Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/312

280 stills their murmuring, with the assurance of a speedy and complete deliverance; Fear ye not. Note, It is our duty and interest, when we cannot get out of our troubles, yet to get above our fears, so that they may only serve to quicken our prayers and endeavours, but may not prevail to silence our faith and hope.

1. He assures them that God would deliver them; that he would undertake their deliverance; (The Lord shall fight for you;) and that he would effect it in the utter ruin of their pursuers. This, Moses was confident of himself, and would have them to be so, though as yet he knew not how or which way it would be brought to pass. God had assured him that Pharaoh and his host should be ruined, and he comforts them with the same comforts wherewith he had been comforted.

2. He directs them to leave it to God, in a silent expectation of the event; "Stand still, and think not to save yourselves either by fighting or flying; wait God's orders, and observe them; be not contriving what course to take, but follow your leader; wait God's appearances, and take notice of them, that you may see how foohsh you are to distrust them. Compose yourselves, by an entire confidence in God, into a peaceful prospect of the great salvation God is now about to work for you. Hold your peace; you need not so much as give a shout against the enemy, as Josh. 6. 16. The work shall be done without any concurrence of your's."

Note, (1.) If God himself bring his people into straits, he will himself discover a way to bring them out again. (2.) In times of great difficulty, and great expectation, it is our wisdom to keep our spirits calm, quiet, and sedate; for then we are in the best frame both to do our own work, and to ''consider the work of God. Your strength is to sit still, (Isa. 30. 7.) for the Egyptians shall help in vain, and threaten to hurt'' in vain.

15. And the said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 19. And the angel of God, which went before, the camp of Israel, removed, and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

We have here,

I. Direction given to Israel's leader.

1. What he must do himself; he must, for the present, leave off praying, and apply himself to his business; (v. 15.) Wherefore criest thou unto me? Moses, though he was assured of a good issue to the present distress, yet did not neglect prayer. We read not of one word he said in prayer, but he lifted up to God his heart, the language of which God well understood, and took notice of. Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear, v. 10. Note, (1.) Praying, if of the right kind, is crying to God, which denotes it to be the language, both of a natural and of an importunate desire. (2.) There may be true crying to God by prayer, where the voice is not heard, as Hannah's, 1 Sam. 1. 13. But is God displeased with Moses for praying? No, he asks this question, Wherefore criest thou unto me? [1.] To satisfy his faith. "Wherefore,Wherefore - as in 1811 London edition [sic] shouldest thou press thy petition any further, when it is already granted; enough is said, speak no more of this matter; I have accepted thy prayer:" so the Chaldee explains it. [2.] To quicken his diligence. Moses had something else to do beside praying, he was to command the hosts of Israel, and it was now requisite that he should be at his post. Every thing is beautiful in its season.

2. What he must order Israel to do; Speak to them, that they go forward. Some think that Moses had prayed, not so much for their deliverance, (he was assured of that,) as for the pardon of their murmurings; and that God's ordering them to go forward was an intimation of the pardon. There is no going forward with any comfort, but in the sense of our reconciliation to God. Moses had bidden them stand still, and expect orders from God; and now orders are given. They thought they must have been directed either to the right hand or to the left. "No," says God, "speak to them to go forward, directly to the sea-side;" as if there had lain a fleet of transport-ships ready for them to embark in. Note, When we are in the way of our duty, though we meet with difficulties, we must go forward, and not stand in mute astonishment;, we must mind present work, and then leave the event to God; use means, and trust him with the issue.

3. What he might expect God to do. Let the children of Israel go as far as they can, upon dry ground, and then God will divide the sea, and open a passage for them through it, v. 16..18. God designs, not only to deliver the Israelites, but to destroy the Egyptians; and the plan of his counsels is accordingly. (1.) He will show favour to Israel, the waters shall be divided for them to pass through, v. 16. The same power could have congealed the waters for them to pass over, but Infinite Wisdom chose rather to divide the waters for them to pass through; for that way of salvation is always pitched upon, which is most humbling. Thus it is said, with reference to this, (Isa. 63. 13, 14.) He led them, through the deep, as a beast goes down into the valley, and thus made himself a glorious name. (2.) He will get him honour upon Pharaoh. If the due rent of honour be not paid to the great Landlord, by and from whom we have and hold our beings and comforts, he will distrain for it, and recover it. God will be a loser by no man. In order to this, it is threatened, (v. 17.) I, behold I, will harden Pharaoh's heart. The manner of expression is observable; I, behold I, will do it. I, that may do it; so it is the language of his sovereignty; we may not contribute to the hardening of any man s heart, nor withhold anything that we can do toward the softening of it; but God's grace is his own, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, ana whom he will, he hardeneth. I, that can do it; so it is the language of his power; none but the Almighty can make the heart soft, (Job 23. 16.) nor can any other being make it hard. I, that will do it; for it is the language of his justice; it is a righteous thing with God, to put those under the impressions of his