7. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. He
claims the whole land on account of the promise. Two other great divisions of
the country he mentions, evidently delighting to survey the goodly land which
the Lord had given him. All things are ours, whether things present or things
to come; no mean portion belongs to the believer, and let him not think meanly
of it. No enemy shall withhold from true faith what God has given her, for
grace makes her mighty to wrest it from the foe. Life is mine, death is mine,
for Christ is mine. Ephraim also is the strength of mine head. All the
military power of the valiant tribe was at the command of David, and he praises
God for it. The church may cry, “the
prowess of armies is mine,” but God
will overrule all their achievements for the progress of his cause. Judah is my lawgiver. There the civil power was concentrated; the king being of that
tribe sent his laws out of her midst. We know no lawgiver but the King who came
out of Judah. We are free from all other ecclesiastical rule but that of
Christ; but we yield joyful obedience to him: Judah is my lawgiver. Amid
distractions it is a great thing to have good and sound legislation; it was a
balm for Israel’s wounds; it is our joy in the church of Christ.
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