The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 310

seemed at the time, would afterwards have been seen as neither any hindrance in th fulfilment of God's purposes, nor any dimming of the brightness of his glory. Be ii remembered tho.t these same people whom God brought out with great power and '1 mighty hand, yet nevertheless perished in the wilderness. Spared this time, they were in due season cut down o.s cumberers of the ground. And as to any scornful words the Egyptians might speak, God's glory was not at the mercy of their tongues; for it h,ul been manifested beyond all cavil in a sufficiently terrible chapter of their own history. Then as to the words spoken to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even if all but Moses h!ld been swept away, yet in him the seed of Abraham would have been continued, just as in the days of the flood. God did not utterly destroy the human race, but narrowed it dow:! t.o one family. And more than all we should bear in mind that the true fulfilment of God's promises wo.s to Abraham's spiritual seed; they who being of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Hence we must not too readily conclude that wh,at Mose.~ said was the thing which here influenced Jehovah in what is called his repentance. The influ- ential power was, that here was a man to say something, to act as a mediator, one deeply concerned to secure escape for these people, even while they, revelling in the plain below, are all unconscious of their danger. Notice that Moses says nothing by way of excuse for the people. Indeed, the full magnitude of their offence had not yet been compre- hended by him; and it is interesting to contrast his pleadings here with an angry God, and his own wrath when he came actually in sight of the golden calf. The one thing Moses fixes on, in his appeal to God, is the great Divine purpose for Israel. He recalls how great that purpose is; he is profoundly concerned that it should not be interfered with; and so we are led to think of Jesus the true Mediator, with a knowledge of Divine purposes and human needs, such as it was not for Moses to attain. Consider how Jesus dwells and caused his apostles to dwell on God's great purposes for the children of men. 'l'hus both from Moses the type, and Jesus the antitype, we should learn to think of men not as they are only, but as they ought to be, and as God proposes they should be. Evidently Moses kept constantly in mind God's purposes for Israel, even though he knew not how profound and comprehensive those purposes were. So let us, knowing more than Moses of God's purposes for men in Christ Jesus, keep constantly in mind that which will come to all who by a deep patient, and abiding faith approve them- selves true children of Abra.ham.-Y. Ver. 14.-Some powers restrain, some compel. Here we see a restraining p.:,wer, and one which can even restrain God. Notice- I. Evn. THREATENED. 1. Justly merited. Remember all that had gone before: deliverance after a series of awe-inspiring judgments on the oppressors; warnings after previous murmurings; now, with a fuller revelation of God's majesty, this act of impa- tient apostasy : all compelled to the conclusion that the people were utterly stiff-necked (ver. 9). 2. Complete and final. As a moulder in clay, when he finds his material getting hard and intractable, throws it down, casts it away, and takes up with something more pliable, so God determines with regard to Israel (ver. 10). Let the children of Israel go, and let the children of Moses inherit the promises. II. 'l'HE INTERCESSION. Only one thing held back the judgment (ver. 10). As though God could not act without the consent of Moses. [Cf. Hot sun would melt snow but for shadow of protecting wall.] The heat of God's wrath cannot consume so long as Moses stands in the way and screens those against whom it burns. Wha~ a power! See how it was exercised :-1. Unselfishly. He might have thought, "A disgrace to me if these people are lost when I have led them;" this fear, however, pro- vided against by the promise that he shall be made "a great nation." The interce~sion is prompted by pure Ullselfishness; Moses identifies himself with those for whom he pleads; and this gives the power. To come between the sun and any object, you must be in the line of the sun's rays; and to come, as Moses did, between God and a people, you must be in the line of God's will. 2. With perfect freedom. Moses talks with Jehovah as a trusted steward might with his employer: (1) Why so angry when he has exercised such power on their behalf? (ver. 11). (2) Why should the Egyptians be permitted to taunt him with caprice and cruelty'? (ver. 12). (3) Let him remember his oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (ver. 13). The unselfish man need not fear to speak thus openly with God Unselfishness is so God-like that it permits familiarity wbil~t it guanb aiaiu~t incl'crcnc~.  'l'IIE DOOK OF EXODUS. fen. '.'!Xll:11. 7-15.