head of a great race. We are now to enter upon the period which marks his conversion, his regeneration, his conseeration as a true servant of God. PKKi'ARiNd TO Return. His departure from Canaan to Aram was marked by a crisis in his life; so now is his return from Aram to Canaan marked by another and even greater crisis. We are told that on his way a vision of the heavenly host was granted to *>im ; we do not know just how this apparition of angels was made to Jacob. We are, however, fully to believe that these angels, malakim, messengers, were not merely human, but truly the angels of God. We may well believe that the occasion was sufficiently important to justify an angelic mani- festation. Jacob now has to pass through the land of Edom, which was in possession of his brother Esau. He also had everv reason to be- lieve that Esau might be as hostile as he was powerful. God's angels thus came to quiet his fears and to strengthen his hopes. A glorious physical prospect is here before him; fresh ver- dure and rich pasturage are about him, and as he enters the land the heavenly messengers give him greeting. He now sees that his late deliverance was due to God's providence, and that his future welfare is also under God's watchcare. Twenty years before when, fleeing from his angry brother, he had arrived at Bethel, the mystical ladder, ^ FICULTIES. I as the head of a ter upon the period is regeneration, his of God. ETURN. o Aram was marked r is his return from another and even that on his way a ras granted to '^im; apparition of angels e, however, fully to alakiin, messengers, truly the angels of hat the occasion was ify an angelic mani- ;o pass through the n possession of his cverv reason to be- s hostile as he was s came to quiet his hopes. A glorious fore him; fresh ver- about him, and as he messengers give him ; his late deliverance ;, and that his future watchcare. Twenty om his angry brother, the mystical ladder, WHO tV.4S THE WRESTLER WlTIf JACOB? 257 reaching from earth to heaven, and upon it angels ascending and descending, he beheld; and now, as he returns, angel hosts come to defend him should dangers arise. He rightly called the name of that place Mahanaim; this Hebrew word is a dual term implying two hosts or camps. Years before he saw the angelic messengers in a dream, but now he sees them when awake. He recog- nizes them as the messengers of (.iod, and he names the place Mahanaim from the double host. This place has been identified with Mahneh, and the name was handed down to after ages as a place of sanctuary for the trans-Jordanic tribes. Jacob is still on the heights of the trans-Jordanic hills These messengers do not seem to have given him any verbal communication, but he could readily infer the object of their mission and so become assured of God's protecting providence. This was truly a glorious vision which was granted Jacob at this crisis of his life. In Psalm xx.xiv. 7 we read, "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him.'" The word angel in this passage without doubt means " an- gelry," the collective multitude of angels. Such a multitude we may well believe Jacob now saw. They surrounded his camp, and their presence and the events which there occurred have made the place historic and even immortal. He is by the brook Jabbok, a word which probably m' n j "pouring out," or "flowing forth," or i., may be connected with the word in v«.rse 24, rendered 17 I I IMMI<^«^1 .11. 1 i, M I ii! I: 258 OZZ? TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. "wrested •• It is now the Zerka, a perennial stream which flows into the Jordan, between the ea o^Galilee and the Dead Sea. after a westerly course of about sixty miles. Penuel where Jacob wrestled with the angel, was a fordmg-place o Ts brook. This stream divided the territory of "m that of Sihon. and it flowed through the region afterward assigned to the tribe of Gad. Sending Messages to Esau. Verses 3 to 9 g^e v.s the account of the mes- sage sent to Esau informing him of Jacob s ar- rwl We now. again, have the word .nalakr,n^ : the first verse of the chapter, but now lefe - ring to hmnan and not divine messengers This r^ssion was obviously a very wise precaution, for Tacob fears the wrath of his justly incensed Hher Jacob is ever skilful, cautious, and craC. he knew something of the temper of hi brother and he now knows also something of hi '^eat p;wer. We do not know why or when E^U: " lo^ri r,f «;eir This was Arabia V. -xA removed to the land ot oeir. i "'=' plea on the east and south of the Dead Sea, and tah bited originally by the Horites, or "troglo- dytes ■• who excavated the singular roek-dwell- •Igs found in the vicinity of Petra; thts was ';Le with which Esau had become connec^^ b marriage with a daughter of Ishmael Probably r^adual enlargement of his domestic esubhsh InTand the unfilial deportment of h.s wrve, ^1 "fitting that he should not live near h. r DIFFICULTIES. the Zerka, a perennial the Jordan, between the ead Sea, after a westerly es. Penuel, where Jacob , was a fording-place of n divided the territory of and it flowed through the ed to the tribe of Gad. SAGES TO Esau. s the account of the mes- .rming him of Jacob's ar- have the word malakim as le chapter, but now refer- divine messengers. This a very wise precaution, for h of his justly incensed ver skilful, cautious, and thing of the temper of his mows also something of hi not know why or when Esau idofSeir. This was Arabia 1 south of the Dead Sea, and by the Horites, or "troglo- jd the singular rock-dwell- 'cinity of Petra; this was a m had become connected by rhter of Ishmael. Probably 'ent of his domestic establish- al deportment of his wives he should not live near his WHO WAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB? 259 parents; we may also believe that there was a divine purpose in his departure fron: the land of promise, thus making room for his brother, its divinely appointed possessor. Esau thus acted with the utmost freedom, and yet he was fulfill- ing the divine purpose in the course he adopted. He Had a force of four hundred men with him, and this is a truly formidable company of depen- dents He has begun to live by the sword; and, being associated by marriage with Hittites and Ishmaelites, he has become a powerful sheik. What was his purpose in thus approaching Jacob? Perhaps he generally travelled with a large escort ; perhaps he is not openly hostile to his brother but is just in that state of mind when a slight word or act may inflame his wrath. Jacob approaches him with marked respect and deference; his instructions to the messengers are conciliatory in the extreme. He does not avail himself of the honor of precedency as given in the paternal blessing, but he calls Esau his lord and speaks of himself as " thy servant. " He takes great pains to suggest-a very important matter, doubtless, to both-that he does not come m pov- erty asking help, but in wealth, and so is able to bestow favors. He wishes Esau to know that he has not come to claim "the double portion," and this statement would certainly tend greatly to conciliate Esau. Doubtless it was a time of great anxiety to Jacob; we are told that he was "dis- tressed," yctzcr, straitened-this term implies that i6o OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. the distress of Jacob was very real; and, without doubt, God intended thereby to quicken His ser- vant's fervency in prayer, and to lead him to cast himself unreservedly upon divine help. We now see Jacob exercising the utmost precaution as he divides his flecks, herds, and camels into two bands; he has determined to prepare himself for the worst while he trusts for the best. If Esau should smite one band the other may escape by ^ flight We ought not to blame him for t-kmg these precautions; we ought not to say that he ouo-^t to trust God without adopting wise meas- j ures to help himself. His prudence was as com- mendable as it was considerable; and he can the more truly trust God after he has wisely helped himself. We see also that he manifested th.- ut- most skill by placing spaces between the droves of cattle. He would thus make the number ap- pear as large as possible, as do the adroit man- I agers of political processions in our own day. He wished Esau properly to estimate the value of the gift The announcement of the gift to Esau and the expressions of his regard for his brother are repeated in the most artful manner possible. It is asserted that Jacob is Esau's servant, and " be- hold thy servant Jacob is behind us." Jacob makes sure that nothing shall be neglected which shall appease Esau. Truly Jacob was a Hebrew of rare wisdom, skill, and foresight. These quali- ties would give him great success to-day in America; he would doubtless take high rank *«*':ff'?.-'r.1ffir'!iH.i FFICULTIES. y real ; and, without to quicken His ser- d to lead him to cast ivine help. We now lost precaution as he nd camels into two ) prepare himself for r the best. If Esau other may escape by lame him for taking ,t not to say that he adopting wise meas- prudence was as corn- able ; and he can the he has wisely helped he manifested th ut- s between the droves make the number ap- ,s do the adroit man- s in our own day. He ;imate the value of the ,f the gift to Esau and rd for his brother are I manner possible. It au's servant, and "be- s behind us." Jacob lall be neglected which f Jacob was a Hebrew oresight. These quali- eat sttccess to-day in )tless take high rank WHO WAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB? 261 among his fellow Hebrews amid the exciting com- petitions of our day. Our thoughts turn for the moment from Jacob thus making careful prepara- tion, to his open-hearted brother approaching him with his large escort. Probably Esau had an almost pardonable vanity in showing Jacob how powerful he had become ; possibly, also, he wished to protect him from danger on the journey. Esau was always dashing, startling, and chivalrous. There was a decidedly spectacular, and a some- what Napoleonic, element in his character, an element wl.ich almost, in spite of our better judg- ment, wins our undue admiration. This is the picture of the two brothers. One is planning on the banks of the Jabbok to appease his brother, while that brother approaches him with a power- ful company of retainers. Prayer Following Effort. Jacob now prays as well as plans for deliver- ance. He not only uses all Lis own skill, but he seeks help from God. We have here really a re- markably fine model for a special praj'er to God ; this is one of the best, as it is one of the most an- cient, intercessions with God which we have in the Bible. This successful prayer deserves par- ticular notice. Jacob approaches God pleading his promises for the protection of his people. He lays hold of God's faithfulness as a God in covenant with his people ; and thus he appeals to God as his own God in covenant with Abraham and Isaac. He memm III 111 1^ i; ^, OLO TESTAMENT vrF^'CV^rmS. Mo.t beautlWly ^1«' f°" ^„",„t, the prayer « deep humility -"* ^'";, ^ ," d yet it is as urgent „era,iy .teeped,nhu». t .^^..^ i„ Ws plea, as it is humble. He ao ^„a God's for deliverance h,s own unwotth ^,^^^^^ ^_^ neatness and hoUness. It «t« ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^p,,;, emphasize unduly the ^^^^^^^ ^_^^(^^^^, which he here manifests. ^,„„erited his sin and invokes God s mercy ^^^^ ^^ toon while he I"f "';;XpLys for deliver- God's feet; then he '■''"''"^ J J ..(he mother ,„ce, »a.i"^ «fr ;,f ZUs himself thus with the children. n .^^ j^^d^ and with the entire company, as h ^^^^ ^^^ head. He then Pl""^^ f f^^/^^own him with would grant him f^'^^^^^^^, „f Jacob, as he blessing. Wc have <'f^;*™f as " the father has been perh^s un.in y -1 ^._^^^^,^^^_ ^^,^ ;„ of Jewish guile , *"'. ' „,,_,„r„et thathe was his nature, but we ought not tojo g ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ .^ a faithful lover and a tend- '^'^^ '^ ,^,,,, and to now to rise to be a »a,est ^^^ ^^^ ,„,. have his name written w Thankfulness f-*"''^ rstrii^ThtrSe'rlstics of his faith was one of the striwng ^.^ ^^^^^^^ to and his prayer. H=/™;^'^„„, providence. We God's loving care and graciou^ *^„„„,„ion with .V thus see him alone ™g.ed^^ God on the bank of the J an 'FICULTIES. rcies and promises, manifest a spirit of ment; the prayer is md yet it is as urgent >t forget in his pleas orthiness and God's would be difficult to .Hence of the spirit He frankly confesses ercy as an unmerited imself in the dust at ,tly prays for deliver- ence to "the mother dentifies himself thus she was its leader and iod's promise that He y and crown him with thought of Jacob, as he y called, as "the father ment, doubtless, was m .otto forget that he was Icr father, and that he IS ,tic man of faith, and to ith honor upon the im- ed story. Thankfulness haracteristics of his faith ,aced all his ^^^^^'^ ^^ racious providence. We aged in communion wxth Jabbok. WHO WAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB t ^63 The Mysterious Wrestler. Jacob is thus alone, as all the others of nis com- pany have passed over. We now approach the crisis of the crisis in his life. God has marvellous honors in store for him, and he must bs prepared for their reception. He is to have a new name cand a newlJIti^ he is to be made worthy of his "^Ji^^PpTHHrhTthe Kingdom of God. He has hitherto been a very unsaintly saint; but he is now entering upon a new life and a new conse- cration to God. Old things are passing away and all things are becoming new. Hitherto he has been self-reliant, self-righteous, self-seeking; thus he bargained and plotted for the birthright; thus he bargained with God at Bethel; thus he higgled with Laban, cheating and being cheated. Just at this crisis, when, perhaps, he had passed over the ford and was seeking a little rest, a strange Being wrestles with him. The word wrestled, yeabek a term occurring only here, is perhaps derived from abak, dust. It is supposed by some authori- ties to be applied to wrestling because of the dust which was excited by the exertions of the wres- tlers The combatants in the Grecian games were glad literally to raise the dust, because thereby they could grasp more firmly the naked bodies of their opponents, which were besmeared with oil. Tacob is still true to his old nature, which has not yet fully passed away; he will fight it out on the line of self-confidence if it take all night to reach 364 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES, a conclusion. He has been a taker-by-the-heel, a supplanter, all through his life; and, true to his character, he closes in with this great Unknown, But this mysterious One touches the socket of his hip-joint, and immediately it is wrenched out of joint. The thigh is the pillar of the wrestler's strength, and now Jacob is absolutely helpless, he can only hang in his helplessness on his con- queror, and thus he will sweetly learn that when he is weak he is strong. He clings to his con- queror and begs for a blessing. His action at this point is profoundly suggestive in its spiritual in- struction. Jacob is in the mighty hand of his almighty Vanquisher, who will overthrow the self -trustful Jacob, but who will not deny the prayer of the helpless and trustful supplicant. We know from other Scripture, Hosea xii. 4, that he wept and made supplication, throwing himself in importunate prayer upon the mercy of God. Who was this mysterious wrestler? He does not give his name to Jacob, but he changes Jacob's name to Israel. In the passage before us the mysterious One is termed a man, but in Hosea xii. 4 he is called "the Angel"; this refer- ence clearly shows us that he was not a human antagonist. In verse 30 he is virtually called God in connection with the name of the place Peniel, Thus he who is at one time called " a man" and " the Angel" is afterward designated by the august title of God. There is not the slightest doubt but that this mysterious wrestler was none other than FFICULTIES. taker-by-the-heel, a ife; and, true to his his great Unknown, hes the socket of his ; is wrenched out of iar of the wrestler's jsolutely helpless, he essness on his con- etly learn that when e clings to his con- gf. His action at this ve in its spiritual tn- mighty hand of his will overthrow the } will not deny the trustful supplicant, re, Hosea xii. 4, that on, throwing himself the mercy of God. , wrestler? He does ob, but he changes the passage before us •med a man, but in le Angel"; this refer- he was not a human IS virtually called God e of the place Peniel. 3 called " a man" and lignated by the august he slightest doubt but r was none other than IVIIO iVAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB? 26S the Angel of the Covenant, none other than the Son of God, none other than Jesus the Christ. No longer is the patriarch to be Jacob the sup- planter, but Israel, a prince and a prevailer with God Jacob is no match in a contest with God as a wrestler, but as a suppliant he prevailed. The new name and the new nature go together. Jacob needed both, and Jacob now received both. He has now learned that the contest with Esau was nothing, but the contest with Jehovah was every- thing Hitherto he had been a clever and perti- nacious man; henceforth he is to be the humble suppliant, the devout believer, and the faithful servant The transaction was profoundly real in Jacob's experience, and was symbolic of Jacob's past, present, and future. ' : - The Face of God. The word Paiicl means "the face of God." Jacob so named the place because he had seen God face to face, " raithi Elohim panim el pantm C I have seen the Elohim faces to faces"), had seen him fully and completely, and still lived. He carried ever after the marks of this conflict, for we are told that "he halted upon his thigh. When the Apostle Paul, in the abundance of his revelations, was exalted to the third heaven, he received a thorn in the flesh to humble him •. so Jacob received, perhaps, in the sciatic nerve, the tendo AchiUis of the Greeks," a token for a like purpose which he should carry with hihi to his : i . * 266 OLD TESTAAfKNT DIFFICULTIES. crave The Jews to this day abstain religiously from eating of the sinew which shrank, or became feeble, a custom which is a monument to the his- torical truth of this remarkable event m the life of Jacob. All true Christians have their remarkable spir- itual experiences. The artist has his times of glowing enthusiasm and of almost superhuman inspiration, historians and artists love to visit places historic in their respective departments ot genius The man of letters lingers with fondest enthusiasm on moments of history and art in the world's great historic and artistic capitals. 1 he Christian has his Bethlehems and Gethsemanes and Olivets. All along life's pathway he has his Peniels, times and places when the glory of God shines upon him and the peace of God fills his soul Peniel may be found in secret prayer, m sacred communion, in the study of the Bible or in the assembly of God's people. Happy are they who know these experiences which are foretastes of heaven itself. We may yet see God in the face of Jesus Christ and thus find our true life. He who walked in the garden in the cool of the day, who guided Noah, who visited Abraham, who delivered Lot, came finally as the Son of Man to dwell with men. The same mysterious One pro- nounced the word " Mary," as this devoted woman wept at His sepulchre. It was He who walked with the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. It is He who walks and talks with His children to 'FFICUL TIES. y abstain religiously :h shrank, or became nonument to the his- xble event in the life I heir remarkable spir- tist has his times of i almost superhuman artists love to visit lective departments of s lingers with fondest history and art in the irtistic capitals. The ims and Gethsemanes ;'s pathway he has his vhen the glory of God peace of God fills his id in secret prayer, in study of the Bible, or 3ople. Happy are they ;es which are foretastes yet see God in the face ind our true life. He L in the cool of the day, visited Abraham, who [y as the Son of Man to ne mysterious One pro- •• as this devoted woman It was He who walked n the way to Emmaus. ilks with His children to WHO WAS THE WRESTLER WITH JACOB? 267 this blessed hour. It is well for us when we re- ceive some wonderful honor from God, to receive also some memento of humility lest we be unduly elated by our spiritual exaltation. As men heard Jacob's new name and saw his lameness they would be reminded of the spiritual honor which he had received. May our humility ever testify to the reality of our communion with a risen and exalted Christ! . Great trials are necessary to the purification of our faith. But for Jacob's utter helplessness he had never become the prevailer with God. When trials are sanctified they are the richest proofs of God's fatherly love. Let us not hesitate to go into the furnace, if only the Son of God go with us He who prevails with God can never be over- come by men. Success in life must depend, as its deepest source, upon the favor of God. What is the mightiest power of our adversaries com- pared with the almighty power of our God? The might and the wisdom of man are weakness and foolishness with God. Christ's real triumph was in Gethsemane; our greatest triumphs are to be in our closets. If we be victorious there, men will not be victorious over us in the public walks of life. We pray too little. Let us wrestle in fervent prayer with God and we shall never be vanquished by men. The man who fears God so much that he has no fear of men will triumph over every foe. If we be wrestling Jacobs we shall become pre- ,68 OLD TRSTAMF.NT DirPICi'LTIES. vaili„B Israel.. Never wa. a ">•"•= Serious night Ihan .hat of Jacob', on the hank of Jabbok^ A the morninE dawns the unknown wrestler d.sap pelr! and the triumph of Jacob is con^plet. La„, as the impulsive hunter, 1'--^ "^ ' ="; lacob purified by trial and cleansed b> grace, rlLed from the supplantcr into the prmce of God. still stands before the world crowned wvth ; ory and honor. Let „s not be -ary -n ou snp- prevailing Israels. -. «»MiW»i 'FFICULTIES. I more glorious night jank of Jabbok. As nown wrestler disap- Jacob is complete. It, passes away. But 1 cleansed by grace, ianter into the prince le world crowned with ,t be weary in our sup- ipon him, the Sun of I healing in his beams lis rays, and we, too, upplanting Jacobs into XVI. DID GOD OR PHARAOH HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART? XVI. DID GOD OR PHARAOH HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART? Few subjects in biblical interpretation have given rise to greater controversies and more con- flicting opinions than the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. This subject has greatly perplexed the de- voutest believers, and it has given infidels of every class supposed materials for criticism of God and His holy Word. If we understand the subject rightly, we shall clearly see that neither God nor his Word needs apology on the part of any class of believers. This discourse is in no technical sense a theodicy; theodicean allevia- tions of this difficult narrative are not really necessary if only our interpretation be correct, if only it be truly biblical. If professional inter- preters and all readers would only look at the en- tire narrative concerning the hardening of Pha- raoh's heart in the light of common sense, of daily experience and observation, and especially in the light of a fair interpretation, instead of through the medium of traditional conceptions and un- authoritative creeds, they would have no difficulty in discovering the truth without any intermixture of error. Such an interpretation of God's Word w [W. „, OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. will clearly show that God was no "^''^ «y"; sible for the hardening of Pharaoh s hear than He U to-day for the gardening of the hearts of all men who shut their eyes to the bght of H.s Word and who sear their conscienees agamst the mflu '"u :!,fb: fetdny ad„,itted that there are things hard to understand in the statements rnade con- cerning Pharaoh; there are also facts difficult of explanation in every man's resrstan e to the claLs of God upon his mind and heart. Unfor tunately, the Scripture narrafve -sp- "g *e LVvotian king has been so interpreted as to caube Lfny to stumble thereat, and others to be^onie fierce opponents of God's way and Word. But it fsILwely certain that a correct understanding ■„nhe narrative will greatly lessen the inh^ren difficulties of the case, and will bring Go^s treat mcnt of this proud and stubborn king into line Th the laws which govern men to-day mthejr . r^ection of truth, and in their refusal tc do ,u^Vy toward God and men, and into line also with the nJural and inevitable =«-' »' .™* ^ff^^ • their hearts and wills. In speaking of the harden „g of Pharaoh's heart, the Bible simply sta. s faL and suggests processes which we -e ^-'j witnessing among men now, as in he case of Pharaoh in that ancient day and remote land. A cartw study of the texts in which reference is • mide to the hardening of Pharaoh's heart will Tht that there was no other influence at work ULTIES. ) more respon- 's heart than He le hearts of all ;ht of His Word, rainst the influ- there are things [lents made con- facts difficult of ;sistance to the 1 heart. Unfor- re respecting the jreted as to cause )thers to become nd Word. But it ct understanding isen the inherent bring God's treat- rn king into line . en to-day in their ■efusal tc do justly line also with the such conduct on iing of the harden- lible simply states Arhich we are daily as in the case of id remote land. A which reference is haraoh's heart will r influence at work nm GOD HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEARTS *73 than that which proceeded from hi. own deter- mination not to lose the services of the Israelites by obeying God in letting them go, as God through Moses had commanded; and that there was no other control over his heart than the action of laws still operant on the hearts of men who re- fuse to obey God, and whose hearts become hard- ened by the rejection of the Holy Spirit even to this hour. We are still taught to command men not to refuse to hear God's voice ; and we are still taught that by refusing to obey they harden their hearts as truly as Pharaoh hardened hrs. Prophecy of the Hardening. When we turn to Exodus iv. 2., we learn that before Moses had returned to Egypt God had de- clared of Pharaoh, " I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go." At first blush these words surprise us, and suggest that God, by an act of arbitrary and sovereign power, had made it impossible for Pharaoh to obey the divine command given by Moses. We must, however remember the purpose for which this statement was made to Moses. It was needful that he should be strongly impressed with God's provi- dence in all the events which were to occur; thus the result in regard to Pharaoh is stated at the outset for the encoura^^ement of Moses. This statement was not so much causative as it was predictive. This statement of God resulted from His omniscience, He thereby knowing what would 18 i«K?4'««s,R»'sr>»*-*^"'*«* 274 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. be true in regard to Pharaoh, rather than from God's omnipotence, he thereby bemg able to cause this result to be true. The purpose of the statement was to prepare Moses for the final re- , suit lest he should become discouraged upon a first and second failure, and should renounce the solemn mission upon which he had been sent by God. He is prepared for Pharaoh's repeated re- fusals, and for the dread ultimatum which finally he will announce to Pharaoh. Moses is to under- stand that the heart of Pharaoh and of all kmgs is in the hand of the Almighty who sent him upon this mission. It is important at this point that we should care- fully observe that the Bible, in speaking of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, --Pf ^/^Jj^ Hebrew original three distinct words differing in meaning from one another, but which, unfor- tunately, are all in the common -^^^^'^ ^\^^l Scriptures indiscriminately rendered hardened. It may be permitted, even in a popular discourse, to explain the diversity of the import of these .