Canaan was at hand； and as the aged prophet stood upon the heights
overlooking the river Jordan and the Promised Land； he gazed with deep
interest upon the inheritance of his people。 Would it be possible that the
sentence pronounced against him for his sin at Kadesh might be revoked？ With
deep earnestness he pleaded； 〃O Lord God； Thou hast begun to show Thy
servant Thy greatness； and Thy mighty hand； for what god is there in heaven
or in earth； that can do according to Thy works； and according to Thy might？
I pray Thee； let me go over； and see the good land that is beyond Jordan；
that goodly mountain； and Lebanon。〃 Deuteronomy 3：24…27。
The answer was； 〃Let it suffice thee； speak no more unto Me of this matter。
Get thee up into the top of Pisgah； and lift up thine eyes westward； and
northward； and southward； and eastward； and behold it with thine eyes； for
thou shalt not go over this Jordan。〃
Without a murmur Moses submitted to the decree of God。 And now his great
anxiety was for Israel。 Who would feel the interest for their welfare that
he had felt？ From a full heart he poured forth the prayer； 〃Let the Lord；
the God of the spirits of all flesh； set a man over the congregation； which
may go out before them； and which may go in before them； and which may lead
them out； and which may bring them in； that the congregation of the Lord be
not as sheep which have no shepherd。〃 Numbers 27：16； 17。
The Lord hearkened to the prayer of His servant； and the answer came； 〃Take
thee Joshua； the son of Nun； a man in whom is the Spirit； and lay thine hand
upon him； and set him before Eleazar the priest； and before all the
congregation； and give him a charge in their sight。 And thou shalt put some
of thine honor upon him； that all the congregation of the people of Israel
may be obedient。〃 Verses 18…20。 Joshua had long
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attended Moses； and being a man of wisdom； ability； and faith； he was chosen
to succeed him。
Through the laying on of hands by Moses； accompanied by a most impressive
charge； Joshua was solemnly set apart as the leader of Israel。 He was also
admitted to a present share in the government。 The words of the Lord
concerning Joshua came through Moses to the congregation； 〃He shall stand
before Eleazar the priest； who shall ask counsel for him； after the judgment
of Urim before the Lord。 At his word shall they go out； and at his word they
shall come in； both he； and all the children of Israel with him； even all
the congregation。〃 Verses 21…23。
Before relinquishing his position as the visible leader of Israel； Moses was
directed to rehearse to them the history of their deliverance from Egypt and
their journeyings in the wilderness； and also to recapitulate the law spoken
from Sinai。 When the law was given； but few of the present congregation were
old enough to comprehend the awful solemnity of the occasion。 As they were
soon to pass over Jordan and take possession of the Promised Land； God would
present before them the claims of His law and enjoin upon them obedience as
the condition of prosperity。
Moses stood before the people to repeat his last warnings and admonitions。
His face was illumined with a holy light。 His hair was white with age； but
his form was erect； his countenance expressed the unabated vigor of health；
and his eye was clear and undimmed。 It was an important occasion； and with
deep feeling he portrayed the love and mercy of their Almighty Protector：
〃Ask now of the days that are past； which were before thee； since the day
that God created man upon the earth； and ask from the one side of heaven
unto the other； whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing
is； or hath been heard like it？ Did ever people hear the voice of God
speaking out of the midst of the fire； as thou hast heard； and live？ or hath
God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation； by
temptations； by signs； and by wonders； and by war； and by a mighty hand； and
by a stretched…out arm； and by great terrors； according to all that the Lord
your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes？ Unto thee it was showed；
that thou mightest know that the Lord He is God； there is none else beside
Him。〃
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〃The Lord did not set His love upon you； nor choose you； because ye were
more in number than any people； for ye were the fewest of all people： but
because the Lord loved you； and because He would keep the oath which He had
sworn unto your fathers； hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand；
and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen； from the hand of Pharaoh king
of Egypt。 Know therefore that Jehovah thy God； He is God； the faithful God；
which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His
commandments to a thousand generations。〃 Deuteronomy 7：7…9。
The people of Israel had been ready to ascribe their troubles to Moses； but
now their suspicions that he was controlled by pride； ambition； or
selfishness； were removed； and they listened with confidence to his words。
