Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Deuteronomy Ch.26 / 34 Ch.s
DE:26
* Confession in offering the first-fruits. (1-11) The prayer
after disposal of the third year's tithe. (12-15) The covenant
between God and the people. (16-19)
#1-11 When God has made good his promises to us, he expects we
should own it to the honour of his faithfulness. And our
creature comforts are doubly sweet, when we see them flowing
from the fountain of the promise. The person who offered his
first-fruits, must remember and own the mean origin of that
nation, of which he was a member. A Syrian ready to perish was
my father. Jacob is here called a Syrian. Their nation in its
infancy sojourned in Egypt as strangers, they served there as
slaves. They were a poor, despised, oppressed people in Egypt;
and though become rich and great, had no reason to be proud,
secure, or forgetful of God. He must thankfully acknowledge
God's great goodness to Israel. The comfort we have in our own
enjoyments, should lead us to be thankful for our share in
public peace and plenty; and with present mercies we should
bless the Lord for the former mercies we remember, and the
further mercies we expect and hope for. He must offer his basket
of first-fruits. Whatever good thing God gives us, it is his
will that we make the most comfortable use we can of it, tracing
the streams to the Fountain of all consolation.
#12-15 How should the earth yield its increase, or, if it does,
what comfort can we take in it, unless therewith our God gives
us his blessing? All this represented the covenant relation
between a reconciled God and every true believer, and the
privileges and duties belonging to it. We must be watchful, and
show that according to the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus,
the Lord is our God, and we are his people, waiting in his
appointed way for the performance of his gracious promises.
#16-19 Moses here enforces the precepts. They are God's laws,
therefore thou shalt do them, to that end were they given thee;
do them, and dispute them not; do them, and draw not back; do
them, not carelessly and hypocritically, but with thy heart and
soul, thy whole heart and thy whole soul. We forswear ourselves,
and break the most sacred engagement, if, when we have taken the
Lord to be our God, we do not make conscience of obeying his
commands. We are elected to obedience, #1Pe 1:2|; chosen that we
should be holy, #Eph 1:4|; purified a peculiar people, that we
might not only do good works, but be zealous in them, #Tit
2:14|. Holiness is true honour, and the only way to everlasting
honour.