CRITICAL NOTES.—
Exodus 8:9. Glory over me] Or, “Explain thyself.” So Gesenius and Fürst: similarly, Sept. and Vulg.
Exodus 8:14. Upon Heaps] Lit. “heaps, heaps,”—with beautiful simplicity and expressiveness.
Exodus 8:15. Respite] Lit. “breathing”=“breathing time.”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 8:8-15
THE TRANSIENT REPENTANCE OF A WICKED SOUL
I. That moods of transient repentance are sometimes awakened by the retributive judgments of God. “And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people.” From this speech of Pharaoh we should imagine, either that the plague of frogs did only afflict his own people, or that he cared not for its removal from Israel. He is, however, now in deeply penitent mood. But it is the penitence of the hypocrite and not a godly sorrow. It was induced within his heart by the infliction of retribution rather than by the gentle convictions of the Divine spirit. It was selfish. It desired not a new life, but simply the removal of the judgments that had come upon the nation. Why did not Pharaoh manifest repentance before this? Probably because this plague was more severe than any that had preceded it, and there was no escape from it as from the first, when the people obtained water by digging near the river. Some men will never repent of sin while they have any mitigation of its woe, they are only subdued by the utmost extremity. How many sinners act as did Pharaoh in this incident. They are obstinate in their evil practices; they resist the word of God, the messages of God, and many of the milder retributions of God, and are only touched into transient contrition of soul by the harsher judgments of life. Many repent when in sorrow, and amidst the solemnities of a sick room. In this way they seek to get rid of the consequences of wrongdoing. A repentance inspired by the dread of penalty is but of momentary duration, and is generally of but little worth. True repentance will have reference to God and to the violated law, rather than to self comfort and immunity from pain.
II. That in moods of transient repentance men call for the ministers of God whom they have previously despised. “Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron.” As we know, Moses and Aaron had interviewed the proud monarch of Egypt several times before, they had presented to him most faithfully the claims of God, and had met with defiance and contempt; but now, when the soul of Pharaoh is subdued by the retribution of the hour, he sends for these two servants of God, and asks them to pray for him. This is an every day picture. Men reject the claims of God, they neglect his word, they pay no need to his ministers, but in the experiences of trouble they immediately send for those whom they have formerly disregarded. We read that Moses and Aaron yielded to the request of Pharaoh, they went to him and prayed for the removal of the plague by which he was tormented. They were true ministers of heaven. They might have treated the call of the monarch with contempt, they might have left him to the agony of his own mind. They might have asserted their independence. They might have exhibited an unforgiving disposition. But no, they seek to aid him in his perplexity. Ministers must be forbearing toward their people, and embrace any opportunity of leading them to the mercy of God. But the repentance that sends for the minister under the impulse of fear, will be likely to dismiss him when the plague is removed. It is well to heed the voice of the servant of God before the hour of retribution.
III. That in moods of transient repentance men make promises of amendment they will never perform. “And I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.” It is hard to determine whether Pharaoh was sincere when he made this promise. He was probably driven to despair, and was prepared to make any immediate concession if only the plague might be removed. As to the redeeming of any pledge he might give under the pressure of these circumstances, that was altogether an after consideration. The word of Pharaoh was worth but little, and this Moses knew right well. But we must give the worst of men credit for any tokens of repentance they may show, as at this stage it is difficult to determine the false from the real. How many men have made the promise of moral amendment in time of trial, on beds of sickness; they have said that if their lives were spared they would yield to the claims of God, but the sequel has proved the futility of their vow. We should remember in joy the vows made in sorrow, in health, those made in sickness, and then painful discipline will become happy and glorious.
IV. That in moods of transient repentance men will acknowledge that prayer to God for mercy is their only method of help. “Entreat the Lord that he take the frogs from me.” Thus it would seem that the proudest monarchs know the value of humility and the efficacy of prayer. Pharaoh does not now send for the magicians. He forsakes all human methods of escape from his perplexity, and seeks the merciful aid of heaven. In this he was right. He appears now to be entering upon a better manhood. But alas, the prophecy of this penitent mood was never fulfilled. Men of to-day may learn a lesson from the conduct of this heathen king, that prayer to God is the best method of escape from trouble.
V. That in moods of transient repentance men sometimes obtain the removal of the judgments of God. “And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.” This shows the influence upon life and circumstances of even a transient repentance. But did not God know that the contrition of Pharaoh was only for the hour? He did. But the removal of the plague was a token of mercy toward him, was a discipline of love calculated to lead him to duty, and which being ultimately despised enhanced his condemnation.
