The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 65

influences for refreshment. Show from Christian experience how many and powerful are the causes of depression, weariness, a.nd fainting. II. OUT OF THE ROCK-CHRIST-REFRESHMENT SPRINGS. Refreshment does come from time to time to the faint. (See Dr. Raleigh on refreshin,r influences of "The Dew," in "Quiet Resting Places," p. 34---37.) But the ea.use is Christ, the living and the ever near. .All to the way in which the ministration comes, it does not concern us much to point out; enough to know the fa.et. Still there are many cbannds of this grace, e.g., a. gleam of morning sunshine, the song of a bird, the pleasant letter of a. friend, etc. etc. Oham.nels of the grace, mark I But what is the water itself? See John vii. 37, 38, 39. "This spake he of the Spirit," etc. The water is the consolation of the Spirit; and the rock (from whom proceeds the Spirit) is Christ. III. THE REFRESHMENT SPRINGS IN UNLIKELY PLACES. .As out of the verv desola- tions of Rephidim came the water; so out of our very sorrows come o~ deepest consolations. IV. THE BOcs::-CHRIBT--EVEB FOLLOWS us. Here give the fable of the Rabbis; and show that in it there was a deeper truth than the Rabbis knew. Paul saw it. The refreshments of the Spirit are not like angels' visits; for the Dispenser of the grace is never far a.way. V. WE ARE REFRESHED THAT WE ll.AY REFRESH. See John vii. 38. "Out of bi~ belly," etc.-R. Vers. 1-7. The giving of water in Rephidim. I. OBSERVE HOW THE PEOPLE c ....Ml!. Tu IlEPHIDIM. There is a. distinct intimation that it was according to the commandment of Jehovah. He it was who led them where there was no water to drink, and equally he must have given them the intimation to pitch their tents. .And we who read the nam.- tive are not a.t a.11 discomposed on learning that there was no water in this place of encampment. We remember how God has already shown that his ways are not as men's ways, by taking his people where they were entangled in the land, and the wilderness shut them in (eh. x.iv. 3). .And we are sure that as he then showed what men count folly t9 be the highest wisdom, so it would prove again. Water is a necessity, and when Jehovah takes his people where there is no water to drink, it must be under the compul- sion of a still higher necessity. If water had been one of the chief things to consider, the people would never have gone to Rephidim at all. But at present the great matter for consideration wa.s Sinai, the mountain where the people were to serve God. Every- thing else was in subordination to the sojourn at Sinai. God could bring Rephidim to Sinai, a.nd he did so when he ea.used Moses to smite the rock; but it was not J?0S:ii.ble to bring Sinai to Rephidim. II. OBSERVE THEIR FIRST REQUEST, AND THE ANSWER OF MosEB. "Give us water that we may drink." The mere words, of course, tell us nothing as to the spirit of the request. .. In certain circumstances such a request would be innocent and natural enough. Jesus began his conversation with the woman at the well by asking her for e. drink of water. The request here, however, was evidently expressed in a complaining, chiding tone; and we ca.n only understand it e.s we come to study the rejoinder of Moses. That rejoinder shows how ne is becoming more a.nd more a.la.rmeda.t the perils into which the unbelief of the people is taking them. They are still looking towards Moses; they cannot be got to understand that he is as much dependent on the cloudy pillar as a.re the rest of them. Him who had been given to help and encourage their faith, they treat in such a. way that he becomes a stumbling-block. Hence he tries his best to move away their thoughts from himself to Jehovah, with whose long-suffering he warns them th:u they are making very presumptuous and perilous experiments. 'I'hPv are on dangerou; ground, a.nd none the less dangerous because they tread it with such profane unconcern. There had now been several trials of the Divine long-suffering in the short time since they had left Egypt (eh. x.iv. 11, xv. 24, xvi. 3, 20, 27); a.nd through all these God ha,! moved gently, providin"' and protecting, even in the midst of their unbelief. But this gentleness of dealing co~ld not go on for ever; and Moses felt it was quite time to warn them, so that none in Israel might delude themselves with foe notion that whatever they said and however they complained Jehovah would not smite them. Ill. IN DOE COURSE, THERE [8 A SECOND APPEAL TO MOSES. Their first requ~~t seems to have come immediately on encamping. They look round with an instincrjv, F '.:!  G8 TIIE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. XVII. 1-7.