splendid cities of tombs in Egypt rose to the memory, But here eoon e. sort of gig11ntic 11nticipation of Isandula. A cry against Moses, and unto Jehovah. The moral attitude of Moses mixed-----cheer for the people-a fainting heart before God. His silent prayer. "The upward glancing of an eye." The word of assurance. "Forward." The mo,ement of what must have been, in this instance, wall of cloud and fire, to givo soft electric light to Israel and over the se.'1., to be darkness to Egypt, and to cover the greatest military movement in all history. The short time demanded perfect order. Then came the ploughshare of the east wind. In the confusion and darkness, Egyp• cager!, followed. The look out of the cloud, shot with thunderbolt-a look which meant ruin. Sea rolls back from thfl rear of Egypt. Chariot clashes against chariot. Wheels lost. On the night of the 14th Israel became a nation, On the morning of the 21st the nation wasfre,e, III. TRl:rms. 1. Neither first nor even serond, openings in life are always into the 'tlray God interuis us to take. A common error to suppose that any opening is " pro- T"idential." Not via Philistia: nor the caravan road to Sinai. God's object to develop moral thoughtfulness, and the scrutiny of apparent leading. E.g., Will this course imperil my principle, lead into temptation, and ruin my soul? 2. Seemingly hopeless e11ta11glement may have great issues. Moral firmness developed: dependence upon God. Sal,ation complete, and anthem of victory. 3. The temper for crisis is that of calm confidence. No panic ! Had there been panic, Israel had been food for Egyptian sabres! "Stand firm!" (see Heb.) Apply this to state of religion; things social, political, at home and abroad; to affairs personal. (See good sermon on this, by Pro- fessor Jowett, in "Christian World Pulpit," March 26, 1879.) 4. Confidence should express itself in prayer. Note the difference: the cry of Israel, and the evidently silent appeal of Moses. 5. .Action must foUow prayer. " Wherefore criest," etc., an intima- ti-0n that prayer was already answered; and now Moses to the front, and every man to his post. 6. When God leads into d,a,nger, He will certainly see us safely through it. lf wantonly and wilfully we go int,o danger, we may (through mercy) be delivered; if on Divine leading, we shall. E.g., going into some scene of vice, out of curiosity, or worse motive; on the other hand. at the request of a distant friend. to save a soul. Difference between presumption and courage. 7. Salvations of God are ever timely and, compkte. 8. After God's great salvation comes, the dumbness of amazement, and after the dumbness, song. "Jehovah shall fight for you, and ye shall be dumb." (Heb. xiv. 31; xv. 1; Rev. xv. 2-4.)---R.
EXPOSITION. Vers. 15-18.-GoD's ANSWER TO MoSEs' Vers. 15, 16.-Wherefore oriest thou to PRAYER. To the fa.ithful prayer of Moses, me 1 It is evident that Moses, while boldly albeit pit.:hed perba.ps in too low a key, God encouraging the people, himself needed the support and consolation of prayer. The Sy- me.de gracious 8.IlliWer. A "cry" bad been ria.c tr8.Illil.e.tor shows us that he divined the unnecessary, since his word was already fact aright, when he without authority in- pledged to bring his people safe to Ca.n.e.an, truded the words, " Moses then cried to and to get himself honour upon Pha.ra.oh in Jehovah." The form of the Divine reply to connection with the pursuit (ver. 4). But, his prayer seems to indicate e. certain a.mount of reproach, a.s if Moses himself had become as the appeal has been me.de, he responds with unduly anxious. Speak Ullto the children of e. plain statement of whs.t has now to be Israel that they go forward. The Israelites done :-1. The Israelites are to Ill&ke them- were not to rest in their encampment, but to selves ready for e. forward movement (ver.15) ; form in line of march, and descend to the very 2. Moses is to stretch out his rod over the shore of the see., and there hold themselves i11. readiness. Moses WOB to lift up his rod-the Reol. Sea., and it will be di;vided; 3. The rod with which his other miracles had been Israelites are then to Ill&ke the passage on dry wrought-and atretch out his hand over t~e ground; 4. The Egypt.i&DB a.re to follow, and sea., and then the drying up wa.s to begm then honour is to be gotten upon them ; and Thus wOB most of the night po.seed. they are to know by the result that God is Ver. 17.-I will harden the hearts of the indeed J ehove.h :Bl')'ptiana. Here, and here only, are the en. XIV. 15--18.] THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 335
hearts of the Eg~tians generally so.id to have still" e.nd allowed the escape, which a week been " ho.rdened. ' Whatever meaning we previously they had done their best to en- attach to the expression, there will be no courage, in order to have remained safe and more difficulty in applying it to them than to unhurt. It was their stupidity and blood- Pho.re.oh. They be.d me.de themselves pe.r- thirstiness which a.lone brought them into any te.kcrs in the mono.rcb's guilt by mustering danger. Upon his horsemen. Rather "his in bot haste when ho summoned them, e.nd chariotmen." See the comment on verse 9. had ollowed themselves to revel in the e.ntici- Ver. 18.-The Egyptians shall know that pe.tion of plunder and ce.rne.ge ( eh. xv. 9). I am the Lord. All Egypt would leo.rn the Under such circumste.nees, the genera.I laws destruction of the host, and the circnmstances which govern bume.n nature would be quite under which it occnrred, whose miraculous sufficient to mo.ke their hearts grow hard. nature could not be concealed. And the con- They shall follow them. Upon this act- sequence would be a wide recognition of the re.sh, if the phenomenon be.d been a mere snperior might of Jehovah, the God of Israel, nature.I one--presumptuous and infatuated if over that of any of the Egyptian deities the drying up were regarded e.s miraculous-- More than this the Egyptians were not depended altogether the destruction of the likely to admit under any circlllllBtances. Egypti9.llS They he.d only to have "stood