We will go with our young and with our old.
Lessons
1. Upon importunity of men wicked powers may be moved to recall and treat further with God’s ministers when His own word is slighted by them.
2. Upon carnal considerations powers may license the Church to serve its God.
3. Such wicked powers bound their grants of liberty with provisos destructive to God’s will (Exodus 10:8). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Captious questions from the wicked are answered with plain answers by God’s servants.
2. Faithfulness to God will not suffer His servants to hide His mind to the wicked.
3. God’s instruments have encouragement from Him to deliver His demands to greatest powers.
4. Little ones as well as great must be carried along with the Church of God to their rest.
5. The Church’s portion in this life as to outward estate God is pleased to have free as well as themselves, that they may comfortably serve Him therewith.
6. The Church’s work after redemption is to serve Jehovah, or keep a feast to Him (Exodus 10:9). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Renewed opportunities of moral good
“And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.”
I. Consequent upon the faithful rebuke of friends.
II. Through contact with a holy man.
III. May be left unused through the perverseness of the soul. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)
The children must be rescued
But particularly observe the subject of dispute. Concerning whom did it arise? Concerning boys and girls--little children. Pharaoh did not wish them to accompany their parents to hold a feast unto the Lord; he required that they should remain at home as hostages. Moses refused. Well, there are often similar disputes in our time between the devil and the servants of God concerning you. The devil causes worldly men to say, like Pharaoh, “Why should you trouble children with religion, they are too young yet? How can they understand the Bible, since I, who am a grown-up man, and perhaps a learned man, do not understand it? They can take no pleasure in it; it is too serious for them, since for my part I find it a weariness. At their age it becomes them to play, and not to study deeply. Let them enjoy their diversions; let them amuse themselves on the Sunday.” Thus the prince of this world, the great Pharaoh of the darkness of this world, would wish to keep you as hostages in error, and ensnare your parents also. If your house were on fire, what would you think of a person who should say to your father, “Go out as quickly as you can, but leave your children in bed”? Or if you were at school, or an apprentice to a trade, what would you think of a man who should say to your father, “Your son has a holiday, but do not let him come home to be with you, for he is at an age to amuse himself. Do not teach him to love you, and to obey you, for that would weary him.” Ah! dear children, you have as much need as we have to escape the wrath to come, and to love God. Ask from Him grace to love Him. The prayer of a child who seeks a new heart for the sake of Jesus Christ always ascends to heaven. (Prof. Gaussen.)