•ovds In Exodus iv. ai, the passage already nuoted we have the expression chazzck cth libbo M wiu'stiengthen his heart." The Hebrew word hazak, which our version translates harden, iter- ally signifies to strengtiien, confirm, embolden, make courageous ; it is translated by such words as to excite to duty, to be strong, to persevere^ It is placed by Hebrew compilers at the end ot some of the books in the Bible to encourage lES. than from ng able to •pose of the the final re- ged upon a ■enounce the een sent by repeated re- which finally -, is to under- )f all kings is 3nt him upon 3 should care- ;aking of the iploys in the )rds differing which, unfor- ?ersion of the :1 "hardened." ular discourse, iport of these issage already i.z:::ck cth libbo, '. Hebrew word i harden, Hter- rm, embolden, by such words ;, to persevere. 5 at the end of i to encourage DW GOD HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART/ 275 readers to proceed with their study of the sacred writings, and to render the obedience which they require. It is a part of the exhortation of God to Joshua, Joshua i. 7, rak cha.ak, "only be thou strong." It is also found in Joshua's dying ex- hortation to the people (xxiii. 6) vc-chazaktcm, "be ye therefore very courageous," etc. No one would think of translating the original in these cases by the word " harden" ; perhaps, indeed, the word "hardy" would not be inappropriate to the meaning of the passage before us and its context. If we carried over this meaning to God's words to Moses concerning Pharaoh in the passage under consideration, the thought would simply be, "I will make Pharaoh's heart daring, presumptuous, hardy" • the principle which acts in harmony with God's holy law, and which is rightly termed cour- ageous, becomes presumptuous, dangerous, ana defiant when it is opposed to God's will as revealed in His Word. Another one of the three words which is used to describe the condition of Phara- oh's heart is kabad, this means " to make heavy" ; and the third word is kashah, meaning "to make hard" in the sense of difficult, intractable, immov- able, stiff, or rigid. We tinis see that these three original words differ considerably from one an- other in their primary significance. When, for the second time, God says (Exodus vii. 3), " I will harden Phu-aoh's heart," the announcement was • made to Moses just before the beginning of the ten plagues. Moses is thus informed that the u 276 OL/J TESTAMEN'r DIFFICULTIES. course which God would pursue with regard to Pharaoh would harden, and not soften, his heart, would simply make him more obstinate in his re fusal that Israel should not go. The result of this process on the part of Pharaoh would make it necessary that Moses should make before the Egyptians still greater exhibitions of the divme might and majesty. The purpose of this an- nouncement to Moses, as before, was to assure him that in assuming these enormously difficult tasks God was with him, and would overrule all things for the deliverance of his people. In these statements regarding the process of petrification of the heart of Pharaoh the statement by God is again predictive rather than causative. The whole purpose, at this point, is to strengthen the faith, quiet the fears, and multiply the hopes of Moses by the assurance of God's presence in the vast undertaking commanded by God and assumed by Moses. When God is spoken of as hardening the heart of Pharaoh, the language simply implies that without the exertion of any positive divine influence Pharaoh should so treat God's command as inevitably, by the operation of perfectly natural laws, to coufirm, to strengthen, and \z Laiaen himself in his onr^^citlou to God. Instead of be- ing humbled by the wonderful displays of divme power, he should be, by his resistance of light and by his wilful opposition to truth, the more de- termined in his opposition to the mandate of Jehovah. God is said to have done this simply .<««M9Bv , TIES. ith regard to en, his hetirt, late in his n - ! result of this ould make it e before the of the divine e of this an- was to assure lously difficult d overrule all »ple. In these )f petrification [lent by God is /e. The whole then the faith, lopes of Moses 26 in the vast nd assumed by i hardening the simply implies positive divine jod's command erfcctly natural and to Ixaiden Instead of be- ipluys of divine nee of light and 1, the more de- he mandate of one this simply DID GOD HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART? 277 because He permitted it; in no other sense can it be said that He was the author of this hardenmg. In some sense, as Augustine long ago suggested, God may be said to harden those whom He re- fuses to soften. If men will not walk in the light that God gives them, they become blind; if they ATiU not listen to God's call, they repel God. Nowhere does God, by an exercise of arbitrary power, make it impossible for men to see the light to walk in the truth, and to believe the right When men grieve God's spirit, that spirit withdraws from them, and they are thus left to the consequence of their own wilful and sinful act In Deut. ii. 30, language is applied to Sihon, King of Hcshbon, similar to that here used with reference to Pharaoh, and in both cases we have simplv the statement of the result of the disobedi- ence of these two men to the plain commands of God In Joshua xi. 20, like" terms are employed of the enemies of God. They had sinned against the light they had received, and God justly left them to the pride and obstinacy of their own wicked hearts. They chose to retain their idol- atry and God permitted them to be destroyed. Similar sad experiences are being enacted m the history of every congregation, and m the lives of thousands of men to this very hour. We have in the Bible the statement of the operation of these laws; we have all around us to-day the operation of these laws, and if w. had its inspired dstory, the language of the Bible regarding 278 OLD TESTAMENTS DIFEICULTIES. Pharaoh would be repeated to-day regarding tens of thousands who hear and who reject the gospel of salvation. In the Bible we have a flash from the X-ray of divine truth ; that truth is still operant, but we do not see its processes. Any one who will take the pains to examine the use of these Hebrew words in other parts of the Bible will see that they are employed with different shades of meaning, as suggested in tliis discourse ; and he will see that there is a solemn personal danger which still warrants the solemn exhorta- tion of the Psalmist (Ps. xcv. 8), " Harden not your heart." This hardening is here spoken of as a voluntary act on the part of those who reject God's Word, an act for which certainly God can- not be responsible, except He should deprive men of the freedom which is the inalienable right and great glory of manhood. Pharaoh's Responsibility. Attention frequently has been called to the fact that while in the narrative in Exodus the harden- ing of Pharaoh's heart is ten times ascribed, in the sense now explained, to the Lord, it is also several times ascribed to Pharaoh himself (Exodus viii. 15, 32; ix. 34); it is also several times stated that his heart was hardened, without naming the author of the process. We can readily see that the fact when ascribed to God, and then to Pha- raoh, is so ascribed in different senses of the word, so that there is no contradiction between the two JBff'tfWffytttlr'fi^-'--. riES. ■ regarding reject the have a flash ;ruth is still ;sses. Any c the use of f the Bible :h different s discourse ; nn personal nn exhorta- Harden not 2 spoken of 3 who reject ily God can- leprive men le right and d to the fact the harden- ascribed, in d, it is also self (Exodus times stated naming the dily see that hen to Pha- of the word, reen the two DID GOD HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART? 279 assertions. It can be ascribed to (W.d only in one of two senses: first, in that He permits it ti> occur; or, second, in the sense that He is the Designer. Creator, and Supreme (lovcrnor of the entire uni- verse, and that the acts of all I Us creatures may, in some sense, be carried back to Him, cither af. per- mitting or causing their occurrence. In the early day God was so constantly thought of as present and active in the government of the world and the control of men that it was natural to refer to Him as the author of all events of whatever kind. But in no respect was God the author of Pharaoh's sin; in no respect is He the author of the sins of men to-day. God does not interfere with the freedom with which men are endowed; if He did so interfere there could be, on the part of men, neither right nor wrong, neither virtue nor vice, neither personal sinfulness nor holiness. It is un- fortunte that in our common version only the word "harden" is used to translate the three dif- ferent Hebrew terms now given and explained; had their various shades of meaning been prop- erly expressed in English many of the difficulties which have arisen would be unknown. The same three terms are used when the hardening is as- cribed to God as when it is ascribed to Pharaoh, or when its author is not distinctly stated. The Progress of the Hardening. Pharaoh resisted the reasonable demands of Moses for the deliverance of the people, notwith- »8e OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Standing all the wonderful si>>:ns which Moses had given him. The hand of God became more and more clearly revealed; finally Pharaoh confessed his wrong. His magicians could, in a measure, convert the rod into a serpent; still they must have felt Aaron's superiority as his rod swallowed up their rods. Before the ten plagues the heart of Pharaoh was hardened ; and after each of the first five plagues the hardening is expressly attrib- uted to Pharaoh himself, or is named without specifying the author (vii. 22; viii. 15, 19, 32; i^- 7), After the sixth plague, Pharaoh still resist- ing, we read for the first time (ix. 1 2) that " The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh." This word really means that " the Lord made firm the heart of Pharaoh ; the Hebrew is yehazzek. Space for repentance was then given Pharaoh, for after the seventh plague we read (ix. 34) that Pharaoh " made heavy his heart. " The third plague utterly overmatched the skill of Pharaoh's magicians; they owned their powerlessness, and confessed the presence of the finger of God. After the fifth plague Pharaoh discovered that not one of the cattle of the Israelites was dead. This difference between the Israelites and Egyptians ought to have removed Pharaoh's last doubt. It did pro- duce a marked impression on the minds of some of the Egyptians, and when the seventh plague was announced, they took steps to protect their cattle against the predicted storm of hail and fire. After this plague Pharaoh owned his sin, ac- ^■fMu.mai, ■mmtillltllllllKIWlttl Liiiiai' v im mf-~-''''-^-'- '^-' *'"""^ *'°'^*'*^'~\H[-ii £5. Moses had more and confessed I measure, they must swallowed 3 the heart each of the !ssly attrib- ;d without 19, 32; ix. still resist- that " The 3h." This de firm the lek. Space h, for after at Pharaoh igue utterly magicians ; [ confessed ter the fifth one of the s difference IS ought to It did pro- ids of some mth plague rotect their ail and fire, his sin, ac- VW UOD IIAKDKN VHAKAOU'S IlEART^ 28' knowledKa-d the righteousness of (iod and the wickedness of himself unci his people OX. 27); but ^vhen the severity of the pUtgue was over he hard- ened his heart again (ix. 35)- 'H^'^ ^^^^ "^ f "«; perity once more shone forth; and. as the natural sun hardens the elay that had been saturated by nvin, so Pharaoh's heart was hardened by the re- moval of the plague and the occurrence of the respite He was thus preparing hnnself and his people for the final catastrophe. He was. by his own volnntary, deliberate, personal, and wieked acts, fitting his heart for the judicial and dmne hardening as the natural and inevitable result of the laws of freedom with which he and we are endowed. The progress of evil in the human soul is one of the most solemn facts in human exist- ence Men who will not use their limbs will one day find that they are virtually unusable; men who will not exercise their memories practically lose their memories; men who will not speak and pray in religious services will largely lose the power of speech and prayer. A species of eyeless fish is found in dark caves; having no use for eves they soon have no eyes to use. These are tremendously solemn realities in the experiences of men to-day as well as in the judicial judgment on Pharaoh. These great moral laws sweep through the universe; they are irresistible as gravitation and universal as God. Noonecanes Spe their operation. If we come into line with them, they will help us in the development of aSa OLD TESTA. MI.XT TH l-IICf !.TI l:!s. character for useful lives on earth and for admis- sion into iicaven ; if we oppose them, tiiey will, by all the mij^lil of infinity, utterly destroy us. Human Disoi.i diknck nd Divink Hardkninc. Let us bear in mind that the words referring to God's agency in the process of Pharaoh's harden- ing were for the encouragement of Moses, and that the words referring to his own action show his determination to resist God. The wonders and signs performed by God through Moses acting on a better man with a better heart would have secured obedience; but acting on Pharaoh with his haughty heart, cruel nature, and mistaken no- tions of political economy, simply p'-oduced hard- ness and rebellion amounting to moral insanity. But for his sullen obstinacy, his determined dis- obedience, and his wilful blindness, his heart had never been hardened; the responsibility of this hardness, therefore, rests with him, and not with God. The same sun hardens clay and softens wax. Do we blame the sun because the clay is liardened? The differences between the two re- sults in the clay and the wax are due to the dif- ferences between the two substances, and not to the sun, although it apparently produced these opposite effects. God's providences were by Pharaoh's disobedience the occasion of his hard- cuing ; but his own stubborn will and wicked heart were the cause of his hardening. God did not purpose the hardening, in the sense of causing it ; k. J::^ L- iW IKS, 1 for atlmis- hcy will, by •ny us. iARDKNINCi. referring to h's harden- Moses, and iction show lie wonders loses actinjj would have laraoh with listaken no- Juced hard- al insanity, rmined dis- is heart had !lity of this nd not with md softens the elay is the two re- : to the dif- and not to luccd these js were by of his hard- iricked heart rod did not I causing it ; D/D GOD HARDEN PHARAO/rS HEART? 283 God permitted it, in the sense of letting natural forces and wholesome laws bring about their usual and inevitable result. <5od uniformly performs go„d; (iod may occasionally permit evil. Men may, in the exercise of their (lod-given freedom, so misuse God's good gifts that they result in evil, and not in good, so far as the will of man is con- cerned. Let us thus clearly understand that God's announcement to Moses of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart was not causative, but simply predictive. The fulfillment of the prediction was suspended to give Pharaoh an opportunity to turn to God in penitence, and to the enslaved people in justice. We have seen that five plagues occurred, and still Pharaoh resisted all these remarkable proofs of the divine presence and power; and not until then was the divine prediction against him fulfilled. God restrained His punishment until the cup of Pharaoh's guilt was full. Pharaoh hardened his own heart in determined sin before God hardened it in righteous punishment. Pha- raoh was by his own will an obstinate, impenitent, and abominable sinner, before God by His sover- eign permission allowed him to be judicially, in harmony with the law of his own conduct, a doomed reprobate. Practical Applications, - These great truths have their practical applica- tions in the lives of men to-day. The Bible 111. !il«« % ■. II iiiiiiiiiini""" L... 384 (»//> 77:sv-iA//:yr nii'i'icri nES. simply tli'chircd Uk- process <>f hanlcninii: in the heart of I'huraoh; but a simihir pn cess is taking phicu to-(Uiy in the Iieurts of thousands who listen to the K()spcl of Christ. If (iod should full;, v.rite the history of many in our eonjjfretjations, it ould be said of them, as truly as of Pharaoh, that they i)i:rdened their own hearts in their '[uilt, and that Gud pvnnitted this hardening in their guilt, and also that <.^xl permitted this hardening in punish- ment for their wicked unbelief. We know that in the exercise of their freedom men now resist, despise, and oppose God; outoi thisconsciui'S, ob- stinate, and determined resistance comes h.rr.lness of heart. The moment a man knowingly and will- ingly diach ys God, that 'ooment the process of hardening begins. Go-i's. calls are numerous, tender, and varied. As tru!y as did Pharaoh harden his heart, so do n.^^n harden their hearts at this hour. Their act Js voluntary ; it is charge- able to themselves, an A not to God. In God's name you tre exhorte'"' to-day, " harden not your hearts as in the pro' > '.nation." The Gospel v.ever leaves men as it finds them ; it must either harden or soften. It mast cither be a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death; and the savor which is life to one, or death to another, is according to the manner in which the Gopsel is received. It is never the intention of God that the Gospel should bring death ; but, like every blessing which is rejected or perverted, it works the greater evil when rejected. Pha- riEs. .•ninjf in the L'ss is taking; Is whc listen d full;, vvrite ons, it *. uuld jh, that they lilt, and that !ir iifuilt, and ijf in punisli- e know that n now resist, onsc.ii'i's, ob- ncs h.' illness igly and will- le process of B numerous, did Pharaoh their hearts it is charge- 3. In God's den not your t finds them ; must cither [ death unto one, or death ner in which the intention J death; but, or perverted, lected. Pha- ■-J ■ '" "l^Sf ■'^^■'T'^i^r'-^ -w^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■IT 1^ 12.5 122 2.0 1.8 1-25 I! 1.4 1 1.6 ^ 6" ► ,% Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ,, ,--.^ /^■Tr-..-.;jrrw.i--r^r?.«s?EaiH!)Be©WSfb-SggSaa55BIg?^ '' I CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. ^- Canadian Institute for Historical IVIicroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques \ \ „o coo «.^oB^ ^HA.AO«-s mA^r, .85 ,.lativelv susceptible ; then raoh's heart was once ^W^^'^ j^ l^^ „,,„ be- he rejected and opposed Cod, ■'"J"" ^^ „, came a stone in h.s bosom The J ^^ .Hat God hardened ... and .t a^^ ..^ ^^^ hardened it himself; and J*" „e trne in the senses already expl^ned^ ^^_^_ neglectlightandknowledge they add' ^^^^ ^^^ ::rrSar.Tu.rrXraoh was in his will as ^ve need f^^^^'^^^J^ ^^ ^t so much as ^iU. Men do not need grea er g ^^ ^^^^^^ they need better eyes; the ^^g^t m y --^^ rTtt^r; - Tser^he path ^ they pretend that tney . , conld not a Jy. The most f ™f '»« ^"^Id not con- subdue Pharaoh's l'^"' ^';^'^^';" to His mir- ™ce men who would * - *- ^"^^^^ ^,„,,^ „, acles and their ears to H.S word ^ that some men would "»« J'^^ ^.^^ w,. preacher to them rose from the de« ULa.arusrose^omthe^ca^.-*J_ ^^^ ^^^_ to put him to ^-*. '^^^f^ h,,aened in heart but some men to-day are that they will -"'^^^^^-^ ~- "« ^""'"■ God will assuredly m the e^n ^^_ „us. Resistance to Htm w^'"" " ^.^ ,„, add feat. Each pleading ■"''t™" .^'^refused will to our guilt; each gen e adm-uon^^,^ ^^^^ ^^ increase our msensibility. mi. 286 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. US of certain persons who were "past feeling." Open your hearts to-day to listen to God's call, lest the time may come when God will say, " Be- cause I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded ; "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh." God forbid that it should be said of any who hear or read these words- " Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me : for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. " ist feeling." , God's call, ill say, " Be- ,ed; I have I regarded"; I will mock rbid that it r read these le, but I will rly, but they i knowledge, )rd." XVII. WAS THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA SUPERNATURAL? This is an interesting and practical question; it has its relations to the wonderful events which xxxark the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Eevpt The fourteenth chapter of Exodus records the miraculous passage of Israel through the Red Sea. By remarkable signs God attested the commission of Moses to Pharaoh. The num- ber of these signs was ten, expressive of their completeness. The hour was now near when de- liverance for Israel should come. God was not deaf to the cry of the oppressed which went up to His ear Brave and wise leaders were needed; and the heroic Moses and the eloquent Aaron are the men for the hour. When the tale of bricks was doubled, then came Moses. When the knel of liberty seemed about to ring, then the song of hope sounded forth. If Moses and Aaron sha 1 fail in reaching the heart of Pharaoh the Al- mighty One, whose name is Jehovah, shall make linn hear. 19 29° OLD TESTA MEN I'' DIFFICULTIES. TiiK Dki.iverance. Probably the Pharaoh of the exodus was Men- ephtah I., the son and successor of Rameses II. This Rameses was called by the Greeks Sesostris; he was the most famous of all the Pharaohs, being a mighty conqueror in Africa, Asia, and Europe. His statues and temples are found throughout the Nile valley, from Zoan to Nubia. His mummy was found in 1 88 1, in a rock chamber on the west bank of the Nile, near Thebes, and was trans- ferred to the Boulak Museum at Cairo. His son, Menephtah I., appears to have been inglorious, and to have died without finishing his father's tomb. With him probably Moses was familiarly associated in childhood within the palace. It must have been a startling experience to be authoritatively addressed by the friend of his boy- hood, now the leader of the captive people, and the representative of Jehovah. But a greater than Moses is here; the Almighty is the leader of this deliverance. Moses knew, and Pharaoh was soon to learn, the truth of which Lowell has sung : "Right forever on the scaffold. Wrong forever on the throne- Yet that scaffold sways the future, and. behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own." God has now made bare His arm for the deliver- ence of His chosen, and no power of Egypt can •v TIES. ius was Men- Rameses II. 3ks Sesostris ; araohs, being and Europe, roughout the His mummy r on the west id was trans- ro. His son, ;n inglorious, f his father's was familiarly J palace. It jrience to be !nd of his boy- e people, and But a greater s the leader of 1 Pharaoh was well has sung : J forever on the , behind the dim ping watch above for the deliver- of Egypt can r//A PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. 