bcon given, busy only with dreams. The world will be surpri~d in the mi,Jst, of it11 false security. "As it was in the days of Noe," etc. 2. Its universality. There were none so high that God's hand did not reach them, and none so low that they were over- looked. 3. The 11fter anguish. 'l'he whole nation, steeped the one moment in deceitful slumber, the next torn with the most heartrending and hopeless grief. Their 8in had el11in their dearest o.nd best. 4. It is a hopeless sorrow. Their grief cannot bring back their dead. The o.nguish of the wicked, like Esau's, will find no place for repentance. II, THE DELIVEfiANCE OF IBRAEL THE EMBLEM AND PROMISE OF THE FULL ENFRANCl!.ISE- MENT OF THE PEOPLE OF Goo. 1. All that God had ever asked for them is granted. The demand for freedom to the people of God, and the breaking of the yoke laid upon the poor, will yet be obeyed in fear by the persecutor and the oppressor. 2. It is pressed upon them with all the eagerness of deadly fear. Israel never so desired the boon as the Egyptians that they should now accept it. The persecutors will come and worship at the Church's feet. 3. They go forth laden with the treasures of Egypt (Isaiah b:. 5---17). 4. 'l'hey go forth awed by the proof of God's faithfulness. To a day had he kept the promise given to the fathers (ver. 41). The prophecies, now dim and misunderstood, will then be read in the light of God's deeds, and like Israel of old, we shall know that o/<>d has kept the appointed time.-U. Vera. 29-42.-March at midnight. "This is that night of Jehovah" (Ex. xii. 42). Observe the striking words of the text! "The night of Jehovah," a night in which he specially appeared and acted on behalf of Israel. For a description of the scenery of this eventful night see Dr. W. M. Taylor's "Moses," 99-101. In the treat- ment of this subject considerable exposition will be necessary. For material, see expository section of this co=entary. It may, in order to include all important points, be marshalled thus (under each head we give suggestive hints):- I. THE HAND THAT SMOTE. Most, if not all the nine earlier plagues, had a natural basis. the tenth had none. It was purely supernatural. They blended mercy (first warning and then withdrawal) with judgment. This was pure judgment. In them there was indeed a call to faith, but also room for unbelief. The demonstrations of God are seldom absolute. But the tenth judgment was awfully impressive. There is very little evidence of any secondnry instrumentality, angelic, or any other; but see in the Heb. xii. 13, 23. Jehovah this time smote with his own hand. II. THE VICTIMS. First-borns. Of all beasts. Of men. But here distinguish between the first-borns of fathers and of mothers. In the tenth plague it was so, that the first-borns of mothers were the destroyed (xiii. 2). Now, these were the "sanctified" unto the Lord, first, as "living sacrifices," and as representing the consecration of each family, and then of the entire nation. But failing this consecration, their lives were forfeited. This was the case at that moment with the Israelites and Egyptians alike. In the case of the Egyptians the life of the first-born was taken, in that of the Israelites atoned for. Hence emerges a law of the Kingdom of God, that every soul that will not voluntarily consecrate himself to the Lord, must involuntarily come under the cloud of condemnation. III. '!'HE OBJECTIVE. The gods of Egypt (Ex. xii. 12). This was so with the nine plagues, it was especially so with the tenth. The heir to the throne was regarcled as an incarnation of the Deity; by this plague God pronounced him common cby with the rest. But the first-born of animals also fell. This was a blow against the animal worship of the land. IV. COMPLETENESS OF THE VICTORY. Here discuss whether Pharaoh's permission was conditioned or unconditioned; and show that with Pharaoh's resistance God's demands increased, and that the king's surrender must have been absolute, in spite of xiv. 8, 9. Note the pathos of the prayer of the now broken-hearted, "Bless me also," xii. 32. V. THE BATTLE ARRAY. See xiii. 18. Perhaps a good translation, instead of "harnessed," would be "militant," as including the outer armedness, and the inner valorous and jubilant spirit; both which ideas are in the original. Observe; the nine or ten months of preparation, the organisation in which the "elders" and Hebrew " clerks" of the works may have taken part, the arms they surely possessed, as witne~s the battle at Rephidim-how probably they had become marshalled into detachments- and places of rendezvous been appointed. 294 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [on. xn. 40---42,
YI. THE FESTAL RAIMENT. Israel "asked," Egypt "gave," under Divine influence (xii. 36), gold, silver, and raiment; these might be regarded as the" spoils" of Israel'!! victory, under God. 'l'hese spoils were such as women might ask of women (see iii. 22-" neighbour" is Feminine in the Hebrew), and such as women value. They wero to be put not only on themselves, but on sons and daughters. The contributions of the Egyptian women must have been immense in quantity and value. Now then, 1chy this Rpoiling? That Israel might march, not like a horde of dirty, ragged slaves, lmt in festal array. Compared with the slavery of Egypt the futW'e might have been one long holiday, one holy day unto the Lord. VII. PARTAKERS OF THE JOY (xii. 38). Low caste people probably; even as it is at t-his daY in the mission field of India. But the lesson is obvious-the Lord's salvations 0
are for the sinful, the outcast, and the miserable. ,III. TsITTHS SUGGESTED. 1. The moment of salvation is the beginning of a new timR-. Israel's history as a nation dates from that night (xii. 2). So the history of a. soul dates from its conversion t.o God. 2. The new time is a festal time. 3. The redeemed should assume fe$tal attire (Luke xv. 22), a bright eye, a cheerful countenance, etc. 4. Still be must don armour, and the Church must be militant. _6. The Church should we'lcmne all comers; for the miserable need salvatioI!, and the most rude are capable of some sen;ce. Comp. Deut. xxix. 11, with Ex. xii. 38. 6. The salvations of God are full-orbed in their completeness. From the months of prepara- tion till Israel went out in fest.a.l array, all was complete. 7. The momeut of salvation is to be held in everlasting remembrance (see Ex. xii. 42). So of the still greater salvation.-R.