Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/282

250 to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands to slay us. 22. And Moses returned unto the, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? Why is it 'that thou hast sent me? 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

It was a great strait that the head workmen were in, when they must either abuse those that were under them, or be abused by those that were over them; yet, it should seem, rather than they would tyrannize, they would be tyrannized over; and they were so. In this evil case, (v. 19.) observe,

1. How justly they complained to Pharaoh; they came and cried unto Pharaoh, v. 15. Whither should they go with a remonstrance of their grievances, but to the supreme power, which is ordained for the protection of the injured? As bad as Pharaoh was, his oppressed subjects had liberty to complain to him; there was no law against petitioning: it was a very modest, but moving, representation that they made of their condition; (v. 16.) Thy servants are beaten, (severely enough, no doubt, when things were in such a ferment,) and yet, the fault is in thine own people, the task-masters, who deny us what is necessary for carrying on our work. Note, It is common for those to be most rigorous in blaming others, who are most blame-worthy themselves.

But what did they get by this complaint? It did but make bad worse: 1. Pharaoh taunted them; (v. 17.) when they were almost killed with working, he told them they were idle: they underwent the fatigue of industry, and yet lay under the imputation of slothfulness, while nothing appeared to ground the charge upon but this, that they said, Let us go and do sacrifice. Note, It is common for the best actions to be mentioned under the worst names; holy diligence in the best business, is censured by many as a culpable carelessness in the business of the world. It is well for us, that men are not to be our judges, but a God who knows what the principles are on which we act. Those that are diligent in doing sacrifice to the Lord, will, with God, escape the doom of the slothful servant, though with men, they do not. 2. He bound on their burthens; Go now and work, v. 18. Note, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: what can be expected from unrighteous men, but more unrighteousness?

II. How unjustly they complained of Moses and Aaron; (v. 21.) The Lord look upon you, and judge. This was not fair; Moses and Aaron had given sufficient evidence of their hearty good-will to the liberties of Israel: and yet, because things succeed not immediately so as they hoped, they are reproached as accessories to their slavery. They should have humbled themselves before God, and taken to themselves the shame of their sin, which turned away good things from them; but, instead of that, they fly in the face of their best friends, and quarrel with the instruments of their deliverance, because of some little difficulties and obstructions they met with in effecting it. Note, Those that are called out to public service for God and their generation, must expect to be tried,. not only by the malicious threats of proud enemies, but by the unjust and unkind censures of unthinking friends, who judge only by outward appearance, and look but a little way before them.

Now what did Moses do in this strait? It grieved him to the heart, that the event did not answer, but rather contradict, his expectation; and their upbraidings were very cutting, and like a sword in his bones; but,

1. He returned to the Lord, (v. 22.) to acquaint him with it, and to represent the case to him: he knew that what he had said and done, was by divine direction; and therefore, what blame is laid upon him for it, he considers as reflecting upon God, and, like Hezekiah, spreads it before him as interested in the cause, and appeals to him. Compare this with Jer. 20. 7··9. Note, When we find ourselves, at any time, perplexed and embarrassed in the way of our duty, we ought to have recourse to God, and lay open our case before him by faithful and fervent prayer. If we retreat, let us retreat to him, and no further.

He expostulated with him, v. 22, 23. He knew not how to reconcile the providence with the promise and the commission which he had received "Is this God's coming down to deliver Israel? Must I, who hoped to be a blessing to them, become a scourge to them? By this attempt to get them out of the pit," they are but sunk the deeper into it." Now he asks, (1.) Wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? Note, [1.] Even then when God is coming toward his people in ways of mercy, yet sometimes he takes such methods as that they may think themselves but ill-treated. The instruments of deliverance, when they aim to help, are found to hinder, and that becomes a trap, which, it was hoped would have been for their welfare; God suffering it to be so, that we may learn to cease from man, and may come off from a dependence upon second causes. [2.] When the people of God think themselves ill-treated, they should go to God by prayer, and plead with him, and that is the way to have better treatment in God's good time. Moses asks further, (2.) Why is it thou hast sent me? Thus, [1.] He complains of his ill-success; "Pharaoh has done evil to this people, and not one step seems to be taken toward their deliverance." Note, It cannot but sit very heavy upon the spirits of those whom God employs for him, to see that their labour does no good, and much more, to see that it does hurt, eventually, though not designedly. It is uncomfortable to a good minister, to perceive that his endeavours for men's conviction and conversion, do but exasperate their corruptions, confirm their prejudices, harden their hearts, and seal them up under unbelief. This makes them go in the bitterness of their souls, as the prophet Ezek. 3. 14. Or, [2.] He inquires what was further to be done; Why hast thou sent me? that is, "What other method shall I take in pursuance of my commission?" Note, Disappointments in our work must not drive us from our God, but still we must consider why we are sent.

CHAP. VI. Much ado there was to bring Moses to his work, and when the ice was broken, some difficulty having occurred to carrying it on, there was no less ado to put him forward in it. Witness this chapter, in which, I. God satisfies Moses himself in an answer to his complaints in the close of the foregoing chapter, v. 1. II. He gives him fuller instructions than had yet been given him, what to say to the children of Israel, for their satisfaction, v. 2..8. but to little purpose, v. 9. III. He sends him again to Pharaoh, v. 10, 11. But Moses objects against that, (v. 12.) upon which a very strict charge is given to him and his brother, to execute their commission with vigour, v. 13. IV. Here is an abstract of the genealogy of the tribes of Reuben and Simeon, to introduce that of Levi, that the pedigree of Moses and Aaron might be cleared; (v. 14, 25.) and then the chapter concludes with a repetition of so much of the preceding story, as was necessary to make way for the following chapter.