intc,lernhle to his deeply-polluted brethren, so much &!ienn.ted in hMrt from God, WM ~tterly unperc-eived by him. 'l'huR effel'tu1dly i,ep&rated from his brethren, the sepa.m- t10u came from no pretension of his own, but from &n inevitable confession made by th,>11e who once &nd e.g&in tried to repudi&te him. He who is filled with the spirit of <'rod becomes more glorious th&n he c&n im&gine. And from those who live near to God. we may be sure there goes out an influence, which, though they themselves be utterly unconscious of it, is yet most mighty in its effect on others. As Moses came down from the mountain, he would be anxiously thinking how he could convey to the people some sen!e of that which he himself had been privileged to see. He may have despa.ired of putting into words the impression made on bis mind ; but now behold God has taken the matter into his own hands. When we take care to keep right Godwarda, God will mke care that we are kept right and powerful manwards. Our greatest im- pression upon men is to be made, not by that which we are labouring to achieve, but by that which we achieve unconsciously, when we become as much 18 possible mere instruments of the willdom and power coming from above. Ill. 'l'HE CONDUCT OF THE PEOPl,E. It is not made clear as to whether the people were unable to gaze upon the splendour of Moses' face through the excess of light which radiated thenoe, or whether they were filled with superstitious terror because one who hitherto had looked but as themselves had become so changed in appearance, Probably the latter way of accounting for their conduct comes nearest to the truth. The~· were afraid of Moses, much as the disciples were of Jesus when they saw him "-alking on the lake and thought it was an apparition. Hence we have another instance of how men, whom God made to be so near to him, yet through their alienation from him, and constant immersion in earthly conoerns, start back when there is some over- whelming manifestation of the unearthly and the divine. Presence of mind is lost just when presence of mind would be most helpful. Moses put on the veil in necessary toleration of human weakness; but we should always read of such necessities with a feeling of humiliation. In only too many things these ungodly Israelites are our repre- l!eDtatives. God, who is our benefactor, cannot reveal himself in all his glory, because of our weakness. When God honoured and enriched the mediator Moses by putting a divine splendour into his countenance, as he came down among men with the laws of a holy and a happy life, this very splendour became a cause of abject terror rather than of confidence and gladness. Yet when tl:.e final Mediator came, full of grace and truth, men rushed to the other extreme. They could see no divinity and authority, and in their contempt and presumption, put the Mediator to death. It is very difficult for men to make a r~ht estimate of the outward shows of things.-Y. ,ers. 28-35.-Fellowship with God and its fruits. L CommNioN WITH Gon. l. The length of his sojourn-forty days and forty nights. Time sped unmarked in the presence and fellowship of God. The future glory an untiring joy. The redeemed :serve him day and night in his temple. 2. Lower wants were forgotten : " he did neither eat bread nor drink water." The need of the body was unfelt in the satisfying of ,he desires of the spirit. "In thy presence is fulness of joy." To escape from temptation we have <'WY to enter into the presence of God and to let the eye rest upon hi.s glory. II. M.Al1 GLORIFIED THBOUGH OOIUlUNION. l. The descent of Moses, radiant with the glory of God, the type of Jesus in his coming again the second time without sin unto salv:1tion. 2. A prophecy of the after glory of them who believe. "They that be wil!e shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." "We shall be like him, for we s ~ ~ee him as he is." 3. An example of the present glory of those who have fellowship with him who J.S light. We are" light in the Lord." 4. Its etf~t upon the worldly and ~he 11i.nful. •.rbey were afraid to come nigh. It awakens conscience. It proves the reality of the Un.seen. It reveals the distance between the soul and God. III. Tm: VEILING OF MosES' FACE. He was imconsciow. of the glory: "he wist not that his face shone." The vision of God is ever accompanied with lowly self-judgment. 2. It wa,; not worn ostentatiously. We may not boast of our nearness to God. Vanity !.!l the Divrne life i.s an impossibility. 3. The glory was veiled in accordance with the ClJ.i,pED..oation which alone ther.e men were able to receive. The whole law with its typee CH. XXXV, 1-3.) THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 377
and shadows was a veiling of the sun of righteonenees, am\ the redemption glory. W4 must meet men where they rire that they rnriy be led to God. The Apostle who spoke " wisdom among them that were perfect" knew how to give milk also to babes in Christ and to speak to tho carnnl.-U.