291 resist the onward march of the Almighty. The plagues followed each other in quick succession; then came the last terrible night. Jehovah passed through the land of Egypt, and the n.ulnight echoed with the loud wail of a nation's woe. 1 he gods of Egypt, one by one, were utterly over- whelmed, and Jehovah is triumphant. The kmg seeks Moses and Aaron, and the people cry out m their bitter grief that he should permit Israel to go. Finally, Pharaoh says" Cxo"; and the great exodus " is begun. Egypt's slaves have become men and Imtn; a nation is born in a night. The ourney to Canaan is begun, and Jehovah goes before His people. The pillar of cloud and ot fire was more io Israel than was the brazier of the great Alex- ander to Greece. For a time all went well for water and food were abundant, and the hearts o the people beat high with patriotic hope. But Israel had many lessons to learn-lessons as to the value of liberty and the necessity of righteousness to the preservation of liberty. These are lessons which we have not fully learned even to this ho r^ The people journey onward to Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. Should they continue their journey in that direction, they would pass mmediately into the wilderness, and Pharaoh, prsutgthem. wouldsoonovertakeand recapture the imperfectly armed fugitives. The Lord would not conduct them by the straight road into the land of promise lest the appearance of war shoxild discourage them; still less mighfhe carry them W 1 i V ' r'iiitiBiiWiir n" 392 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. ^l n into the wilderness, where they might be readily overtaken and entirely overcome by well-dis- ciplined soldiers. The order is therefore given to change the line of march, and soon they are encamped before Pi-hahiroth, the last encamp- ment before crossing the Red Sea. They are be- tween Migdol and the sea. Perhaps it is impos- sible, after the local changes of more than three thousand years, to determine these sites. Baal- ze-phon was over against Pi-hahiroth. Thus the Israelites had mountains on the west and south, and sea on the east. Pharaoh repented of his leniency in having let them go. The wound in his heart is healing, and the old Satanic spirit is returning. When sick, he would be an angel; when well, he was a devil. He believed that the fugitives were entangled in the land and shut in by the wilderness. God has already been honored by His victory over Pha- raoh, and His glory will be still more signally dis- played. We now have an account of the pursuit of Pharaoh ; the third day has now arrived, and pride, ambition, and revenge fill Pharaoh's soul. Orders for instant preparation are given, and soon six hundred chosen chariots, belonging to the state, are pursuing Israel in hot haste. The pride and chivalry of Egypt are in Pharaoh's army ; his knights are men-at-arms ready for any chivalrous and heroic service. Finely bred horses drew his war-chariots, and in each chariot was a warrior and a charioteer. The days of mourning I TIES, ght be readily by v/ell-dis- erefore given soon they are last encamp- They are be- DS it is impos- Te than three I sites. Baal- th. Thus the St and south, in having let s healing, and When sick, he was a devil. : entangled in ess. God has ory over Pha- e signally dis- jf the pursuit \r arrived, and laraoh's soul. B given, and belonging to t haste. The in Pharaoh's ready for any ly bred horses chariot was a 3 of mourning T/fE PASSAGE Ol- THE KEO SEA. 393 over the dead first-born added to the fierceness of the attack on Israel. Terrible was the situation of Israel at this moment. The sight of the well- appointed soldiers of Phara(jli filled them with alarm. They forgot the wonderful interposition by which they had escaped thus far ; for the sight of their former masters amid the splendor and pomp of chariots and horses caused their hearts to fail with fear. On the west and south mountains frowned ; on the east rolled the sea, and yonder on the north the war chariots of Egypt, with apparently resistless might, were approaching. Though comparatively few in number, these horsemen and chariots had conquered mighty foes, and had given Egypt glorious victories. Shame on Israel's cowardice in the presence of Egypt's chivalry! Shame on Israel's meanness toward the heroic Moses! The prolonged period of slavery had robbed them of bravery. In the agony of their distress they charged Moses with having brought them into the wilderness to die. This is the treatment which this heroic and per- plexed leader receives from the cowards whom he is striving to rescue. This is evermore the fate of noble-hearted souls, who strive to lift the down- trodden into fuller light, larger liberty, and nobler manhood. Never was cynicism more cynical; never cowardice more cowardly. Slavery made these Israelites cravens ; it transformed men into soulless things. The heart of Moses must have been touched to the quick with their cowardice; I^i 394 OLD TESTAMENT DIEFICULTIES. from some part of the great host there ought to have been heard this brave voice : "Though love repine ami reason chafe, There came a voice without reply, 'Tis man's perdition to be safe. When for the truth he ought to die." These men knew but little of the infinite re- sources of the Almighty ! Though hemmed in on every earthly side, one way was opened to Moses — the way upward to God's throne and heart. Moses is strong in faith. He assures the people that they shall see their enemy no more forever. He affirms that Jehovah shall fight for His own. Only God could deliver a defenceless people from an armed and infuriated foe. God's voice comes to Moses, • "Whycriest thou unto me?" Then the command is given to stretch the rod out over the sea and divide it. God gives the assurance that again the heart of Mizraim shall be hardened, and that the people shall know that the Lord is God. We be- hold the cloud between the camp of Israel and the camp of Mizraim, light to one and darkness to the other. Now we behold Moses stretching his hand over the sea. A strong east, or northeast, wind blows all that night, and behold ! the waters are di- vided, and the sea is made dry land. Thus the waves rolled back, and thus Israel marched for- ward. In dashed the pursuing Egyptians; their hosts are soon in the midst of the waters. We are told in language of mysterious majesty, that " the L TIES. here ought to [lafe, jly. . die." lie infinite re- hemmed in on led to Moses — heart. Moses eople that they it. He affirms m. Only God "rom an armed )mes to Moses, • . the command er the sea and ! that again the I, and that the God. We be- ■ Israel and the larkness to the ;ching his hand lortheast, wind e waters are di- nd. Thus the ;1 marched for- E^yptians; their waters. We are esty, that " the THK PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. ^95 Lord looked" in the morning watch into the host of Egypt. It was a marvellous moment. Other Scripture clearly teaches that a storm burst upon the sea, that flash after flash of lightning shot through the midnight darkness, and peal after peal of thunder rolled over the heads of the be- wildered Egyptians. Their chariot wheels are removed, and, as the morning dawns, the hand of Moses is stretched once more over the sea. The waves roll backward. The chariots and horse- men, and all the army of Pharaoh sank like lead in the midst of the sea. Glorious was this display of almighty power. At one fell sweep the chiv- alry of Egypt is laid low. Soon the dead are cast upon the shore of the sea, and the song of Moses, one of the most triumphant pxans ever heard by human ears— more glorious than the Marseillaise of France, the " Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott" of Germany, the noblest songs of Puritanism in England, and the most patriotic hyu ps of America— is sublimely chanted, with the music of the stormy sea as its divine accompaniment. - The Red Sea. ' - This is the substance of the miraculous story told by the inspired penman. In order more fully to understand it, a few facts regarding the Red Sea may appropriately be given. The Red Sea is known by various names. Sometimes it is called simply the Sea; sometimes the Sea of Suph, and sometimes the Egyptian Sea. The I 296 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Egyptians called it the Sea of Punt, that is, of Arabia; its Arabic name is Bahr-el-Hedjaz, from a province on its eastern coast, or Bahr-el-Ahmar, meaning " the red. " The Erythrean, or Red Sea, was the Greek and Roman name. The word Erythrean means the same in Greek that Edom does in Phoenician and Hebrew. Suph denotes the v;ool-like seaweed found on its shores. The name " Red" Sea probably is from Edom, its northeast part having washed the country pos- sessed by the Edomites, or from the color of its corals, or possibly from the red zoophytes found at times floating on its surface. But the better opinion is that which gives the name " Red" from the pink colors found at times on the mountains on the shores; but the best explanation of the name is that which finds it in the word Edom, which means red. The Greeks borrowed the name from the Phoenicians. The name Edom was taken for an appellative instead of a proper name, hence the name Red Sea. to this day. The sea is a beautiful green or blue. The Black Sea is not black, the Blue Danube is not blue, the Yellow Sea is hot yellow, and the Red Sea is not red. It is really an arm of the Indian Ocean. On the east is Arabia, and on the west is Egypt. The straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, or Gate of Tears, con- nect it with the Indian Ocean. This writer will never forget the scorching heat which he experi- enced when he sailed over this historic sea. Since November, 1869, the Suez Canal has connected _^,i-- ««a»M*~«iJ-»-->»«*^-""«'"'~~"'" " ^FICULTIES. of Punt, that is, of ahr-el-Hedjaz, from ;, or Bahr-el-Ahmar, 'threan, or Red Sea, name. The word n Greek that Edom •ew. Suph denotes on its shores. The is from Edom, its d the country pos- rom the color of its 2d zoophytes found ce. But the better e name " Red" from 2S on the mountains explanation of the in the word Edom, eeks borrowed the The name Edom instead of a proper 3a. to this day. The le. The Black Sea be is not blue, the [ the Red Sea is not ! Indian Ocean. On west is Egypt. The Gate of Tears, con- 1. This writer will ;at which he experi- historic sea. Since anal has connected THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. 297 it with the Mediterranean. The sea is about fourteen hundred and fifty miles long, with an average width of one hundred and fifty miles. The north end divides into the Gulf of Suez on the west, the Gulf of Akuba on the east; and be- tween these two bodies of water lies the peninsula of Mount Sinai. There is no doubt but that the sea was anciently connected with the Nile by a canal used by the Pharaohs, fifteen centuries be- fore Christ. Recently this canal was restored, and it is now the Sweet-water canal, giving water to the stations between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and causing fertility in many parts of the country which otherwise would be deserts. The sea is difficult of navigation because of sub- merged coral reefs ; it receives no rivers, but many rain torrents. The Natural and the Supernatural. There is no doubt but that in the time of Moses the sea extended at least fifty miles farther north than to-day. It is believed that this change has taken place within the historic period. If so, this is a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah xi. IS- xix 5: "The Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea," etc. Probably the "Lake of the Crocodile," the Birket-el-timsah, indicates the old bed. Where did the Israelites cross the Red Sea? This is a perplexing question. We follow them from Rameses to Succoth, then to Etham, " in the \ 'mtim .^. fill 298 OLD TESTAAfENT DIFFICULTIES. edge of the wilderness." Probably each place of encampment marked the close of a day's journey. The last camping-place was Pi-hahiroth. But where was that? Probably it was the name of a natural locality, and it seems to have been near the sea. How far was the passage of the sea natural, and how far supernatural? It is quite certain that the ten plagues, or at least several of them, were just what might have been ex- pected in Egypt. It is equally certain, also, that the order in which they occurred is the normal order in which the natural phenomena would operate. Thus the corruption of the river was naturally followed by the plague of frogs; and thus, from the dead frogs, gnats and flies were bred, and from these painful and poisonous in- sects came, in turn, murrain among the cattle and boils among the people. These plagues, in kind though not in degree, are actually experi- enced to this day in Egypt. Travellers there even now, when a southwest wind is blowing, observe swarms of locusts, and in the spring of the year they are known to come with an east wind. Le- pisus speaks of a "regular snowdrift of locusts." He also says " that they fell down in showers, and this continued for six days." Even during the last few years, great storms of hail have occurred in Egypt, and thousands of cattle have been car- ried off by murrain. It was, therefore, to be ex- pected that God would use material immediately at hand for the punishing of the Egyptians. The •V L TIES. each place of lav's journey, ahiroth. But he name of a ave been near ge of the sea ? It is quite ; least several lave been ex- tain, also, that is the normal lomena would the river was of frogs; and and flies were poisonous in- ong the cattle 3se plagues, in ctually experi- llers there even owing, observe ng of the year ast wind. Le- -ift of locusts." in showers, and /en during the 1 have occurred have been car- efore, to be ex- lal immediately gyptians. The THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. 399 natural element was in the P«-»- °' ^^"J"^";. olames among the people; the supernatural ele Swas in the extent, fierceness and suecess-o. of these plagues for the accompl.shment of God ^ "Irposeta humbling the heart of Pharaoh and breaking the power of Egypt- The inspired narrative teaches us that here was a like'commingling of the -«.'aWmyhe suoernatural in the passage of the Red bea haveners and scholars of many eentunes and Lntrieshave given their best thought t" ^ great event. Strabo, Josephus, D.odorus, N.e fuhr. Stanley, Robinson, Professor Palme ,Sr , W Dawson, and many others, have carefully studied every spot in the entire neighborhood and every scrap of information on this .mportant subie t But they contradict one another as to he place of the passage. Sir J. W. Dawson m^y * us are accustomed to follow with great read,. ness and satisfaction, but it is difficult to be sure regarding '"e authority which we should follow ouching'these tnuch debated ^storic cone us.ns^ There is no doubt, as already suggested that the waters of the Red Sea once occup.ed a much Targer area than at present. There is no doubt taf that a strong east or -""east Wmd wotdd produce a great effect upon the ebb and flood Udes The Seventy has south wmd ms ead of east wind; the Bible word is.not f^^fx^^--^'i>f»^^tfs^SSBKHI^ 'UL TIES. been broad, as ed, is not well ainst the Israel- nly six hundred This was prob- a much larger 2 chariots. We ent abreast. It to calculate the n by the Israel- calculated these ; was as wise as he was prayer- i drives out the islets thus ap- ing-stones; and sea sandbanks r have literally 2WS. Diodorus ' at the head of ;ss Moses, like ! man who was yptians, includ- aulics, and with i^antage of that He would have isibility had he lole event may J, we must still were thereby 3f nature, ordi- THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. 301 nary and extraordinary, ure under God's control. There is a region in which in GocVs thought there is no distinction between natural and superna- tural- we make such distinctions, but to God all is natural, and all is supernatural. Wc have seen that in all the miracles in C.^ypt there was a union of the natural and supernatural. This was not otherwise in the miracles of our Lord. He took advantage of the water when He made wme; He availed Himself of the loaves and fishes m the hands of a boy when He performed a miracle to feed hungry thousands. Doubtless this is God s usual method. In the Bible the spiritual is the antithesis to the natural; the word supernatural is a human rather than a divine word. By admitting, nay, by insisting on, the pres- ence of the natural in this passage of the Red Sea, in harmony with the distinct statement of the in- spired historian regarding the strong wmd that blew that night, we are very far from rejecting the miraculous element in the great event. All the resources of the universe are God's. It was He who caused the wind to blow; it was He who made the sea roll back in obedience to His will. The use of a natural wind gives additional honor to God in this event. _ His power and purpose are seen in that the wind blew at the right time and in the right di- rection to deliver the Israelites, and to destroy the Egyptians. If we reject the miraculous ele- ment in this marvellous event, how shall we ac- J .tJI •,;' li I 302 OLD TRSrAMFVT DIFFICULTIES. count for the shallower waters f J J .. XVIII. WHAT WERE THE SYMBOLS CALLED THE URIM AND THUMMIM? 80 'II t XVIII. WHAT WERE THE SYMBOLS CALLED THE URIM AND THUMMIM? What were the Urim and Thummim? It would not be easy to ask a question to which a conclusive reply is more difficult. It has been suggested by some writers on this subject that as the Jewish exiles on their return from Babylon postponed the settlement of a difficulty till there should rise up "a priest with Urim and Thum- mim," so we may not be able to answer this ques- tion until a priest comes with Urim and Thum- mim to give us the answer as to what both were. Many learned scholars of different countries and centuries frankly confess that they do not know v/hat these symbols were ; and some declare that, in their judgment, it is impossible ever to know, and that God probably meant that this discovery should never be made. But no earnest student of the Bible can ever be satisfied to pass the subject over in silence as the result either of indifference or cowardice ; we are under solemn obligation to learn all which the Bible, rightly interpreted, can teach us. Both ^r^^fT 308 OLn TESTAMKNT nlFFICVLTIES. n-aurc and revelation arc constantly K'ivinU "P ":i;^ which hacl remained nuiten^ystcr,^ KnuwK-i'K Wo must modestly or utterly unknown for a«es. Wc must and reverently strive to master cNer> km knowledge which our minds are capable of rccc v Lrnd which the divine storehouse contams for l^i^iuction. out of this treasury are to con. thines old and new. It is, of course, frankl> a Ittd that all kinds of knowledge are not equal importance. What is necessary to otu^ knowledge of salvati<,n in Christ ,s sunple; what •s"c-nt'al to our growth in grace - --li- vely plain. But, while thankfully and ,o,i.V^ mrKk ng of the sincere milk and also oi the Cg ^cat of the Word, we ^J^^^^^^^ emptto understand some of the thmgs m d.ffc - cut parts of the Bible which the AposUe P t^r refc ring to parts of the writings of his b other pn describes as " things hard to be understood, rin so doing we Shan n^fc^ett^pla^ 'uid weightier matters of the law. iviat oyously see that these mysterious ^y-^ols ^irec^ Ts to Christ, who is the world's true Light and glorious Perfection. l.TIES. WHAT n'Kh-E THE I'KIM AXn TliUMMlM? iP^ Illy K'ivinK "P itc niystcriims must modestly every kind of pubic of rt-cciv- ISC c«)nt;vins for ury are to come rsc, frankly ud- ilije arc not of .'cessary to our is simple ; what ace is compara- illy and joyfully md also of the ,ay profitably at- ; things in differ- e Apostle Peter, ps of his brother o be understood." orgct the plainer iw. Matriculates ; angels, desire to s both of redcmp- im and Thummim .•rious and sacred ball find that even t value to us in our re shall clearly and .ous symbols direct I's true Light and Various Tiikokiks. Various theories, as was to be expected, have been suKgesled in explanation of these remark- able symbols. Indeed, the literature of the sub- jcct would make a library of considerable dimen- sions, for the solution of the problems connected witli these symbols luis proved to be as fascinating as it is confessedly diflicult. It would be a com- paratively easy matter to give a summary of these various hypotheses; but it will be more profitable to follow a correct historical method, which shall account with reasonable fulness for the discover- able facts of Scripture regarding these symbols. The terms themselves we are able to understand without much, if any, doubt. To discover their meaning is a fair starting-point in our discussion. The Hebrew in Exodus xxviii. 30 is I 'rim vc-cth hattiinmiw, the " Lights" and " Perfections."^^ The Greek version makes the clause mean, "The Manifestation and the Truth." Other versions give it as " Enlightcnings and Certainties," " Elu- cidations and Perfections," "Illuminations and Certainties," the "Lucid and the Perfect"; the Vulgate gives it as "Doctrine and Verity," and Luther, in his later translations, gave it as " Light and Right." Let us look carefully at the Hebrew terms m their order. Hebrew scholars are nearly unani- mous in making Urim the plural of Ur, light or fire ; but, as we have seen, the Septuagint and ' m h m ' m mi i 310 O/.n TESTAMENT DIFEICULTIES. Other versions give a slightly different mean- ing to the wo-d. The literal English eciuivalent is " Lights." Regarding Thumniim there is also great unanimitv of opinion in deriving it from the Hebrew word torn, meaning perfeetion or completeness. Some would derive the word from the Hebrew amen, to be true, but the majority, as already stated, from the word torn, some finding in it the meaning, " a twin," they imagining that the two groups of gems, six on eaeh side of the breastplate, constituted the Urim and Thummim. The best English equivalents of these Hebrew words would be, light ^nA perfection; for there is a traditional belief among the Jews, and a virtual consensus of opinion among all scholars, that the plural forms do not imply numerical plurality. This plural is probably what is called the//»r«/« cxccllcntice, denoting the things or modes through which the oracle of God was given. Some have assumed that there is here what the rhetoricians call a hcndiadys, making the two words equivalent to perfect light; but, perhaps, the weight of authority is in favor of regarding the words as referring to distinct things. This latter idea is certainly suggested by the fact that in Numbers xxvii. 21, and . Sam. xxviii. 6, Urim is found alone. And in Deut. xxxiii. 8, the usual order is inverted, Thummim being given first. It is stated that, with the probable exception of Psalm xvi. 5, Thummim is never given alone. It is not sur- prising that different versions slightly vary the FFICUL TIES. tly different mcaii- [ English cciuivalent umniim there is also in deriving it from aning perfection or ievive the word from , but the majority, as •d toin, some finding they imagining that on each side of the Urim and Thummim. Its of these Hebrew rrfcction; for there is ae Jews, and a virtual ; all scholars, that the numerical plurality, t is called the pluraks ings or modes through IS given. Some have what the rhetoricians 3 two words equivalent rhaps, the weight of jgarding the words as s. This latter idea is fact that in Numbers viii. 6, Urim is found ii. 8, the usual order is given first. It is stated ;cption of Psalm xvi. 5, alone. It is not sur- sions slightly vary the WHAT WERE THE UKIM AND THUMMIM? 3" meaning of these words; but the variations in meaning are more apparent than real. In Scrip- ture language perfection and truth, and light and truth are practically identical; that whicli is per- fect is truly performed, and that which is truly performed is necessarily perfect. In Joshua xxiv. 14 wc read: "Fear the Lord and serve him m sincerity and in truth"; the Hebrew is, Intummim ubccmeth. We can see at a glance that here the idea of our obscure phrase is not remote from the thought of this exhortation. It is also in harmony with the thought expressed in i John iii. 18, "But in deed and in truth"; neither is it far removed from Psalm cxix. 1 30, " The entrance of thy words giveth light." We arc also reminded of Psalm xliii 3 "Send out thy light and thy truth." It is true that the words Urim and Thummim are not here found, but it ir. pertoctly obvious that the psalmist has in mind the very thought which prob- ably these symbols set fcrth; and, indeed, his thought may be literally an echo of the high- priesfs prayer when he went before God with the Urim and Thummim on his heart. SoMv; Othkr Scripture References. These wonderful words come before us first in Exodus xxviii. 30. They are introduced in the account of the high-priest's a; parel, and they are mentioned without a single word of explanation, as if they were already quite familiar to the writer and its readers. The breast-plate was a piece of c f rife m il! t 312 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. embroidery about ten inches square and of very elaborate work, which the high-priest wore on his breast. The front was set with twelve precious stones, on each of which was engraved the name of one of the tribes. Inside the breast-plate, we are told, the Urim and Thummim were to be placed; and they were to be on Aaron's heart when he went in before the Lord. How we wish that at this point a few words of description and explanation had been given, but not a word is written. It certainly seems as if it were assumed that both Moses and the people would understand what was meant when the symbols are named. Joshua, when he became the successor of the heroic lawgiver, is commanded to stand before Eleazar, the priest, "who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim," and this coun- sel is to determine the course that Israel shall pursue. The Urim and Thummim are mentioned with the blessing of the tribe of Levi; and they are mentioned in the history of the Judges, and Saul is left in darkness, being answered " neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophet." They are referred to also in other Scriptures directly or indirectly. Some have supposed because they are introduced without any explanation that they were of supernatural origin, and were unlike any- thing upon the earth. They are thus suddenly brought to our notice on the sacred page. So far as we can discover, no order was given for their construction ; and no hint is given that these «'' : TIES. 3 and of very St wore on his 'elve precious ved the name ■east-plate, we ; 1 were to be Aaron's heart How we wish escription and not a word is were assumed aid understand •Is are named, ccessor of the ) stand before sk counsel for and this coun- at Israel shall are mentioned Levi ; and they he Judges, and wered " neither •ophet." They ptures directly ;d because they lation that they rere unlike any- thus suddenly cred page. So was given for given that these WHAT WERE THE URIM AND TlfUMMTAf? 3' 3 names were to be employed for any of the articles which Moses was to make. This obscurity has led many to suppose that God never intended that we should endeavor to solve this mystery; but there is no warrant for this opinion, any more than regarding a thousand things in nature and revelation which once were impenetrably mysteri- ous, but which now are exhaustively understood. V.