The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 71

believe in his existence. The uselessness of contending against him would be generally "l,llcognised, if men would bear in mind, as most sure-- I. THAT THERE 1B A Goo, DESERVING OF THE NAME, THE MAKER AND RULER 0!1' p:u; UNIVERSE. The disbelief in a Personal God underlies much of the resistance p;,hich men offer to his will on earth. They admit an imperwnal SOJ::1ething external to themselves, which they ca'l "Nature," and speak of as having immutable "laws." These they profess to respect. But the law of righteousness, decreed by a God who is a Person, and written by him in the hearts of his human creatures, is not among these "laws of nature," they think, since in many people it is not found to exist. .Neither to this law, nor to the God who ma.de it, do they profess any a.llegiance. They claim the liNrty to do that which is right in their own eyes. But, as surely as the.v are con- fow:.ded, if they set I.hem.selves in opposition to a law of physical nature-walk on the sea, or handle fire, or seek to fly without wings-so surely does a Nemesis attend their effort11, if they transgress a moral law, be it the law of chastity, or of truth, or of general kindliness, or of special regard for God's day, God's house, God's ministers, God's people. The Amalekites attacked the last, and were overthrown. Final dis- comfiture will assuredly overtake a.II who attack anything that is God's or in a.;iy way set them.selves in opposition to his will II. THAT Goo 1s REALLY OMNIPOTENT. It often pleases God to allow for a time the contradiction of sinners against him.self, and even to let the ungadly enjoy a long term of worldly prosperity. Some of the worst men have prospered during their whol9 lives, and have died at the height of earthly greatness, self-satisfied, so far a.s men could see, happy. Men have questioned whether God, if really omnipotent, could ha,e allowed this, and have doubted his ability to carry on a real moral government of the entire universe. But omnipotence is included in the very idea of God; and it is quite inconceivable that any of Lis creatures should be really able to thwart or resist him further than he him.self penLits. Their very existence depends on him, and unless he sustained them in being, they would perish at each moment. He temporarily a.llows the opposition of other wills to his, not through any defect of power, but for his own wise purposes. Some time or other he will vindicate himself, and show forth his Almighty power, to the utter confusion of his enemies. III. THAT Goo IS ALSO O:MNIBCIENT. The Psalmist tells us (Ps. lx:xiii. 11) of those who said-" Tush, how should God perceive? Is there knowledge in the Most High?" and, again, " God bath forgotten; he hideth away his face, and he will never see it " (Ps. x. 11). These are bold utterances, such as men scarcely make nowadays; but still there are many who in their inmost heart seem to cherish the Epicurean notion, "Deos seC'll,rum agere revum," that the Divinity does not care for what men do, or that, at any rate, words or thoughts are beyond his cognisance. He, howe,er, himself declares the contrary. "For every idle word that men sha.11 speak they shall gi,e account." •• " Thou knowest the very secrets of the heart." "All things are open and revealed unto him with whom we have to do." We cannot resist him secretly or without his knowledge. He knows all our words, and all our thoughts, a.s well as all uur acts, "long before." We cannot take him by surprise and gain an advantage over him. 'l'here is not a word in our mouth, or a thought in our heart, but he "knows it altogether "-has always known it, and h~ provided accordingly. If we were "wise,' if we were even moderately prudent, we should give up the idea of resisting God Instead of " raging" and "ima,,aining vain things n-instead of "taking counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed "-instead of seeking to "break their bands asunder and cast away their cords frum us" (Ps. ii.1-3), we should submit ourselves-we should be content to" serve the Lord with fear and rejoice unto Him with reverence "-we should" kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so we perish from tht right way, if his wrath be kindled, yea, but a little "-we should "tak~ bis yoke upon us, and learn of him "-satisfied tbat in no other way can we prosper, lil no other way can we obtain rest, or peace, or happiness. Vers. 9-13.-Diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. DIVERSITIES OF GIFTS. The needs of life are various, and the gifts which God imparts to his saints are correspond- ingly diversified. In Moses, at the age of eighty (eh. vii. i), the qualities required for the 1uccessful conduct of military matters wero not present. It may be doubted whether  THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [ CH. XVII. 9-16.