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The Lord was with him. These words frequently occur in the sacred Scriptures. Of many of the worthies of ancient time is God's favouring presence stated - of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), of Jacob (Genesis 28:15), of Joseph (Genesis 39:2), of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:19), of David (1 Samuel 18:14), etc. There is evidently something more in the words than -

I. THE OBVIOUS SENSE IN WINCH GOD IS CONSTANTLY PRESENT WITH EVERY ONE. The omnipresent One cannot be separated, in space, from any of his creatures. "He is not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:27, 28).

"Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
We are surrounded still with God." (See Psalm 139.) We shall fail to find in the text its chief significance if we do not see -

II. THE DEEPER SENSE IN WHICH GOD IS WILLING TO BE NEAR US ALL. He is ready to be with us:

1. With his favouring presence; as a loving friend is, in sweet fellowship with his friend.

2. With his sympathizing presence; as the patient mother is with her sick or suffering child, taking his hand to assure him of her closeness to him and tender care for him.

3. With his encouraging presence; as a teacher is with his pupil, animating him to do his best in the trial-hour.

4. With his guiding and guardian presence; as the father leads his child on in the darkness, at once showing the way and defending from the unknown perils in the path. If we yield ourselves to God in the time of our youth, and determine to walk with Christ along the path of life, then his gracious presence will attend us at every step, he will be with us to our journey's end, and will finally take us to be with him in the eternal home. - C.

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Parallel Verses

KJV: And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him.

WEB: Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, [and] Yahweh was with him.