\Kun-s Opinions. Were the Urim and Thummim the same as the Teraphim? This theory would make them noth- ing more than small divining images put into the lining o- the folds of the breast-plate, and which miraculously spoke with an articulate voice utter- ing the oracles of God. This view distinguishes them from the twelve stones and from each other, and it makes them to have been placed in the chosen. It is not impossible -that there are certain passages of Scripture which show that the Tera- phim were used as a substitute for the Urim; but it is almost certain that if such were the case the substitution was the result of conformity to heathen ideas, and was not authorized by God. The Mosaic system was intended carefully to gu.rd the people against the danger of image worship; but such a conception of the Urim and Thummim would make them contribute directly to the indorsement of heathenism. Others make the Urim and Thummim bright stones, perhaps diamonds, in the form of dice. i'l 1'' f m 11 314 OL/y rESTAA/Eyr difficulttes. They suppose that a niimber of them were carried in the pocket of the high-priest's r/r Did both derive their ideas from some common and patriarchal source? This latter is the most probable view; doubtless, many ideas came down from remote antiquity as the sons of Noah were scattered to different lands. At the moment, we are stating the fact of this similarity and not attempting to account for it. The earliest religious ideas were preserved among the Jews in comparative purity, while among the nations which knew not God they were gradually cor- rupted and mingled with abominably idolatrous practices, but many essential truths BtiH remained^ Ideas, rites, and symbols would not be adopted 320 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. by the Israelites from the Egyptians merely be- cause they were Egyptian; but they might be adopted because they were right, were primitive, were divine in their origin, and thus they might again be ordained by Moses. That in a corrupted form some of them were observed by the Egyp- tians is no reason why in their religious meaning and true form they should not be observed by the Hebrews. This consideration deserves emphasis ; it has been too much overlooked in past years in studying the Bible. Egyptian Teachings. Bearing these greiit principles in mind, we are prepared to see their illustration in connection with the Urim and Thummim. The Egyptian paintings show a pectoral ornament somewhat corresponding to the Jewish chosen or breast-plate. In addition to this discovery, two Greek hisvorians call attention to the fact that the Egyptian arch- judge, who was always a priest, venerable in age, distinguished in learning, and commendable in character, always wore a gold chain around his neck— a gold chain to which was suspended an image made of a sapphire stone which was called in Greek Aletheia, meaning "Truth," when he officiated in civil and religious functions. With this image he touched the litigant when a suit began, and he permitted the winner to look upon it or to kiss it when he had gained his cause. It is believed that this image was a representation ULTIES. lans merely he- they might be were primitive, bus they might at in a corrupted d by the Egyp- ligious meaning observed by the serves emphasis ; in past years in OS. I in mind, we are m in connection The Egyptian iment somewhat n or breast-plate. Greek historians 3 Egyptian ai"ch- venerable in age, commendable in chain around his 'as suspended an which was called Truth," when he functions. With gant when a suit nner to look upon led his cause. It > a representation U'lIAT WERE THE UKIM AND TIlUMMIMf 32^ of the goddess Thmci, who was worshipped as •' Truth and Justice," and it is not a little remark- able that the very name of this l-^gyptian deity suggests the word Thummim. A mummy was found at Cairo around whose neck was found a chain, to which was attached a plate or symbol with the figure of a bird, which suggested Truth and Justice. It is interesting also to know that traces of a similar custom are found among the Romans, for among the Vestal Virgins she sat who was called "Maxima," and who assisted in the trial of causes. To this hour a triangular mirror is found in courts of law in Russia which in some mysterious way symbolizes the presence of the Czar and through him the presence of God. As one looks into the mirror and sees himself, so it is believed the Czar, and above him G(.d, look into the heart. This mirror, indirectly at least, implie. the presence of Justice, and the necessity of truth. Something similar is also known among the Japanese, and it is an interesting fact that to this hour in Great Britain "the royal mace" is borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as the symbol of his authority, and it must be laid upon the table of the clerk when the House is in ses- sion. It was long believed that the Egyptians derived the custom under discussion from the Jews after Solomon's marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh; but it is now quite certain, as the re- suit ot comparatively recent studies, that these resemblances to Hebrew customs belong to a 31 32 J OLD TF.!;TAMRNT DIFFICULTIES. much earlier i)eri.)d. This representation of the ICjiyplian K'"l^^^'«« expressed the notion of two truths, or the double character of Truth and Jus- tice. Before the election of a kin^ amon^ the Jews the chief priest was a civil officer as well as ii reliKious functionary ; in this respect the analogy between the two peoples is all the closer. It has been reasonably suggested that the touch of the . successful litigant with the image in the Egyptian court bears some relation to Isaiah vi. 7, " I-o. this hath touched thy lips; and thine inicpiity is taken away, and thy sin purged"; also to Jeremiah i. 9; Esther v. 2, and many instances in the Bible in which touching represents the impartation or pos- session of miraculous power or virtue. If we were to carry out the similarity still further it might be found that the Urim and Thummim, as signifying Light and Truth, bear some analogy to the two figures of Ar, the Sun, and Thmci, Truth— figures worn by the Egyptians in their breast-plate. Often Thmei is represented by a figure wearing two ostrich feathers. It is known also that in the final judgment Osiris is represented as wearing around his neck this double image of Justice and Truth. It is not forgotten that there have been argu- ments used against the Egyptian origin of the ' Urim and Thummim; but these arguments have already been virtually named in connection with our discussion of the tribal gems in the breast- plate as the Urim and Thummim. It is known 'UL TIES. jsentation of the • notion of two Truth and ) vis- it injj amon^f the oflicer as well as ipcct the analogy le closer. It has the touch of the i in the Egyptian ,h vi. 7, " I-t*. this iniquity is taken to Jeremiah i. 9 ; s in the Bible in ipartation or pos- nrtue. le similarity still it the Urim and and Truth, bear s of Ar, the Sun, 1 by the Egyptians mei is represented ;h feathers. It is Lidgment Osiris is nd his neck this •uth. e have been argu- tian origin of the 5e arguments have in connection with 3ms in the breast- nim. It is known wnATU'KKi': THE vkim axd ruuMMiMt m that in the early days, asevct. tmw, peculiar virtue was often attributed to j,n ms as amulets and charms; thus jasper, amethyst, emerald, and all stones were supposed to have a peculiar signifi- cance and to be influential in warding olT evil anc in bringing good. We cannot supp..sc that Cod would indorse any heathen or superstitious ideas in the use of such a symbol, but He could exalt it, purify it, and glorify it, and make it a part of true worship. We know that in Egyptian thought the mystic ScaralKcus was an emblem of profound sig- nificance; as it came out of the dark earth after the flood of waters it was therefore the symbol of life out of death and of transformation and resur- rection. In many countries various symbols came to be virtually thoughts and words in painting or sculpture. Thus some symbol, whether or not suggested t<. the Hebrews by the Egyptians, seems to have been placed in the chosen, setting forth the great and glorious fact that Light and Truth were a blessed revelation from God, were the centre of the nation's life, the guiding star of the nation's progress, and the glorious ideal of the nation's hope. This was the Urim and Thummim. Typical Significance. There is not space to discuss the process of con- sulting Jehovah by Urim and Thummim; there is perhaps, even greater doubt regarding the • method of consultation than regarding the Urim 324 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. and Thummirn themselves. It seems certain that these symbols were closely connected with the theocratic government of the Hebrews, and that after that government passed away this method of consulting God seemed also to have passed away. All pertaining to the office of the high- priest was typical of the Christian dispensation and of the office and work of Christ. This is, doubtless, true also of the Urim and Thummirn. Christ is the glory of the old dispensation. He is the very heart of the Bible. He was and is the true Urim and Thummim ; He was the end of the law for righteousness ; He was the reality of every symbol, the substance of every shadow, the de- sire of every longing heart. He was Light, Per- fection, and Truth. He was " the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. " He was Perfection, " being made perfect, he be- came the author of salvation to all that obey Him." He was Manifestation: "He was God manifest in the flesh. " He was also " the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Through the Urim and Thummim a measure of the Holy Ghost was granted to the Jewish high-priest ; but Christ is a high-priest who possesses the Holy Ghost without measure. Christ is a high -priest "who put on righteousness as a breast-plate." Christ is the glorious Luminary of the new Jerusalem. He is its Perfection. Perhaps the Urim and Thummim are suggestive also of " the white stone" which is beautifully symbolic in the Christian mysteries as IFFICUL TIES. It seems certain that connected with the le Hebrews, and that ed away this method also to have passed le office of the high- hristian dispensation of Christ. This is, Jrim and Thummim. lid dispensation. He B. He was and is the He was the end of the as the reality of every very shadow, the de- He was Light, Per- i " the true light which tieth into the world." made perfect, he be- ion to all that obey ition : " He was God ; was also "the Way, 'hrough the Urim and the Holy Ghost was priest ; but Christ is a le Holy Ghost without I -priest "who put on >late." Christ is the ew Jerusalem. He is ; Urim and Thummim white stone" which is Christian mysteries as IVHAT WERE THE URIM AXD THUMMIM? 3^5 set forth in the book of Revelation. We are thus sweetly led by the Lights and Perfections, the Urim and Thummim, to the cross, to the feet and to the heart of Jesus Christ, the Light of all dis- pensations, of all religions, of all philosophies, of all civilizations and of all experiences, and the crowning glory, cloudless beauty, and ineffable bliss of the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. If. JL„-. XIX. DID BALAAM'S ASS LITERALLY SPEAK WITH MAN'S VOICE? .J- XIX. DID BALAAM' S ASS LITERALLY SPEAK WITH MAN'S VOICE? The narrative in Numbers the twenty-second chapter, and the allusion to this narrative m 2 Peter ii 15 16, have been regarded by most Bible readers and commentators as fraught with great difficulties. In the minds of some Christians these difficulties are so great that they are dis- posed to reject the entire narrative as fictitious, or at least as utterly inexplicable. It is. there- fore, of very great importance that an laterpreta- tion shall be found which is true to the original narrative, and which at the same time relieves it from difficulties which many consider to be in- superable. It is believed that a genuinely alle- viative interpretation can be given which is also thoroughly loyal to tne inspired record, more loyal, indeed, than the traditional interpretation. Balaam is a profoundly mysterious and a strangely interesting man. He comes suddenly into the sacred narrative, and his name reappears in the Book of Revelation. It is evident that m the church at Pergamos, Rev. ii. 14, there were those who taught, as did Balaam, so as to lead men into idolatry and the gross sins of the flesh. 330 OI.O TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. The teachings of the Nicolaitanes were of like character and tendency. Much of mystery at- taches to the name, which means " conquerors of the people." Perhaps both names, Balaam and Nicolaitanes, are used symbolically, like the name Jezebel, to designate certain types of false teach- ers. Balaam's first appearance is as abrupt as that of Elijah the Tishbite, and is as mysterious as it is abrupt.' He is at the same time a truly instructive historical character. He is almost as mysterious as Melchizedek, and yet his life is full of lessons of the greatest practical value. Both in his virtues and his vices he is thoroughly human. He is richly endowed with the gift of prophecy ; and he utters sentiments worthy of the heartiest commendation. The words which he spake to Balak, as recorded by the prophet Micah vi. 6-8, are not surpassed in loftiness of thought and eloquence of speech by any words of man re- corded in the Bible. These noble sentiments are an anticipation of the Sermon on the Mount; they are worthy to stand beside the sublimest truths uttered by the Apostle Paul. The man who spoke these great truths was fully inspired of God, so far as concerns their utterance. God used Balaam in wonderful ways in connection with the progress of true religion ; and his name is thus per- petuated through all generations. There is no liter- ary honor so great as a place in the divine library which we call the Bible. Compared with this honor all the glory of human fame is less than nothing. JLTIES. ;s were of like of mystery at- " conquerors of ;s, Balaam and ', like the name i of false teach- s as abrupt as > as mysterious le time a truly He is almost nd yet his life practical value, le is thoroughly dth the gift of ;s worthy of the 'ords which he : prophet Micah less of thought Drds of man re- sentiments are lie Mount ; they Liblimest truths The man who nspired of God, ce. God used lection with the ime is thus per- Chere is no liter- e divine library . with this honor than nothing. DID BALAAAf'S ASS LITERALL Y SPEAK? 331 In the Book of Numbers xxii. 5, Balaam is in troduced as the son of Beor, who in 2 Peter ii. 15 is called Bosor. This form of the word may be a Chaldaism; for many believe that the Apostle Peter was in Babylon at the time of this writing. But the change in the form of the name may be due to the transmutation of the letters with the desire of softening the sound of the original He- brew word. Among the Midianites, to whom Balaam belonged, he seems to have exercised an authority not unlike that possessed by Moses among the Israelites. In Numbers xxxi. 8 his name is mentioned in connection with the five kings of Midian, indicating that he possessed high rank and exercised great authority. His home was at Pethor, a city of Mesopotamia and prob- ably on the banks of the Euphrates, although its exact site is entirely unknown. Some have sap- posed that as Pethor is derived from the word pathor, to "interpret," it is the name of a place which was the chief resort of men who professed to explain occult arts and to interpret the will of the gods. The name Balaam may mean " lord of the people," but others understand it to be "the destruction of the people." with an allusion to his supposed supernatural powers; and it is also .sug- gested that his father's name probably comes from a root meaning to consume or destroy. God now and then chooses out persons dwelling among the heathen and endues them with remarkable and unexpected knowledge of Himself for the accom- 332 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. plishment of His great and holy purposes. Ba- luam belonged to this class of divinely chosen in- struments in God's method of dealing with men. He certainly was a man of high intellectual attain- ments; indeed, he was in the true sense of the word a genius of a rare order. He had poetical and prophetical gifts as great as they were rare then and now; he was literally a seer and a poet He possessed remarkable intuitions of spiritual truth- and he also recognized God as the author of his unusual endowments.. He thus stood on that mysterious borderland which overlaps true religion on the one side and gross heathenism on the other Ever and anon in different ages and lands inexplicable men of this character are found. Some of these men are partly deceived, and are partly deceivers; and often the most analytic his- torian cannot draw the lines of separation between these two conditions. Indeed, often the men themselves could not always tell when they v^ere acting under high motives and when impelled by the grossest ambitions. The great plays of Shakespeare finely illustrate the apparently con- tradictory elements in the lives of men. Now Dr Tekyll comes forward and now Mr. Hyde ap- pears in many lives in many lands and at various times- it is not otherwise in some measure m the lives of all men. There were times when the Apostle Paul was distinctly conscious of these con- tradictory elements in his deepest nature. r, TIES. iirpooes. Ba- ely chosen in- ng with men. ilectual attain- ! sense of the ; had poetical hey were rare ;er and a poet, ns of spiritual i as the author thus stood on overlaps true heathenism on ;rent ages and icter are found. :eived, and are )st analytic his- iration between often the men vhen they were tien impelled by great plays of apparently con- of men. Now w Mr. Hyde ap- is and at various 2 measure in the times when the ous of these con- t nature. DID BALAAM'^ ASS LITEKALL Y SPEAK? 333 Historic Gi.imi'ses. Balaam's natural and acquired gifts gave him .reat influence among his contemporaries. I tras believed that he haes of greater ed with right finally granted at in the end e narrative at estive and in- jlly studied at this discourse I his journey ng of Moab. aam's impor- ome sense his DID BALAAM'S ASS I.lTERAl.I. Y SPEAK f 335 desire. On the journey he met the angel of the Lord, who stood before him, Icsatan lo, for a Satan to him, or an adversary against liim. Now comes the remarkable narrative. Numbers xxii. 23-35. This entire narrative is worthy our most careful thought. We are here told that tlic dumb brute spake with a Iniman voice. The animal seemed to have a deeper spiritual perception than its rider. The ass saw the angel standing in the way with drawn sword in hand. Balaam smote the creature that he might induce it to continue the journey. It is a strange story. What is its true interpretation? Is it a narrative of events which literally occurred as here stated? There is not space to go, in the effort to answer this ques- tion, into all the details of the narrative ; but two possible interpretations can be given, and only two views can well be taken, and the reason for the adoption of one and the rejection of the other will be stated. Two Interpretations, Is this narrative literal history, or is it merely a vision? Is this a description of an objective or a subjective experience? Did the words ascribed to the ass proceed literally from its mouth, or was the scene transacted in the mind of Balaam in a condition of ecstasy or trance? These are the questions to be answered ; let them be kept dis- tinctly before our thought. Either answer might be given with certain modifications by those who .1; 336 O/.n TESTAMENT DIFFtCULTlEH. fully believe in the authenticity c.f the narrative; the correctness of the narrative is not to be called in question whichever of these interpretations may be adopted, for the ciuestion is simply one of m- terpretation. Those who believe that this is a literal narrative affirm that the incidents recorded must be assumed to be literal, so lon^j as no in- formation to the contrary is ,nven. They claim that it would be unnatural to expect any of tl^ occurrences to be a vision, except a statement to that effect was made; and that ^^ the visionary element were introduced it would be difficult to tell where it ended and where the historical nar- rative began; and they claim, finally, that the language of the Apostle Peter, in his second Epistle ii. ,6. favors the literal sense. Are these claims well founded? We may say in reply that we know with absolute certainty that there are numerous instances in the Bible where we have abrupt transitions from one style to another, and that no mention of the transition is made. The Bible supposes some degree of sanctified common sense on the part of all its readers. The sacred writers, therefore, slide frequently from events in the natural world to the relation of a vision or dream wherein notice of the transition is ^^Genesis xv. i we are told that the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. In the fifth verse Abraham is asked to look toward heaven and to tell the stars, and he is assured that like L f 'I TTF.a. [)f the narrative; s not to be called erpretalions may riimply one of in- ve that this is a ncidents recorded so lontj as no in- ^'en. They claim xpcct any of tlie pt a statement to t if the visionary lid be difficult to the historical nar- , tinally, that the :r, in his second sense. Are these 7 say in reply that nty that there are jle where we have yle to another, and [ion is made. The sanctified common ideis. The sacred lently from events elation of a vision the transition is that the word of the asion. In the fifth ook toward heaven is assured that like DID BALAAM'^ ASS UTRKAI.L Y SPEAK? 337 to their Rreat number shall be bis seed. In the twelfth verse we sec, as Dr. Hush in his comments on the narrative especially under discussion re- minds us, that it was the daytime when Abraham saw the stars, indicating that this siuht was a vision and not a literal reality. In Jeremiah xm. ,-7 we see that Jeremiah was commanded to go to the river Euphrates and hide hisuirdle; but at the time this command was jriven the prophet was in the land of Canaan, hundreds of miles from the Euphrates. It was clearly a command given in a vision So Ezekiel when in the land of Babylon, Ezekiel viii. -.2, was ordered to dig a hole in the wall at Jerusalem ; and he was then shown the abominations of the house of Israel, a transaction which certainly must have taken place in a vision. The voice addressed to Samuel when he minis- teredunto the Lord before Eli, i Sam. m. i-io, was clearly of the character of a vision; and in the fiftee.ith verse of that chapter we distinctly read " Samuel feared to show Eli the vision, march, a word always, or generally, used o in- ternal visions. In John xii. 28, 29, we are told of the voice which came from heaven, and it is quite evident that it was addressed to the inner sense of those for whom it was especially intended; for others heard it only with the outward ear, and to them it was simply a meaningless noise, or the voice of an angel. In the narrative of Paul s con- version, Acts ix. 3-8, there is no suggestion that the leading events were simply or chiefly internal •iflll 338 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. or subjective; but when we compare with that account Acts xxii. 9 we are inevitably forced to the conclusion that, in its deep significance, it was to the Apostle Paul a vision. Other instances might be furnished leading to the same conclu- sion. The language of the Apostle Peter does not forbid this interpretation. In quoting a pas- sage from the Old Testament he does not neces- sarily confine himself to any one interpretation which we may give of that passage. He takes the passage as he finds it. In like manner we could refer to a character in Shakespeare or in any great writer, and we might use the language of that character without entering into a full discussion as to various interpretations of the language, or of the relation which the character sustains to the original author's purpose. Could not the Apostle Peter or any other apostle, have referred with perfect propriety to the Lord's call to Samuel, al- though it was in a vision? Was not that call just as real when addressed to the inner ear as it would have been if addressed to the outer ear? It is not a question of the reality of the divine com- munication, but only of the method which God chose to employ. Positive Evidence. We have only to turn to Numbers xii. 6 to see that dreams are designated as the usual mode of divine communication to the prophets. This fact certainly goes far to confirm our belief in the sub- FFICUL TIES. compare with that inevitably forced to leep significance, it )n. Other instances to the same conclu- Apostle Peter does . In quoting a pas- t he does not neces- y one interpretation issage. He takes the ike manner we could ipeare or in any great he language of that into a full discussion i of the language, or iracter sustains to the Covild not the Apostle J, have referred with d's call to Samuel, al- Was not that call just e inner ear as it would the outer ear? It is ty of the divine com- e method which God IDENCE. Numbers xii. 6 to see I as the usual mode of le prophets. This fact n our belief in the sub- nw BALAAM'S ASS LITERALLY SPEAK? 339 iectivity of the incident under discussion. We here read: " Hear now my words: If there be a prJ^let among you, I the Lord wiU make mys^ known unto him in a vision, and will speak tmto Wn in a dream." Balaam belonged to the class o wLm this affirmation is made. Why sWd we doubt the correctness of th.s P^^'.*^^^ f ^"^^■ In of Scripture? Is not the narrative before us In perfect harmony with this divine promise? When we look at chapter xxiv. verses 3, 4, x5. ^^ ZTL .hat Balaam speaks of himself as the man "which heard the words of God, which saw he vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, bu having his eyes open," etc. P-^^P^ ^J^ not to c,.ote the words "into a trance the He Ze. mV admit only of the translation ' fa^ng or "falling down"; but the statement has its ap- propriate application to the incident recorded m thrnarrativ! whose true interpretation we are aiming to give. Was not that the occasion when b" am wa's in this condition of prophetic ecstasy To what other occasion can these words be o well applied? That condition was the approrviate Ine for a seer like Balaam. Those who deny the application of this statement to this inciden should clearly establish the correctness f the^^ denial It is difficult, if not impossible, to name ano her event in the life of Balaam to which this rguage so fittingly can be referred t seem Tost'certain that the appearance of the ang was to the inward and not outward eye; and just S40 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. SO the voice of the ass was intended for his spir- itual and not physical ear. Another argument in favor of this view is that Balaam expresses no astonishment on hearing the ass speak; neither do his servants; neither do the Moabitish princes who accompanied him. They seem to have heard nothing unusual and to have seen nothing supernatural. If Balaam had heard the ass speak, we might expect him to have been struck speechless with astonishment at so unusual an event. But he goes on speaking almost with petulancy, chiding the brute as if it had been a disobedient servant. His language certainly is not what we might expect from one who had wit- nessed a prodigy so remarkable as an ass speaking with a man's voice. It is also to be said that the drift of Jewish interpreters, as well as that of many great Christian scholars, favors the sub- jective explanation. Maimonides leads off with an indorsement of this interpretation; Leibnitz, Hengstenberg, andTholuck, and among compara- tively recent American scholars Dr. George Bush, and the writers in Smith's and other Bible dic- tionaries, earnestly support, or at least incline to this same view. This viev/ does not in any way deny the historic reality of the event; it nowhere denies, or even depreciates, its miraculous occurrence and its divine influence. God is seen to exert such an influence on Balaam that the reproof which he received sank deep into his heart. He saw this L TIES. id for his spir- lis view is that on hearing the neither do the :d him. They al and to have aam had heard n to have been It at so unusual ng ahnost with it had been a ,ge certainly is le who had wit- an ass speaking 3e said that the well as that of iavors the sub- , leads off with ition; Leibnitz, imong compara- ir. George Bush, 3ther Bible die- least incline to ieny the historic denies, or even irrence and its 3 exert such an iproof which he •t. He saw this DID BALAAM'S ASS LITERALLY SPEAK? 34i wonderful sight with the eyes of his soul, and he heard this powerful rebuke with his spiritual ear. The angel was revealed to him in his prophetic or ecstatic state. Which ever view we adopt we see that the occurrences were realities to Balaam. The subjective view does not make the events to be less real. In any case there was a direct com- munication from God to Balaam. God could have put the sound of words into the mouth of the beast, or into the ear of Balaam ; and in either case it would be equally the work of God, and would be equally effective. We may readily be- lieve that all the incidents narrated actually oc- curred on the natural plane, with the exception of the angelic appearance and the miraculous speech, which v. - ■ perceived by the spiritual eyes and ears of Bal ' i. 'i o him it was all a terrible reality; to him t. ,: -.