The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 333

III_. Goo's SOVEREIGNTY JN THE EXER0!SE OF ~ROY IB 1':0'I'. A~BITRARINl':AS. (Sec on eh. v1. 14---28.) It has, as there shown, 1te self-1mpoeed hm1tat1one and inherent laws of operation. It is holy, wise, and good. It aims, we may believe, at the ultimate salvation of the largest number possible, consistently with all the interests involved.- J. 0. Vere. 1-32.-The resloralion lo Divine favowr wrrvpleted. Thie is a chapter which beginning very gloomily, ends very gloriously. In the beginning Jehovah seems as if bidding farewell to the people for whom he had done so much ; but at the close he is seen giving a revelation to Moses their leader, which must have sent him forth to resume his o.rduous work with greater encouragements than he ever hau before. It is therefore very interesting to trace how this change was brought about. I. WE BEE THE PEOPLE ARE BROUGHT TO A MEASURE OF PENITENCE. We cannot assume that this penitence went very deep, so far as the general apprehension of unworthiness of conduct was concerned. But there was this depth in it, that the people perceived they had done something wrong, something insulting to Jehovah, something very do.ngerous to their own prospects. And bow had this been brought about? Simply by the eta.tement of Jehovah that he would not go up with those who had hitherto been his people. He would not go-the real truth was that he could not go. The sin of the people, their reckless, thoughtless trifling with holy things made his presence among them a peril. Something, indeed, had to be done to get these people from Iloreb to Canaan, and settle them in possession ; but that could be done by a sort of exercise of physical force. So much Jehovah could do for these Israelites, howsoever idolatrous they became. But bis great blessing for them was not in the mere possession of Canaan, with its temporal riches and comforts. The temporal riches of Canaan were no more than those of any other laml, save as God himself was in the midst of those who pos- 8essed the riches. What a humiliating thing to consider that God had to threaten with- drawal from his people in a sort of exercise of mercy. Suppose for a moment that the people had continued obdurate, what would the end have been? They would, indeed, have gone fo.rward and got Cana.an, and theu sunk back, so that Israelite would have had no more importance in the history of the world and the development of God's pur- poses than Amorite, Hittite, or any of the other tribes mentioned in ver. 2. II. CONSIDER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEPARATED TAllERNACLE. In all probability this was the tent of Moses, and if so, we see at once a beautiful mingling of grace with necessary severity. Moses was prompted to separate from the people, but not to de.part from them. Jehovah could not come down in the pillar of cloud into the midst of the camp; and for this no reason needs be sought other than the peril to the people flowing from his holiness. Thus' there was everything to fill the minds of the people with a. suita.ble mingling of humility and hope. Moses, true type of the greater Media.tor yet to come, gave a point where God and the people could meet together. Jehovah will not depart, unless, so to speak, he is driven away. These people could not bear his presence ; and yet-apparent contradiction-they could not do without him. Individual Israelites made it plain by their seeking Jehovah that they could not do without him; and he in his never-failing loving-kindness and pity, provided for such. The fate of the nation was trembling in the balance; but ample access and counsel were secured to the indi- vidual believer. There was a definite and favoured place for every individual who in his need sought the Lord. National trouble did not eclipse, it rather intensified and aggravated, individual trouble and need. III. NOTE THE POINTS OF INTEREST JN THE CONVERSATION BETWEE."I MosES AND JEHOVAH WITH WHICH THIS CHAPTER CONCLUDES. 1. There is what we may call the holy boldness of Moses. 'l'here is an illustration here of the importunity and great confidence with which God's people should persist in their approaches to the throne of the heavenly grace. Only just before God had spoken in great anger; and Moses, when he became aware from his own observation of the extent of the people's trans- gression, approached Jehovah with the utmost deference. Eut as time went on, and he was able to ta.ke all the elements of the position more and more into consideration, he felt himself shut up to persistent waiting upon God. A. return to God's favour and guidance is the only way out of the difficulty; and therefore Moses cannot but be bolcl and pertinacious in doing his best to secure that way. 2. He makes the most out of God's Ja.uoul' to him as an individual. Not only have the people been apostate and 358 THE BOOK 01'' EXODUS. [cH. llXXIII. 1-ll,