pillars" (Gal. ii. 2-:-9), And it was not till Jerus had been decisively rejected by tbe authorities in Jerusafem that he co=enced a popular ministry in Galilee. Learn lossons-(1) Of the respect due to constituted authorities. (2) Of the value of representaUve institutions, (3) Of the need of prudence and caution in the initiation and conduct of public movements. 3. Kindly. No time was to be lost in carrying to the Israelites the tidings of approaching deliverance. The message brought to them was a true gospel. Mark its nature. It told how God had seen their affliction, and had visited them, and would redeem them from bondage. This gives no sanction to Ewald's theory, that the Exodus had its origin in a powerful movement in the nation itself-" the most extraordinary exertions, and most noble activities of the spirit wrestling for freedom." The narrative says nothing of this mighty spiritual movement, but represents the people as lying hopeless and helpless till God visited them; their help did not come from themselves, but from God. The two views well illustrate the two ways of conceiving the possibility of man's deliverance from the woes that oppresll him. The one--the humanitarian-trusts to recuperative powers inherent in the race, to its own "extraordinary exertions" and noble spiritual activities-and predicts for it a glorious future wrought out by its own efforts. The other-the Christian-has no such hope. It views the race as lying in a state of moral and spiritual helplessness, and recognises the necessity of a salvation coming to it from without. "We look," says Neander, "upon Christianity, not as a power that has sprung up out of the bidden depths of man's 11ature, but as one which descended from above, when heaven opened itself anew to man's long-alienated race; a power which, as both in its origin and essence it is exalted above all that human nature can create out of its own resources, was designed to impart to that nature a new life, and to change it in its inmost principles." II. THE MESSAGE TO PHARAOH (ver. 18). Moses, with the elders, was to go to Pharaoh, and demand of him that the Hebrews be allowed to take a three days' journey into the wilderness, there to sacrifice to Jehovah. Note on this request--1. Its honesty. The ultimate design was to lead Israel out of Egypt altogether. If this first request was studiously made moderate, it was not with the intention of deceiving Pharaoh, but that it might be the easier for him to grant it. The demand was made in perfectly good faith. What was asked sufficed to test the king's disposition. Had Pharaoh yielded, no advantage would have been taken of his compliance to effect a dishonourable escape from Egypt. New announcements would doubtless have been made to him, rewarding him as amply for obedience to this first word of God as afterwards he was punished for disobedience to it, and informing him further of the Divine intentions. 2. Its incompleteness. For this demand bore on the face of it that it was not the whole. It told Pharaoh his immediate duty, but beyond that left matters in a position requiring further revelation. Whatever was to follow the three days' journey, it was certain that "the God of the Hebrews," who bad met with them, would never consent to his worshippers being sent back again to bondage. That Pharaoh must plainly enough have perceived, and Moses made no attempt to dissemble it. Learn-(1) God's counsels are revealed to men bit by bit. (2) When present duty is revealed to us, we ought to act on that, though ignorant of all that is to follow. (3) God partially hides his counsels from men, that the spirit of obedience may be tested. (4) The gravest consequences may hang on first acts of obedience or disobedience. Ill. PHAEAOH'B REJECTION OF Gon's MESSAGE (vers. 18-22.) 1. It was foreseen by God (ver. 19). Yet-2. It did not hinder the execution of God's purpose (ver. 20). Whether Pharaoh willed or not, the Exodus wnuld take place. If not with his consent, then against it, and "by a mighty hand." Pbaraoh's disobedience would be overruled- (1) To God's glory. The clay cannot escape from the band of the potter (Jer. xviii. 6; Rom. ix. 21). If Pharaoh will not be made a vessel unto honour, he will be moulded into a vessel unto dishonour, and made to subserve God's purpose in another way (eh. ix. 16). (2) To his own hurt (ver. 20). His disobedience would bring on him wrath and destruction. "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!" (Is. xl.v. 9). (3) To the enrichment of the people (vers. 21-22). The Egyptians would be glad iu the end to give the Hebrews whatever they wished. So would they "spoil the Egyptie.ne." Beltevers' trials tend to their ultimate enrichment (2 Cor. iv. 1S). Aud lt is the saints of God who shall yet inherit the earth. Learn also that whatever is 72 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. (cR. nr. 1-3
valuable in the world's learning, ecience, literature, or art, is not to be despised, but to be freely appropriated by the Church, and used in God's service.---J. O.