Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/319

Rh walk in my law or no. 5. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the hath brought you out from the land of Egypt; 7. And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the ; for that he heareth your murmurings against the : and what are we, that ye murmur against us? 8. And Moses said, This shall be, when the shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the  heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the. 9. And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the ; for he hath heard your murmurings. 10. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the appeared in the cloud. 11. And the spake unto Moses, saying, 12. I have heard tbe murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be tilled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the your God.

The host of Israel, it seems, took along with them out of Egypt, when they came thence on the fifteenth day of the first month, a month's provisions, which, by the fifteenth day of the second month, was all spent; and here we have,

I. Their discontent and murmuring upon that occasion, v. 2, 3. The whole congregation, the greatest part of them, joined in this mutiny; it was not immediately against God that they murmured, but (which was equivalent) against Moses and Aaron, God's vicegerents among them. 1. They count upon being killed in the wilderness; nothing less, at the first appearance of disaster. If the Lord had been pleased to kill them, he could easily have done that in the Red sea; but then he preserved them, and now could as easily provide for them. It argues great distrust of God, and of his power and goodness, in every distress and appearance of danger to despair of life, and to talk of nothing but being speedily killed. 2. They invidiously charge Moses with a design to starve them when he brought them out of Egypt; whereas, what he had done, was both by order from God, and with a design to promote their welfare. Note, It is no new thing for the greatest kindnesses to be misinterpreted, and basely represented as the greatest injuries. The worst colours are sometimes put upon the best actions. Nay, 3. They so far undervalue their deliverance, that they wished they had died in Egypt, nay, and died by the hand of the Lord too, that is, by some of the plagues which cut off the Egyptians, as if it were not the hand of the Lord, but of Moses only, that brought them into this hungry wilderness. It is common for people to say of that pain, or sickness, or sore, of which they see not the second causes, "It was what pleases God," as if that were not so likewise which comes by the hand of man, or some visible accident. Prodigious madness! They will rather die by the flesh-pots of Egypt, where they found themselves with provision, than live under the guidance of the heavenly pillar in a wilderness, and be provided for by the hand of God; they pronounce it better to have fallen in the destruction of God's enemies, than to bear the fatherly discipline of his children. We cannot suppose that they had any great plenty in Egypt, how largely soever they now talk of the flesh-pots, nor could they fear dying for want in the wilderness, while they had their flocks and herds with them; but discontent magnifies what is past, and vilifies what is present, without regard to truth or reason. None talk more absurdly than murmurers. Their impatience, ingratitude, and distrust of God, were so much the worse, inasmuch as they had lately received such miraculous favours, and convincing proofs, both that God could help them in the greatest exigencies, and that really he had mercy in store for them. See how soon they forgot his works, and provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Ps. 106. 7..13. Note, Experiences of God's mercies greatly aggravate our distrusts and murmurings.

II. The care God graciously took for their supply; justly he might have said, "I will rain fire and brimstone upon these murmurers, and consume them;" but, quite contrary, he promises to rain bread upon them. Observe,

1. How God makes known to Moses his kind intentions, that he might not be uneasy at their murmurings, nor be tempted to wish he had let them alone in Egypt. (1.) He takes notice of the people's complaints; (v. 12.) I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. As a God of pity, he took cognizance of their necessity, which was the occasion of their murmuring; as a just and holy God, he took cognizance of their base and unworthy reflections upon his servant Moses, and was much displeased with them. Note, When we begin to fret and be uneasy, we ought to consider that God hears all our murmurings, though silent, and only the murmurings of the heart. Princes, parents, masters, do not hear all the murmurs of their inferiors against them, and it is well they do not, for perhaps they could not bear it; but God hears, and yet bears. We must, not think, because God does not immediately take vengeance on men for their sins, that therefore he does not take notice of them; no, he hears the murmurings of Israel, and is grieved with this generation, and yet continues his care of them, as the tender parent of the froward child. (2.) He promises them a speedy, sufficient, and constant, supply, v. 4. Man being made out of the earth, his Maker has wisely ordered him food out of the earth, Ps. 104. 14. But the people of Israel, typifying the church of the first-born that are written in heaven, and born from above, and being themselves immediately under the conduct and government of heaven, receiving their charters, laws, and commissions, from heaven, from heaven also received their food: their law being given by the disposition of angels, they did also eat angels' food. See what God designed in making this provision for them, That I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no. [1.] Thus he tried whether they would trust him, and walk in the law of faith or no; whether they could live from hand to mouth, and (though now uneasy because their provisions were spent) could rest satisfied with the bread of the day in its hand, and depend upon God for fresh supplies to-morrow. [2.] Thus he tried whether they would serve him, and be always faithful to so good a Master, that provided so well for his servants; and hereby he made it appear