The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 168

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 9-14, 28-30.-Shakenfaith, and an unshaken purpose. In these verses Wtt have- . I. A PAINFUL RESULT OF AFFLICTIVE PROVIDENCE. The children of Israel, bard- driven by their taskmasters, and sunk in misery, were so stupefied with sorrow, as to have no longer any heart for their cheering tidings brought to them by Moses. Their despair had its ground in unbelief. They judged Moses a decoiver. They had trusted him before, and they reflected that the only outcome of it had been this unprecedented aggravation of their wretchedness. His fine promises must now go for what they were worth; they were past deriving comfort from them! Yet observe how in all this- I. They wronged God. God had not deserted them as they thought. He was on the very eve of fulfilling every promise he had made· them. We see the error in the:ir case ; it would be well if we could always see it as clearly in our own. 2. Made their trials harder. For if trials are hard enough to bear even with faith in the goodness and help of God, how much harder are they to bear without it ! 3. Shut themselves out from Divinely-sent consolation. Their despondency led them, to refuse the very message which would have given them relief. How often is the sfillle thing witnessed under severe affliction I There is e. kind of perversity in grief, which leads it to." refuse to be comforted." God is mistrusted. The heart abandons itself to its despair. It sinks in gloom and wretchedness. It turns the very truth of God into a lie, and refuses Scrip- ture and Gospel consolations. Unhappy condition! And as foolish as unhappy-for God is never nearer to the suffering spirit, never more ready to hear its cry, probably never nearer bringing it deliverance, than just when it is thus shutting out his con- solations, and refusing him its confidence. II. TYPICAL DISCOURAGEMENTS IN SPIRITUAL SERVICE (vers. 9, 13, 30). Moses was sorely discouraged-I. At the unbelieving despair of the people. He could make no impression on them. They seemed hardened in their misery. So swallowed up were they in their grief, so crushed with sorrow, that their minds seemed to have lost all elasticity, all power of responding to the gladdest of tidings. 'rhis is a difficulty one has often to contend with in spiritual work-the spiritless, despairing condition induced by long experience of misfortune. 'l'he city missionary, e.g., has frequently to encounter it in going among the dwellings of the very poor. His heart sickens as he realises how little chance his Gospel has of finding acceptance in homes where all the surroundings are wretched, and where from year's end to year's end, there is being carried on the same heartless, monotonous "struggle for existence." But this insensibility to religion induced by suffering is not peculiar to the poor. Far from it. You will find it wherever men arn llore beset with trouble, and have no firm, rooted faith in Goel to support them rnH.ler it.  152 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. vi.11-20.