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<p>That they might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan <i>for their righteousness</i>, Moses here shows them what a miracle of mercy it was that they had not long ere this been destroyed in the wilderness: “<i>Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.7" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.7">Deut. 9:7</a>); so far from purchasing his favour, thou hast many a time laid thyself open to his displeasure.” Their fathers’ provocations are here charged upon them; for, if God had dealt with their fathers according to their deserts, this generation would never have been, much less would they have entered Canaan. We are apt to forget our provocations, especially when the smart of the rod is over, and have need to be often put in mind of them, that we may never entertain any conceit of our own righteousness. Paul argues from the guilt which all mankind is under to prove that we cannot be <i>justified before God</i> by our own works, <a class="bibleref" title="Rom.3.19,Rom.3.20" href="/passage/?search=Rom.3.19,Rom.3.20"><span class="bibleref" title="Rom.3.19">Rom. 3:19</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Rom.3.20">20</span></a>. If our works condemn us, they will not justify us. Observe, 1. They had been a provoking people ever since they came out of Egypt, <a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.7" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.7">Deut. 9:7</a>. <i>Forty years long</i>, from first to last, were God and Moses grieved with them. It is a very sad character Moses now at parting leaves of them: <i>You have been rebellious since the day I knew you</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.24" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.24">Deut. 9:24</a>. No sooner were they formed into a people than there was a faction formed among them, which upon all occasions made head against God and his government. Though the Mosaic history records little more than the occurrences of the first and last year of the forty, yet it seems by this general account that the rest of the years were not much better, but one continued provocation. 2. Even in Horeb they made a calf and worshipped it, <a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.8" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.8">Deut. 9:8</a> That was a sin so heinous, and by several aggravations made so exceedingly sinful, that they deserved upon all occasions to be upbraided with it. It was done in the very place where the law was given by which they were expressly forbidden to worship God by images, and while the mountain was yet burning before their eyes, and Moses had gone up to fetch them the law in writing. They <i>turned aside quickly</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.16" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.16">Deut. 9:16</a>. 3. God was very angry with them for their sin. Let them not think that God overlooked what they did amiss, and gave them Canaan for what was good among them. No, God had determined to destroy them (<a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.8" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.8">Deut. 9:8</a>), could easily have done it, and would have been no loser by it; he even desired Moses to let him alone that he might do it, <a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.13,Deut.9.14" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.13,Deut.9.14"><span class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.13">Deut. 9:13</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.14">14</span></a>. By this it appeared how heinous their sin was, for God is never angry with any above what there is cause for, as men often are. Moses himself, though a friend and favourite, trembled at the revelation of God’s wrath from heaven against their ungodliness and unrighteousness (<a class="bibleref" title="Deut.9.19" href="/passage/?search=Deut.9.19">Deut. 9:19</a>): <i>I was afraid of the anger of the Lord</i>, afraid perhaps not for them only, but for himself, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.119.120" href="/passage/?search=Ps.119.120">Ps. 119:120</a>. 4. They had by their sin broken covenant with God, and forfeited all the privileges of the covenant, which Moses signified to them by <i>breaking the tables</i>, <a class="bibleref"
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<p class="tab-1">Now let them lay all this together, and it will appear that whatever favour God should hereafter show them, in subduing their enemies and putting them in possession of the land of Canaan, it was not for their righteousness. It is good for us often to remember against ourselves, with sorrow and shame, our former sins, and to review the records conscience keeps of them, that we may see how much we are indebted to free grace, and may humbly own that we never merited at God’s hand any thing but wrath and the curse.</p>
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