The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 118

anger must be decicledly manifested, even for our good. Moses could not but admit that so far ho ho.cl been dealt with very gently indeed. God, quickly and. tenderly responsive, ho.cl met every hint of difficulty with a strong encouragement. But all the oncoumgoments ho.cl made no real difference in Moses' mood of mind. He turns upon God Ln the querulous unappreciative strain indicated in ver. 13. 'fhus he unconsciously signifies that the time has come for God to change the method of hie action. Moses like a persistently heedless scholar, must be made to feel that his master cannot b~ trifled with. Goel speaks, not that we may discuss and parley with him, but that we may obey, Let Moses now understand that the time has come for him at once to go forth. II. TIIE ANGER IS MINGLED WITH A GRACIOUS PROMISE OF APPROPRIATE AID. God's a.nger with his own chosen ones is but a sudden darkness to make the following light more useful and esteemed. God, who has just shown his power to Moses in the burning bush and the following signs, now shows power in a way even more attractive. He is one who can at the same moment warn and comfort--not only smiting that be may heal, but able to blend smiting and healing together. Even though Moses has provoked his indignation, he does not leave him with a bare promise that somehow or other his defect of utterance will be supplied. God sweeps away this latest difficulty as completely as he had done the previolli! ones. And note moreover that he disposed of it in his own unexpected way, It was better to leave Moses as he was, and make Aaron his spokesman, than to enrich him in his own person with all gifts of utterance and leave him alone. By linking the two men together, God was constantly teaching them the need of mutual subordination. If they would only be companions in humility they should also be companions in prosperity and in gladness of heart. Sad an,l disastrous would be the day when Moses should be disposed to say to Aaron, " I have no need of thee," or Aaron to Moses," I have no need of thee." Aaron had what Moses lacked. Moses had the matter of a Divine and gladsome message, but he felt utterly at a loss how he was to get it properly laid before all whom it concerned. Aaron, on the other hand, had voice and faculty of speech, but behind that voice there had hitherto been nothing of commandment, direction, and encouragement. Aaron, says the Lord, was a man who could speak well ; that is, as we may take it, a man a.hie to speak distinctly and impressively-one who could deliver any message entrusted to him in a way which would not obscure the message, nor draw ridicule on the utterer of it. Moses and Aaron went together like the musician and the instrument on which he plays. Thus we see the way in which God binds us together by our very deficiencies. He constitutes us so that we are always more or less dependent on our fellow-men. and sometimes the dependence is very marked indeed. It is well for ill! in the midway and strength of life to consider that there may be but a step between ill! and the need of the tenderest sympathy. When we are most independent there are possibilities lying before us-yes, there are even certainties-which should moderate our pride and self- sufficiency. Maniy independence is one of the greatest blessings; egotistic isolation one of the greatest curses. They that are strong should bear the infirmities of the weak ; there are none of us so strong but that in some emergency of life we may accept the relief; there are none of us so weak but that we may do something to provide the relief. In a world which is so full of temptations to discord and rivalry it is a great comfort to remember that God is constantly working to counteract them. He guides human affairs, even as he guides the planets themselves; the centripetal force is greater than the centrifugal. If every one of us were free to work out the desires of our selfish hearts, anarchy would come with fearful rapidity.-Y. Ver.17.-Thr. importance of the rod: God guards Moses against a very natural oversight. "Thou shalt take this rod in thine hand." W e.s Moses, then, likely to forget it? That rod had just been pointed out to him as connected with his favourable reception by Israel. It was to be the instrument for helping to deliver him from one of his chief· apprehensions. And yet it was us likely as not that in the hurry of gathering his household goods together, the rod would be thrown into a corner o~ the fold as a mere bit of wood thut could easily be replaced if Moses had once agam to bocome a shepherd. Notice-I. That other things seemed, tc tho natural eye, of a great H2  i.00 'l'Jl~ BOOK OF EXODUS. [cH, IV. 1-9,