^ ^ a real theophany, a gen- uinely divine interposition. It was just as real as if it had all been a literal sight and sound. Why should we doubt the correctness of this inter- pretation? Certainly it is in harmony with God's usual method of revealing Himself in that age ; for no one can doubt that His revelation was, for the most part, by dreams and visions. Balaam's history in this connection shows that in two cases, at least, he waited until night, the usual and nat- ural season for dreams and visions. There is no certain evidence that God ever revealed Him- self otherwise to Balaam, unless this case be an exception. Why should we introduce a new 342 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. method on the part of God? Why insist on a needlessly difficult interpretation when an easier one is in harmony with God's ordinary mode of commimication? None of those present, as al- ready suggested, seem to have been cognizant that any communication was made to Balaam. No wonder is expressed; no alarm was experi- enced ; no comments were made. Let us adopt an interpretation which fully meets all the re- quirements of the case, whicn relieves the narra- tive from the enoriiious difficulties of the literal interpretation, and which is in perfect harmony with God's usual method of communicating His will to Balaam, and to other Old-Testament seers, which is in harmony with the statement in Num- bers xii. 6, and in equal harmony with the words of Balaam in the twenty-fourth chapter. Why refuse to accept the teachings of these Scrip- tures? Why create difficulties? Why not believe the Bible, letting Scripture interpret Scripture? N^ Additional Tkachings. God can and often does reach out His hand and choose His servants from among idolatrous peo- ples. Perhaps reports of the miracles attending the exodus had reached Balaam in his own land; perhaps he was a descendant of Shem, and the germs of religious truth may have lingered long among the people. Perhaps Jacob's residence for twenty years in Mesopotamia disseminated L TIES. yr insist on a hen an easier nary mode of >resent, as al- een cognizant e to Balaam, n was experi- Let us adopt ;ts all the re- ves the narra- of the literal rfect harmony mnicating His stament seers, ment in Num- irith the words :haptcr. Why F these Scrip- hy not believe et Scripture? is. t His hand and dolatrous peo- icles attending . his own land ; Sheni, and the : lingered long ob's residence a disseminated DID BALAAM'S ASS UTERALL V SPEAK? 343 the elements of true religion, though mingled with much superstition. God can still seleci His great instruments out of the most unfavorable environ- ments. Balaam even spoke of God as " the Lord my God." Balaam's sin was great. He dared, for the reward which Balak offered, to abuse his office as a prophet, and to think that his divine gifts were his own, and to call down curses on God's people. He admired righteousness, but he loved the wages of unrighteousness. The bearer of sublime messages of Jehovah, he still counselled that the young women of Moab should lead the Hebrews to worship Baal-Peor, and as a result twenty-four thousand Israelites were slam. His conduct in this regard was abominable m the ex- treme. But even Balaam, as he himself frankly con- fessed, could speak only as God ultimately di- rected He was powerless in the presence of the Almighty. He was obliged to bless those whom he wished to curse. It is glorious to serve a God who can make even the wrath of men contribute to His praise. The fearful doom which befell Balaam warns us against seeking gain in ways of sin If we are to die the death of the righteous, as Balaam hoped he might, we must live the life of the right- eous as God commands us, and as our highest interest here and hereafter requires. - God still speaks. XX. DID THE SUN AND MOON STAND STILL? WMili>iiiiiMii.»«.«ii iMiiHiiiiiiiiiunwiw-nr-- .. — ^ XX. DID THE SUN AND MOON STAND STILL? Many persons are greatly troubled by the diffi- cult miracles and histories recorded in the Bible. There was a time when the miracles were sup- posed to be of great evidential value. At that time, the greater they were in number, and the more stupendous they were in character, the greater was their supposed value. But that day has passed away, and it is not likely to return. Now the miracles themselves, in the judgment of many critics, need the support of alleviative ex- planations. Many persons turn away from the Bible, not because of what it really teaches, but because of what they suppose that it teaches. We ought always to bear in mind that to believe the Bible is one thing, but to believe all the in- terpretations of the Bible which some persons choose to give is quite another thing. Miracles performed by God we joyfully receive ; but mir- acles imagined by commentators we certainly are at liberty to reject. Unfortunately, to doubt the interpretations of Scripture given by some men is to lead these men to declare that you doubt the revelations given by God; but one must be loyal 348 OLD TESTAMEXT PUr/CULTIES. to God's truth even at the expense of losing the jjood opinion of traditional interpreters of that truth. No one who really believes in (iod ean doubt the possibility of miracles. We know that God metes out the heavens with a span; we know that he holds the waters, even of the niijihtiest oceans, in the hollow of His hand. We must firmly believe that, by introducinj,' laws now un- known to us, He could stop the clock of the uni- verse without jarring its mechanism. The ques- tion before us is not. Could God perform the stupendous miracle of causing the sun and the moon to stand still? The simple question is, Did God cause the sun and moon to stand still at the command of Joshua? Does the account in Joshua X. 12-14 declare that the sun stood still? It may be unhesitatingly affirmed that it is not so stated in this Scripture, nor clearly in any other portion of God's Word. We know well that a man can arrest the progress of a machine many thousand times greater than himself; and we may confi- dently affirm that God could arrest the progress of the world in its course around the sun. All the discoveries of modern science, when rightly understood, make it easier to believe in God, in prayer, and in all spiritual realities. Let us clear- ly understand that the only question before us in regard to this passage is a question of fact. Was the writer speaking in impassioned and figurative language, or speaking in the language of sober 'VI. TIES. iSL- of losing the rpreters of that God can doubt know that God span; we know of the mightiest land. We must ng hiws now un- clock of the uni- lism. The ques- rod perform the the sun and the 5 question is, Did stand still at the iccount in Joshua od still? It may it is not so stated any other portion that a man can le many thousand id we may confi- rest the progress ind the sun. All nee, when rightly aelieve in God, in :ies. Let us clear- jstion before us in tion of fact. Was ned and figurative language of sober DTD THE SUN AND MOON STAND STIfJ.f 349 and literal truth? These, let it be repeated, are simply questions of fact. This passage, it is frankly admitted, has given great dithculty to many commentators, ami to all apologists of re- vealed truth. God for wise purposes has intro- duced miracles into both the Old and the New Testament, but for cciually wise purposes He has apparently reduced them to a minimum. Let us look at some of the interpretations which have been given to this vexed passage. DlKFKRENT INTERPRETATIONS. Many of the early rabbis and Christian fathers took the literal view of the passage. They sup- posed that the sun actually stood still in the heavens. The sun was then believed to revolve around the earth; thus these interpreters were ignorant of the diurnal motion of the earth, which has been wellnigh the universal doctrine since the time of Galileo and Copernicus. This view was held even after the reception of the Coperni- can system of the universe ; but it was then ex- plained as optical rather than strictly literal. It made, in this later modification of the view, the earth and not the sun the stationary body at the command of Joshua. These interpreters, how- ever, differed among themselves as to the length of time during which the sun or the earth was stationary; some said forty-eight hours, some thirty-six, some twenty-four, and some twelve. 350 01. n IKSTAMRNT DIFFICULTIES. Another cUiss of interpreters, led perhaps by Spinoza, aftirnied that the miracle was caused by refraction and reflection. This view made the sun to appear above the horizon after the usual time of setting. We know that we get the after- glow of sunset in the diverse forms familiar to travellers in lofty mountains and in high latitudes. This result might be caused by a change in the atmospherical medium, and so the sun might ap- pear to be above the horizon even after it had set. This explanation makes the miracle much less formidable than the literal view necessitates. It makes, as we have seen, a change merely in the atmospheric medium, and it leaves the rotatory motion of the earth undisturbed. The sun always is set before it appears to us to have gone below the horizon; by the law of refraction it appears to us to be above, when really it is below the hor- izon. According to this interpretation, all that it was necessary for God to do was to increase an effect observable in our daily experience. We would then have visibly the same result as if the earth had actually paused in its revolution round its axis. This explanation will relieve the minds of many readers of the Bible, and it will account for the phenomenon which some believe they find in this famous passage in Joshua. But is it nec- essary to introduce even this modified view ? The real question before us, as already remarked, is simply one of fact. A third view is related to the one just given; it is what is called the subjective 'f//. TIES. led perhaps by e was caused by view made the after the usual \}Q get the after- jrms familiar to in high latitudes, a change in the le sun might ap- 1 after it had set. iracle much less necessitates. It ge merely in the ,ves the rotatory The sun always have gone below action it appears is below the hor- iretation, all that vas to increase an experience. We ne result as if the revolution round relieve the minds nd it will account ; believe they find a. But is it nec- idifiedview? The eady remarked, is w is related to the lied the subjective Din THE SUN AS'I'> MOON STAXP ST/I. I. ? 35' prolongation of the day. According K. this inter- pretation, the day was not really U nKtlK-ncd, but was supp<.sc(l l)y Joshua and the Israelites to have bL>eii prolonged. They were so busily en- gaged in conflict witli tlieir enemies, and tliey accomplished so much in the time, that they did not take accurate account of tin- time. It seemed to them that the day had been prolonged, ancl the writer simply records the popular opinion. This interpretation will relieve some minds of the stu- pendous ditlicultics inseparable from a strictly literal interpretation of the passage. There is a fourth interpretation which, it has been well said, is among the curiosities of l)it)lical exposition. This view supposes that the lightning which ac- companied the hailstorm was prolonged far into the night, and that thus the darkness was so il- lumined as to appear like daylight. TiiK. Bkttkr Vikw. Is there not a more satisfactory explanation than anv of those thus far given? The view pre- sented first by Maimonides, the learned Jew born at Cordova, March 30th, 1 135, a master in the He- brew Scriptures, the Talmud, and Jewish litera- ture generally, is that the passage is simply a poetic way of saying that the Israelites won their sublime victory before the setting of the sun. Before the day closed five kings with their armies were utterly vanquished. This view is indorsed 1 I IMrfftlll 352 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. by Hengstenberg, and by many othc^r commen- • tators, Jewish and Christian, Roman and Prot- estant. It is very doubtful whether a strict interpreta- tion of the words will warrant us in making Josh- ua's language a prayer to God. Are we obliged to regard his words as more literal than the apos- trophe of Isaiah, " Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would flow down at thy presence"? Are the wo'-ds to be taken as more literal than the state- ment of Deborah and Barak that, " The stars in their courses fought against Sisera"? Are they more literal than the words of the psalm, " The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord"? Or the words of the other psalm, " The mountains skipped like rams"? Are they more literal than the words of Isaiah, " All the trees of the fields shall clap their hands"? Joshua's words remind us of the words of Wellington at Waterloo—" Oh, that Bllicher or night would come!" There is in the " Iliad" a prayer by Agamemnon not unlike the words of Joshua on this occasion: "Jove greatest, Jove most glorious sky-dweller, cloud be- dight. Let not the sun nor darkness fall and wrap the world in night. Till Priam's stately palace I cast in ruin low." It is to be said in general that the words in the original have been greatly misunderstood. The L- 1 r. *• vwirinn-mi<* '•'jiti!' \IFFICULTIES. nany oth:^r commen- • n, Roman and Prol- er a strict interpreta- nt us in making Josh- jod. Are we obliged I literal than the apos- t thou wouldst rend n, that the mountains presence"? Are the literal than the state- ik that, " The stars in ist Sisera"? Are they Is of the psalm, " The presence of the Lord"? salm, " The mountains they more literal than the trees of the fields Joshua's words remind :on at Waterloo—" Oh, d come!" There is in gamemnon not unlike s occasion : ious sky-dweller, cloud be- fall and wrap the world in ast in ruin low." il that the words in the y misunderstood. The DID Tim SUN AND MOON STAND STILL? 353 author's meaning is very obscure. The language attributed to Joshua is abrupt, broken, impas- sioned. It is absolutely certain that literally ren- dered it does not assert that the sun remained in the heavens a day, nor an hour, longer than its usual time. The passage simply affirms that the sun stood still long enough for the people to be avenged upon their enemies ; it did not set until the great work of that heroic day was completed. A people, unused to the appliances of war, over- came with great slaughter soldiers fully armed and trained to military exploits. The sun and moon were witnesses of the valorous deeds of God's people; they held their courses until the triumph was complete. It is fitting that we should look at the words a little more closely; a careful examination will show that even a tyro in Hebrew poetry can see that the words will not bear the meaning usually given them by traditional interpreters. It is very doubtful whether the language attributed to Joshua is, in any real sense, a prayer. No He- brew scholar will deny that here nothing is said of a direct address to Jehovah; the address is not to God, but to the sun and moon. We see at once that the language in the original properly means, not to Jehovah, but before, or in reference to Je- hovah. The verb translated " stand still" in the original is " ddm;' and it generally means " cease," "rest," "be still," "keep silent." The meaning " stand still" seems to be an inference from the J 354 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. thirteenth verse, and not a translation. In Ex- . cdus XV. 1 6 and in Lamentations ii. lo this verb sijjnifies to be dumb with terror. It is often used figuratively to signify a silent or submissive frame eu mind. See Psalms Ixii. ii; iv. 4; xxxvii. 7, and Isaiah xxiii. 2. It is thus certain that the meaning is very indefinite. We have positively no right to make this word certainly mean that the sun's course was arrested in the heavens. It is also to be observed that the phrase in the thir- teenth verse, "hasted not to go down about a whole day," is a mistranslation. The Hebrew keyom tdmim means as at the perfect day. This says nothing whatever about the sun's remaining in the heavens for a whole day. If we compare Exodus xxxi. 18, and other scriptures in which a similar expression is found, we shall have full proof of the correctness of the interpretation now '^iven. It is distinctly stated in the thirteenth verse that this account is written in the Book of Jasher. The scpher haydshdr, or the " Book of the Upright, " appears to have been a collection of eulogistic odes in praise of national heroes. This quotation is thus a part of a triumphal song, like that recorded in the fifth chapter of Judges, where in the twen- tieth verse there is a very similar thought, which has already been quoted in this article. The Book of Jasher is mentioned in 2 Samuel i. 18, where reference is made to teaching the use of the bow. There it is said the David's lamenta- UtM tk MMJM iWl ^"ffPWf''"' "W" CULTIES. islation. In Ex- is ii. lo this verb It is often used submissive frame iv. 4; xxxvii. 7, certain that the B have positively rtainly mean that . the heavens. It 3hrase in the thir- TO down about a m. The Hebrew Perfect day. This e sun's remaining r. If we compare iptures in which a e shall have full nterpretation now e thirteenth verse he Book of Jasher. okof the Upright," n of eulogistic odes This quotation is like that recorded where in the twen- lar thought, which this article. The in 2 Samuel i. 18, caching the use of e David's lamenta- DID THE SrJV AND MOON STAND STILL? 355 tion is partially an extract from this book. Some have supposed that this book refers to some book or books of the Bible itseif, but that is not the common opinion. No one can read Joshua x. even in English without feeling that verses 12-14 are a quotation, if not an interpolation. No allu- sion is found in the Scriptures to this event, ex- cept in an obscure passage in Habakkuk iii. 1 1 ; and Josephus makes but a slight reference to this supposed miracle. A vast structure of argument has gathered around this passage, and it is now time that it should fall to the ground. The im- portance of the passage has been greatly exag- gerated both by the friends and the foes of revealed religion. It is certain that in our version the passage is somewhat of a mis- translation; it is also equally certain that it is a quotation, and it is possible that it is an interpolation. In no case ought this uncer- tain passage longer to trouble devout students of the Word of God. Josephus simply says in referring to this inci- dent : " The day was increased, lest the night should check the zeal of the Hebrews." We have seen that if we accept the historicity of the nar- rative, it can be explained by the recognized laws of refraction and reflection without involving the tremendous consequences not only upon the globe itself, but upon the entire solar system, and even upon the equilibrium of the whole material uni- verse, which the traditional interpretation neces- 356 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. sitatcs. The Copernican system as set forth by Galileo invested the passage, interpreted liter- ally, with alarming importance. Around it fierce ecclesiastical battles have been fought. The Vati- can has had a conspicuous share in these battles, and has had often to confess its defeats. The explanation of Kepler is deeply interesting : " They will not understand that the only thing Joshua prayed for was that the mountains might not in- tercept the sun from him. Besides, it had been very unreasonable at that time to think of astron- omy, ox- of the errors of sight; for if any one had told him that the sun could not really move on the valley of Ajalon, but only in relation to sense, would not Joshua have answered that his desire was that the day might be prolonged, so it were by any means whatsoever?" In writing a history of the Civil War one might well quote Whittier's words in " Barbara Frit- chie" : " ' Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, But spare your country's flag, " she said," without becoming responsible for the exact and lit- eral truth of the story of this woman's loyalty. It is affirmed that history will not indorse the details of the poem. The writer of the Book of Joshua quoted from a book of poems; he so in- forms us in connection with the quotation. Why can we not believe him? Why must we create difficulties which the writer takes pains not to il>ai»WIWfiH ULTIES. as set forth by iterpreted liter- Around it fierce ight. The Vati- in these battles, 5 defeats. The ;eresting : " They ily thing Joshua ns might not in- des, it had been ) think of astron- or if any one had it really move on relation to sense, d that his desire onged, so it were DID THE SUN- AND MOON STAND STILL? 357 suggest? Let the battle over this vexed passage cease ; let us take its own explanation of itself. Let God's Word interpret itself, although it prove many human interpretations to be erroneous. God's Word will stand forever. il War one might n " Barbara Frit- gray head, ;, ■ she said," r the exact and lit- woman's loyalty. 1 not indorse the :er of the Book of poems; he so in- } quotation. Why ly must we create :akes pains not to ■ M M iia w li— j«» iM * i> in n^'i«» "< i»i XXI. DID JEPHTHAH REALLY SACRIFICE HIS DAUGHTER ? i i... XXL DID TEPHTHAH REALLY SACRIFICE HIS DAUGHTER? This question has for many generations per- plexed Bible students. The fact that Jephthah in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, is mentioned as one of the heroes of faith, has led many per- sons to doubt that he really offered his daughter in sacrifice. Volumes have been written on^ the subject of his rash vow; and many writers have stoutly maintained that his character should be relieved from the dark stain of having offered his daughter as a sacrifice in consequence of that vow The account is found in the eleventh chapter of the book of Judges. ' , . „ Tephthah was the ninth judge of Israel, and was of the tribe of Manasseh. His father's name was Gilead, and he was born out of wedlock. His fa- ther having died, his brothers, who refused him a share of the heritage, expelled him from his home He then withdrew to the land of Tob, which was beyond the limit of Hebrew territory He was distinguished always by great bravery of character and by equal skill in arms. After his banishment by his brothers, a number of desper- ate men gathered about him, and he became the ^.;.Lv,-!/WaB> --;■->=■*■■ '''■■*''-'**'-^"^''"' I 36 J OLD TEST AMES I DllllCULTIES, 1 leader of this reckless band. In this respect his life was nut unlike that of David after his with- drawal from the court of Saul. Jephthah and his companion,-; thus resorted to a life of brij,'andage ; but such a life was not deemed dishonorable in the East in those days, nor in very much later times, especially so long as freebooters preyed simply upon public or private enemies and were not guilty of needless cruelties in their brigand- age. They might rob and possibly murder, but they must do both with delicacy and despatch, and, according to the rules of their order, with some degree of gentlemanly deportment. This class of men were the Robin Hoods of that early day. We well know that in the border wars be- tween England and Scotland a class of men of similar character long flourished with some degree of governmental authority and general approval. We also know that Columbus in his early life, and Drake and Raleigh, the naval heroes in the time of Elizabeth, and others of this general character, were really pirates. Jephthah was a freebooter of this class, and his aggressions were confined to small neighboring nations, who were in some sort the enemies of Israel even when a nominal peace was observed. The Deliverer and Judge of Israel. The Ammonites and their allies had held the country east of the Jordan in subjection for eigh- teen years. Once more the people turned in peni- L TIES. DID JEPIirHAII SACRIFICE HIS DAUGIITF.K? 363 lis respect his after his with- (htliah and his )f brijjandage ; shonorable in ry much later ooters preyed nies and were their brigand- y murder, but and despatch, :ir order, with rtment. This \ of that early order wars be- ass of men of th some degree leral approval. . early life, and 3es in the time cral character, s a freebooter ere confined to re in some sort nominal peace OF Israel. > had held the ;ction for eigh- turned in peni- tence to Jehovah, and once more He heard their prayer and sent them deliverance. The daring deliverer at this time was Jephthah, the rugged chieftain and reckless freebooter. His dashing exploits and successful enterprises gave him the reputation of great bravery and superb heroism. Notwithstanding that his brothers had driven him from home, when his kindred were groaning un- der foreign oppression, the people generally looked to this lawless compatriot for deliverance. It must have been a proud day for him when the deputation was sent to invite him to take com- mand. He did not quite forget the treatment he had formerly received, but after some demur and delay he consented to be the leader of Israel's faithful band, who determined to return to God and to overthrow the enemies of the nation. The Ammonites were assembled in force when Jeph- thah sent to them demanding a reason for their invasion. His whole procedure was marked by a certain kind of rude dignity which we cannot but admire ; it shows that even in that early day some provocation was required before any war was con- sidered justifiable. The spirit of our own time in this regard was thus early anticipated. There is no nation to-day in Christendom that would declare war except it had grounds for the declara- tion which other nations migh; be expected heart- ily to approve. This fact makes nations extremely slow in our day to issue the final declaration mak- ing war inevitable. This principle seems to be J 364 OLD TESTAMENT D,FF,CV,nE^. y„,„ "« 3;"''"\';'-\Uonitcs»ere it» owner, the IsrafUws. Uii. nn Amoritc», be^.'---/tr„ r.SuUaa captured ftom whon,, m turn the ^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^_^^^_^^ the territory "" 7°^', j;„.„„e the soil. Jeph- ,„ justify t1.e,r "rf" ';;";t pHneiple whieh has thah laiJ down in h'>' '"P'^ " ^ f^, „„„„« dv- h-n observed th'-^y^^^.teh the «reat writers ilized nations-. Pnncp ^_^^ ^_^p^^. °" T"lTr :: sHnte-tinJ to diseover in this sijed. It IS most ^j j^,„„j. remote eountry and t»= '^^^ , ;, „„ '"""". '""itwas here affirJd that by right of own time. It was ne territory from eonciuest the '-"^^s , .-e'i.es eol.d not . its aetu.il possessors . thus t „ho „eo«ni.e the c'- "'; J""" f„ ,,,„>„, .he had rendered Utem n° ^^^^^ ^^^ ^,^,„, territory, b« "ho h ,^^_ ^„„,,er, con- of the Israelites. 1 ne J^ ^ ^^^^ the issue was )<""="• "" jephthah thus saw to the arbitratnent "' "'. JJ j ,he Ammo- that all negotiations w,th the ta, ^^^^^^ „,es.»ouldberu*s. TheJ^P^^^^ ;U::rh:a::nce%reparedforwar. The Gd- •67. TIES. Jt-phthah rccon- .