MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 3:19-22
THE DIVINE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUCCESS OR OTHERWISE OF MINISTERIAL WORK
I. That God is thoroughly acquainted with the moral obstinacy of men. “And I am sure that the King of Egypt will not let you go.”
1. There are many people who act like Pharaoh in relation to the commands of God. As Pharaoh treated Moses and the Israelites with contempt—manifesting pride—obstinacy—so there are men and women to-day as proud and obstinate in reference to the requirements of Christ and His Gospel; ministers address Divine messages to them—urge the Divine claims—all in vain. God knows such people. Their names are vocal on His lips. He tells His servants about them. He indicates judgments in reference to them. Such people are almost beyond the reach of ministerial influence. The minister is not altogether responsible for the success of his mission. He cannot force men to be good.
2. In all the commissions of human life God recognises the free agency of the wicked. God could with ease have set the Israelites at liberty, as He did Paul and Silas. Such was not the Divine will. He desired to use moral instrumentalities, in harmony with the volition of man. Is it not a mystery that man has the ability to oppose the will of God?
3. We may inquire into the utility of employing Christian agency where the result will be ineffectual. What utility could there be in the mission of Moses to Pharaoh, when God knew right well that it would be unavailing, and informed Moses of the fact? Why, then, was Moses sent; and would not this knowledge discourage and introduce an element of weakness into his effort? He went at the sovereign command of God to teach Pharaoh the Divine will, that he might be without excuse, that he might be acquainted with the designed freedom of Israel—for the sending of Moses had reference to Israel as well as to the king. It also commenced a series of events that ultimately issued in the overthrow of Pharaoh, and the victory of the Supreme Being on behalf of His people. So ministers are sent to nations—people—to-day who will remain finally impenitent. Such is the method of the Divine arrangement—such the attention of Divine mercy to the worst of characters—such the power of right that it will conquer, if in judgment.
II. That God is thoroughly acquainted with the method He will pursue in reference to the morally obstinate.
1. God deals with the morally obstinate after the method of a consecutive plan. First, He prepares the messenger to visit and teach them; then gives him the message; then tells him how to make it known; then smites in judgments, successive, severs. Thus God does not deal with the morally obstinate according to the impulse of the moment—fitfully, incidentally, but according to a harmonious, merciful, self-consistent plan—a plan that will admit of the repentance and faith of the sinner.
2. God sometimes meets the morally obstinate with demonstrations of His power. “I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders,” etc. Here, then, we have human power in conflict with the Divine—the King of Egypt against the King of Heaven. Which will conquer? The sequel. So sometimes God meets the obstinate sinner with tokens of power,
(1) afflictive,
(2) convincing,
(3) subduing.
III. That God can thwart the intention of the morally obstinate by their own wickedness, and by the conduct of their comrades. (Exodus 3:22.)
1. Pharaoh’s obstinacy was thwarted by his own wickedness. The Egyptians aided the escape of Israel—gave them articles to facilitate their journey. So the purposes of obstinate men are often thwarted by those who share their sin and determination. The work of defeating and subduing obstinate sin is not left wholly to ministers. Often the Egyptians help them.
3. How thoroughly all agencies are at the disposal of God. His ministers are not the only instrumentalities at his call. All events, all persons cluster round them as a centre, and, under Divine direction, accomplish the moral freedom of the good.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Exodus 3:19. God declares the worst as well as the best that meet His servants in the way of salvation.
God knows what the powers of the world will do against the Church, and yet He tries them.
It is incident to worldly powers to deny the humblest request from God.
God in His wisdom suffers worldly powers to wrestle with His mighty hand.
Their sin is aggravated who ever contend with the mighty hand of God.
The madness of sinners is so great, that they will put God’s power to the test.
Exodus 3:20. God is at hand to deal with them that contend with His power.
God’s hand put forth will startle the arm of flesh.
Upon God’s putting forth His hand to vengeance, great smitings are on His enemies.
Wonderful vengeance God’s hand giveth forth sometimes to quell the resistance of adversaries.
God will certainly work wonderful plagues where He threatens them.
The very midst of God’s enemies shall have experience of His wonderful plagues.
Where grace will not prevail with wicked men, force shall.
Sin endures its plagues to no purpose, as it is obliged to yield.
Exodus 3:21-22. There is a grace of favour which the world may show unto God’s Church.
It is God’s only work to incline the hearts of enemies to favour His people.
Fulness, as well as freedom, yield to God’s people at His Word.
God’s Church is neighbour with a wicked world till His time. Even the world has some valuable things that it can give to the Church.
Sometimes God makes the sons and daughters of the Church carry away the treasures of enemies.
At God’s command, the Church shall spoil the enemies that spoiled her.
A great part of the gold and silver now obtained was afterward used in building and furnishing the tabernacle.
The relation of God:—
1. To human outgoings.
2. To human hearts.
3. to human treasures.
God is the proper owner of all treasures, and can dispose of them as He will.
The word rendered “borrow” means simply to ask (Psalms, 2-8, ask), and should be so translated. Israel had, after their toil for the Egyptians, & right to ask their help on their departure.
That “spoiled” does not imply robbery or injustice is evident from its use by Laban’s daughters (Genesis 31:16).
The Egyptians would be so overcome by abject distress as to be ready to part with a considerable portion of their wealth, in order to get rid of a people whose presence menaced them with utter extermination.
God has many ways of balancing accounts between the injured and the injurious—of righting the oppressed, and compelling those that have done wrong, to make restitution; for he sits upon the throne, judging right [Matthew Henry].
ILLUSTRATIONS
Exodus 3:19-20. Like as, if a man’s foot, leg, or arm be broken, with how great pain the same is restored to its former estate all men know; but if any member of our body should be broken twice or thrice, or more often, in one and the self-same place, every man can then judge how hard a thing it were for that part to recover its perfect strength and health again: even so fareth it in the ruptures and wounds of our soul. If a man do commit sin once or twice, and do unfeignedly, without dissimulation, make his refuge to the medicine of repentance, he doth out of hand obtain health again, and that sometimes without any scar or blemish of the disease past; but if he begin to add sins upon sins in such sort that the wounds of the soul do rather putrefy within him, by covering and defending them, than heal, by repentance and confession, it is to be feared such a one shall not find repentance at commandment when he wisheth for it [Cawdray].
Exodus 3:20. As the course of a stream, being stopped, it gathereth a great dam, and being let suddenly go, it overfloweth all in its way; even so God’s anger, being stayed a time, the windows of heaven being opened, it will (shortly, it is to be feared) pour down on our heads plentifully for the manifold sins that reign in every estate throughout the whole land.
As wet wood, although it be long burning, yet will burn faster at last; so the anger of God, although it be long coming, yet it will come the fiercer at the last.