A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 24 – Commentary on the book of Judges
CHAP. XXIV.
JOſhua the twenty fourth concludes this Book with Joſhua's death, conſiſting of three parts, (1.) The Antecedents. (2.) The Concomitants. (3.) The Conſequents of the Death of Joſhua.
Firſt, The Antecedents, which be many, and ſo do afford the more Remarks.
The Firſt, which indeed muſt be looked upon as the Principal, is Iſrael's renewing of the Covenant with the God of Iſrael: It was the chiefeſt care of godly Joſhua, inſomuch, that living, and dying, he labours to his utmoſt for maintaining that Holy League betwixt God and his People: Therefore doth he ſolemnly renew the Covenant (made with Abraham Originally, Gen. 12.6, 7.) now with the People of the God of Abraham, the firſt time at their entrance into Canaan, Joſh. 8.30.33. And here have we his ſecond Renewing and Ratifying of this ancient and ſolemn League and Covenant, ver. 25. ſo ſollicitous was he of the publick weal both of Church and State after his Deceaſe, well knowing that this was a bleſſed means to bind their treacherous hearts to a better behaviour, which otherwiſe would be ready enough to ſlip the old Collar, if new Bonds were not laid upon them: Whereupon Joſhua brings Iſrael twice into the Bonds of the Covenant (ſo called, Ezek. 20.37.) becauſe ſuch Bonds of Vows and Covenants, rightly made and renewed, are of ſingular uſe to keep the minds of Men within the bounds of obedience, and to make Men more firm, conſtant, and peremptory in ways of well doing: This Three fold Cord cannot quickly be broken, Eccleſ. 4.12.
The Second Remark is, The Place where this Covenant was Renewed, namely at Shechem, ver. 1. Thither Joſhua calls and convenes his Second Parliament; as the Firſt is ſuppoſed to be at Shilo (ten Miles diſtant from Shechem, as Jerom affirms) for tho' Shilo was the place in Ordinary of Joſhua's Aſſembling the Congregatson of Iſrael together, Joſh. 18.1. becauſe the Tabernacle was then fixed, there, having the Ark, the viſible ſign of God's preſence in it, yet Shechem is expreſly ſaid to be the place of this New Convention, and where the Old Covenant muſt be renewed, which was an extraordinary Occaſion▪ and thereupon it was in the power of Joſhua to remove the Ark thither (as was done under the Government of Eli, 1 Snm. 4.3. and of David, 2 Sam. 15.24. upon great Emergencies) therefore it is ſaid [they preſented themſelves before the Lord at Shechem] ver. 1. and [by the Sanctuary of the Lord] ver. 26. For this Sacred Aſſembly met together for ſuch a Religious Exerciſe of Contracting a Covenant with God, and having the Ark of Gods preſence with them, might well be ſaid to preſent themſelves before God, who is preſent in all ſuch Aſſemblies, Exod. 20.24. Pſ. 82.1. Math. 18.20. So the Name of God's Sanctuary is given to it.
Moreover, there be many Reaſons why this Parliament was held at Shechem as at a place convenient for it, becauſe,
Firſt, It was the Chief City of Ephraim, Joſhua's Tribe; ſo this Noble City was the fitteſt to entertain ſuch a Noble Aſſembly.
Secondly, It was near to Joſhua's City, whoſe Age had now made him infirm, and therefore the eaſe of Iſrael's Supream Governour muſt be conſulted in the choice of a place for his Preſence.
Thirdly, Shechem was a Levitical City, given to the Tribe of Levi, as an Academy, and one of the Cities of Refuge, which were Sanctuaries appointed of God, Joſh. 20.7. and 21.21. ſo a fit place.
Fourthly, This City was the Place where was the ſolemn Burial of Bleſſed Joſeph's Bones, as is implied here, ver. 32. and for the Burial of the reſt of the Patriarchs, Acts 7.15, 16. Therefore was it deſigned for this laſt ſolemn Convention.
Fifthly, Above all, Shechem being the very place where the Covenant was firſt contracted betwixt God and Abraham, Gen. 12.6, 7. and being the very place where the ſame Covenant was Renewed again betwixt God and Iſrael Abraham's Seed) at their firſt entrance into this Land of Promiſe, Joſh. 8.30.33. between the two Mountains of Ebal and Gerizzim, which were very near to Shechem, as appeareth from Judg. 9.6, 7. where Jotham ſpoke his Parable from the top of Mount Gerizzim, to the Men of Shechem Anointing Abimelech (that Baſtard) in the Valley which lay betwixt it and Mount Ebal, a place employed for Religious Services, Deut. 11.29. and 27.12. therefore Joſhua might well judge this place moſt proper, both for Reviving the Remembrance of God's Covenant with Abraham there, and for reminding this ſame People of their former Obligations unto the Lord there, as likewiſe to engage them in a farther ratification of them in their Faith, &c.
