Exodus
Genesis left Israel in Egypt as a “house,” or family. See Gen. 50: 22.
Exodus leaves them a nation of about two million souls (ch. 18:21-24), with chiefs, code of laws, judicature, and settled form of worship.
Exodus finds them a ‘’family” (ch. 1:1-0), and leaves them a theocracy, the people of God. Ch. HO: 3-1 3; 29: 0; 40: 84. See John 3: 1G.
1: 9. All bad kings have feared the rise of manhood.
Never neglect young life.
10. In dealing with the children of Israel, nothing better than murder occurred to this short-sighted king. He never thought of culture, kindness, social development, etc.
2: 1. Renown may have obscurity for a pedestal.
2: 3. Jochebed hud the ark in the flags by the river’s brink, but first she laid it on the heart of God.
8. Where the heart is moved to do some noble and heroic thing, the first thought should be taken as an inspiration from God. Do n’t think about it, but do it.
We call the early life of Moses miraculous, and find in our own nothing to excite religious wonder or thankfulness.
12. Rashness makes work for repentance. Judges 1 1: 31; Dan. 6: 14. Moses killed the’ Egyptian and next day his influence was gone. Murder for liberty; wrong committed for the right.
14. So Christ was rejected by his brethren. Matt.
10 :3G. 17. Men can be held by the heart forever, but not by
the throat.
3: Objections raised by Moses for dec-lining and avoiding God’s call: — Lack of fitness. V. 11.
«’ “words. V. 13.
” •’ authority. Chap. 4: 1.
“” powers of speech. 4: 10.
“” special adaptation. 4: 13.
“” success at first attempt. 5: 23.
“” acceptance by Israelites. G: 12.
1. Moses had gone back to the occupation of his ancestors.
5. Under the law: “Put off thy shoes.”
Under grace: “Put shoes on his feet.” Luke 15: 22.
3: 10. The call of Moses.
11. “Who am I?” God could have accomplished the exodus by an angel, or by a word, but he uses men to speak to men. Mediators. See 1 Tim.
14. Whose business was Moses going on? Magnify
your office. Do not belittle your duty. Moses remembered his failure, in chap. 2.
“I AM that I AM.’’ “A name as mysteriously human as the bush is mysteriously equal to the solemn occasion: another name not human at all in its first impression on the mind, a verb whose conjugation cannot go beyond the first line, an ‘I AM ’ that doubles back upon itself, and waits with mysterious patience ’ to become flesh and dwell among us.”
God did not date far back into history, but placed himself in living relations with men with whom Moses was familiar. See v. 6.
: 1 We are not told to be successful, but to be obedient. It is the work of the Spirit to make men believe; we must deliver the message. Every preacher has to face human mistrust.
5. When God joined himself to Moses’s rod, it worked wonders.
10. Moses’s excuse now becomes personal. He claims he is not eloquent, yet, in Deut. 32 :1, he calls
heavens and earth to hear him.. As if the Maker of man’s mouth could not touch
his lips with eloquence!
Not eloquence, but truth. 1 Cor. 2: 1-5. — Paul. Don’t be self-conscious. Think of Moses turning
his great mission into a question of his own
eloquence!
4: 13. What Moses would have missed if God had chosen Aaron, or Joshua, or Caleb instead! John 6:66.
21. Hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. See chapter 7: 13. If a man rejects mercy he becomes hardened. The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay. See Ps. 81: 12; 2 Thess. 2:11; Gen. 6: 3.
If you want to see what hardening would do, look at Pharaoh; if you want to see what mercy would do, look at Israel. Both failed.
A child can treat God with sulkiness and silence. The tiniest knee* can stiffen and refuse to bow be fore him.
Without water, clay becomes like stone. Without the grace of God, the heart becomes hard.
24. Moses had married into the world, and now his
reaping-time had come. We may learn three things from the plagues: —
1. The divine right in life.
2. Human opposition to divine voices.
3. God always wins. Acts 9:5; Ps. 99: 1.
7: 19. The first plague was to turn the waters of Egypt into blood. The first miracle of Jesus was to turn water into wine (joy). See John 2: 1-12. We wonder about the river turned into blood, but not about the heart turned into stone.
