The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 162

with 1111 Hs promises yesterday, be sure that to-day he is doing something to carry that covenant out. lf, yesterday, he expressed compassion for the oppressed, and wrath with the oppressor, be sure that he has not relapsed into cold indifference to-day. The 8e capricious sympathies a.re reserved for men and women who will weep over the mimic nnd exaggerated sorrows of the stage, and then go home to harden their hearts against the terrible sorrows of real life. When we read over the words of Moses here, and compare them with the words of God, we see how contracted were the views of Moses, and how gloriously enlarged were the views of God. Moses is thinking simply of delivere.nc1r-how to get the present generation from under the yoke of the oppressor; but God has in his mind a great plan, of which the deliverance from Pharaoh is but one stage in the development, and that a very brief stage. To the completion of this plan the liberation of Israel was necessary, and therefore this liberation would assuredly be achieved. Moses, so to speak, was low down in a hollow ; he could get no proper view of the distances ; he could not get a due impression of all this tract of time, from God's first appearing to Abraham down to the securing of the inheritance; and therefore he may well be excused if he speaks hastily. But God looks down from his throne in eternity. The whole stretch of the work lies before him, and thus beholding it, he can but reiterate his promises, exhibit the great features of his plan, and counsel Moses and Israel to do the one thing needful, i.e. continue obediently waiting upon him in the generation in which they live. Let us do what God tells us, being perfectly sure that he sees what we cannot see, and that, because he is the God who cannot lie, he sets all things before us just as they are. 3. Another thing is to be considered here, which, though omitted from Jehovah's answer to Moses, ought not to be neglected by us. For typical purposes, the welfare and future of Israel is the great thing spoken of; Pharaoh is looked at simply as the cruel adversary and oppressor of IsraeL Hence just those things are stated which roost effectively show his complete downfall But we must remember that the things which are stated at any particular time are only a small part of what are in the mind of God. He states not all the considerations which inspire his acts, but only such as it may be well for us to know. Pharaoh had to be dealt with as a man, even though the record is emphatically constructed so as to set him forth merely as a type. It would have been manifestly unjust to bring upon him sudden and terrible destruction of all his power, without an appearance of appeal to his voluntary action.-Y. Vers. 'lr-8.-Tliemessageto a-ffiicted Israel. I. THE WORD TO THE LEADER: vera. 2-5. The message must be from faith to faith. The heart of God's servant must first be revived ere he can impart strength to the people. 1. He is reminded of God's faithful- ness: "I am Jehovah." We cannot grasp this truth without deliverance from fear. 2. The darkness will only make God's glory shine out the more resplendently. Their present sufferings will mark a new era in God's revelation of himself. Known before as the Almighty, he will now reveal him.self as Jehovah, "the faithful One," who remembers and fulfils his promises. 3. Having grasped the truth regarding God's faithfulness he is led back to the promises by which the Lord has bound himself. 4. The assurance of present sympathy and speedy deliverance. He has heard their groaning and called to remembrance his pledged word. To dwell in these truths is to possess light and power. God's word will then be a joy to our hearts, and will be in our lips consolation and strength for the fainting ones around us. II. THE WORD TO THE PEOPLE: vers. 6--8. 1. It is shut in between the reiterated assurance, " I am Jehovah," vers. 6-9. For them, too, the truth to rest in is God's faith- fulness. 2. The deliverance will be accompanied by the revelation of God's terribleness (ver. 6). Israel never forgot those days, and never will. 3. God will wed them to him- self. He does not deliver us and then leave us : "I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God." 4. He will fulfil all the promises and give them the land for a heritage. This is the Gospel message : Our bonds will be broken-God will bind us to himself and give us his people's heritage. Have we received it? Is it a living hope, an abiding joy to us ?-U. Vers. 2-3.-The Lord thy God is one God. God appeared to the fathers of the race under one name ; to their successors under another. Name is more than title ; it is thq EXODUB, L  1-16 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [arr. vr. U.