Verse 29. Beth-peor.] This was a city in the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites; and as tyb beth signifies a house, the place probably had its name from a temple of the godPeor, who was worshipped there. Peor was nearly the same among the Moabites that Priapus was among the Romans-the obscene god of an obscene people. This we have already seen.
IT is very likely that what God speaks here, both concerning Moses and Joshua, was designed to be typical of the procedure of his justice and grace in the salvation of man. 1. The land of Canaan was a type of the kingdom of heaven. 2. The law, which shows the holiness of God and the exceeding sinfulness of sin, could not bring the people to the possession of that kingdom. 3. Moses may probably be considered here as the emblem of that law by which is the knowledge of sin, but not redemption from it 4.
Joshua, the same as Jesus, the name signifying a saviour, is appointed to bring the people into the rest which God had provided for them; thus it is by JesusChrist alone that the soul is saved-fitted for and brought into the possession of the heavenly inheritance, (see John i. 17; Gal. ii. 16; iii. 12, 13, 24;) for he is the end of the law-the great scope and design of the law, for righteousness-for justification, to them that believe; Rom. x. 4.
Such a use as this every pious reader may make of the circumstances recorded here, without the danger of pushing analogy or metaphor beyond their reasonable limits.
Verses 21-29 - Moses encouraged Joshua, who was to succeed him. Thus the aged an experienced in the service of God, should do all they can to strengthe the hands of those who are young, and setting out in religion. Conside what God has done, what God has promised. If God be for us, who can be against us, so as to prevail? We reproach our Leader if we follow his trembling. Mosesprayed, that, if it were God's will, he might go before Israel, over Jordan into Canaan. We should never allow an desires in our hearts, which we cannot in faith offer up to God be prayer. God's answer to this prayer had a mixture of mercy an judgment. God sees it good to deny many things we desire. He may accep our prayers, yet not grant us the very things we pray for. It God doe not by his providence give us what we desire, yet if by his grace he makes us content without, it comes to much the same. Let it suffic thee to have God for thy Father, and heaven for thy portion, thoug thou hast not every thing thou wouldst have in the world. GodpromiseMoses a sight of Canaan from the top of Pisgah. Though he should no have the possession of it, he should have the prospect of it. Eve great believers, in this present state, see heaven but at a distance Godprovided him a successor. It is a comfort to the friends of the church of Christ, to see God's work likely to be carried on by others when they are silent in the dust. And if we have the earnest an prospect of heaven, let these suffice us; let us submit to the Lord' will, and speak no more to Him of matters which he sees good to refus us __________________________________________________________________