8:15. “When Pharaoh saw there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto” Moses and Aaron. Like the newsboy who only said his
prayers at night; he could take care of himself by day.
8: 11. The power of the magicians broke down at last. You cannot run the whole race with God: He will conquer in the end. 27. Pharaoh’s first confession of sin.
12: Kedemption.
There must have been at least two hundred ctnd fifty thousand lambs slain at Passover; yet we never find the word “lambs.” “Kill it” — one grand representation of the Lamb of God.
6. Not a live lamb. Not the life of Christ, but his death and his blood are efficacious.
7, 8. The blood of the lamb was safety.
The flesh of the lamb was nourishment.
33. Pharaoh at first said the children of Israel should not go out of Egypt, but God said they should. Unbelief says, “No.” Fear says, “No.” The devil says, “No.” But God says, “Yes.”
13: Sanctification.
The Passover shows the work of Christ, whose blood cleanses from sin.
The Rod Sea passage — his work in delivering his
people from the power of Satan. The passage of Jordan — our standing in Christ’s
resurrection. 13: 21. While you are in the wilderness, the only way to
walk is to follow the cloud of glory.
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14: Deliverance.
10. Old enemies pursuing. You do n’t step right out of Egypt on to the throne of God. Old sins and habits assert themselves. The devil never says “Good-bye.” After you think he is dead, he turns up in your heart.
13. Moses said, “Stand still.” The Lord said, “Go
forward “: which was their salvation. No one can “go forward” in the strength of God, until he has first “stood still” in his own helplessness.
20. “The one came not near the other all the night.” It must amaze the devil, says John Me Neill, that he has not gotten us before now. When everything seems in his favor, and we seem to be selling ourselves to him, there is an invisible and impenetrable wall between us, and he has not golten us yet.
22. Faith xrrms to be as feeble as a wall of waters: but it is strong as a wall of iron.
25: Triumph.
1. The redeemed sing this same song in heaven. Rev. 15:3.
There was no song in Egypt. Infidelity has no songs.
15: 13. “Led forth, “then” guided.”
23. Bitter waters after the passage of the Red Sea. Life’s greatest triumphs may be succeeded by vexatious incidents, even though you are in the right path.
16: 21. The daybreak blessing is a day-long gain.
Seek the heavenly manna in the morning of your life.
32. The way to enrich life is to keep a retentive mem ory in the heart.
17: 9. First mention of Joshua. He was probably forty-five years old.
18: 25. “Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over all the people.” Moses never thought that hitherto he had been letting the talents of others lie idle.
19: 5. “Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” The gospel originated in heaven; no desire was first expressed by the people. God first prepares the heart, later he gives the word of the law.
8. “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” Bold
and self-confident language. The golden calf,
the broken tables, the neglected ordinances, the
stoned messengers, the rejected and crucified
Christ, are overwhelming evidence of man’s dishonored vows.
20t If man puts himself under the law, it is duty or
damnation.
The ten commandments exhibit: —
1. God’s strict justice.
2. Man’s awful depravity.
8-11. Under the law, they labored first, then rested. But under grace we first find rest in Jesus, and then work.
25. No hewn stone — “no works,” no human effort.
“If thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.” — Polluted, not polished.
26. We have no steps to climb when we approach God.
24: The Old Testament Transfiguration.
Under the law:
V. 1. “Afar off.”
V. 2. “Not come nigh,” “neither go up.”
Under grace:
Heb. 4:16. “Come boldly unto the throne of grace.”
Heb. 10: 22. “Let us draw near.” We may search from end to end of the legal ritual,
and not find the words “draw nigh.”
25: The inspired house, like the inspired Book, employs only willing hands to carry out God’s plans. Invention is not invited.
18. The cherubim represent “the redeemed.” Ezekiel’s living creatures were cherubim (Eze. 10: 20), and in Rev. 5:9 they sang, “Thou hast redeemed us.”