-eihnc; anil the justify their ajj- that the land be- ;m rather than to were its owners by the Amorites, .tes had captured ds they attempted re the soil. Jepb- rinciple which has nturies among civ- h the great writers ,eated and cmpha- to discover in this yerms of interna- .y" developed in onr ed that by right of \ the territory from J Israelites could not mer possessors, who ince in securing the r opposed the claims onites, however, con- to the soil, and thus nally resort was had Jephthah thus saw e king of the Ammo- he Spirit of the Lord, bravery, came upon ed for war. The Gil- DlDJF.rilTUAIl SACKIFICE JtlS nArCllTlitit S^S eadite elders con^ented-an.l their consent was solemnly ratified before the Lord in Mi/.peh-that in the event of being victorious Jephthah should be considered as the head of the nation. His Soi.kmn Vow. The war on which he entered was likely to be severe and deadly. Jephthah was under profound emotion; and he, in a spirit of reckless darmg not unmingled with religious devotion, solemnly vowed to the Lord, " If thou slialt without fad de- liver the children of Ammon into my hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth- of the doors of my house to meet me, when 1 return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering." The word here rendered "what- soever" in the authorized version may be ren- dered "whosoever," as it is without distinction of gender. Jephthah girded himself for war. He burst upon the enemy with terrific fury. He drove the Ammonites before him, capturing twenty towns from Aroer on the Arnon to Minnith and to Abel Keramim. The Ammonites thus sus- tained a terrible overthrow. Jephthah was thus victorious, and he returned in peace to his house in Mizpeh. The news of his glorious victory pre- ceded his own return to Mizpeh; but instead of being laeL by an animal or by a slave, his only „ •-.— -tt*^ 366 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. \\. daughter, in whom his heart was bound up with peculiar tenderness, filled with pride because of her father's splendid victory, came forth with timbrels and with dances to meet the triumphant hero. Her fair companions joined her in this hour of gladness and glory. But the sight of his daughter, dancing in the joy of her heart, was enough to freeze the blood in the father's veins and to stop his heart in its beating. What can it all mean? No sooner did he see his daughter than he rent his robes and cried, "Alas! my daughter, thou has brought me very low; for I have opened my moi^th unto the Lord and cannot go back." The music is hushed; the maiden draws near in silence. The hero of the hour is the picture of despair. The wretched man for- gets all the victories of the battle in this moment of domestic tragedy. Nobly does the heroic maiden speak : " My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which has proceeded out of thy mouth; for- asmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, the children of Amn>on." Her beautiful young life is the awful price of his great victory, and the noble but misguided young won.an insisted that he should not disregard his solemn vow. The bearing of both is equally striking in this sad calamity in their family life. Must she die— she, his only child, and so young and beautiful? The greatness of the sacrifice he must make almost crushes his life ; but the brave- X TIES. bound up with ide because of Tie forth with ;he triumphant sd her in this he sight of his her heart, was father's veins ;. What can it ; his daughter id, "Alas! my '^ery low; for I ord and cannot i; the maiden of the hour is :ched man for- in this moment )es the heroic DU hast opened le according to hy mouth ; for- vengeance for :n of Amn>on." ful price of his lisguided young it disregard his )oth is equally heir family life. , and so young the sacrifice he : but the brave- DID lEPHTHAH SACRIFICE HIS DAUGHTER? 367 spirited maiden rises with a noble grandeur above her own sorrow, and above her father's grief, with her mistaken conception of God and duly; she glories in her father's and her nation's vic- tory, even though it be at the price of her own beautiful yoimg life She is calm when rough- cheeked warriors turn pale and quiver with sor- row. She merely asks for a short period to be given her, which she will spend in the lonely depths of the mountains bewailing her sad fate — bewailing, as did the Antigone of Sophocles in her special grief, that she must die without the hope of becoming a bride or mother in Israel. No doubt all eyes were turned in admiration on the heroic girl. Then came the last sad scene, for "he did with her according to his vow." The Daughter's Fate. What was the fate of Jephthah's daughter? What did he do unto her according to his vow? Volumes have been written in answer to this question. It has been stoutly maintained that ho did not offer her in sacrifice, but that she was simply doomed to a life of perpetual celibacy. Others, as Professor Bush, have affirmed that a human sacrifice was contemplated, but that dur- ing the time when the maiden bewailed her vir- ginity upon the mountains, Jephthah obtained better information respectinj^ the nature of vows, and that finally he redeemed his daughter at a 30S o,.n rEsrAMB.T n,.^on ot perpetual eelibacy tne ^^^^ ^„^. is „,ore probable; hut ne^e^v ^^ ^.^ elusion that "he ^''^ ;'^^„''ed from death there vow." " *e were preserv „„entations of „oul,l be no s«— "=»;,„ „al.e tl. word the daughters of ^''^^^ ^^^^jien," is eerta.nly "lamentations mean .^ really no diffleulty „ forced signifteanee 1 j^„„ „„ » the text; *e -- t: text in its natural unwillingness to ■»<=«P therefore, in- meaning. ';<>•'""'" X'Jboh in ancient and vented a new thmg m Is ae ^^ eonse- in modern ^^^ '" --^'•^'"" °' ' crated to perpetual "'^ J .^^ieed interpreters vow of her father. All nnprej eontained ;„st admit that no.h.ng o h^^n ^^ ^^^^ .^^^ .^ in the vow^^ey must also^aam^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ utterly foreign » »" „ eommentators are wifehood and mothethood ^^,^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ ,,e at liberty, because of *' t„ mject into teaching of any part^of Sc P ,„^„p,etea, it a given passage what u ^ jure can be • dearly does not cont-n^*^ ^^'^iu.ators dc „ade to mean »>•*!"» 7'=„, admit that jcph- sire. Many Jew.sh f "P'""^^^ ,„,„ that she thah sacrificed hts ^'■^^^^^ti'^-^^'i »' to any was not devoted to perpanal^ v ^ g^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ formofreligious^ervte. ^^^^^^^^^^ p,,,ed rertttlttfulamar because the high-prtest TIES. iew und that il redemption aeetsthecon- ording to his ^ n death there imentations of lake th'. word s" is certainly lly no difficulty irises from our in its natural therefore, in- X in ancient and iiould be conse- ;onsequence of a iced interpreters kind is contained t that this idea is .otions regarding :ommentators are ike to accept the ,re, to inject into lly interpreted, it Scripture can he commentators de- s admit that Jepb- itid affirm that she virginity or to any is even alleged that Eleazar was passed .use the high-priest DID JErHTHAII SACRIFICE HIS DAUGHTER? 3^9 permitted this horrible sacrifice to be performed.* We do not know where the immolation took place, but probably on some altar in the wild region be- yond the Jordan. The painters represent it as having taken place at the altar of the Tabernacle, and Jewish authority can be quoted for this view, but it is utterly impossible to believe that such a terrible sacrifice could have taken place at the altar of God, and a high-priest as the sacrificer. The Horrible Sacrifice Hateful to God. The story of this sacrifice lingered long in the memory of the people ; and for generations after- ward Jewish maidens, in sympathy with the self- sacrificing spirit of Jephthah's daughter, bewailed her fate. The story brings lis into the atmos- phere of classical times. We are reminded of the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamem- non and Clytemnestra. Agamemnon having vowed to offer her, and having failed to keep his vow, the Grecian ships could not sail from the * Joseph Kimchi is especially the author of the interpre- tation that the maiden was shut up in a house which her father erected for this purpose, and that she was there vis- ited by the daughters of Israel four days in each year while she lived. It is true that Hebtews such as Levi ben Ger- som and Bechai, and Christian scholars sich as Grotius. Bishop Hall, Dr. Hales and some others of earlier and later times have adopted this view. Lightfoot for a time held this view, but more careful study led him to abandon it and adopt the interpretation which the story raturally teaches. 24 *;; 3,0 OLD TESTAMENT DIEFICULTIES. port of Au«s against Troy until *= °«-«; were propitiated by the sacrifice of *e maiden There is thus often a close likeness between the Hebrew^'«y and those of the heathen nations o " aTcontemporaneous times. It was an age o ™* vows The whole nation made a vow against rtrofBe„iamin,andKin.S -aa^^^^^^^^^ the armv but there is no mention of an mterposi *:n^halfoftlieheroicbutn..guideam^^^^^ rbf^rrrv^n rtra My is the cor. doubt the darker ^^^^ ^.^^^ ^^ ^ o.dden l-y «^= JJ" ^ oideon at Ophrah ^'"%?thfdsrct law on that subject. It can- rWnUTt human sacri^ces were in thc^ "1 time, oft.n considered "-en'or.ou=_»i^ ° •tious by some Israelites, as by aln.^- .... cue „:: sa^rific; o«ercd in a mistaken intcrpretaUon Tthe will of Jehovah. We must constantly bear t mtalthat tiis was a time of anarchy, ignorance, TIES. )fEended gods the maiden. between the len nations of was an age of a vow against ul made a vow ife. Jonathan nterposition of )f an interposi- ,guided maiden ther. Without redy is the cor- sacrifices were hthah lived in untries of Moab fices were com- ■hich the Judges ! cruel practices • heathen neigh- acts as truly for- aman sacrifices, deon at Ophrah subject. It can- :es were in these itorious and pro- )V alTTirv'^t .*11 tne first and last hu- en interpretation St constantly bear larchy, ignorance, Din JEPHTHAH SACRIFICE II IS DAUGHTER? 3T^ and superstition. Vows of celibacy were then entirely unknown among the Hebrews; the idea of nunnery belonged to a much later period, and to a different condition cf society. It is affirmed that the maiden could not be dedicated to the ser- vices of the high-priest, for he and the ark were then at Shiloh in the territory of Ephraim, and f ephthah was then at deadly war with that tribe. There is something peculiarly painful in the idea that this maiden, perhaps crowned with flowers and led forth with music and song to the altar, could have been a sacrifice pleasing to God. This act was the result of a false principle and a foolish vow; it was an act utterly hateful to God and utterly repugnant to al! the finer feelings of human nature. Let us in no way hold God or true religion responsible for so cruel, abominable, and wicked an act. Such an act was not per formed because its perpetrators had true religion, but simply because they were utterly lacking in true religion. It was not performed because God commanded it or approved it, but because its per- petrators, living in a heathen atmosphere, were ignorant of God's will, and ^o committed an act unspeakably displeasing to God and dishonoring to man. Tennyson in his poem, " A Dream of Fair Women," gives a glowing picture of this maiden lifted above herself in her desire to bless her country, assist her father and honor her God; but her mistake was as great as ner self-sacrifice was heroic. • ' jtn.iJJUajiwiMWJWMtW'iwu XXII. DID SAMUEL APPEAR WHEN SUMMONED BY THE WITCH OF ENDOR? XXII. DID SAMUEL APPEAR WHEN SUM- MONED BY THE WITCH OF ENDOR? Saul, the first king of Israel, is one of the most romantic and tragic characters of history. He was the son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin, and his name means "the desired one." Zelah was probably the place of his birth. His father was a wealthy and powerful chief; and Saul while searching for lost asses found a kingdom. A "seer" was met on the journey, and he was none other than the prophet Samuel, who after a little time poured over Saul's head the oil of consecra- tion Saul was an unusually attractive man at that moment, as he towered head and shoulders above average men. He received both an inner and an outer call to the new life which awaited him by the ordainment of God. The latter call was given him at Mizpeh, when in his modesty he was hidden in the circle of the baggage which surrounded the encampment. His great stature aroused the utmost enthusiasm of the people ; and soon they shouted, "Long live the king. This was the first time this shout was ever heard in Israel, and perhaps in the world-a shout later ao often heard both in ancient and modern 3/6 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. times in scenes of joy and sorrow, of comedy and tragedy. , , Later, when Saul ha-^ apparently returned to private life, he heard as he drove his oxen near Gibeah those wild lamentations peculiar to Eastern towns when some great calamity has come. Soon he learned that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had issued a terrible threat against Jabesh Gilead. The Spirit of God came upor :• .ul, as upon the Judges in an earlier day; and the shrinkmg and timid man was immediately transformed mto the brave patriot and heroic leader. The bones of two of the oxen which he was driving were sent through the country as a suggestive message. The people came in a body to meet Saul at Bezek. The Ammonites were totally routed. Soon under the direction of Samuel at Gilgal the monarchy was inaugurated anew, and Saul was recognized with solemn sacrifices as the victorious leader in the kingdom, and was publicly installed and anointed. Samuel virtually gave over his own administration to Saul, whose military successes produced a profound impression on the people, and thus the monarchy was fully estabhshed. Saul's First Transgression. We are passing over great movements with only the briefest mention. We see Samuel grad- ually withdrawing from the responsibility of leader until Saul fully assumed that position be- fore all the people. God was the true King, and , .^ te.-,,_i.^-^ : TIES. \i comedy and y returned to his oxen near iliar to Eastern s come. Soon e Ammonites, Jabesh Gilead. il, as upon the shrinking and ormed into the The bones of ving were sent stive message, t Saul at Bezek. ,d. Soon under 1 the monarchy was recognized orious leader in T installed and e over his own lilitary successes on the people, established. ESSION. novements with lee Samuel grad- responsibility of that position be- e true King, and DID SAMUEI. APPEAR n'ffE.V SUMMOl^ED? 377 Saul simply His lieutenant. This relation was well understood both by Saul and the people. This is the true idea of the theocracy ; but unfor- tunately when Saul was put to the test of this idea he proved unfit for Ins high ofhce. The first trial led to the threat which ended in his rejection by God; for Saul forgot that he was only the ser- vant of Jehovah. In the second year of his reign, > as it is believed, he strove to sliake off the heavy Philistine yoke. This yoke was peculiarly griev- ous in his own tribe, over which a Philistine officer exercised some degree of authority. Soon he raised a small army, which under the leader- ship of the noble Jonathan took a fort of the Phil- istines. Saul later was reduced to a great ex- tremity, and the seventh day having come, whose expiration Samuel had enjoined Saul to await, Saul ordered sacrifices to be offered. Whatever was the exact nature of this act, the fact was soon recognized that Saul in performing it had greatly sinned against God. Saul's conduct at this point virtually involved a rejection of God, and the as- sumption of the claim to conduct the war accord- ing to his own will rather than God's command. Upon Samuel's arrival after the completion of the sacrifice he pronounced a curse on Saul's thought- less zeal. Soon after, largely through the bold exploits of Jonathan, aided by a panic of the enemy, Saul effected a great slaughter; but his rashness led almost to the death of Jonathan. The reckless vow of Saul regarding this truly H I II ' I I !!». ^ Uf1 1PWWWW I 378 OI.P TESTAMI-lXr niFFICUl.TIES. heroic son was the first appearance of Saul's mad- ness The IMiilistines, however, were dnv-'n to their own country, and for a time were eonthied within its lit.uts. Cireat honor thus came to Saul. aM no previous ruler had reached so hij^h a posi- tion and had won so strikin^^ a triune ph. Now he heyami.c , rjiani.ati.m of a roy./i cstabhshment. and we soon see the heuinning of the institutions which marked the monarchy. There is the nu- cleus of a standiPK^ army; there is a bodyguard of young, tall, and handsome Benjamites; a;:.: there are official runners and messengers. Dav.c! and Abner are the two principal officers at court, and they sat wiM. Jonathan a. the king's table. An- other officer was the ke. i^or of the royal mules. The king now appears in state. His tall spear became the sym' ,ol of hi:, office and it is still the mark of the dignity o< t'.e Bedouiu sheik. It was reproduced in the grear ^ .on staff always earned by Ivan tl.e Terrih^: o'- Russia as the symbol of the Czardom. Thi. :.pear was ever after asso- ciated with t.uul in battle, at his meals, and m his repose. It is as inseparable from his name as is the harp from David's name. We now see Saul with a diadem on his head and a bracelet on his arm. He has become an autocratic rather than a theocratic king. Saui/s Second Transgression. The years pass. There is war with Amalek; and in sparing the conquered king and retaining I 1^^.- A 7//;5. ijf Saul's mad- ?cre drivi'ti to were eon fined I eame to Saul, o hiyh a posi- rph. Now he cstablislunent, the institutions tere is the nu- u bodytiuard of lites; ii;i ' fhere rs. David and rs at court, and g's table. An- le royal mules. His tall spear md it is still the ii sheik. It was : always carried ,s the symbol of ever after asso- ,s meals, and in from his name ^e. We now see md a bracelet on uttocratic rather RESSION. ar with Amalek ; ng and retaining -M i f,,-HV4-,_,, .i',i !? 7yi?J!'-l-V'l ! '^

;"' \:^> ^ Photographic Sdences Corporation V 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4303 .' .■.*;*«■>.■.',■■•+; J. v»i - ''«:.H.'i£,T.- r!/5.5So-:'-'!.i:.- r..T:ir£aSiS»iaiior^!'3sS3Msr£VAlllWtlJil»i93saa»a^^ 4- V ^ ^■ \ f I f- CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1 ifct^-?3^S3as&»4-';ti DID SAMUEL APPEAR WHEN SUMMONED? 379 the spo-1 Saul disobeyed the command of Samuel. Thus he failed a second time in the trial of his obedience to God and to His prophet. He failed to extirpate the Amalekites, whose hostility to the people of God was so old and so fierce. Saul probably spared the king in order to make a greater parade at the sacrificial thanksgiving. Josephus expressly says that Agag was spared for his stature and beauty; such a prisoner would greatly grace Saul's triumph. At southern Carmel he set up a monument, probably a tri- umphal arch of myrtles, olives, and palms, to commemorate his victories. His spirit of rebel- lion against God led to his final rejection ; and his disobedience led Samuel to withdraw all approval from Saul. The separation between them was indicated by the rent in Samuel's robe of state, as he tore himself away from Saul's grasp. He was thus left to his sins and their inevitable pun- ishment ; and we read that " Samuel mourned for Saul." His Last Offence. From the time of Samuel's rejection of him Saul's life is one long tragedy. Doubtless at times he was mentally and morally insane. The frenzy which occasionally only touched him lightly at other times controlled him completely. He became at times the victim of melancholia ; and then the subject of fierce and uncontrollable pas- sion. David's harp temporarily chased away his sorrow; but soon it came back associated with the '%\ 38o OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. savage madness which broke out against David and Jonathan. The monarchy which he had or- ganized was breaking down at every point. The Philistines were again in the land, and their char- iots and horses swept over the Plain of Esdraelon. Near Shunem their camp was pitched. On the opposite side, on Mount Gilboa, was the army of Israel, clinging to the heights for safety agamst the resistless chariots of the Philistines. Great events are rushing on apace. Saul's army is near the spring of Harod, or the Spring of Tremblmg, a name which assumed an evil omen in connection with this sad history. The cup of Saul's iniquity is fast filling; he is to perform just one more act of open rebellion against God and that cup will be full. It is a solemn moment in Saul's checkered life He is crossing the boundary line between God's patience and His wrath. God help us all when that terrible crisis comes, as come it may, in our lives! Saul had driven out those who practised necro- mancy; perhaps his act was intended in some sense as an atonement for his many forms of dis- obedience to God. As we now see him his condi- tion is desperate. He is forsaken of God and of men. No oracles now give him any communica- tions of God's will. Samuel is dead, Samuel on whom he had leaned in so many crises for help, and had not leaned in vain. David is now alien- ated, David whose dash and bravery, love and loyalty had so often spared or delivered Saul in ff^-^it:^r^'?t]^Mf^'-'"?rf^-i. - ff"^>'^tf* '^' UL TIES. t against David ■hich he had or- ery point. The , and their char- in of Esdraelon. itched. On the was the army of )r safety against ilistines. Great ul'sarmy is near ig of Trembling, len in connection )f Saul's iniquity just one more act d that cup will be Saul's checkered ary line between God help us all , as come it may, ) practised necro- ntended in some lany forms of dis- see him his condi- cen of God and of 1 any communica- dead, Samuel on tiy crises for help, )avid is now alien- bravery, love and delivered Saul in DID SAMUEL APPEAR WHEN SUMMONED? 381 times of great danger. There is one witch left in the land ; and we are now to see in Saul a strange mixture of superstition and religion at this trying moment. He asks his attendants to seek out for him a woman who had a familiar spirit, as the vague phrase in the narrative describes her. The expression more literally is " a mistress of the Ob," a name which is derived from the leathern bag, sometimes called a bottle, used in magical incan- tations, and it may suggest the practice of ven- triloquism ; the Septuagint translates the word " a ventriloquist." Probably the name "Ob" is so given because it was supposed that the spirit or demon which possessed the necromancer inflated the body so that it protuberated like the skin used as a bottle. The Ob of the Hebrews was thus exactly similar in conception to the Pytho of the Greeks, and the name might be used both for the performer and for the spirit which was sup- posed to possess him. Saul's act was positively forbidden by the law, Lev. xx. 6, which sentenced such pretenders to death, and Saul himself had recently enforced this law. Her Residence. Near Endor such a woman lived. There is a Hebrew tradition, mentioned by Jerome, that she was the mother of Abner, and that because of her relationship to him she escaped the general mas- sacre of the necromancers at the hands of Saul. Let us get the scene clearly in mind. The armies 382 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. are in full sight of each other; between them lies a part of the historic plain of Esdraelon. The sight of the Philistines filled Saul with fear, and so we read that "his heart trembled greatly." He is alone in his camp. Neither David, Samuel, nor God was now on his side. Neither by dreams, Urim, nor prophets would the Lord give him any answer. His suspense was terrible. If an an- swer will not come from heaven, perhaps one will come from hell. Look at the place as travellers see it to-day. A short ride from Nain brings us to Endor; the word means the " Spring of Dor." This spring has made the place habitable through all the centuries. Here are found to-day a few squalid people in their huts of stone and earth. Here are also some remarkable caves; enter these caves. Behold this one; it is roomy, and in it observe almost at any moment women filling their water-skins or jars. The walls of this cave are old, seamed, and weird. It is the traditional place of the abode of the witch of Endor, whom • Saul came to consult. Wretched old women may still be seen coming out of their holes or caves to stare at strangers as they approach. It is no diffi- cult task to imagine that one of these hags repre- sents the old witch, who has made the place famous through all the centuries since Saul's visit. Saul's journey was a perilous one; but the out- ward danger was nothing compared to the horror of great darkness which filled his soul. We can still trace the road which he took. He must have .Ht^T' ff^ f W"*"^--^""^''-^ ^^ ^-^*'*'^'*"''"'^* ittin aClJ^ them lies >n. The fear, and greatly." , Samuel, Y dreams, ; him any If an an- s one will travellers brings lis :of Dor." ie through day a few md earth, mter these and in it lUing their s cave are traditional dor, whom romcn may or caves to ; is no diffi- liags repre- the place Saul's visit, ut the out- > the horror il. We can e must have DJD SAMUEL APPEAR WHEN SUMMONED? 383 crossed the plain, gone round the loft Hank of the enemv, ascended the ridge of Little Ilermcn, and then have gone down a steep descent to Endor. Meaning of the Appearance. Was the scene which followed a genuine appa- rition or a vulgar imposture? Volumes have been written in answer to that question. Many cir- cumstances suggest that it was an imposture. Saul was in exactly the frame of mind which ex- posed him to an imposition; he was weak, excit- able, and superstitious. He came to this woman by night; he sees her alone, his attendants being absent although near at hand. It is easy to sup- pose that one of his servants had agreed with the woman to personate Samuel. The narrative shows us that Saul did not see. any appearance of Samuel. From this supposed ghost he learned nothing which he might not have learned from his attendants, except the words: "To-morrow Shalt thou and thy sons be with me"; and atten- tion has been called by several critics to the fact that the word translated " to-morrow" is very am- biguous, and often means the future indefinitely. But others believe that Samuel did actually appear to Saul; and possibly it will be admitted that the narrative suggests the hypothesis of some kind of apparition. Josephus pronounces a labored eulogy on the woman. But the literal appearance of Samuel, it may be said in reply, is #1' ,1' iP Vi B* 384 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. inconsistent with all which we know of the dead. Can the dead assume a corporeal shape? Can they converse and perform other acts of living beings? Can we suppose that the spirits of de- parted saints are amenable to the call of every old witch who chooses to dupe gullible men and women? Such a thought is incredible. Heaven would offer few attractions if saints like Samuel are to be called back to earth by witches like the woman of Endor. Others have suggested that the woman induced Satan or some other evil spirit to personate Samuel. But what right have we to assume that any person has such power over Satan? What right have we to assume that Satan has any power over, or any relation to, de- parted saints like Samuel? This theory is not encouraging to saints as they leave this earth. Is it not better to suppose that God permitted a divine impression to be made, partly upon the senses of Saul and partly upon those of the woman, that Saul might be once more rebuked for his many departures from God? As we care- fully read the narrative we discover that Samuel appeared before the woman had performed any of her tricks of jugglery. When she saw Samuel she was utterly amazed and cried out with a loud voice ; and thus she appears to have been as much startled as was Saul himself. There seemed to have been no magical formulae employed to cause the appearance, or to give her ground to affirm an appearance. God for wise purposes seems to n'lKiii iriTr>Tlll-i-r-- thc dead, pe? Can of living its of de- of every men and Heaven e Samuel s like the 3Sted that ather evil right have ich power isume that ion to, de- ory is not ; earth, permitted r upon the se of the e rebuked LS we care- lat Samuel ned any of Samuel she ith a loud 3n as much seemed to ed to cause d to affirm s seems to DID SAMUEL APPEAR WHEN SUMMONED? 