this period the nation enjoyed a season of rest, received the law, ratified its covenant with God. constructed a sanctuary, and was otherwise equipped and organised, It was a time of repose, of retired communion with God, of receptivity. Such times are very needful in the spiritue.I life. 1. Needful for all. The Christian toiler needs seasonR of re,t (Mark vi. 31). His truest rest will be found in communion with God and study of his will. By-and-by the call will come, summoning him to renewed activity- " Ye h1we dwelt long enough in this mount," etc. (Deut. i. 6). 2. Specially needful in the stage of spir,:tual h-istory immediately succeeding conversion, Young converts will do well to ponder the example of Paul, who, after God had revealed his Son in him, and before entering on his work as an apostle, "went into Arabia," perhaps revisiting this very spot (Gal. i. 17). 'l'hey a.re all the better for some such sea.son of solitary com- munion ~,ith God as is represented by Israel's stay at Sinai. They need repose of mind. Like the Israelites, they have a covenant to ratify with God. Like the Israelites, they stand greatly in need of instruction. 'l'hey need time for lengthened study of the Divine will. They need equipment a.nd preparation for the trials they are afterwards to encounter. Their coming, ii is true, is rather figured as a coming to Mount Sion, than as a coming to Mount Sinai (Heb. xii. 22) ; but none the less has Sinai important lessons which it will be for their interest not to overlook. The Christie.n who does not frequently in spirit visit Sinai will not readily understand his privileges at Sion. The following words of Dr. Candlish express important truth :-" lndividua.lly, by a. sepa- rate process in ea.eh mind, a. distinct spiritual change in every soul, God effects the rescue of his people. There cannot, therefore, be any general gathering together, in a. Ii tera.l sense, such as there wa.s a.t Sinai. But pra.ctica.lly, in a. real though spiritual sense, every converted soul has to pass through an analogous spiritual crisis. It is a momentous crisis, a.s regards both the exodus a.nd the pilgrimage ; the escape he has made and the way he has to go. It is, in fa.et, the settlement, once for all, of the terms upon which he is henceforth to be with his God as his Sovereign Lord. It is his being confronted and brought face to face with God, in a new state and character, a.; redeemed by his grace, and ready for his work." (" Fatherhood of God.")-J. 0.
EXPOSITION. Ver. 3-9.-Tmt FmsT CoVENANTBETWEEN place dedic.ated and set ape.rt to Jehovah. It Gon Alm ISRAEL. A£> Moses, having reached was ne.tura.l, therefore, that, so soon as he the foot of Sinai, was proceeding to ascend reached the near vicinity of the moUDt, he should ascend it. The Lord oe.lled to him out the mountain, where he looked to have special of the llount. God often a.ccepts the will reveLi.tions from God, God called to him out for the deed. and spares his sa.ints & needless of the mountain, and required & positive en- toil Here, as Moses was on his way, God gagement on the pa.rt of the people, before he anticipated him, BDd calling to him out 'Of the would condescend to enter into further direct mounts.in sent him back to the people with a message. The ho1118 of la.cob. This rare ex- relation£ with them. If, through gr&titude pression, familiar to no, sacred writer but for what had been done for them in the de- Isaiah, reea.Ils the promises me.de to Ja.cob of liverance from Egypt, and since, they would &nameroos seed. which should grow from a solemnly eng&ge to obey ~ and keep the house to & nation (Gen. xxviii. 14; xxxv covenant that he should make with them 11). • Ver. 4.-Ye have aeen what I did unto ( verse 5 ), then & fresh revelation should be the Egyptianll. God prefaces his &ppeal to made, and fresh eng&gements entered in~ ; Israel with respect to the future, by remind- but not otherwise. Moses eom~unicated the ing them of what he had done for them in the message to the people through the elders, and past. In the fewest possible words he recalls received the solemn promise, which he carried to their recollection the whole series of signs and wonders wrought in Egypt, from the hack to God_ " All that the Lord bath spoken turning of the water into blood to the de- we will dn." struction of Pharaoh's host in the Red Se&. Ver. 3.-lloB811 went up unto God. From These, he implies, ought to have taught them the time of his ce.11 Moses had kuown th&t to trust him. I bare you on eagle's wings lsr&e! was to serve God upou Siwi.i (eh. iii.12), (compare Deut. xxxii. 11), where the meta- and bad regarded eitbPT one special peak, or phor is expanded at coru;iderable length The illll "·hole range as "the mount of God "-a strength and wight of God's sustaining care CII. XIX, 6-0.] 'l'llE BOOK OF EXODUS. 107 -----------------------------------------