Moses faithfully set before them their errors and the transgressions of
their fathers。 They had often felt impatient and rebellious because of their
long wandering in the wilderness； but the Lord had not been chargeable with
this delay in possessing Canaan； He was more grieved than they because He
could not bring them into immediate possession of the Promised Land； and
thus display before all nations His mighty power in the deliverance of His
people。 With their distrust of God； with their pride and unbelief； they had
not been prepared to enter Canaan。 They would in no way represent that
people whose God is the Lord； for they did not bear His character of purity；
goodness； and benevolence。 Had their fathers yielded in faith to the
direction of God； being governed by His judgments and walking in His
ordinances； they would long before have been settled in Canaan； a
prosperous； holy； happy people。 Their delay to enter the goodly land
dishonored God and detracted from His glory in the sight of surrounding
nations。
Moses； who understood the character and value of the law of God； assured the
people that no other nation had such wise； righteous； and merciful rules as
had been given to the Hebrews。 〃Behold；〃 he said； 〃I have taught you
statutes and judgments； even as the Lord my God commanded me； that ye should
do so in the land whither ye go to possess it。 Keep therefore and do them；
for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations；
which shall hear all these statutes； and say； Surely this great nation is a
wise and understanding people。〃
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Moses called their attention to the 〃day that thou stoodest before the Lord
thy God in Horeb。〃 And he challenged the Hebrew host： 〃What nation is there
so great； who hath God so nigh unto them； as the Lord our God is in all
things that we call upon Him for？ And what nation is there so great； that
hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law； which I set before
you this day？〃 Today the challenge to Israel might be repeated。 The laws
which God gave His ancient people were wiser； better； and more humane than
those of the most civilized nations of the earth。 The laws of the nations
bear marks of the infirmities and passions of the unrenewed heart； but God's
law bears the stamp of the divine。
〃The Lord hath taken you； and brought you forth out of the iron furnace；〃
declared Moses； 〃to be unto Him a people of inheritance。〃 The land which
they were soon to enter； and which was to be theirs on condition of
obedience to the law of God； was thus described to themand how must these
words have moved the hearts of Israel； as they remembered that he who so
glowingly pictured the blessings of the goodly land had been； through their
sin； shut out from sharing the inheritance of his people：
〃The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land；〃 〃not as the land of
Egypt； from whence ye came out； where thou sowedst thy seed； and wateredst
it with thy foot； as a garden of herbs： but the land； whither ye go to
possess it； is a land of hills and valleys； and drinketh water of the rain
of heaven；〃 〃a land of brooks of water； of fountains and depths that spring
out of valleys and hills； a land of wheat； and barley； and vines； and fig
trees； and pomegranates； a land of oil olive； and honey； a land wherein thou
shalt eat bread without scarceness； thou shalt not lack anything in it； a
land whose stones are iron； and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass；〃
〃a land which the Lord thy God careth for： the eyes of the Lord thy God are
always upon it； from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the
year。〃 Deuteronomy 8：7…9； 11：10…12。
〃And it shall be； when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the
land which He sware unto thy fathers； to Abraham； to Isaac； and to Jacob； to
give thee great and goodly cities； which thou buildedst not； and houses full
of all good things； which thou filledst not； and wells digged； which thou
diggedst not； vineyards and olive trees； which thou plantedst not； when thou
shalt have
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eaten and be full； then beware lest thou forget the Lord。〃 〃Take heed unto
yourselves； lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God。 。 。 。 For the
Lord thy God is a consuming fire； even a jealous God。〃 If they should do
evil in the sight of the Lord； then； said Moses； 〃Ye shall soon utterly
perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it。〃
After the public rehearsal of the law； Moses completed the work of writing
all the laws； the statutes； and the judgments which God had given him； and
all the regulations concerning the sacrificial system。 The book containing
these was placed in charge of the proper officers； and was for safe keeping
deposited in the side of the ark。 Still the great leader was filled with
fear that the people would depart from God。 In a most sublime and thrilling
address he set before them the blessings that would be theirs on condition
of obedience； and the curses that would follow upon transgression：
〃If thou shalt hearken diligently