The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 86

main thing; but o. reverent spirit will seek for itself suitable forms of expression, and respect for tho forms is itself a duty, and an aid in the education of the senti~ent. 'l'hose 11ro greatly to be censured who, presuming on a supposed special intimacy with God not granted to others, venture to take liberties, and allow themselves in a. domermour 11nd in a style of expression to the Almighty at the least irreverently familior, and not unfrequently bordering on profanity. Raptures of piety, however sincere, do not justify us in forgetting that in communion with God we stand on " holy ground."-J. O. Vers. 1-5.-T!te bush and its suggesUons. Glean here a few of the general sugges- tions of the passage : - I. REVELATION. Tho appearance at the bush suggestive-I. Of the supernatural in Nature. Bushes are aglow all around us, if only we had eyes to see them. Christ's teaching an illustration of the spiritual suggestiveness of Nature. "Consider the Wies" (Matt. vi. 28). The parables. 2. Of the supernatural in common life. " Moses kept the flock of Jethro." The Higher Presence may be with us in the humblest occupa- tions. 8. Of the supernatural in the Ohurcl1r-(I) .As a whole; (2) Individual believers. 'l'he bush, burning but not consumed, an emblem of Israel-of the Church- enduring in tribulation. 4. Of the higher supernatural of positive revelation. Authori- tative revelation is suspended, but the sum of its results is given in Scripture. 'l'he Bible is the Bush of revelation, to which the student of Divine things will do well to direct his attention. JI. PREPAREDNESS. Cultivate with Moses-I. A spirit of duty (ver. 1). 2. A spirit of devout inquiry (ver. 3). 3. .A spirit of humility and reverence (vers. 5, 6). 'fo such a spirit, God-I. Reveals himself. 2. .Addresses calls to his service (ver. 4). 3. Gives work to do. 4. Honours in its work.-J. 0. Ver. 2.-The bush in history. The bush had primary reference to Israel, and the fire in the bush represented Jehovah's fiery presence in the midst of his people-I. For their protecJ.ion. A fire flaming forth to consume the adversaries. 2. For their purifi- cation. G'od was in the fires that tried them, as well as in the power that upheld them. The fire was thus e. figurative representation at once of destroying punishment and of refining affliction. But the bush, while burning, was not consumed. This involves the principle that nothing, however weak and perishable in itself, with which God connects his presence, or which he wills to continue in existence, can by any possi- bility be destroyed. From this point of view-a thoroughly legitimate one-the emblem admits of various applications, and directs our attention to a series of super- natural facts yet greater than itself; and well deserving our turning aside to see. I. There is t:he obvious application to th£ Church, which to a thoughtful mind, pondering as it should the facts of history, is a veritable repetition of the wonder of the bush "burning but not consumed." The bush is an emblem of the Church in the other respect_ of outward plainness anJ unattractiveness. .And it is noteworthy that the times when the Church has forgotten her calling to be meek and lowly in heart, and has aspired to great outward splendour, and been ambitious of worldly supremacy, have invariably been times of marked decline in purity and spirituality. She fares best when content with modest outward pretensions. 2. .A second application is to the nation of tlie Jews-also a" sign and wonder" in history (see Keble's hymn, "The Burning Bush"). 3. A third is to tlie Bible. What enmity has this book encountered, and what fierce attempts have been made to disprove its claims, destroy its influence, sometimes even to banish it from existence I Yet the miraculous bush survives, and retains to this hour its greenness and freshness, as if no fire had ever passed upon it. 4. Yet another application is to individual believers, against whom, while tried by fiery trials (1 Pet. iv. 12), neither the enmity of man, the assaults of Satan, nor providenfol\. affiictions and calamities (Job i.) are permitted to prevail, but who, under all, enjoy a support, a peace, a comfort, plainly supernatural-" dying, and behold we liv~" (2 Cor. vi. 9). Flippant observers may see in these things nothing worthy of peculiar attention-r.oth:ng which cannot lie explainell by ordinary historical causes; but sober minds will not readily agree with thorn. 'l'hcy will reg11nl the facts now referreJ to as trulv ""Teat sicrhts," and will, like Moses, reverently turn aside to im1uire into them t> D • J' 2  68 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [OH, 01. 6-11,