LESSONS:—
1. That trials are calculated to lead the soul to repentance.
2. That under trials the repentance of men may be transient.
3. That the mercy of God is rich to the proudest sinner.
4. That the servants of God should be helpful to penitent souls.
(1.) By fidelity.
(2.) By sympathy.
(3.) By prayer.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Exodus 8:8. When the first judgment has no effect, the second may make sinners yield.
The judgments of God make the proudest potentates acknowledge Him.
In the confession of the wicked God only can remove their judgments.
Exodus 8:9-10. God’s servants are ready to help their oppressors in their misery.
Great sinners will have their beasting turned into reproach.
God in His providence may offer time and means of deliverance to his enemies.
In removal of plagues from the wicked God makes His own limitations.
Under Providence wicked men may choose such time of mercy that may justify God and condemn themelves.
God condescends sometimes to give the wicked their desires, in order that they may glorify Him.
God enables ministers to assure souls of the certainty of His promise.
PROCRASTINATION
“And he said to-morrow.” Pharaoh had sought Moses to come to his aid, to ask God to remove the plague of frogs. Moses, guided by the Holy Spirit, had promised that the monarch’s desire should be granted. “Glory over me.” You have now forsaken the magicians, command me, I only wish your good. Thus in effect did Moses address the king. But Pharaoh delayed the removal of the plague until the morrow. In this incident we see the reluctance that there is on the part of men to yield to the claims of God, and to bid adieu to their sins. Why did Pharaoh delay? The king hoped that by the morrow the plague might disappear by natural means. He had a latent feeling that after all this miracle of frogs was a natural phenomenon, and might be removed by a favourable wind.
I. By delay the sinner prolongs his moral suffering. The king of Egypt might have had the frogs removed from himself and people at once; but on account of his delay they remained to torment him longer. God’s mercy offers the wicked immediate relief from sin and its painful consequences; but they prefer to retain their woe rather than to accept immediate release upon the moral conditions imposed.
II. By delay the sinner abuses Divine mercy. Pharaoh had no claim to the mercy of God. Yet it was shewn him. Had he at once embraced it, he would have proved himself more worthy of it. He continued in self-sufficiency. Men who neglect the mercy of God for a single day abuse it, and deserve it to be withdrawn from them.
III. By delay the sinner can obtain no other method of help. Pharaoh might delay the removal of the plague in the hope that it would pass away without the Divine intervention; but in vain. Only the word of God could remove it. Men may anticipate salvation in some other way than through Christ; but they are deluded by a false hope. Christ only can pardon their sins.
IV. By delay the sinner may be eternally lost. Delay is dangerous. To neglect salvation for a day may be fatal to the eternal welfare of the soul. We are asked when we would like to be rid of our moral plagues. Let us respond promptly to the question of God’s servants. LESSONS:
1. Delay is unnecessary.
2. Delay is common.
3. Delay is criminal.
4. Delay is fatal.
Exodus 8:11-15. Deliverance for extent and limitation must be according to the promise of God.
Instruments seeking God for the wicked had need to depart from them.
Prayer may be made for those who are wickedly bent against the Church.
Good men do faithfully entreat for sinners that their judgments may be removed.
God hears the prayer of His servants for the good of men.
The death as well as life of judgments are at God’s disposal.
Heaps of memorials may be left to sinners after plagues are removed.
Respite from judgment.—
1. Marked by memorials.
2. Allowed to the worst of men.
3. Abused by sinners.
4. Hardening of heart.
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY THE
REV. WM. ADAMSON
Pharaoh! Exodus 8:8. A child watches with observant delight the thunder-cloud rising in tumultuous silence:—but no sooner do the clouds open, the peals rattle, and the flashes burst forth, than it screams and hides. At a distance, this haughty monarch could survey the threatened judgment philosophically; but no sooner was it outpoured than fear takes hold upon him, and like a child calling for its mother, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron to his help. The requisite deliverance was secured, yet
“His inmost soul seemed steel’d,
Cold and immovable.”
Pharaoh’s Penitence! Exodus 8:9. A little girl sat at twilight in her sick mother’s room, busily thinking. All the day she had been noisy and troublesome, and had many times worried her poor tired mother. At length she asked her parent what it was that made her begin to be good just about dark each day, adding: “I think it must be the dark; I am afraid of it; I begin to recal all the naughty things that I have done to grieve you, and so am good till daylight.” How many are like this child. Pharaoh was good when the dark came in the form of suffering and trouble; but no sooner did the daylight come than he was as bad as ever.—
“And wilt thou, now, that God hath raised thee up,
The vows—the promises thy conscience made,
Wilt thou in health forget?—Mant.”
