The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 15

III. Dorno WONDERS. Here is another peculiar Divine prerogative. Jehovah does wonders such as none among the gods can do. One has almost forgotten the magicians, it is so long since they retreated into obscurity and shame. This is praise to Jehovah, which o.t once pushed aside all magicians and pretenders to the supernatural. The wonders they do would cease to be wonders, if they would only allow us to become a little better acquainted with them; and not only would they cease to be wonders, they would even become despicable, as we consider the lying with which they are supported, o.nd the knavish ends for which they are produced. A conjuror's tricks are only like common things hidden away; show us where they are hidden, and the mystery ceases. The mystery iB in the concealment and nothing else. But Jehovah's dealings, as in Egypt, are true wonders. They are brought out to the light so that all men can gaze on them and examine them, and the more they are examined the more mysterious they prove. It would not be good for us-it would, indeed, be very bad, as starving a thing as could happen to our imagination and our highest capacities of enjoyment- were we to cease from wondering in the presence of God. \Vonder must ever arise within us when we consider his operations, alike in nature and in grace.-Y. Vers. 20, 21.- Woman's part in the song of triumph. In the history of Israel, we are called on to observe woman coming forward, not continuously, but every now and then, to show how real is her share in the Jot of Israel. She has had that share in suffering, being consumed with anxiety as to the fate of her offspring. (Ch. i.) She has had it in minis- tration,-Jochebed, Miriam and Pharaoh's daughter, being combined in the work-un- conscious ministration towards the fitting of Moses for his great work. \Vhatever may be said of women speaking in the Church, we here behold them joining, in the most demonstrative way, in the public praises of Jehovah. The blessing by the Red Sea. was one which went down to that co=on humanity which underlies the great distinction of 8ex. But it was also a very special blessing to women. '!.'rials, such as had come to .,ochebed when Moses was born, were to cease. Woman would have her own trials in the time to come-the pangs of childbirth, the cares of offspring, and all a mother's pecu- liar solicitudes; but it was a great deal to have the special cw·se of bondage in Egypt removed. Then there would be deep thankfulness for the escape of the first-born; a feeling, too, of self-congratulation that they had been obedient in slaying the lamb r..:id sprinkling the blood, and had thus escaped the blow which had fallen heavily on so many homes in Egypt. All these considerations would lead up to and prepare for the final out- burst of praise and triumph. And so, if women consider still, they will be both astonished and profoundly grateful because of all that God in Christ Jesus has done for them. They have gained not only according to their simple share in humanity, but according to their peculiar relation towards man. If it be true, that Eve fell first, dreadfully have all her daughters suffered since. As belonging to this fallen world, woman is now in a double &ubjection. In her creation she was to be subordinate to man, and if she had stood, and he had stood, then what glory and blessedness would have come to both ! But when man became the slave of sin, she became doubly sla,e, as being now linked to one who had himself the servile spirit. What had been subordination in Eden beca.me servitude outside of it. He who is himself the abject slave of passion and selfishness makes woman his slave, so that in addition to a.11 that comes through her own sin as a human being there is the misery that comes through her having got into a wrong rela- tion to man. Hence the peculiar hideousness of a bad woman, a Jezebel or a Herodias. Hence, too, through the work of redemption we get the peculiar beauty of the good woman. Whence should we have got those types of saintly women which beam from the pages of Scripture and Christian biography, save for that great work one stage c,f which is celebrated in this song ?-Y. Vers. 1-21.-Song of Moses and the Lamb. "And they sing the song of Moses," etc. (Rev. xv. 3). It is quite impossible to sever in thought the song by the sea, and the reference in the Book of the Revelation. We therefore take for our text the words chosen, and in our homily keep ever in view-the passage of the sea. I. THE SINGERS. "'l'hey that have gotten the ,ictory." But conquerors must first have been soldiers. Here they are Christians who have become part of the Church militant by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Over what victorious~ As a matter of 16 THE DOOK OF EXODU8. [en. xv. 1-~l.