HOMILETICS. Ver. 27.-God does t1,0t stint his help when he visits man. It might have seemed that God had now done enough to set on foot the deliverance of his people. He had appeared to Moses, overcome his reluctance to be leader, given him the power of working some great miracles, and allowed him to devolve a portion of his duties upon his brother ; Moses was on his way to Egypt to carry out his commission, and Aaron was minded to go forth to meet and greet him. Humanly speaking, nothing more was needed for the initiation of the work. But God, who " seeth not as man seeth," does not stint his arm when he has taken a business in hand. It would expedite matters if Aaron were to be directed where to meet Moses, and the two brothers were to have their conference at once, and arrange their course of proceedings. So Aarop. is visited, probably by an angel, and sent to meet Moses, and told where he will find him; and by these means the meeting is brought about with all speed, Aaron enlightened as to his duties, and plans arranged to be put in act as soon as Egypt is reached. The two brothers gain the advantage of sweet companionship some days or weeks earlier than they would have done if left to themselves, and their first interview with Pharaoh is advanced correspondingly. And as with his miraculous, so with his ordinary help. God does not stint it. His grace is ever sufficient for men. He gives them all that they can possibly need, and more than they would ever think of asking. He loves to pour out his blessings abundantly on those that are true to him; makes " all things work together for their good;" goes out of his way to procure advantages for them; loads them with his favours. Ver. 28.-Full conjiclence necessary between fdlow-worlcers. Moses told Aaron "all the words of the Lord "-made "a clean breast" to him, kept back none of the counsel of God, so fur as he had been made acquainted with it. A kind, a loving, and a prudent course. Half-confidences are valueless; they irritate rather than satisfy. If known to be Lalf-confidences, they offend; if mistaken for full ones, they mislead and conduct to tlisaster. Those who are to be fellow-workers in any undertaking-more especially any great one---£hould have entire confidence each in each, and be wholly unreserved one towards the other. There is good sense and good adv:ice in the motto, " 'l'rust me not at all or all in alL" OU, IV, ::llJ-,H,] THE IlOOK OF EXODUS. 115
EXPOSITION. Vera. 20-31.-Moses soems to ho.ve parted entered on his office of "spokesman" (ver.16), with Zippora.h and his children in Horeb, and to declaring to the elders all God's dealings with have sent them be.ck to Jethro (eh. xviii.2),per- his brother. Aaron also, and not Moses, as we should have expected ( ver. 17), did the ligna, ho.ps beco.use they might have interfered with God, by allowing him to do them, sanctioning the work which he had to do, perhaps because he this delegation of power. On later occasions, thought Egypt would be no pleasant residence we find Aaron more than once required by God for them during the coming struggle. He to work the miracles. (See below, eh. vii, 19; journeyed onward from Horeb with Aaron for viii. 5, 16.) In the sight of the people. It is not probable that the people were present his sole companion, and had o.bundo.nt time for at the first meeting of the elders ; but the taking counsel with him, and exercising the sacred historian, anxious to compres.9 his nar- influence over him which hlgh intellect and rative, and bent simply on conveying to us the education combined will always give to their fact of Aaron's success with both elders and pOBBessor. The journey from Horeb to Go- people, omits stages in the history which he supposes that any reader can supply, e.g. the shen occupied probably some weeks. On doing of the signs in the sight of the elders, arriving in Goshen, the two brothers, in obe- their belief in them, and their subsequent dience to the divine command ( eh. iii. 16), assembling of the people. proceeded at once to "gather together all the Ver. 31.-The people believed. This ready elders of Israel "-that is, all those who exer- faith stands in strong contrast with the ordi. nary incredulous temper of the lsraelitish cised local authority over their countrymen in people, who were "a faithless and stubborn the various districts which they inhabited. generation "--a generation that "believed not Through the mouth of Aaron, Moses declared in God, and trusted not in his salvation ,. all that had been revealed to him at the burn- (Ps. lx:xviii. 22). It would seem that under ing bush and subsequently, exhibiting at the the pressure of e.fflietion-having, humanly speaking, no hope-the stubborn spirit of the same time the credentials whlch proved him people had given way, and they were content an ambassador from God, i.e. the three miracles to look to Jehovah and accept his promises, which he had been empowered to work at any and believe in his messengei::s, notwithstand- moment (eh.iv. 2-8). The elders, being them- ing their ns.tnral scepticism. No doubt the selves convinced, summoned an assembly of novelty of mira.cles helped to produce this state of feeling ; and the fact that they were the people, as is implied though not expressed not called upon at present for any active exer- in ver. 30; and the people, having heard the tion made acquiescence in what Moses put words of Aaron and seen the signs, were also before them easier. When they heard that convinced, and bowing their heads, worshlpped the Lord had visited-i.e. when the message the God whose ambassadors had appeared contained in eh. iii. 16 was delivered to them. And that he had looked upon their allliotion. before them. Compare eh. iii. 7. They bowed their heads. Ver. 29.-On the elders of Israel, see note Rather "they bowed down" (Kalisch), or upon eh. iii. 16. It is clear that the Israelitish " inclined themselves." And wonhipped. .aation, though in bondage to the Egyptians, Some understand an act of respect and ho- had a certain internal organisation of its own, mage done to Moses and Aaron, in token of and possessed a set of native officers. These their acceptance by the people as leaders ; but, were probably the hereditary heads of families. though the words employed are sometimes Moses and Aaron could have no authority to used in this sense, the context is opposed to gather these persons together ; but they is- their having thls sense in this place. " When sued an invitation, and it was accepted. The the people heard that the Lord had visited the "elders" came to the meeting. children of Israel, ... they bowed down ll.Dd Ver. 30.-Aaron apake. Aaron at once worshipped." Whom? Surely, the Lord.