Procrastination! Exodus 8:9. Among other inscriptions on the walls of the temple of Delphos were these two, of both of which Pharaoh was entirely ignorant: “Know thyself,” and “Know thy opportunity.” The opportunity was now given him for yielding obedience to the Divine Purpose of Freedom; but he said: “To-morrow.” How many characters, says a living divine, seem to float before our eyes in Scripture, as having been visited with opportunities for repentance; but who alas! have only been like ships which, when night is spread over the sea, emerge for a moment from the darkness as they cross the pathway of the moonbeams, and then are lost again in gloom. Among these, stands in the foreground the figure of the king of Egypt—now in the moonlight of partial penitence—anon flitting into the gloom of lost opportunities.
“Ah! we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.”
—Shakespeare.
Convictions! Exodus 8:10. I have reclined on a bank by the river on a day when its waters were half in shadow and half in sunshine; and when the whole surface has been ruffled by the summer breeze. A leaf has fallen from some tree, and there it floated upon the surface—now seeming to hasten out to the broad land of sunlight which lay warmly across the brook—and anon drawn to some little cataract on the shadow which threatened to bury it. Would the deep pool draw it down—down to its dark depths? Or would the pure sweet stream move it on little by little to the bright sunny sheen beyond? To and fro—to and fro—first subject to one force, then to the other. Would the slight breeze ruffling the stream be victor, or the sucking cataract? Such was Pharaoh’s heart under the contending influences of the breath of Divine forbearance and the shaded whirlpool of human impenitency. To and fro that heart moved—now apparently wafted to the glorious shining band of gold which spanned the stream of life—anon drawn towards the cataract within the shadow, until it grew like adamant,
“And led him to assay the ocean depths.
And satisfy his lust on Israel there.”
—Bickersteth.
Fatal Delay! Exodus 8:10. The ill-fated Central America was descried one night in a crippled state. The night was closing in—the sea was rolling high; but the captain of the other vessel hailed and lay to by the sinking ship. “I am in a sinking condition,” shouted the America’s skipper; whereupon the other urged him to send the passengers on board directly. To this reasonable request the foolish sailor demurred—requesting the other ship to lie by him till morning. This was at once and readily yielded, with a still more urgent solicitation to send the passengers on board at once in case of contingencies during the night storm. But all in vain! The captain had made up his mind to wait till to-morrow before putting his passengers in safety. During the next hour the wind increased to a furious gale—the sea swelled into a heavy roll, which compelled the sound vessel to move away to a distance; and shortly after, the vessel with its living freight went down. All found a grave in the great deep. The captain’s delay was fatal to himself and to others; and so was that of Pharaoh.
“Delay not! delay not! The Spirit of Grace
Long grieved and resisted may take his sad flight:
And leave thee in darkness to finish thy race,
And sink in the vale of eternity’s night.”
—Hastings.
Self-Will! Exodus 8:13 Without the cross-piece, the longer piece is not a cross. It is only when the cross-piece is added that a cross is formed. The longer piece represents God’s will. Our will, which always desires to cross God’s will, is represented by the shorter piece. Pharaoh placed the short piece of his own self-will athwart the Divine purpose, and so made a cross for himself; but when he removed the cross-piece, there was no cross. The plague was stayed. Even so is it with many a man. Nothing but self thyself from Him divides.
“Ask ye how I o’er passed the dreary gulf!
One step beyond myself, and nought besides.”
—Alger.
Prudence versus Penitence! Exodus 8:15. Some years ago, a captain, notorious in South Seas for kidnapping the natives was led to see the folly of his ways—to renounce the paths of sin, and to give himself to the Lord Jesus. He at once evidenced the sincerity of his repentance by resigning the command of his ship, and betaking himself to a more humane and honourable employment than the Australian traffic in human flesh Last year, a captain, hearing that it was the Queen’s determination to put down the iniquitous trade, by placing men of war in those seas, gave up his employment, and resorted to commercial pursuits. Was this repentance? Would not this man return to his old nefarious practices if the English Government withdrew their surveillance? So was it with Pharaoh, he hardened his heart, and returned to his folly, as soon as the restrictions were removed.
“All treasures did the Lord impart
To Pharaoh, save a contrite heart.”
—French.