The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 72

ne would at any period of his life have been a good general. But his age, his tempera- ment, and his training made him emphatically a man of prayer, Joshua, on the other hand, in the full vigour of middle life, active, energetic, bold, intrepid, indefatigable was a born soldier, and a man well suited for military command. 'l'o Moses belong~ the credit of having recognised the needs of the occasion, and the "diversity of gifts" in himself and his " minister." He took the duties, for which he felt himself fit upon himself; be delegated. those, for which he knew that he was unfit, to the indi~idual who, among the thousands oflsrael, appeared to him, and no doubt was, the most per- fectly fitted for them. In a minor way, it may be noticed that Aaron and Hur, unsuited for either military command or the leading pa.rt iu sustained intercessory prayer, had yet gifts which enabled them to play a useful secondary part in support of Moses, and were selected by him for their fitness. The recognition of DIVERSITIES OF GIFTS is required-1. For the be.st utilisation of all the powers posse.ssed by God's people at any given time. Unless diversity be recognised., all aspirants naturally seek the same posts. All are ri,als. Jealousies, sure to arise, are intensified. Discontents multiply. Rulers find the difficulty of government an.,"'lllented. Again, special talents are wasted. 'fhe man most suited to one post occupies another. The gifts which he needs he often does not possess; those which he possesses he cannot exercise. 2. For the satisfaction of individuals. It is a sore grief to feel unfit for the work which we have to do; but it is a still sorer grief to be conscious of powers which have no field of exercise, while we see others in possession of the field without the powers. Individuals perhaps ought to be content if they can perform satisfactorily the work that is set them. But minds of superior capacity are not, and never will be, thus satisfied. They want a congenial sphere, an occupation which would put their powers to the proof, a task which they would feel that they, and they alone, could perform properly. Hence, it is ·of great importance, for the contentation of those under their charge, that such as have the rule over men should both recognise the fact of "diversity of gifts," and seek to obtain a full knowledge of the special gifts of those to whose services they have to give employ- ment. 3. For the general advance of God's kingdom. It is only by utilising to the utmost all the gifts possessed by members of the Church at any given time, that the Church can be brought into the highest possible state of efficiency. "Diversities oi gifts " are a fact (1 Cor. xii 4). " To one is given the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge; to another, faith; to another, the gifts of healing; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy ; to another, discerning of spirits ; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues" (ib. 8-11). Unless this be recognised., unless each gifted one is put to his proper use, there is a waste of power-an absolute loss to the Church-a. stoppage of possibilities which mirrht have occurred., had things been better ordered. THE sAME sPmIT. Different as are the duties of life, various as are the calls made upon the individuals who compose the Christian community-now for courage, now for counsel, now for governmental capacity, now for military skill, a.non for earnest and prolonged prayer-there is, after all, but one spirit in which all have to act, as there is also but One Spirit from whom the power to act aright in all cases comes. The mer- chant in his trade, the soldier on the battle field, the minister in his parish, the man of learning in his study, all may and all ought to act in one aud the same spirit, diligently, manfully, earnestly, striving to do their duty, under their various ci~c~stances, i_n sinrrleness 0 of heart, as unto the Lord and not unto man. The true Christian temper 1s one and the same, whatever a man's occupation may be; and it is not very difficult to recognise in a Havelock or a Lawrence the identical tone and temper which we have admired in a Channing and a Wesley, a Pascal and a Fenelon. From One Spirit flow all the graces that adorn the Christian cha:racter; a:°d _the ~ity of the source is traceable in the graces themselves, which, arwd all theu diversity, have an element of likeness. Vers. 14-16.-God'E mercies need mew:rrial, and obtain it in several ways. Deliver- ance from Amalek was a rrreat and noticeable mercy. It was. 1. UNDEBIIRVED, as the people had just been m~uring against God, and threatening to stone his prophet (vers. 3---4). 2. TIMELY. Defeat, or even an indecisive success, would have brought upon the Israelites a host of enemies under whose combined or continuous attacks they en. xvu. 8-16.) THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 75