The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 205

victory for the latter. Something whispers to them that their " time is short" ( L Cnr. vii. 29; Rev. xii. 12; cf. Matt. viii. 29). Moral forces are all on the si<le of the kingdom of God. They assist its friends, and operate to enervate and discourage its enernies. 'fhe Christian worker may rely on numerouH invisible allies in men's own hearts. Workings of conscience, stings of fear, dread of God, etc. God would also sen<l. liornets before the Israelites, to drive out the Canaanites from their strong ca.stlc8 (ver. 28). To us there seems no good reason for taking this decla.ra.tion otherwise than literally. If taken symbolically, the "hornets" are equivalent to the stings of fea.r, etc., above referred to. A veritable hornet wa.rfa.re this, and one of great value to the Gospel cause. 'l'aken literally, the "hornets" ma.y be regarded a.s types of secret providenti,,1,l allies--of the co-operation of God in his providence, often by means of things insignificant in themselves, but working, under his secret direction, for the furtherance of his king- dom, and the defeat of those opposed to it. In a million unseen ways---how en- couraging the reflection I-Providence is thus aiding the work of those who fight under Christ's captaincy. (2) They would be prospered in battle (ver. 27). The individual, in his warfare with the evil of his own heart-the Church, in her conflict with the evil of the world-enjoy a similar promise. If Christ inspires, if he, the captain of the Lord's host, gives the signal to advance, victories are certain. However numerous and powerful our spiritual enemies, greater is he that is with us than they that are against us (1 John iv. 4). (3) 'l'he conquest would be given by degrees. God would drive out their enemies before them, "little by little" (ver. 30). 'fhe reason given is, "lest the land become desolate, n.nd the beast of the field multiply against thee" (ver. 27). The method was a wise one. It doubtless had its dangers. Remaining idolatry would tend to become a. snare. 'l'he delay in the extirpation of the Canaanites had thus its side of trial--it would act as a moral test. In other respects it was attended with advanLage. It would make the conquest more thorough. It would enable the Israelites to consolidate, organise, and secure their possessions as they went along. It would prevent the multiplying of the beasts of the field. And quite analogous to this is God's method of conducting us unto our spiritual inheritance. The law of" little by little" obtains here also. "Little by little" the believer gains the victory over evil in self, and the heart is sanctified. " Little by little" the world is conquered for Christ. In no other way is thorough conque:;t possible. Suppose, e.g., that, as the result of extraordinary shakings of the nations, a multitude of uninstructed tribes, peoples, co=unities, were suddenly thrown into the arms of Christendom-even supposing the conversions real, how difficult would it be to prevent mischiefs from arising! Compare the troubles of the Reformation Churches. Make the yet more extravagant supposition that by some supreme moral effort-the evil of our own hearts being suddenly aroused to intense activity-it pleased God to give us the victory over the whole of this evil at once. How little could we do with such a victory when we had it ! Thrown at once upon our own hands, how difficult it would be to know what to do with ourselves! Would not new foes---fantastic conceits -speedily arise from the ground of our yet undisciplined natures, to give us new troubles? The surest method is "little by little." It is not good for any man to have more than he needs-to have a greater victory than he can rightly use; e.g., a man who reads more books than he can mentally digest and assimilate; who has a larger estate than he can manage; who has more money than he can make a good use of. And yet the fac~ of evil still lurking in our hearts, and continuing in the world around us, exposes us to many perils. It acts as a moral test, and so indirectly conduces to the growth of holiness. 4. Material blessings (vers. 25, 26). In the land to which he was conducting them, God would give the people of Israel abundance of food and water; would take away all sickness from their midst (cf. "I am the Lord that healeth thee." eh. xv. 26); would greatly bless their flocks and herds; and would lengthen out their days to the full term (cf. Deut. xxviii. 1-14). The blessings of the new covenant are predominantly spiritual (Eph. L 3). Yet even under it," godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, 111Jd of that which is to come" (1 Tim. iv. 8). Godliness has a natural tendency to promote temporal well-being. So ample a. measure of prosperity as that promised in the text could, however, only accrue frurn. direct Divine blessing. The absolute form of the expression answers to the absolme1wss of the requirement-" Obey my voice, and do all that I speak" (vcr. 31). Falling ebort of the idoal obedience, hrael fell short also of the ideal fulness L•f the blessiug. 5. 216 'l'HE BOOK OF EXODUS. [on. xxm. 21,