HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vcrs. 1-7.-A new Message. Even yet God hacl not clone with the King of Egypt. He seDds Moses again to ply him with reproof and threatening. The fin:il 6troke is put off as long as possible. If" by all means" (1 Cor. ix. 22) Pharaoh can bo saved, he will Dot be lost for want of the opportunity. God tells Moses his design in dealing with the monarch as he <lid, ancl gives him a Dew message to carry to the royal preseDce. I. GoD's DESIGN (vers. 1, 2). He hacl harclened Pharaoh's heart and the heart of his servants, that he might show these his signs before him, and that he might secure their being had in remembrance through all succeeding geDerations in Israel. This bespeaks, on God's part----1. Definite purpose in the shaping of the events which culminated in.the .Exodus. As Jehovah, the all-ruling one, it lay with him to determine what shape these events would assume, so as best to accomplish the end he had in view in the deliverance. It was of his ordering that a ruler of Pharaoh's stamp occupied the throne of Egypt at that particular time; that the king was able to hold out as he did against his often reiterated, and powerfully eDforced, command ; that the monarch's life was spared, when he might have been smitten and destroyed (eh. ix. 15, 16); that the Exodus was of so glorious and memorable a character. 2. It indicates the nature of the design. "That ye may know how that I am the Lord" (ver. 2). We have already seen ( eh. vi.) that the central motive in this whole series of events was the manifestation of God in his character of Jehovah-the absolute, all-ruling, omnipotent Lord, who works in history, in mercy, and judgment, for the accomplishment of gracious ends. The design was (1) To demonstrate the fact that such a Being as is denoted by the name Jehovah, existed; that there is an absolute, all-ruling, omnipotent, gracious God; (2) to raise the mind to a proper conception of his greatness, by giving an exhibition, on a scale of impressive magnitude, of his actual working in mercy and judgment for the salvation of his people ; and (3) to make thereby a revelation of himself which would lay the foundation of future covenant relations with Israel, and ultimately of an universal religion reposing on the truths of his unity, spirituality, sanctity, omni- potence, and love. Subordinate objects were the making known of his power and greatness to Pharaoh himself (eh. vii. 17; viii. 22; ix. 13, 29), and to the surrounding nations ( eh. ix. 16). The design thus indicated required that the facts should be of a kind which admitted of no dispute; that they should palpably and conclusively demonstrate the character of God to be as asserted ; and that they should be of so striking and awful a description, as to print themselves indelibly upon the memory of the nation. These conditiC\ns were fulfilled in the events of the Exodus. (3) It shows how God intended his mighty works to be kept in remembrance. "That thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy eon's son," &c. (ver. 2). God provided for the handing down of a knowledge of these wonders (1) By giving them a character which secured that they should not be forgotten. 'l'he memory of these " wonders in the land of Ham " (Ps. cv. 27) rings down in Israel to the latest generations ( see P:.. h.xviii. ; cv. ; cvi. ; cxxxv.; ex.xvi., &c.); (2) by embodying them in a written record; (3) by enjoining on parents the duty of faithfully narrating them to their children (eh. xiii. 14; Deut. iv. 9; v. 7, 20-23; xi. 19; Ps. lxxviii. 3--7). Bible history will soon get to be forgotten if the story is not taken up and diligently taught by loving parental lips. II. GoD's REQUIREMENT-humility. "How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?" (ver. 3.) '!'his lays the finger on the root principle of Pharaoh's opposition, pride. Pride, the undue exaltation of the ego, is a hateful quality of character, even as between man and man. How much more, as between man and God! It is described as "the condemnation of the devil" (1 'l'im. iv. 6). Pride puffs the soul up in undue conceit of itself, and leads it to spurn at God's dictation and control. It aims a.t a false iDdependence. It would wish to be as God. In the worldly spirit it manifests itself as "the pride of lifo" (1 John ii. lG). lu the self-righteous spirit it manifests itselfas L30 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. (c:n. x. l-20
spiritual pride. It excludes every quality which ought to exist in a soul ricrht\y exercised towitrds its Crentor. Faith, love, humility, the feeling of depend~ncc, gratitude for benefits, regitrd for the Creator's glory-it shuts out all. It is incompatible with the sense of sin, with the spirit of contrition, with humble acceptance of salvation through another. It is the great barrier to the submission of the heart to God and Christ, inciting inste1td to naked and impious rebellion. The degree and persistoncy of the opposition to God which pride is able to inspire may be well studied in the case of l'hal'80h. III. Goo's THREAT (vers. 4-7). He would bring upon the land a plague of locusts. 'l'he m~"Ilitude of the visitation would place it beyond comparison with anything that had ever been known. See below. D'. llfosEs GOING OUT FROM PHARAOH. "And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh" (ver. 6). He delivered his message, and did not wait for nn answer. 'l.'his should have told Pharaoh that the bow was now stretched to its utmost, and that to strain it further by continued resistance would be to break it. His courtiers seem to have pe~ceived this (ver. 7). Moses' going out was a prelude to the final breaking off of negot1a.t1ons (ver. 29). View it also as a studied intimation-I. Of his indignation at the past conduct of the king ( cf. eh. xi. 8). 2. Of his conviction of the hopelessness of producing a.ny good impression on his hardened nature. 3. Of the certainty of God's purpose being fulfilled, whether Pharaoh willed it or no. It was for Phare.oh's interest to attend to the warning which had now a.gain been given him, but his refusal to attend to it would only injure himself and his people; it would not prevent God's will from being accompli.shed.--J. 0.