385 have interposed, and to have given the woman a vision of the presence of Samuel ; in this sense that presence was real to her, and through her state- ment real to Saul. God in a similar way moved upon the mind of Balaam so that he was obliged to bless those whom Balak desired him to curse. The hearts of all men and women are under the power of God ; and He can overrule the evil of men for good. The woman believed that she saw Samuel, but Saul saw nothing. He simply lis- tened to the woman's description of a god-like figure of an aged man wrapped in the royal cloak or sacred robe, an appearance like that of gods, and then Saul fell the whole length of his gigantic stature on the ground, and so remained until the woman and her servants forced him to take nour- ishment. The woman was an impostor, and Saul was in a sense her victim, but God overruled the duplicity of the one and the superstition of the other for the accomplishment of His divine pur- poses. The Sad Ending. Thus Saul heard his death-knell rung from the world of spirits. Back through the darkness he goes with his sorrowful heart wellnigh broken in his bosom. What a night he must have passed ! The day dawns, and soon he is rushing into battle. The Philistines poured down the hill on the one side, and the Israelites were forced up the hill slopes. The battle was sore against Saul; the archers hit him, and he was mortally wounded. 25 386 OLD TESTAMENT DII-UCVl.TlliS. He fought With th. valor of de»imr. At hi» fetTu'uthau and his other ^nsiay.e,u,. Sa,, souit death, but it eame not to h,s rehef. He ^ fa nt and di.^y with the darkness and weatnes of hrapproaching end. Fearing that he m.ght be the s^rt of the Philistines ,f eaptured, he begs W Xor.bearer to thrust him through w.th the s^d. But respect for his fallen mas er pre- vents the servant from granting this boon Be- 71 Saul filing his sword into the "--^^J^-f^ „round and see him falling upon it with the ?ourag of despair! Now he lies in pain smeared "i^h Ws own blood. A wild Amalekite, wander- Tnf over the upland waste seeking plunder, sees he dying king and at that king's request he puts Italut'of pain, giving him the co«^^r^ He then took off the royal diadem an n^racd^t and carried them with the news of Saul s death r David. The Philistines found the ^dy on_^ e morrow, and stripped and deeapitated .t^ The armor was sent into the Philistine cities and ap- prently deposited in a temple at Bethshan; and ™ the walls of the same city was hung the naked and headless body of Saul, together with the :"rpses of his three sons. The '-ly--"^";;'* Z Bethshan by the gratiti.de of ^e mhabitan s of Jabesh (Ulead, who did not forget tire kindne s doie them by Saul in the ^--'^'''IXtX earlv kingship. Thoy came over the Jordan by „ ^ht, tl d'own the bodies, burned their flesh aldtU buried the bones under a tamarisk at ..*#fta»)^«»w i-1-^i*^' ^■■■»<-^ft^-'';=v"'^ i.i.-^5-"»t-<3f> 'lES. lir. At his dead. Siiul ilief. He is weakness of he might be .red, he begs ugh with the master pre- s boon. Be- blood-stained I it with the pain smeared ikite, wander- plunder, sees jquest he puts coup (if grace. \ and bracelet i Saul's death lie body on the bated it. The cities, and ap- Bethshan; and lung the naked jther with the iy was removed the inhabitants ret the kindness iful days of his • the Jordan by rned their flesh, ir a tamarisk at DID SAMUEL APPEAR WHEh' SUMMONED? 3^7 Jabesh. David finally removed Saul's ashes and those of Jonathan to their ancestral sepulchre at Zelah in Benjamin. There is no more melancholy character in Bible history than that of Saul. There was in him much that elicited admiration and evoked enthusiasm. But his rashness was controlled neither by sense nor conscience. The naturally fierce spirit of the tribe of Benjamin developed in him into uncontrollable ferocity. The naturally strong affection manifested toward David and Jonathan was perverted into bitter wrath, which finally de- veloped into insanity. The zeal wliich was un- controlled became disobedience toward God, and this disobedience was the cause of all his disasters. Those who reject God will believe in witcnes. Men who are too incredulous to believe in the Bible will believe in the ravings of ignorant, vul- gar, and lying spiritual mediums and fortune- tellers. There is no depth too low for men who turn away from God, from purity, from truth, and from the Bible. The whole law of God is summed up by the divine Lord in the two great principles which are universal as gravitation and eternal as God : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it ; thou Shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." ■rasfesrr. ' A«»^43*»- ♦ 'h-w-ti. i^W^vtii*;"^^ t'*?W>- XXIII. DID TWO SHE-BEARS DESTROY FORTY- TWO CHILDREN? ftet^t Si..Ciil-\^^T~ Hs=>t;5.--i-,.;^-i"L:-" - XXIII. DID TWO SHE-BEARS DESTROY FORTY- TWO CHILDREN? The narrative of this incident in the life of Elisha is found in 2 Kings ii. 23-25. The belief that two she-bears, as a part of the curse of Elisha on the derisive children at Bethel, utterly de- stroyed forty-two of these young people has greatly perplexed many Bible readers, and has utterly offended others, who desire to accept un- questioningly the Bible narrative. Recently at a great assembly of Sunday-school teachers in this city a rector of one of the churches unreservedly aifirmed that this incident was not authentic, that it was an interpolation, and that, without the slightest doubt, the event never occurred. His affirmations and the doubts engendered in the minds of many Christian people are largely, if not entirely, caused by a misinterpretation of the ancient story. It is most unfortunate that many readers of the Bible have confounded false inter- pretations with true revelations; it ought to be clearly seen that their objections are not really against the Bible narrative, but against incorrect explanations of that narrative. Let us " fetch a compass" and approach this in- 39* OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES'. cident so that its salient features may be discov- ered and emphasized. Elisha was the successor of Elijah as the leader in the prophetical office. As such a leader it was fitting that he should visit the school of the prophets which was at Bethel. This place, it will be remembered, was then a chief seat of the illegal and idolatrous calf wor- ship. Elisha is on his way from Jericho to Mount Carmel as he visits Bethel. In company with Elijah he had made his last visit to that historic town, when these two famous men were taking their' memorable journey before Elijah's transla- tion. We now approach the story at which many have taken offence. They have considered it un- worthy of the great prophet; they have even de- clared that it was immoral on Elisha's part to pronounce a curse on these derisive youths. As Elisha approaches Bethel we see these youths clustered near the entrance to the town, as is the manner of the idle crowds in Palestine to this day. The incident which is about to occur is recognized at once as altogether unlike the life and spirit of Elisha, and as more nearly resem- bling those of Elijah. We have here the one case of severity in a life remarkable for its gentleness and beneficence; but a clear understanding of the facts in the case will remove many of the difficul- ties with which the story is associated in the minds even of devout readers of the Bible. i :rar:._*'r-^, : viTi*AW(o*J«««^f j ■£s: be discov- ; successor deal office, ihould visit \ at Bethel, was then a s calf wor- lo to Mount ipany with liat historic vere taking ih's transla- which many dered it un- ve even de- la's part to youths. As liese youths wn, as is the itine to this to occur is like the life early resem- the one case :s gentleness anding of the f the difficul- iated in the Bible. n/D SHE.BEARS DESTROY CHILDREN? 393 Not Irresponsible Children. We are not for a moment to suppose that these derisive youths were little boys, merely irrespon- sible children, indulging in a childish prank as Elisha approached the town. If we examine closely the words which they uttered, as well as the conduct which they manifested, we shall clearly see that their abusive epithets were not born of a mere childish freak. They knew well •what they were doing; they belonged to a city which was the centre of an abominable apostasy. Because of its bad pre-eminence Bethel, meaning "house of God," was called Bethaven, meaning " house of the idol. " These youths incarnated the spirit and manifested the temper which we might naturally expect from the offspring of confirmed and aggressive apostates from God. They were not, as already affirmed, irresponsible little chil- dren. The objectors to this narrative generally assume that these were children, perhaps from six to ten years of age ; but nothing could be farther removed from the facts in the case. The original terms are ticarim ketanim, which may mean young men in the strength and vigor of their early man- hood. Naar, the singular form of the word of which nearim is the plural, signifies not only a child, but a young man, a servant, a soldier, one actually fit to go out to battle. Isaac is called naar when it is believed he was twenty-eight years old; and Joseph was also called by this 394 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. name when, according to some authorities, he was thirty-nine years old. The word is applied to the soldiers who served as a body-guard to Ahab. It is also applied to Solomon when he was at least twenty years old, at the time when he began to reign; and Jeremiah uses the word of himself when he was called to be a prophet. Those who translate the original terms by the phrase " young people" are probably entirely correct. It is quite certain that the terms could appropriately be used of those who had reached the period of early manhood, and who might be of different ages within that limit. We still speak of the Hebrews as the "children of Israel"; and different words in the Hebrew translated children have a great breadth of meaning. •, t^,,- i. It is thus evident that those who mocked Elisha were fully accountable for their abusive and ir- reverent language. If this fact had been held constantly in mind it would have entirely dis- armed many of the severest critics of this ancient story They have, as already implied, supposed tliat these were thoughtless, sportive, prankish, and merely fun-loving little children. Because of this misconception as to their age the critics have been disposed to consider that their offence was very light, and so their punishment was extremely severe. Thus the opposers of the narrative have affirmed, because of these miscon- ceptions, that there was no proper proportion be- tween the crime committed and the punishment rES. ties, he was plied to the \ to Ahab. was at least le began to of himself Those who rase " young It is quite itely be used od of early fferent ages the Hebrews Eerent words tiave a great locked Elisha usive and ir- id been held entirely dis- if this ancient led, supposed ive, prankish, ren. Because ige the critics t their offence nishment was posers of the these miscon- proportion be- 16 punishment D!D SI/E-BEARS DESTROY CHILDREN? 395 inflicted. It has thus come to pass that rather than believe that divine revelation was responsible for so great an injustice many earnest Christians, as well as hostile critics, have rejected the narra- tive as an unauthoritative tradition or an unfor- tunate interpolation. Mkaninc. ok the Insolent Epithet. "Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head." The original words thus translated are alch karcach, and they are the language of gross- est insult. Some have supposed that these words are equivalent to, "Ascend, thou empty skull, to heaven," implying that these youths knew of Elijah's translation. If this be the meaning, their language was blasphemy against God, and the punishment of these Bethelite idol- aters was light compared with their crime. If this be the significance of the language, then great scorn is cast upon the ascension of Elijah. But this is probably not the correct interpreta- tion. Many authorities affirm that the word translated "go up" does not mean "ascend," in the sense in which the ascension of Elijah took place. In addition to this consideration, it is not at all probable that these young people could have heard at this time of the ascension of Elijah. The language of the sixteenth verse clearly sug- gests that even the disciples of the prophet had not yet learned of the translation of their great master. 396 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. Let US get the scene clearly in mind. We see these young Bethelite dcfamers clustered about the entrance to their city. They behold Elisha at a distance as he approaches; they recognize him by the prophet's mantle. It was probably the mantle which Elijah had worn, and which he had left behind him as he ascended ; it was, there- fore, in a peculiar sense the symbol of the pro- phetic office. They recognized Elisha as an ear- nest opponent of the calf worship to which they were devoted, and of which Bethel in a special sense was the headquarters. They watch Elisha ascending the hill and approaching their city. They have come out probably as an organized band; they certainly were a numerous group, for if forty-two were injured by the bears there must have been more than that number in the entire company. They now call to Elisha in mockery, Alch karcach, " Go up, thou bald head. " It is as if they had said, " Be off, thou prophet of God; we do not want your presence in our city ; let us be rid alike of God and His prophet." The word which is here translated "bald head" is a peculiar term, and it strictly describes shortness of hair at the back of the head; it is distinct from another term which describes baldness at the front of the head. The term does not necessarily affirm actual baldness. These youths could not notice the con- dition of Elisha in that regard, as they were now seeing him at a distance. It is true that Elisha might have been prematurely bald. We know, -.) . M» i m " i w lES. (1. We see Lered about hold Elisha jr recognize as probably nd which he t was, there- of the pro- la as an ear- I which they in a special vatch Elisha r their city, in organized IS group, for s there must n the entire in mockery, [." It is as if t of God ; we ty ; let us be " The word ' is a peculiar less of hair at from another e front of the (T affirm actual lotice the con- hey were now le that Elisha [. We know, niD SHE-HEAR^ DESTROY CHILDREN? 397 however, that he lived long after this event; but lus baldness, if it existed, as already suggested, could not have been observed by these youths when they uttered their opprobrious language. It is quite well known that there could have been no artificial baldness of the iiead caused by shav- ing, as the law forbade those who were conse- crated to the service of God from shaving the hair of the head. Probably the language attributed some form of moral culpability to Elisha; for baldness was often regarded as tlie sign of leprosy, or as the result of some form of moral dishonor. The epithet was, therefore, implicative of moral disgrace, and was thus a great reproach to Elisha as a man of God. Attention has been called to the fact that the tonsure among the Roman priests was long considered in many countries not as a mark of consecration and holiness, but rather as a symbol of moral impurity. It is absolutely cer- tain that the language applied to Elisha was the keenest sort of scornful epithet when uttered against him as a prophet of the true God. We 'have not, therefore, here an exhibition of the mere wantonness of ordinary irreverence of boys for age or worthy character; we have rather a premeditated dishonor and a stinging insult to Elisha as the prophet and minister of the most high God. The scorn of these wicked youths was not so much against Elisha as a man, but upon his calling as a prophet. These defamers were de- spising Jehovah Himself. Elisha was simply the 398 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. ambassador of God, and as such God rather than Elisha was the object of insult. His short- trimmed locks differed so widely from the shaggy hair of Elijah, which streamed down his shoulders, that the youths considered him and his claims to prophetship on that account, as well as because of their aversion to God and His worship, as a fit subject for denial and insult. We have thus dis- honor cast upon God, and upon the office of prophet in the caustic language hurled at Elisha. Elisha's "Curse." This part of the narrative has been subjected to severe criticism. We must not suppose that Elisha in a petulant humor, and certainly not in the spirit of personal revenge, declared God's punishment of the sin committed. As God's prophet he was making his first appearance in Bethel. He could not allow this open mockery to pass in silence. Had he permitted these boys to go unrebuked he would have practically denied his holy calling, and would have dishonored his divine Master. Great Britain and the United States cannot allow any form of dishonor to be given to their ambassadors in any land; for these Embassadors represent the dignity, honor, and power of their respective governments. Elisha was the representative of the great God in the midst of the worshippers of calves, and the honor of God was involved in the honor of His prophet. ■U.,. TIES. \ rather than His short- m the shaggy his shoulders, 1 his claims to 3II us because jrship, as a fit lave thus dis- the office of rled at Elisha. in subjected to suppose that ertainly not in eclared God's i As God's appearance in open mockery ;ed these boys ictically denied dishonored his nd the United dishonor to be land ; for these ty, honor, and ments. Elisha eat God in the , and the honor of His prophet. D/D SHE-BEARS DESTROY CHILDREN? 399 But what do we mean by Elisha's curse? What did Elisha do? Certainly he did nothing more and nothing other than to declare the divine judg- ment on the wicked spirit and language of these youths. He spoke in the name of the Lord, bes/unt Jclim'ixh, by the name or authority of Jehovah. It is certain that Elisha had no power in or of himself to inflict the punishment which came upon these deriders of God ; he could not cause bears to come out of the wood. All that Elisha could do was to declare the punishment upon these sinful youths; and certainly Elisha could do nothing less. It is to be said regarding this part, and all parts of the narrative, that pos- sibly something is omitted in the record as we have it, or some expression has greatlj'^ changed its meaning since the record was made, and so diflSculties in the narrative are multiplied. It is almost certain that if additional facts were given all apparent disproportion between the offence and the punishment, and regarding every other difficulty in the narrative, would entirely disap- pear. The Punishment Inflicted. What was the punishment thus inflicted on these derisive and irreverent youths.' We are told that there " came forth two she-bears out of the wood and tare forty and two children of them." To this hour, as many travellers have observed, the road to Bethel winds up the defile, g 'j.j.iig. T? a i ' AKig- ' ga s .?. ? . 400 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. and under the hill there are ruins which are sup- posed to be those of Ai. There are still some trees found in this vicinity; but in Elisha's day the neighborhood was marked by a thick forest which was the home of wild beasts. We are now dealing, let it be carefully remembered, with the judgment of God which befell these depraved youths God had distinctly said : " I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattle, and your highways shall be desolate." When did these bears come forth in relation to the time of the com- mittal of the offence by these young people? We are not told; the time may have been long after- ward. Regarding this matter it is impossib e to make an affirmation. But frankness compels us to say that the natural impression of the narrative is that this result happened soon after the mock- ery by the youths took place. Why are we dis- tinctly told that the instruments of the pumsh- mdnt were " she-bears"? There must be a reason for this characterization, otherwise any bears might have served the divine purpose in the in- fliction of merited punishment. We know that she-bears are particularly fierce; especially when robbed of their whelps are they peculiarly raven- ous To this fact frequent reference is made m Scripture. It is not at all impossible that these forty-two youths who were thus injured, in a spirit of recklessness while employed in the wood may have robbed these bears of their young. TIES. lich are sup- •e still some Elisha's day thick forest We are now red, with the ese depraved will also send 11 rob you of :tle, and your en did these ne of the com- r people? We en long after- impossible to ;ss compels us f the narrative fter the mock- ly are we dis- 3f the punish- ust be a reason ise any bears pose in the in- We know that especially when jculiarly raven- nce is made in iible that these 3 injured, in a jred in the wood f their young. D/D SIIE-BEA/iS DESTA'OY CHILD KEN? 4°' The bears having been robbed may have been in the track of these youths at the time they insulted the prophet. God's providence easily could have ordered this natural occurrence so as to give it the effect of a divine cause, as indeed it was. Accord- ing to this conjecture, the bears were filled with wrath for the loss they had sustained, and the jus- tice of God readily could guide them to the group of the insulting and blasphemous youths. But what was the extent of the punishment in- flicted? Much depends, in the correct interpreta- tion of the narrative, upon a right answer to this question ; and at this point careless readers and traditional interpreters have greatly erred. They assume tliat forty-two of these youths were killed. How do we know that they were killed? It ought to be constantly affirmed that it is not asserted in this narrative that these bears ate forty-two, or two, or even one of these reviling young people. The word means only that the bears rent, or tore, to a greater or less degree, forty-two of these in- solent youths. The word is used with consider- able breadth of meaning in different connections. Perhaps nothing more is asserted than that the flesh was torn, possibly only the clothing; and there is a bare possibility that simply the group was torn asunder, scattered pell-mell in every direction; although the special references to the forty-two would indicate that something happened to them which did not occur to others of the num- ■ber. The natural impression is that an injury of 26 sfvjiset- '%iiasxpst 40a OU) TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. some serious kind was inflictcl, althcuKh its ex- tent cannot be accurately learned from the word employed; but it is absolutely certam that .t is not here affirmed f at even one child was killed. This fact ouKht. to be emphasized whenever the story is discussed. It is a thousand pities that meanings have been put into this word " tare which it will not bear and which its connections nowhere suggest. The true explanation of the word tare relieves the narrative of the supposed disproportion between the crime committed and the punishment inflicted. Lessons. This story of the olden time is suggestive of les- sons for modern life and daily duty. It is always a serious thing to reproach any person for infirmi- ties or deformities. It is still more so to attribute physical or moral defects where they do not exist. Those who reproach a man because he is a servant of the most high God blaspheme God whose ser- vant he is. There are times when righteous wrath is not only justifiable but its absence would be culpable. The nobler the soul and the purer the heart the more quickly will they flash out against injustice to God or man, and against moral wrong wherever found. God always has at hand the means of punishing the guilty. He has hidden resources in the soil to destroy the doomed cities of the plain. He has bears in the woods in leash vaiting for the command to injure irreverent l^rh its CX- a tlif word n tliat it is was killed, icncvcr the pities that ,-ord "tare" connections ition of the lie supi'osed imitted and estive of les- It is always [1 for infirmi- 3 to attribute do not exist, e is a servant •d whose ser- fhteotis wrath ice would be the purer the ih out against ; moral wrong at hand the e has hidden doomed cities voods in leash ire irreverent nm SlfF..nF.ARS DF.STKOV CH/fr>rfEN? 4® J youtlis. He has in earth and air, in sea and sky, forces of nature which in harmony with natural law will inflict inevitable punishment upon all the violators of His law. No wicked words, no irrev- erent acts, no unholy thoughts escape the notice of the great God of heaven and earth. When the furious Saul persecuted the believers in Jesus he persecuted Jesus Himself. He who defames the prophets of God, or otTends even the little ones who believe in Jesus, strikes a blow at the majesty of heaven and gives sorrow to the heart of the lov- ing Saviour. God's feeblest saints are dear to Him as the apple of the eye; the names of His lowliest cliildren are written in the palms of His hands, and every time the hands are opened He sees their names, and as often as the hands are closed all the forces of heaven and earth are em- ployed for their protection. nw-WTOBwmwc? XXIV. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES. XXIV. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAAN- ITES. T17AS the destruction of the Canaanites justifia- '» ble? In the judgment of many earnest students, the moral difficulties in the Book of Joshua are greater than are the astronomical dif- ficulties. The destruction of the Canaanites by the command of God, and through the instrumentality of Joshua, has been a subject of frequent attacks by infidels upon the morality of the Bible and upon the character of God. We all know that even the most earnest believers are often perplexed by the moral problems arising out of this subject and de- manding solution. Why did God command, or even permit, this destruction? How could such massacres occur without utterly demoralizing the people responsible therefor? How could a book claiming to be divine even seem to indorse such terrible slaughters? These questions demand our careful consideration, and to them alleviative an- swers can be given. Character of the Age. The age was one in which might made right. God has revealed Himself to men in sundry parts 408 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. as men were able to receive the revelation. That God commanded the extermination of the Canaan- itesis most certain. In Deuteronomy we read: "Thou Shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; but thou Shalt utterly destroy them," and the rea- son assigned for this command is, "That they teach you not to do after all their abommations. Is such a command in harmony with the diyme attributes of justice and mercy? God has to do- it is said reverently-the best He can with the material in His hand. The age of Jo';!