The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 334

lts d£1ncing, white-tipped waves, nnd curiously to listen to its soft, lapping ripple on the shore. Yet this sea, which is to-day their joy and plaything, will have become by the f!lorrow their terror and despair-th~ir impregnable prison ba~er. The experi- onco 1s not uncommon. How often does 1t happen that the very thmgs which at first wo aro disposed to hail with delight, to welcome and rejoice in, prove afterw,mfa our greatest causes of sorrow I The engagements we enter into, the friendships we form, the bargains we make, the society we are introduced to, etc. 2. The approach of the enemy. "The children of Ismel lifted up their eyes, and behold the Egyptians marched after them" (vor. 10). The mountains are around, the sea is in front, and now-terrible situation !-the Egyptians are pursuing, and close at hand. On they come, in whirling chariots, in ranks upon ranks of footmen; the long lines are seen defilin" in the distance, and Israel knows that in an hour or two more the avalanche will be upon them, sweeping all before it, burying them in destruction. 3. They were entirely unprepared. They had been resting and unbending, not preparing for battle. The attack took them by surprise. There was no possibility under the circumstances of presenting an effectual resistance to the enemy. But, indeed, had the circumstances been ever so favourable, these hordes of slaves, accustomed so long to crouch before the rod of the taskmaster, would scarcely have attempted it. How critical, how perilous, therefore, the entire situation! A picture this of those straits of life formerly refen·ed to, in which having done our utmost, we can do no more, and no alternative remains but prayer, and quiet waiting upon God. II. THEIR PANI0 AND DESPAIR (vers. 10-13). The appearance of the Egyptians natw ally threw the Israelites into a state of the most acute terror. Remark : 1. Great allowance must be made/or them. We do not read that, on this occasion, God dealt severely with them for the wild, ungrateful words they uttered. He made allow- ance. (1) Their situation was really very serious. Placed in like circumstances, we would perhaps not have shown much more faith than they did. (2) They were unused to the life of freedom. It takes time to teach those who have always been slaves to appreciate the blessings of the opposite condition. They carry their slave habits with thbm into the state of freedom. The Israelites had not as yet had much comfort in their emancipation. Their painful marches had probably been harder work t.han even the brick-making of Egypt. They could not as yet feel that it was better to be free, though enduring hardships in their freedom, than to be more comfortably situated and be slaves. Do we blame them? Then reflect how even Christians sometimes murmur and rebel at the self-denials, the sacrifices, the inconveniences, the persecutions, which their Christian freedom entails upon them. You complain, perhaps, that you have a. harder time of it now, than even when you served the flesh. It may be true. But do not forget that the difference between your condition now and then, is all the difference between slavery and bondage, between salvation and a state of wrath. 2. lsrael:s be- haviour was nevertheless very unworthy. (1) It was faithless. '!'hey did not wait to ask or see what God, who had already done so much for them, was about to do now, but at once concluded that he would leave them to perish. It is, indeed, said that they "cried unto the Lord" (ver. 10), but then, in the next breath, we read of them reproach- \ng his servant and delegate (ver. 11). They are faithless prayers that come from faith- ,iss hearts. (2) It was ungrateful. How willing they had been to be led out of Egypt! yet now, at the first approach of danger, they turn on their leader, and taunt him for having given them their liberty. Was Moses to blame for the pursuit of Pharaoh? Or did he deserve to be thus requited for the noble stand he had taken on their behalf? Public servants have often much to endure from the fickle humour of the crowd. (3) It was cowardly. It showed a servile and ignoble spirit even to breathe so base a regret as that they had not been suffered to continue in Egypt. 3. The contrast of their conduct with that of Moses. The bearing of Moses at this crisis wa.s sublime in its calmness and trust. He does not return "railing for railing." No angry word escapes his lips in reply to the reproaches of the people. They murmur; he betakes himself tl prayer (ver. 15). They look to th!3 visible cha.riots; ~et? the ~visible power 'Yhich is mi()'htier than all. They seem bereft of reason, fearing rmmediate death; he 1s calm, undaunted, self-collected, and gives them the best of counsel. Ponder his wordl5- " Fear ye not, stand still, and see the so.lvo.tion of the Lord, which he will shew to you to-day" (ver. 13). (1) The situation was one in which God a.lone coula bring salvation.  330 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. :xiv. 10-23.