Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/274

242 their discharge, and to denounce war in case of refusal; and he is sent as a prince to Israel, to conduct and command them: thus is he taken from following the ewes great with young, to a pastoral office much more noble, as David, Ps. 78. 71. Note, God is the Fountain of power; and the powers that be, are ordained of him as he pleases. The same hand that now fetched a shepherd out of a desert, to be the planter of a Jewish church, afterwards fetched fishermen from their ships, to be the planters of the Christian Church, That the excellency of the power might be of God.

11. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12. And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them. The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say unto me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? 14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

God, having spoken to Moses, allows him also a liberty of speech, which he here improves: and

I. He objects his own insufficiency for the service he was called to; (v. 11.) Who am I? He thinks himself unworthy of the honour, and not par negotio—equal to the task. He thinks he wants courage, and therefore cannot go to Pharaoh, to make a demand which might cost the demandant his head: he thinks he wants conduct, and therefore cannot bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt; they are unarmed, undisciplined, quite dispirited, utterly unable to help themselves, it is morally impossible to bring them out. 1. Moses was incomparably the fittest of any man living for this work, eminent for learning, wisdom, experience, valour, faith, holiness; and yet, he says, Who am I? Note, The more fit any person is for service, commonly the less opinion he has of himself; see Judg. 9. 8, &c. 2. The difficulties of the work were indeed very great, enough to startle the courage, and stagger the faith, of Moses himself. Note, Even wise and faithful instruments may be much discouraged at the difficulties that lie in the way of the church's salvation. 3. Moses had formerly been very courageous when he slew the Egyptian, but now his heart failed him; for good men are not always alike bold and zealous. 4. Yet Moses is the man that does it at last: for God gives grace to the lowly. Modest beginnings are very good presages.

II. God answers this objection, v. 12. 1. He promises him his presence, Certainly I will be with thee, and that is enough. Note, Those that are weak in themselves, yet may do wonders, being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might; and those that are most diffident in themselves, may be most confident in God. God's presence puts an honour upon the worthless, wisdom and strength into the weak and foolish, makes the greatest difficulties dwindle to nothing, and is enough to answer all objections. 2. He assures him of success, and particularly that the Israelites should serve God upon this mountain. Note, (1.) Those deliverances are most valuable, which open to us a door of liberty to serve God. (2.) If God give us opportunity and a heart to serve him, it is a happy and encouraging earnest of further favours designed us.

III. He begs instructions for the executing of his commission, and has them, thoroughly to furnish him. He desires to know by what name God would at this time make himself known, v. 13.

1. He supposes the children of Israel would ask him, What is his name? This they would ask either, (1.) To perplex Moses: he foresaw difficulty, not only in dealing with Pharaoh, to make him willing to part with them, but in dealing with them, to make them willing to move. They would be scrupulous and apt to cavil, would bid him produce his commission, and, probably, this would be the trial; "Does he know the name of God? Has he the watch-word?" Once he was asked, Who made thee a judge? Then he had not his answer ready, and he would not be nonplussed so again, but would be able to tell in whose name he came. (2.) They would ask this question, for their own information. It is to be feared that they were grown very ignorant in Egypt, by reason of their hard bondage, want of teachers, and loss of the Sabbath, so that they needed to be told the first principles of the oracles of God. Or, this question, What is his name? amounted to an inquiry into the nature of the dispensation they were now to expect; "How will God in it be known to us, and what may we depend upon from him?"

2. He desires instructions what answer to give them; "What shall I say to them? What name shall I vouch to them for the proof of my authority? I must have something great and extraordinary to say to them; what must it be? If I must go, let me have full instructions, that I may not run in vain." Note, (1.) It highly concerns those who speak to people in the name of God, to be well prepared before-hand. (2.) Those who would know what to say, must go to God, to the word of his grace, and to the throne of his grace, for instructions, Ezek. 2. 7.—3. 4, 10, 17. (3.) Whenever we have any thing to do with God, it is desirable to know, and our duty to consider, what is his name.

IV. God readily gives him full instructions in this matter: two names God would now be known by.

1. A name that denotes what he is in himself; (v. 14.) I am that I am: this explains his name Jehovah; and signifies, (1.) That he is self-existent; he has his being of himself, and has no dependence upon any other: the greatest and best man in the world must say, By the grace of God, I am what I am; but God says it absolutely, and it is more than any creature, man or angel, can say, I am that I am. Being self-existent, he cannot but be self-sufficient, and therefore all-sufficient, and the inexhaustible Fountain of being and bliss. (2.) That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever; he will be what he will be, and what he is: see Rev. 1. 8. (3.) That we cannot by searching find him out; this is such a name as checks all bold and curious inquiries concerning God, and, in effect, says, Ask not after my name, seeing it is secret, Judg. 13. 18.