The Third Remark is, The Auguſt and Elegant Oration which dying Joſhua ſpake to this Parliament at Shechem (beſide what he had ſpoken in the foregoing Chapter,) upon this occaſion of Renewing the Covenant, wherein obſerve (1.) His Exordium, he begins in the Name of the Lord, and not in his own Name, ver. 2. and (2.) His Propoſition, Exhorting Iſrael to a perſeverance in the pure Worſhip of God, ver. 14. (3.) This Propoſition he confirms both by Argument and by Example. By Argument,
Firſt, Demonſtrating how God had obliged them to a conſtant obedience by his manifold Mercies, that Mercy might enforce them the firmer to duty: Then gives them an Hiſtorical Narrative of what God had done for them, and for their Fore-Fathers, beginning at God's call of Abraham out of his Idolatrous Country, ver. 2, 3. giving him Iſaac the Heir of the Covenant, and of a numerous Offspring, which God brought out of Egypt, ver. 4, 5, 6, and deſtroyed, the Egyptians, ver. 7. nouriſh'd them in the Wilderneſs, and gave them Victory over the Amorites, ver. 8. and turn'd Balaam's Curſe into a Bleſſing, and gave them Canaan, ver. 9, 10, to 14.
Then, Secondly, He confirms his Propoſition by Example (as well as by Argument) laying before them the pattern of their Predeceſſors, how ill it fared with them while Idolaters, and how well when purged from Idolatry, ver. 14. and not only ſo, but he lays his own example before them, ver. 15. Telling them likewiſe, that it was impoſſible for them to ſerve both God and Idols; for God would be ſerved truly without halting, and throughly without halving, ver. 19. and that God would ſeverely judge them if they proved Apoſtates, ver. 20.
The Fourth Remark is, Iſrael's Ready obedience unto all that Joſhua commanded them in the Name of the Lord. They voluntarily enter into the Bonds of the Covenant, and make a ſolemn profeſſion of their Faith, and faithfully promiſe a firm perſeverance in the pure Worſhip of the true God, ver. 16, 17, 18, 21, 24. N. B. Joſhua in bidding them [chuſe you whom ye will ſerve] ver. 15. doth not leave them to their own free choice to do either, but proveth hereby their voluntary and profeſſed ſubjection to the true Religion, that their own free choice thereof might more powerfully oblige them to a conſtancy in their Covenant: And they anſwer [we will ſerve the Lord, and God forbid we ſhould do otherwiſe] ver. 16.21.24. This was well reſolved, had it been as well performed: They ſeem to bind themſelves again and again, that they would keep touch with God by an Unalterable Reſolution, but alaſs, ſoon after Joſhua's death, they ſtarted aſide like a broken how, Pſ. 78.57. Hoſ. 7.16. As plainly appeareth in their ſerving of Baalim, Judg. 2.10, 11, 12, 13, &c.
The Fifth Remark is, Joſhua's Ratifying this Renewed Covenant, its Renovation muſt be corroborated with a Ratification, Joſhua (as God's Vicar General) ratified this Covenant by a Three-fold means.
Firſt, By Preaching to the People, preſſing hard upon them again and again (as in a Dialogue or Conference with them, from ver. 16. to 26.) utterly to renounce all Idols, and Idolatry, letting them to have no place in their hearts and affections, but to cleave to the Lord as their Lives, as Deut. 30.20.
Secondly, By Reading a Lecture out of the Law of Moſes to them, ver. 25. repeating the Heads and Conditions of the Covenant out of Deutronomy, which he had by him in the Ark, laid up there for the Ruler's Direction, Deut. 17, 18. and 31.9.26. and
Thirdly, By Writing this Covenant, and the Acts of of this preſent Parliament, that this Solemn Action might be kept in perpetual remembrance (litera Scripta manes,) and to lay the ſtronger obligation upon the People to keep true to their Covenant, and likewiſe, that this Writing might be a laſting Witneſs for God againſt them, if after they Apoſtatized from their preſent Engagement, ver. 20. And a great Stone he alſo Erecteth there, as another ſtanding Witneſs for convincing their Conſciences of any future perfidiouſneſs to the Lord, ver. 27.