-- -- characterized by great ignorance of God. liius there was a low ethical standard among men. Men were savage and brutal; acts were then per- mitted, and even commanded, which would have been utterly prohibited under the Gospel dispen- sation. Menhadnot then learned to say: Our Father, who art in heaven"; and being ignorant of the Fatherhood of God, they were correspond- ingly ignorant of the brotherhood of man. The Bi^rit of mercy inculcated by Christ was entirely unknown in that rude time. It is quite unfair as we shall later fully see, to carry back from the New Testament the morality there taught, and apply it to the conduct and character of men who Z not have the full and blessed light of this highest revelation of God. It was also a time when property belonged to communities rather than to individuals. Communities were, there- fore held responsible for the acts performeu by their representatives. Punishment of nations 5. DESTRUCTION OF THE CAJVAANITES. 409 .n. That e Canaan- we read: )reatheth ; d the rea- ["hat they inations." the divine las to do — 1 with the oshua was od. Thus ong men. B then per- iTould have pel dispen- say: "Our ig ignorant :orrespond- man. The vas entirely uite unfair, ck from the taught, and of men who Lght of this also a time lities rather were, there- erformed by of nations was in harmony with the forms of justice then prevailing. Joshua believed himself to be the minister of God in the punishment of the Canaan- ites. He was what the courts and ofJiccrs of the law are in our day. Have they right to pro- nounce judgment and to take life? Joshua had a higher right in both respects; he was God's di- rect instrument. The Israelites were in a sense responsible for the morality of the Canaanites; and frequent rebukes by God were administered to the Israelites for not having more fully obeyed His command in the punishment of His and their enemies. It was also the practice in that day among all nations to put to death all prisoners taken in war. The humanity of our time is the development of thousands of years of Christian teaching. It must ever be borne in mind that the commands of God through Moses were greatly in advance of the moral education of the world at that time. Never was a leader of conquering armies less governed by selfish motives and unholy ambitions than was the brave and noble Joshua. Compared with Alexander the Great, Ca;sar, Charles V., Philip II., or Napoleon, Josuha appears conspicu- ous for noble character, selfless motives, and relig- ious consecration. Men must always be judged with reference to the standard of morality of the times in which they lived. Moses and Joshua were far in advance of the moral standard of their age ; they were the unworldly and godly men of 410 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES,. their time. The charge rightly made against Co- lumbus is, that he lived below the higlicst stand- ard of his time ; a similar charge might be made against some of the practices of the Puritans, even after they came to the New World. All students of history must admit that the Jewish religion never introduced barbarism into the world; on the contrary, it greatly softened the spirit of cru- elty wherever it was established. Such conquer- ors as the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians were far less merciful than was Joshua. The Greeks and Romans stained the progress of their armies by crimes from which Joshua was entirely free. These classic nations did not hesitate to dedicate captive women to the impure worship of Aphrodite or Mylitta. The violation of women was almost universal in the case of towns sacked by armies of the earlier heathen, and even of later Christian days. Goths, Vandals, Huns, Bul- garians, and Turks, frequently surpassed Joshua in their pitiless cruelties. The conduct of the Duke of Alva, Philip of Spain, and the Pope of Rome in relation to the Netherlands was vastly more abominable, in their various forms of atroc- ity, than was the conquest of Joshua over the Canaanites. This a General Problem. How could God, we may ask, permit the bar- barities of pagan Rome against the early Chris- tians? Hov^ could God permit the still more \ 'ES. against Co- hcst stand- it be made ritans, even ^11 students ish religion world ; on airit of cru- :h conquer- id Persians ishua. The •ess of their was entirely hesitate to 2 worship of 1 of women owns sacked ind even of J, Huns, Bul- issed Joshua iduet of the the Pope of Is was vastly rms of atroc- ma over the M. •mit the bar- ! early Chris- le still more DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES. 41 1 awful crimes of Papal Rome against those whom that church called heretics? How could God, in comparatively recent days, permit the satanic atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition? How could the nations of Europe and the republic of Amer- ica permit the hadcan slaughter of the Armenians by the Kurds and the Turks? How could the American republic long, without effective pro- test, permit the nameless cruelties of a Weyler in Cuba? We do not, indeed, answer one difficulty by suggesting other difficulties; but we show, at least, that the problem is not peculiar to Joshua or the Bible. Let it be remembered that often apparent se- verity is 'the truest leniency in war. The storm- ing of Drogheda in Ireland by Cromwell has been fiercely criticised, but his act received justifica- tion not only in his own day, but in our time as well. Carlyle affirms that, terrible as was Oliver's surgery, it prevented greater suffering by bring- ing the war to a speedy end ; in this respect it was more merciful than would have been a gen- tler course. Cromwell was himself convinced that his severity " prevented the effusion of blood for the future." As a matter of fact, his stern- ness speedily ended the Irish war. The conduct of the British armies in suppressing the Sepoy atrocities in the Indian mutiny is a case in point. It was not in wanton cruelty that General Neill tied Sepoys to the mouths of cannons, and then fired the cannons, and shot the cruel wretches 412 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. into fragments, thus inflicting apparently shock- ing forms of cruelty. He took advantage of a prevalent superstition among the Sepoys to the effect that the bodies thus mutilated would suffer additional humiliation and torture in the world to eomc. His act struck a degree of terror into the hearts of the rebels such as it is difficult for us to comprehend. It largely overthrew the rebellum. For every Sepoy thus put to death, it is safe to say that at least five hundred lives were saved. It is also certain that if the Israelites had fol- lowed up their first successes by similar crushing victories, they would have speedily become mas- ters of Palestine, and would thus have saved many lives and averted many moral evils. Guilt of thk Canaanites. We ought also to remember that the Canaanites were guilty of the most abominable crimes con- ceivable by the human mind. They sinned acrainst the light of nature, against the example of the patriarchs, and against the warnings given by God in the punishment of Sodom and Gomor- rah In His commands against them God was but expressing His indignation against horrible forms of vice. We have only to turn to the Book of Leviticus to see the awful catalogue of abomi- nations, which, we are distinctly told, were com- mitted by the people of the land. Some forms of their crimes were long punishable by death in Great Britain and in her colonies. This writer tly shock- itage of a jys to the )uld suffer e world to :)r into the It for us to rebellion. is safe to ere saved. ;s had fol- ir crushing come mas- laved many Canaanites :rimes con- hey sinned he example nings given and Gomor- m God was nst horrible to the Book le of abomi- [, were com- me forms of by death in This writer DESTRUCTION OF TlIK CANAANITRS. 4^3 once saw a young man on trial for his life under the forms of British law, charged with one of the crimes of which the Canaanites were guilty. No words are too strong to express the indignation which all true men must feel against the nameless crimes committed by these beastly Canaanites. Indeed, it is unfair to animals to put them in the same category with the inhabitants of the land which the Israelites came to conquer. When Israel refused to destroy these pampcrers of vice, she lapsed into their idolatrous and lustful prac- tices; she even siicrificed children on the altars of Moloch. Thus it was that their religion was degrading beyond description. When fifteen hundred years later some of their practices were introduced into Rome, the satirists of that day regarded the advent of these vices as an enormous calamity. These Canaanites knew of God's won- ders in Egypt and of the victories over the kings of Gilead and Bashan. They knew that God had chastised the Hebrews for participating in the abominations of Baal-Peor. We know that Ra- hab informed the spies that she had known of God's mighty judgment; so, doubtless, did oth- ers. She repented and was saved, and perhaps a goodly number of others also repented and were saved. All might thus have been saved. God might indeed have punished the Canaanites by the operation of natural laws ; He does punish in that way violators of moral laws in our day. No man can escape these laws; they follow him as 4X4 OLD TESTAMENT DIEFICULTIES. does his shadow. But if God had punished the Canaanitcs by epidemics, by pestilence, or by some other display of His righteous wrath, His abhorrence of sin would not have been so clearly shown as when He used the Israelites as the in- struments of His righteous anger. Nature m- ilicts its wrath now upon weak women and harm- less children, and whatever charge may be made against the God of rcvelati(jn must also be made against the God of nature. A Gknkral Law. Let it further be remarked that the nation that will not conform to the highest civilization of its time will by that civilization be destroyed. This statement is the formulation of a law universal as God and irresistible as gravitation. God was now about to introduce the fullest manifestation of TTis kingdom vet given to men; and He required a territory from which evil influences were absent for the display of His great purposes. Similar truths are illustrated in America. God had great purposes in the establishment of the American republic. But in order that Pilgrim and Puritan fathers might have an appropriate sphere for planting and developing the great principles of American civilization and Christianity, the Indian had to be driven back from his former hunting- ground. The process has continued until this day. The Indian's territory was demanded for a .-^iSiSaiSL'a ■ ^k^S>^,,^^'Ll .d>^u,A_ f f-:s. nishcsl the icL-, or by kvrath, His so clearly as the in- Niiture in- and harm- ly be made so be made nation that nation of its oyed. This universal as jod was now :ation of TTis ! reqiiired o were absent ies. Similar od had great le American . and Puritan 2 sphere for principles of y, the Indian tner hunting- ed until this imanded for a DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES. 4»S higher civilization, and for that purpose, by va- rious providential combinations, it was taken. 'I'he Indian has been driven back and back almost to the other edge of the continent. The process will go on until he is either civilized or extermi- nated. Doubtless, great cruelties have been prac- tised against the Indian on our own continent; doubtless, solemn treaties have been broken, and the white man has been guilty of much injustice toward his red brother. Nevertheless there is divine justice and an inevitable necessity in the operation of the law that nations that will not submit to the highest civilization of their time shall by that very civilization be destroyed. The greatest good to the greatest number necessitates the execution of this apparently severe but uni- versal and eternal law. Dr. Arnold rightly teaches us that "The Israelites' sword, in its bloodiest executions, wrought a work of mercy for all the countries of the earth, to the very end of the world." As a final consideration, it is to be remembered that there is an anger which is not sinful. In- deed, the tenderer men are the more righteously wrathful do they become against wrong wherever found. He is only a being of paste and putty whose anger does not flash out against certain crimes committed against God and man. Jesus was a terrible Preacher against the hypocrites of His day. There are times in which even the holiest souls find appropriate vehicles in the im- . m i m 4l( Or.n TESTAMENT DIEFICVLTIES. precatory Psiilms for the expression of their high- est tlioUK'ht. Dean Stanley calls attention to the fact that ihninK' the Sepoy rebellion the Hook of Joshua was read in the churches with a K'"<-'iit sense of appropriateness. There is need to-day of certain phases of the moral indignation against evil expressed in many of the Psalms and illus- trated in the conduct of Joshua and the Israelites. Let us be modest in passing judgment upon those who had to deal with the abominable cruelties and indescribable impurities which the Moabitcs committed in honor of Chemosh, and the Philis- tines in honor of Dagon. Let us not be wiser than Cod. Only the man who is wiser, tenderer, purer, and holier than God may presume to criti- cise God. God had His purpose all through this bloody period. His people fought not simply against the enemies of Israel, but against the enemies of humanity. We to this hour are reap- ing good fruit from the seed which they sowed, though they often sowed it amid tears and blood. laHBlWIVfe^ f^j^jtsar- JT»r f] f/-:s. their hi^h- ition to the tlio Hook of ith a ^Tcut iced to-day tion aj^ainst ■i and illus- e Israelites. upon those le cruelties le Moabites , the Philis- ot be wiser T, tenderer, ime to eriti- ihrouijh this not simply ajjainst the ur are reap- thcy sowed, s and blood. XXV. ARE THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS JUSTIFI- ABLE OR EVEN EXPLICABLE? - . "i^>JtWrj-^^»^>,--ifr,, ;-.'L, » 1, >^i; . V -..i.:.^x..lM^:^»..^,^~:^'MV^; ' .■:„*:i-»*i tHfj" i j ■i.fa«*>»i»> n 434 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. We have thus seen that there are many allevia- tions of these difficulties. The nobler the soul the more easy will he find it to interpret these imprecations. When right is on the cross and wron- is on the throne, when the wicked oppose and those who should be valiant for truth are sile.- then noble souls in the fires of persecution catch'the true spirit of the imprecatory psalms. In the day of peace and sunshine dilettante fol- lowers of Christ may seem shocked at the strong language and apparently vindictive spirit of these psalms; but in the day of terrific trial between right and wrong, good and evil, Christ and Satan a holy resentment may become the divinest of emotions. Let us make due allowance for the Orientalism in the diction of these imprecations, for the heroic spirit of resistance to evil in the heart of the psalmist, and for the sublime identi- fication of his enemies with God's foes, and many of these apparently insuperable difficulties will vanish Let us not claim to be holier than was David gentler than was Jesus, diviner than have been thousands of white-souled saints through the ages, who at times of righteous indignation have found these psalms in harmony with the tenderest love, the saintliest desire, and the holiest aspira- tion. ^ VES. lany allevia- ler the soul 2rpret these e cross and eked oppose or truth are : persecution itory psalms, lilettante fol- at the strong pirit of these ;rial between St and Satan, e divinest of ranee for the imprecations, o evil in the nblime identi- Des, and many ifficulties will ilier than was ner than have its through the iignation have ti the tenderest holiest aspira- I XXVI. JONA ' AND HIS BOOK. P' I :U J: S ( n « 1 assssissssssiimmr^ XXVI. ' JONAH AND HIS BOOK. No book in the Bible has been so vigorously assailed by infidels as the book of Jonah, and thus many of the most beautiful lessons which the book teaches have been entirely forgotten in the criticism to which it has been subjected. This story, regarded simijly as literature, is one of the most interesting short stories in any language. No book of the Old Testament so clearly teaches the lesson of universal brotherhood as does the book of Jonah. In portions of the book of Isaiah this lesson is taught, but with nothing like the emphasis given it in the book of Jonah. God re- bukes the exclusiveness of the prophet and the narrowness of the Jews, and throws the mantle of His loving-kindness and forgiving mercy over the nation that cruelly hated the Jewish people. The lesson of human brotherhood taught in the book of Jonah anticipates the i^resentation of that great truth given by our Lord and by the Apostle Paul. In this respect the book of Jonah is unique among the books of the Old Testament. The great ma- jority of critics almost entirely overlook this sub- lime truth in their carping criticisms and cav- 438 OLD TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. illing disputations. Jonah was really the first foreign missionary; he carried the message of mercy to a heathen people. f'-. Groundless Reasoning. They are utterly at fault who affirm that if the historical character of the book of Jonah is disproved, then Christianity itself is destroyed. Those who so speak are guilty of unpardonable looseness of thinking. They practically affirm that if Jonah goes, the Bible goes and Jesus goes. No man is warranted in making so ' exaggerated and so reasonless a statement as that; indeed, it is difficult to understand how a man with a grain of common sense in relation to such matters can make such a statement. Those who so affirm make the historical interpretation of the book of Jonah of equal importance with the divine char- acter and sacred mission of Jesus Christ. It used to be affirmed by men of this class that if it were shown that the world was not created in six lit- eral days of twenty-four hours each, then Genesis was overthrown, the Bible was disproved, and re- ligious faith was destroyed. It is rare to find any class of interpreters to-day who affirm that the world was made in six literal days. Perhaps each one of these creative days represented thousands, possibly millions, of years. But although we have changed our interpretation regarding the meaning of the word day, we have not lost our JONAH AND HIS HOOK. 439 he first isage of 1 that if Jonah is jstroyed. rdonable y affirm sus goes, ggerated ndeed, it h a grain itters can so affirm e book of nne char- It used if it were in six lit- n Genesis d, and re- o find any L that the •haps each ihousands, hough we irding the >t lost our faith in spiritual realities or in the divine revela- tions given us in the Bible. There was a time when most interpreters of Scripture believed that the sun actually stood still in the heavens, at the command of Joshua; but many of the most de- vout and spiritual interpreters to-day believe, as is plainly stated in the narrative, that the descrip- tion is a quotation taken from the book of Jasher, a book probably made up of national, historical, and triumphal songs of patriotic heroes ; and that no such affirmation as that the sun stood still is made in the Bible narrative. We have unquestioning faith in God's miracles; but it is permissible to have but little regard for miracles which are the creations of extravagant commentators and unscholarly preachers. Several learned men have affirmed that merchants or Arabians, and not ravens, brought food to Elijah; by omitting, or slightly changing, the vowel points, which are admitted to have no great authority, the Hebrew letters may mean Arabians, or "merchants" or the " inhabitants of Oreb or Orbi. " The word in the Hebrew is " Orebim. " But should a man adopt any of these interpretations, we have no right to call him a disbeliever in the supernatural. Does a man who adopts this interpretation reject the New Testament and disbelieve in Christian- ity? John Jasper stands ready to charge with infidelity those who deny that " de sun do move. " Augustine affirmed that the idea of an antipodes was unscriptural, for how could those who lived i I 440 O/.n TESTAMENT DIFFICULTIES. there see the Lord when He should return to the earth? Once many churchmen believed that the earth stood still, and that the sun revolved around it • and they thought a denial of that belief tended to' disprove the Bible and to destroy Christianity. An " infallible" pope and the sacred congregation persecuted Galileo and were ready to torture all opposers of their crude beliefs. Luther con- demned the Copernican system; he thought the upstart astrologer" was a fool and was teaching contrary to Scripture. Calvin also believed that faith in Copernicus was infidelity to Scripture. The Roman and the Lutheran churches practi- cally were the John Jaspers of an earlier day. Some evangelists and pastors of our day have fallen into false methods of interpretation. They have raised a false issue ; they have manufactured a test of fidelity to Scripture which exists only in their excited imagination or in their untrained rea- soning It is extremely foolish for any man to say that if Jonah goes Jesus goes, and the Bible goes, and Christianity goes. I venture to affirm that our faith in Jesus Christ, and in a divine revelation, does not rest on the interpretation which we give to the book of Jonah, or to any other book of the Old Testament. As we shall see, there have been various theories of interpretation con- cerning this book ; but whether we believe in the historical, the allegorical, or the parabolical inter- pretation, we do not thereby lose the symbolic and spiritual lessons which the book teaches; and I L 1 to the that the 1 around f tended stianity. regation rture all lier con- ght " the teaching vtd that icriptnre. ;s practi- •lier day. day have n. They ufactured ts only in ained rea- nan to say Sible goes, m that our ■evelation, which we jther book see, there ation con- ieve in the ilical inter- e symbolic aches; and JONAH AND I/fS ROOK. 441 we do not deny the authority of Jesus Christ in His interpretation of the book, and we certainly do not lose our faith in Christianity or revelation. It is quite certain that the chief value of this book in the time of our Lord was its symbolic signifi- cance rather than its historical reality. We may hold our belief that the book is truly historical, and yet guard ourselves 'against so unwise a prop- osition as that our faith in Jesus Christ depends upon the historicity, or upon any theory of inter- pretation, of the book of Jonah. Theories of Interpretation. There have been several well-defined theories of interpretation of this book. Some have af- firmed that the entire narrative was a dream which Jonah had while asleep in the sides of the ship. This is certainly an easy method of dis- posing of all the difficulties which the narrative contains, but it probably suggests more difficul- ties of another kind that are found in the narra- tive as we now have it. Others have regarded the book purely as an allegory ; they have consid- ered it a parody upon, if not the original form of, various heathen fables, such as those of Arion and the Dolphin, or the wild adventures of Hercules. We know that Joppa and its vicinity were the home of many legends. The story of Androm- eda and Perseus is located at this place, as are others of a somewhat similar character. Even 442 OLD TESTAMENT DIhFICULTlES. if the book were a pure allegory, its spiritual les- sons, as already suggested, would still remain, and ou- Lord's use of it as recorded in the twelfth chapter of Mft^hew would still be justi- fied. Many of the most orthodox interpreters have adopted the allegorical or dramatic interpretation of the Song of Solonon,but their orthodoxy in so doing has never been called in question. Sin- gularly enough the allegorical interpretation of the Song of Solomon has been considered as con- clusive evidence of orthodoxy ; but the allegorical interpretation of the book of Jonah these same exegetes consider rank heresy. A third theory is that Jonah when thrown into the sea was picked up by a ship having a fish for a figurehead and bearing the name of a fish. We know that it was common then, and is now, to give ships the names of animals of various kinds and to ornament them with figureheads representing these animals. Da- gon means a fish, and Dagou was the national idol of the Philistines, with temples at Gaza and Ashdod in this general vicinity. Dagon had the body of a fish and the head of a man. A German scholar has adopted this view and has argued at length in its favor. It is an interesting fact that Jonah's prayer, which, like Hannah's prayer, is rather a hymn of praise than a prayer, is uttered when he seems to have escaped from danger and not when he was in the midst of danger. This interpretation would make the prayer to <» Ji i U„i-Ji'"M-" ' ^'^ * s. itual les- remain, I in the be justi- ters have •pretation lodoxy in on. Sin- itation of ;d as con- illegorical icse same [ theory is 'as picked jhead and hat it was the names nent them nals. Da- e national Gaza and on had the A German argued at ig fact that prayer, is is uttered jm danger of danger, prayer to JONAH AND irrs book. 443 have been offered after he was rescued from the sea and was safely aboard the ship. Akin to this interpretation is tliat which makes his rescue to have l)een due to a life preserver, or some similar means of escape. Tlicre arc interpreters who affirm that the story has a historical basis, but with many fanciful and mythical additions; while still others believe that the story is purely moral and without any historical foundation. But quite recently another interpretation has been sug- gested. It is stated that the name Nineveh is no other than Ninua, or Nunu, which means "fish," and as the city was called the great city, its old Assyrian name was simply the Great Fish or the Fish City. To this day, it is said, the name on the monuments is represented by a fish in a basin or tank. This view would make Nine- veh itself the " great fish" that swallowed Jonah, and in crying to the Lord for deliverance he gave the city its old Assyrian name, praying to be de- livered from the " great fish. " There is historical truth somewhere in these many interpretations. We can afford to be patient and to wait for fuller light. I am not disposed to give up the historic- ity ot the narrative. Very weighty scholarship in Germany, and to a very considerable extent in Great Britain and the United States, is still in favor of the historical reality of the narrative. This view is held by such men as Hess, Heng- stenberg, Baumgarten, Delitzsch, and by many in Britain and America of like broad learning and 444 OLD TF.JUU«3!5<^iVtr/teife-