Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/299

Rh What numbers and kinds of sacrifices would be required, they did not yet know, and therefore they must take all they had. Note, With ourselves, and our children, we must devote all our worldly possessions to the service of God, because we know not what use God will make of what we have, nor in what way we may be called upon to honour God with it.

2. Yet it exasperated him so far, that, when he might not make his own terms, he broke off the conference abruptly, and took up a resolution to treat no more; wrath now came upon him to the utmost, and he became outrageous beyond all bounds, v. 28. Moses is dismissed in anger, forbidden the court upon pain of death, forbidden so much as to meet Pharaoh any more, as he had been used to do by the river's side; In that day thou seest my face, thou shalt die. Prodigious madness! Had not he found that Moses could plague him without seeing his face? Or, had he forgotten how often he had sent for him as his physician to heal him, and ease him of his plagues; and must he now be bid to come near him no more? Impotent malice! To threaten him with death, who was armed with such a power, and at whose mercy he had so often laid himself. What will not hardness of heart, and contempt of God's word and commandments, bring men to?

Moses takes him at his word; (v. 29. ) I will see thy face no more, that is, "after this time;" for this conference did not break off till ch. 11. 8.* when Moses went out in a great anger, and told Pharaoh how soon he would change his mind, and his proud spirit would come down; which was fulfilled, (ch. 12. 31.) when Pharaoh became an humble supplicant to Moses to depart. So that, after this interview, Moses came no more, till he was sent for. Note, When men drive God's word from them, he justly permits their delusions, and answers them according to the multitude of their idols. When the Gadarenes desired Christ to depart, he left them presently.

CHAP. XI. Pharaoh had bid Moses to get out of his presence, (ch. 10. 28.) and Moses had promised this should be the last time he would trouble him, yet he resolves to say out what he had to say, before he left him; accordingly, we have, in this chapter, I. The instructions God had given to Moses, which he was now to pursue, (v. 1,2.) together with the interest Israel and Moses had in the esteem of the Egyptians, v. 3. II. The last message Moses delivered to Pharaoh, concerning the death of the first-born, v. 4..8. III. A repetition ofthe prediction of Pharaoh's hardening his heart, (v. 9.) and the event answering to it, v. 10.

ND the said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3. And the gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

Here is,

1. The high favour Moses and Israel were in, with God; (1.) Moses was a favourite of Heaven; for God will not hide from him the thing he will do. God not only makes him his messenger to deliver his errands, but communicates to him, as the man of his council, his purpose, that he would bring one plague more, and but one, upon Pharaoh, by which he would complete the deliverance of Israel, v. 1. Moses longed to see an end of this dreadful work, to see Egypt no more plagued, and Israel no more oppressed; "Well," says God, "now it is near an end, the warfare shall shortly be accomplished, the point gained; Pharaoh shall be forced to own himself conquered, and to give up the cause." After all the rest of the plagues, God says, I will bring one more. Thus, after all the judgments executed upon sinners in this world, still there is one more reserved to be brought on them in the other world, which will completely humble those whom nothing else would humble. (2.) The Israelites were favourites of Heaven, for God himself espoused their injured cause, and takes care to see them paid for all their pains in serving the Egyptians. This was the last day of their servitude, they were about to go away, and their masters, who had abused them in their work, would now have defrauded them of their wages, and have sent them away empty; while the poor Israelites were so fond of liberty, that they would be satisfied with that, without pay, and would rejoice to get that upon any terms: but he that executeth righteousness and judgment for the oppressed, provided that the labourers should not lose their hire, and ordered them to demand it now at their departure, (v. 2.) in jewels of silver and jewels of gold; to prepare for which, God, by the plagues, had now made the Egyptians as willing to part with them upon any terms, as, before, the Egyptians, by their severities, had made them willing to go upon any terms. Though the patient Israelites were content to lose their wages, yet God would not let them go without them. Note, One way or other, God will right the injured, who in humble silence commit their cause to him; and he will see to it, that none be losers at last by their patient suffering, any more than by their services.

The2. The (as per 1811 London edition from which this edition is derived) [sic] high favour Moses and Israel were in, with the Egyptians, v. 3. (1.) Even the people that had been hated and despised, now came to be respected; the wonders wrought on their behalf put an honour upon them, and made them considerable. How great do they become for whom God thus fights! Thus the Lord gave them favour in the sight of the Egyptians, by making it appear how much he favoured them: he also changed the spirit of the Egyptians toward them, and made them to be pitied of their oppressors, Ps. 106. 46. (2.) The man Moses was very great. How could it be otherwise, when they saw what power he was clothed with, and what wonders were wrought by his hand? Thus the apostles, though otherwise despicable men, came to be magnified, Acts, 5. 13. Those that honour God, he will honour; and with respect to those that approve themselves faithful to him, how meanly soever they may pass through this world, there is a day coming when they will look great, very great, in the eyes of all the world, even their's who now look upon them with the utmost contempt. Observe, Though Pharaoh hated Moses, there were those of Pharaoh's servants that respected him. Thus, in Caesar's household, even Nero's, there were some that had an esteem for blessed Paul, Phil. 1. 13.

4. And Moses said, Thus saith the, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5. And all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne