wh_o was res]:JOnsible_ for her; and, besides, Moses and Zipporah had a. joint responsi- bility for their offspring. Jethro is commonly set before us, in contrast to Ama.lek as the illustration of heathenism, looking favourably and amicably upon Israel. But e~en more let us look upon him as the great illustration of those noble souls who strive to u:ni_te what sin divides. Jesus in his teaching had occasion to lay emphasis on the dividing effect of discipleship to himself. He intimated that the acceptance of himself would only too often rupture, or at least strain, natural ties. But this of course was not presented !IS a thing to cause satisfaction. It was only another sad evidence of how sin ~urns to evil what God meant for good. And yet here we see the other side, reumon &s well as separation. The liberation of Israel, glorious in its total result and lifting Moses to high eminence in respect of personal character, has yet involved ~t tht same time the wreck of his domestic peace. Whatever the comforts of wife and children in this world may be, he has lost them. But now these comforts are comin" again, and coming in the most satisfactory of all ways, by the voluntary entrance of hi~ old friend Jethro on the scene. Blessed are the peacemakers ; and surely of all peace- making, that is not the least fruitful of good which reunites and reconstitutes a. sepa- rated family. Moses acting with a single eye to what is right has to pa.rt from his wife, and let her go hack to her own family. Jethro acting in the same spirit, brincrs the wife to her husband again. Often we may have to become a.gents and help:rs in division; but if we only go on, union and harmony will return. What Zipporah's futuro was we know not; but Jethro had done his utmost to put matters right. III. ON ZIPPORAH. Her name occurs but little, and her appearance hitherto has not been such a.s to make us think she would prove a helpful companion to Moses (eh. iv. 25, 26). Still we must not judge too hastily from silence. 1t is not for Zipporah's sake she happens to be mentioned here. It is sufficient to learn, by the way, that a.n opportunity for repentance and for devotion to him who had such a burden to bear, was now given her.-Y. Ver. 5.-" Ye are oome unto 1lfount Zion." The way in which we view facts depends a great deal on the eyes through which we look a.t them. Here, a.s regards Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness, we may look on them through the eyes of Jethro, or of Zi ppora.h, or of the children; for a change let us use the children's eyes, and enquire how they transmit the facts to us. Sketch previous history of the children, their stay in Midia.n, and journey to the camp. Notice:- 1. WHAT THE CHILDREN SAW AND HEABD. .A.s they ea.me they would notice, first, the mountains, then the camp in the plain, then, perhaps, people moving about and cloudy pilla.r suspended over all At last, one man comes to meet them; their father is the leader of the host. 1. .A new flock. In the old days Gershom must often have looked out for his coming home; then (cf. iii. 1) he had sheep to care for, now his flock is of another kind (Ps. lx.xvii. 20). No longer Jethro's shepherd, but the shepherd of Jehovah. Not really changed his profession-still the same kind of work-only, having served his apprenticeship with Jethro, he has been called to a higher grade of service. 2. .A me:m.orabl,e 6pot. How had he come to change his service ? The very place w,,uld remind them of the answer. There is the rough hill-side-there, perhaps, the very bush where the angel appeared.. The whole scene a fulfilment of God's pro- mise and a pledge of his faithfulness (cf. iii.12). 3. New-found relatives. A new uncle and aunt, never seen before---could tell them about the old life in Egypt, their fe.ther's birth and escape-the cruel slavery of their kindred-all the past would seem more real now that they were confronted by these witnesses to its reality. Comparing the past with the present, a suggestive commentary on Eliezer's name ; Moses had good reason for saying, " my God is a. help." Il. PARALLEL WITH oUBBELVES. (Cf. Heb. xii. 22-24.) We, too, like the sons of Moses, have been brought into new relations with our Father. As we approach him, wbat may we see and hear? 1. We find h_im in a holy pl~. Not a camp of wander~rs in the wil<lern08S, but a holy city, one which ha.th foundations, the settle? home of its redeemed inhabitants. Pleasant for Gershom and his brothr to find their father, but they still had to look on to the day when they should find their home; for us home is our Father's hou,;e in the holy city upon the holy mountain. 2. /le introduces us to lwly jdluwsluj,s. As Moses' children found new relatives, so uo we: "an innumerable en. xvm. 13-2G.] THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 91
company, the general assembly of the angels, and the Church of the first-born, and the spirits of the justified." We may picture the interest with which Gershom and Eliezer must have viewed the camp and listened to the story of deliverance; but the company to which they had come was very different to that to which we have come; the de- liverance of which they heard was but a first step to freedom. They, no doubt, learnt to sing, perhaps from Miriam, the song of Moses; from those with whom we have communion we may learn the song of the Lamb. Conclusion. After all, the children, amid ali the new sights, would rejoice most at meeting their father-at seeing him, and remaining with him. As Jethro led them towards the mount, their father was, doubtless, the subject of their talk ; all else derived its interest only from its relation to him. Just so, too, with us. Heaven is our Father's house; it is our Father's presence that makes it home to us. As our Lord leads us thitherward, it is still of the Father whom he speaks. Those whom the Father has given into his care he will bring to their journey's end in safety.-G.