Thus were there Witneſſes upon Witneſſes unto this ſolemn Renewing of the Covenant with God, for
Firſt, Joſhua had told them [ye are Witneſſes against your ſelves.] ver. 22. The Teſtimony of your own Conſciences (which will do their Office, tho' you neglect yours) will ſuffice to convince you, but
Secondly, In caſe your Conſciences be ſilent, this Volume of the Written Covenant will ſpeak as a Witneſs againſt you; and
Thirdly, Eben Gedolah, a very great Stone (call'd a Pillar, Judg. 9.6.) is another Witneſs, ver. 27. where 'tis ſaid [the Stone heard the whole Contract] by an uſual Proſ…popia, a Figurative Speech, whereby ſenſe is aſcribed to ſenſeleſs things, as Deut. 32.1. Iſa. 1.2. Jer. 2.12. Pſ. 19.1. Luke 19.40. &c. yea,
Fourthly, The Oak ſtood by the Stone (ſuppoſed to be the ſame Oak under which Jacob Buried the Mawmets found in his Family, Gen. 35.4.) that when ever they ſaw it by the Stone, if their Conſciences did not mind them of their Covenant, they were more ſenſeleſs than them both.
The Sixth Remark is, Joſhua's Death, ver. 28, 29. the ſecond part is the Concomitants thereof, which are three, as
Firſt, The Aſſembly departed home into the Country, and afterwards Joſhua departed home to Heaven his Father's Houſe: They departed with great joy, as 2 Chron. 15.15. but he with greater joy, ſo great, it could not enter into him, but he muſt enter into it, Math. 25.21.23.
Secondly, His Character, [The Servant of the Lord dyed] this was the Crown of his Commendation, David gloried more in being God's Servant, than Iſrael's King, Pſ. 18. Title of it; if [Monarch of the World] had been the Inſcription upon Joſhua's Tomb (as it was on that of Silly Seſoſtris King of Egypt in Sampſon's time) this Title far exceedeth it, he had ſerved a moſt Honourable Lord, who had employ'd him in moſt honourable work, and now call'd to pay him his moſt honourable wages.
Thirdly, His Age, an Hundred and Ten Years Old, the Age of his Father Joſeph▪ Gen. 50.26. He dies after he had divided Jordan, ſhouted down Jerieho's Walls, ſtop'd the Sun, Conquer'd Canaan, ſet up the Tabernacle, ſetled the People, twice renewed the Covenant, and acted Gloriouſly as Iſrael's General for ſeventeen years, in the moſt of which praemiſes he is a clear Type of Chriſt.
The Seventh Remark is, Upon the Conſequents of his Death (which is the Third Part in this Chapter) namely (1.) The Burial of him, ver. 30. in Timnath Serah, or Heres, Judg. 2.9. which ſignifies the figure of the Sun, a proper place for him who had ſtop'd the courſe of the Sun: And the Burial of Joſeph and the Patriarchs Bones at Shechem the head City of the Land; v. 32. yet ſome ſuppoſe this muſt be done long before, as ſoon as God gave Iſrael reſt from War, for no reaſon can be rendred, why the burying of their Bones ſhould be deferred to Joſhua's Death. The Reaſon why 'tis related in this place, and not before, ſeems to be, that it may have a coincidency with the commemoration of the Burial of ſuch Famous Men as Joſhua was, and that of Eliazar alſo, ver. 33. who was buried near Shiloh, having by ſpecial ſavour his Habitation adjacent for his better conveniency in attending the Ark there, as the High-Prieſt of Iſrael.
The Second Conſequent after this Three-fold Burial is the State of Iſrael as to Religion after Joſhua's time, this is expreſs'd ver. 31. they kept tight to God while he lived, and thoſe Holy Elders that out-lived him, but no longer, as the Book of Judges relateth, which ſhews how great a loſs is the loſs of one great and good Man, good Princes make good People, & contrà, qualis Rex, talis Grex, Magnates Magnetes, Lords are Loadſtones to draw Loſels either to good or evil. Regis ad exemplum totus Componitur Orbis.
As in the Body Natural of Beaſts, the Body follows the Head, ſo 'tis in the Body Politick. The Book of Judges (which I come next to) eſpecially that of Kings do Illuſtrate this truth, &c.