Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/314

282 us, he will light us; while we follow his conduct, we shall not want his comforts.

This was done, and recorded, in order to encourage God's people in all ages to trust in him in the greatest straits. What cannot he do, who did this? What will not he do for those that fear and love him, who did this for these murmuring unbelieving Israelites, who yet were beloved for their fathers' sake, and for the sake of a remnant among them? We find the saints, long afterward, making themselves sharers in the triumph of this march; (Ps. 66. 6.) They went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in him: and see how this work of wonder is improved, Ps. 77. 11, 16, 19.

III. An instance of his just and righteous wrath upon his and his people's enemies, the Egyptians. Observe here,

1. How they were infatuated; in the heat of their pursuit, they went in after the Israelites into the midst of the sea, v. 23. "Why," thought they, "may not we venture where Israel did?" Once or twice, the magicians of Egypt had done what Moses did, with their enchantments; Pharaoh remembered that, but forgot how they were non-plussed at last. They were more advantageously provided with chariots and horses, while the Israelites were on foot. Pharaoh had said, I know not the Lord; and by this it appeared he did not, else he would not have ventured thus. None so bold as those that are blind. Rage against Israel made them thus daring and inconsiderate: they had long hardened their own hearts; and now God hardened them to their ruin, and hid from their eyes the things that belonged to their peace and safety. Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird; (Prov. 1. 17.) yet so blind were the Egyptians, that they hastened to the snare, Prov. 7. 23. Note, The ruin of sinners is brought on by their own presumption, which hurries them headlong into the pit. They are self-destroyers.

2. How they were troubled and perplexed, v. 24, 25. For some hours, they marched through the divided waters as safely and triumphantly as Israel did, not doubting but that, in a little time, they should gain their point. But in the morning-watch, the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians, and troubled them. Something or other they saw or heard from the pillar of cloud and fire, which put them into great consternation, and gave them an apprehension of their ruin, before it was brought upon them. Now it appeared that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and that God has ways to frighten sinners into despair, before he plunges them into destruction. He cuts off the spirit of princes, and is terrible to the kings of the earth. (1.) They had hectored and boasted, as if the day were their own; but now they were troubled and dismayed, struck with a panic fear. (2.) They had driven furiously; but now they drove heavily, and found themselves plunged and embarrassed at every step, the way grew deep, their hearts grew sad, their wheels dropped off, and the axle-trees-failed. Thus can God check the violence of those that are in pursuit of his people. (3.) They had been flying upon the back of Israel, as the hawk upon the trembling dove; but now they cried, Let us flee from the face of Israel, which was become to them like a torch of fire in a sheaf, Zech 12. 6. Israel is now, all of a sudden, become as much a terror to them, as they had been to Israel. They might have let Israel alone and would not, now they would flee from the face of Israel and cannot. Men will not be convinced, till it is too late, that those who meddle with God's people, meddle to their own hurt; when the Lord shall come with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment, the mighty men will in vain seek to shelter themselves under rocks and mountains from the face of Israel, and Israel's King; Rev. 6. 15. Compare with this story, Job 27 20, &c.

3. How they were all drowned; as soon as ever the children of Israel were got safe to the shore, Moses was ordered to stretch out his hand over the sea, and thereby give a signal to the waters to close again, as, before, upon the word of command, they had opened to the right and the left, v. 29. He did so, and immediately the waters returned to their place, and overwhelmed all the host of the Egyptians, v. 27, 28. Pharaoh and his servants, who had hardened one another in sin, now fell together, and not one escaped. An ancient tradition says, that Pharaoh's magicians, Jannes and Jambres, perished with the rest, as Balaam with the Midianites whom he had seduced, Numb. 31. 8. And now, (1.) God avenged upon the Egyptians the blood of the first-born whom they had drowned; and the principal is repaid with interest, it is recompensed double, full-grown Egyptians for new-born Israelites; thus the Lord is righteous, and precious is his people's blood in his sight, Ps. 72. 14. (2.) God reckoned with Pharaoh for all his proud and insolent conduct toward Moses his ambassador; mocking the messengers of the Lord, and playing the fool with them, bring ruin without remedy: now God got him honour upon Pharaoh, looking upon that proud man, and abasing him, Job 40. 12. Come and see the desolations he made, and write it, not in water, but with an iron pen in the rock for ever. Here lies that bloody tyrant who bid defiance to his Maker, to his demands, threatenings, and judgments; a rebel to God, and a slave to his own barbarous passions; perfectly lost to humanity, virtue, and all true honour; here he lies, buried in the deep, a perpetual monument of divine justice. Here he went down to the pit, though he was a terror of the mighty in the land of the living. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, Ezek. 31. 18.

IV. Here is the notice which the Israelites took of this wonderful work which God wrought for them, and the good impressions which it made upon them for the present.

1. They saw the Egyptians dead upon the sands, v. 30. Providence so ordered it, that the next tide threw up the dead bodies, (1.) For the greater disgrace of the Egyptians. Now the beasts and birds of prey were called to eat the flesh of the captains and mighty men, Rev. 19. 17, 18. The Egyptians were very nice and curious in embalming and preserving the bodies of their great men, but here the utmost contempt is poured upon all the grandees of Egypt; see how they lie, heaps upon heaps, as dung upon the face of the earth. (2.) For the greater triumph of the Israelites, and to affect them the more with their deliverance; for the eye affects the heart. See Isa. 66. 24, They shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me. Probably, they stripped the slain, and, having borrowed jewels of their neighbours before, which (the Egyptians having by this hostile pursuit of them broken their faith with them) from henceforward they were not under any obligation to restore, they now got arms from them, which, some think, they were not before provided with. Thus when God broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, he gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness, Ps. 74. 14.

2. The sight of this great work greatly affected them, and now they feared the Lord and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses, v. 31. Now they were ashamed of their distrusts and murmurings, and, in the good mind they were in, they would never again despair of help from Heaven,, no not in the greatest straits; they would never again