26: 14. The rams’ skins would always remind them of the ram caught in the thicket. Gen. 22: 13.
15. The boards, taken from nature and covered with gold, were fit for God’s house. So sinners are prepared for Christ’s spiritual temple.
19. The silver sockets on which the boards rested,
were made out of the ransom-money. Ex. 30: 12-16. Christians stand on the redemption of Christ.
28: 12. Aaron bore the names of the twelve tribes on his shoulders. So Christ bears the church. Luke 15:5.
29: 4. “Wash.” A clean body for a clean soul.
10. Identification with the offering: hence death, v. 11; atonement, v. 12; judgment satisfied in God’s acceptance, vs. 13, 14.
20. The ear — God-ward — hear.
hand — man- ward — work,
foot — earth-ward — walk.
The same rites were used in consecrating the priest and in cleansing the leper!
33.” But a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.” No more should an unconverted man partake of the Lord’s Supper.
39. “The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the olher lamb thou shalt offer at even.” This custom was kept up for fifteen hundred years.
30: 15. One ransom-price for all. So one Christ for all. Both within reach of rich and poor, who are on a level as regards redemption.
31: 2. Hezaleel = in the shadow of God. Uri = light of Jehovah.
For the work of the tabernacle, or of the ministry,
there should be: — (I.) The divine selection and call.
V. 2. “I have called.”
V. 6. “I have given.”
(2.) The divine qualification.
V. 3. “I have filled.”
V. 6. “I have put wisdom.”
(3.) The divine commandment.
V. 6. “I have commanded.”
32: 1. “How singularly like the apostasy of professing Christendom in the last days, as foretold by Christ and his apostles, is this apostasy of Israel. They were tested by the prolonged ab sence of Moses, as the Church is tested by the prolonged absence of Christ. In Matt. 24: 48, our Saviour teaches us that the apostasy begins by the evil servant saying, ‘My Lord delayeth his coming.’ In Matt. 25: 19, we read, ‘After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them. ‘In 2 Peter 3:3, 4, we read, ‘There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? ‘Human nature is the same from generation to generation.”
When Moses was gone, Aaron failed. He was not God-called and chosen.
“Up, make us gods.’’ Manufactured gods! The graving tool of unbelief (v. 4).
11-13. Moses found no plea in Israel’s conduct or character, but only in the glory of God, the vindication of his holy name, and the accomplishment of his oath.
14. God’s repenting is not a change of his will but of his work.
28. Three thousand lose their life at the proclamation of the law. Three thousand gained life everlasting at the first preaching of the gospel.
33. Under the law God speaks of blotting out the *t’nner; under grace, he is seen blotting out .tin.
33: 18. When Moses met God at the burning bush, he was afraid; but when he got better acquainted, he was bold.
34: 6, 7. Note the attributes of God: -
Merciful; gracious; longsuffering; abundant in goodness, and truth; keeping mercy for thousands; forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; by no means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children.
29. “Moaes wist not that the skin of his face shone.” Spurgeon said of a certain man that he always thought he was sinless until the man said so himself!
The Athenians at one time used to have their prisoners tried in the dark, lest their countenances should influence the judges.
The face is often a better witness than the lips.
Willing hearts — three times, vs. 5, 22, 29. Wise hearts — three times, vs. 1 0, 25, 35. Heart stirred — twice, vs. 21, 20. Heart to teach — once, v. 34.
Free will in the work, vs. 5, 21, 22, 29. Fitted for the work, vs. 10, 25, 31, 34, 35. Fired to the work, vs. 21, 2(5.
4-10. Note the qualifications here given for partnership in the Lord’s work: —
1. Out of Egypt: redeemed by blood.
2. Commanded by (Jod to do the thing.
3. Willing-hearted to give.
4. Wise-hearted to make.
5. Kagrr-hearted to act.
Men would murmur less if they worked more.
36: 6.” And Moses gave commandment, and they caused
it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the oirering of the sanctuary.” Many would be late. How they would be filled with remorse!
38: 8. The laver of brass not only furnished water for the priests to wash in, but its shining, polished surface revealed any spots or pollution in them.