The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 206

H:r.pansirm of ho1111ds (ver. 31). Only once or twice W&B this mnimum of possession loucherl by lsr~el. Failure in ~be !ulfilment of the condition kept b:tck fulfilment of the pro1~1se. 'lhe Church's destmy 1s to possess the whole earth (Ps. ii. 8). 11. V.· An:i:irnos. If these glorious promises are to be fulfilled to Israel, they must ohcy the voice of God n.ad of his angel. Let them beware, therefore,-1. Of provoking the angel (ver. 21). God's name was in him, and be would not pardon their trana- gres~1on~. That is, he would not take a light view of their sins, but would strictly mark them, and severely punish them. He was not a Being to be trifled with. If his wrath against them were kindled but a little, they would perish from the way (Ps. ii. 1_2). Be was one with_Jehovah in his burning zeal for holiness, and in bis determina- t10n not to clear the guilty. See below. The Gospel is not wanting in its similar side of sternness. There is a "wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. vi. 17). There is a "judgment" which "begins at the house of God" (1 Pet. i\r. 17). There is the stem word-" It ~hall come to pass, that .~very so~ which will not bear t~t prophet, shall be destroyed trom among the people (Acts 111. 28). • Cf. also Heb. u. 2, 8; x. 26--39; xii. 25. :!. 'l'hey must ,wt seroe other gods (ver. 24). Conversely, they were utterly to over- throw the idol gods, and to break down their images. "Where Jesus comes, be comes to reign." No rival will be tolerated alongside of him. We cannot serve (1) God and Mammon (Matt. vi. 24). (2) God and fashion (1 John ii. 15-18). (8) God and our nwn lust,; (2 Pet. i. 4; ii. 20, 21). (4) God and human glory (John v. 44). The w.1n;hip of Jehovah a.nd that of any of the world's idols will not amalgamate. See retlected in these commands the principles which a.re to regulate the relation of God's sern1.nt,; at this hour to the world and to its evil-{l) No toleration of it (Matt. v. :!!J, 30). (2) No communion with it (2 Cor. vi. 14-18; Eph. v. 8, 11). (3) Un- ,~ing w-.1.r against it (2 Cor. x. 4; Col. iii. 5). 8. They must make no league with the Oanaanites (ver. 32). The lesson taught is, that believers a.re to seek their friendships, their alliances, their consorts, etc., elsewhere than among the ungodly. We a.re not only to keep out of harm's way, and a.void occasions of sin, but we a.re to labour to remove from our midst entirel,y what experience proves to be an incurable sna.re.-J. O. Yer. 21.-The angel, provokd,. The language in this passage is very strong, and may occasion difficulty. "Provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my na.me is in him." If this angel is the Son of God, he who afterwards became incarnate for man's salvation, and who died to procure forgiveness for us, it startles us to he.ar of him-" he will not pardon your transgressions." When we think, too, on what God's name irnports-<1n the revelation subsequently ma.de ofit,-" The Lord, the Lord God, merciful a.nd gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin," etc., it a.stonishes us to lea.rn that this angel, in whom the name is, will not pa.rdon Israel's ~in. The history, also, may be thought to create difficulties. For, undeniably, the lsraelites were often pardoned. They were, in truth, continually being pardoned; for, "stiff-necked" as they were, they could not have stood for a day in their covenant, ba.d not God's mercy been constantly extended to them. It is plain, therefore, from the nature of the c.a.se, that the expression is not to be ta.ken absolutely; the sense in which it u to be understood well deserves investigation. I. 1N WHAT SENSE TROE OF lsB.AEL. The general meaning is, as stated above, that the angel would not look lightly on their offences, would not pass them over, but would severely punish them. This accorded with the constitution under which they were placed, to which it belonged, that "every transgression a.nd disobedience" should "receive a just recompense of reward" (Heb. ii. 2). The context suggests, or admits of, the following qualifications-I. The statement refers, it will be observed, to what the angel will do when "provoked "-to what will happen when his wrath is "kindled" auainst Israel (cf. Ps. l.xx:viii. 21, 49, 50, 59, etc.). But how long did this Divine <::nduct,or bear with Israel before permitting his wrath to be thus kindled against u,clll ! He was "slow to anger." What pardon was implied in his very long- isulforing ! 2. The transgrC68ions alluded to are_ not ordinary offences-not the sins of infirmity and short-coming which ma.rk the lives even of the best-but such out- ~Laudin" acts of trans"ression as a.re mentioned in the context-fundamental brea.ches of tl,c ~uvenant. Th~se were the sins which would specially prov1Jke the angel (cf. CH. XXILI. 21.] TllE BOOK 01<' EXOIJUS. 217