JII. TBE COVENANT RESTORED (vers. 9, 27, 28). 1. The interce.9Rinn. This fourth and last intercession presents us with several noteworthy features. (1) It was very pro- longed. The nccount here is summary; but Moses tells us in Deuteronomy (eh. ix. 2fi), that he "fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights as at the first," and prayed Mrnestly that the people might not be destroyed ( cf. ver. 28). (i) It included inter- cession for Aaron (Deut. ix. 20). (3) It is marked by a deep perception of the root of depravity in the people's nature. Moses bas no longer the same optimistic views rn- garding them as when he disputed with God the necessity of giving them further warning about not approaching the mount (eh. xix. 23). Note how, in the first intercession, it is the people's danger; in the second, the people's guilt; and in the last, the people's depravity, which is chiefly before the intercessor's mind. He here pleads the innate tendency as a reason why God should deal mercifully with them (ver. 9). Human nature does not improve on closer inspection. But there is weakness as well as sin in its condition. The Divine ruler may be trusted to make the requisite allowances (cf. Gen. vi.ii. 21). (4) It is marked-and this is the outstanding circumstance in connection with it-by the degree in which Moses is now able to identify himself with the people for whom he intercP.,des. " Let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us . . . . And pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance" (ver. 9). More than ever he feels himself one with his nation. Intercession has perfected sympathy. But not intercession alone. It may be inferred that no act had more to do with this result than the supreme act of self-devotion, already considered, in which he expressed his willingness to die, and, if need be, to be blotted out of God's book, for the salvatior.. of the people. In that amazing act, the last traces of selfishness must have perished. He has given himself for Israel, and is thenceforth one with it. Subsequent inter- cessions can but develop, and give clearer and fuller expression to the sense of unity with his people born within him in that supreme hour in his experience. Sinful as the people are, accordingly, Moses, in his present entreaty does not shrink from including himself among them. "Our iniquity''-" our sin." The just takes part with the unjust. He makes their sin his, and pleads for its forgiveness. The worse they show themselves, the more earnestly he holds by them, and endeavours to sustain them by his prayers. If sympathy be a qualification for the task of mediation, lfose5 thus possesses it. His intercession, in this respect, throws striking lights on Christ's. 2. The success. The prolonged, fervent, and sympathetic intetcession of Moses did not fail of its reward. "The Lord," he tells afterward, "hearkened unto me at that time also" (Deut. ix. 19). Nothing was wanting to the completeness of his success. The last frown had disappeared from the countenance of Jehovah. Covenant relations were perfectly restored. The people were reinstated in privilege. No wonder that the mediator's face "shone" as he descended from the mount! We, too, have an intercessor whom the Father "heareth always" (John xi. 42).-J. 0.
EX.POSITION. Vers. 5-8.-Tm: l!'ULFILMENT BY Goo OJ' him" (ver 6). Probably no further descrip- ms PROllllSE TO MOSES. This section coheres tion could be given of that marvellous mani- closely with the last section of the preceding festation beyond those words in which it was chapter, and mnst be regarded as the historical promised (eh. xxxiii. 21-23). Its effects were account of how God fulfilled the promises there seen in that permanent reflection of God's made by him to Moses ( eh. xxxiii. 19-23). glory on the face of Moses, which thenceforth The promises were mainly two-I. That he cumpelled him to wear a veil mostly when he would proclaim his name to him afresh ; and 2. showed himself to the people (vers. 33----35). That he would pllSS by him, and let him see, Ver. 5.-The Lord descended in the cloud. after he had passed, what man might see of his The cloudy pillar, which ha.tl stood at the duor glory. 'fhe fulfilment of the first promise ap- of the Tent of Meeting ( eh. "-"'---"'iii. 10), was pears in the long enllllleration of attributes withdrawn while Moses ascended Sinai, an,! probably disappeared from men·s sight. Wheu contaiued in vers. 6, 7 ; the fulfilment of the Moses reached the top, it descended 0nce more second is expressed with extreme brevity in from the sky, and stood with him tlhcre. the wordl!-1' And the Lord passed by before Then a voice from the cloud proclaimed the THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [cu. llXXlV. G-8.