EXODUS, Section 1 of 2 (Ex. 1-14).
C H Mackintosh

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
The writer cannot suffer a new edition of this volume to issue from the press without a line or
two of deep thankfulness to the Lord for His grace, in making use of such a feeble
instrumentality in the furtherance of His truth, and the edification of His people. Blessed be
His name, when He takes up a book or a tract, He can make it effectual in the
accomplishment of His gracious ends. He can clothe, with spiritual power, page and
paragraphs which, to us, might seem pointless and powerless. May He continue to own and
bless this service, and His name shall have all the praise.
C. H. M. Dublin, April, 1862.

Exodus 1

We now approach, by the mercy of God, the study of the Book of Exodus, of which the great
prominent theme is redemption. The first five verses recall to the mind the closing scenes of
the preceding book. The favoured objects of God's electing love are brought before us; and we
find ourselves, very speedily, conducted, by the inspired penman, into the section of the book.

In our meditations on the Book of Genesis, we were led to see that the conduct of Joseph's
brethren toward him was that which led to their being brought down into Egypt. This fact is to
be looked at in two ways. In the first place, we can read therein a deeply solemn lesson as
taught in Israel's actings toward God; and, secondly, we have, therein unfolded, an
encouraging lesson, as taught in God's actings toward Israel.

And, first, as to Israel's actings toward God, what can be more deeply solemn than to follow
out the results of their treatment of him who stands before the spiritual mind as the marked
type of the Lord Jesus Christ? They, utterly regardless of the anguish of his soul, consigned
Joseph into the hands of the uncircumcised. And what was the issue, as regards them They
were carried down into Egypt, there to experience those deep and painful exercises of heart
which are so graphically and touchingly presented in the closing chapters of Genesis. Nor was
this all. A long and dreary season awaited their offspring in that very land in which Joseph
had found a dungeon.

But then God was in all this, as well as man; and it is His prerogative to bring good out of
evil. Joseph's brethren might sell him to the Ishmaelites, and the Ishmaelites might sell him to
Potiphar, and Potiphar might cast him into prison; but Jehovah was above all, and He was
accomplishing His own mighty ends. "The wrath of man shall praise him." The time had not
arrived in which the heirs were ready for the inheritance, and the inheritance for the heirs.
The brickkilns of Egypt were to furnish a rigid school for the seed of Abraham, while, as yet,
"the iniquity of the Amorites" was rising to a head, amid the "hills and valleys" of the
promised land.

All this is deeply interesting and instructive. There are "wheels within wheels" in the
government of God. He makes use of an endless variety of agencies, in the accomplishment
of His unsearchable designs. Potiphar's wife, Pharaoh's butler, Pharaoh's dreams, Pharaoh
himself, the dungeon, the throne, the fetters, the royal signet, the famine—all are at His
sovereign disposal, and all be made instrumental in the development of His stupendous
counsels. The spiritual mind delights to dwell upon this. It delights to range through the wide
domain of creation and providence, And to recognise, in all, the machinery which an All-wise
and an Almighty God is using for the purpose of unfolding His counsels of redeeming love.
True, we may see many traces of the serpent; many deep and well-defined footprints of the
enemy of God and man; many things which we cannot explain nor even comprehend;
suffering innocence and successful wickedness may furnish an apparent basis for the infidel-
reasoning of the sceptic mind; but the true believer can piously repose in the assurance that
"the Judge of all the earth shall do right." He knows right well that,

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His ways in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
and He will make it plain."


Blessed be God for the consolation and encouragement flowing out of such reflections as
these. We need them, every hour, while passing through an evil world, in which the enemy
has wrought such appalling mischief, in which the lusts and passions of men produce such
bitter fruits, and in which the path of the true disciple presents roughnesses which mere nature
could never endure. Faith knows, of a surety, that there is One behind the scenes whom the
world sees not nor regards; and, in the consciousness of this, it can calmly say, "it is well,"
and, "it shall be well."

The above train of thought is distinctly suggested by the opening lines of our book. "God's
counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure." The enemy may oppose; but God will
ever prove Himself to be above him; and all we need is a spirit of simple, child-like
confidence and repose in the divine purpose. Unbelief will rather look at the enemy's efforts
to countervail, than at God's power to accomplish. It is on the latter that faith fixes its eye.
Thus it obtains victory, and It has to do with God and His infallible faithfulness. It rests not
upon the ever shifting sands of human affairs and earthly influences, but upon the immovable
rock of God's eternal Word. That is faith's holy and solid resting-place. Come what may, it
abides in that sanctuary of strength. "Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that
generation." What then? Could death affect the counsels of the living God? Surely not. He
only waited for the appointed moment, the due time, and then the most hostile influences
were made instrumental in the development of His purposes.

"Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his
people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: come on,
let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass that when there falleth out
any war they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the
land." (Vv. 8-10) All this is the reasoning of a heart that had never learnt to take God into its
calculations. The unrenewed heart never can do so; and hence, the moment you introduce
God, all its reasonings fall to the ground. Apart from, or independent of Him, they may seem
very wise; but only bring Him in, and they are proved to be perfect folly.

But why should we allow our minds to be, in any wise, influenced by reasonings and
calculations which depend, for their apparent truth, upon the total exclusion of God? To do so
is, in principle, and according to its measure, practical atheism. In Pharaoh's case, we see that
he could accurately recount the various contingencies of human affairs, the multiplying of the
people, the falling out of war, their joining with the enemy, their escape out of the land. All
these circumstances he could, with uncommon sagacity, put into the scale; but it never once
occurred to him that God could have anything whatever to do in the matter. Had he only
thought of this, it would have upset his entire reasoning, and have written folly upon all his
schemes.

Now it is well to see that it is ever thus with the reasonings of man's sceptic mind. God is
entirely shut out; yea, the truth and consistency thereof depend upon His being kept out. The
death-blow to all scepticism and infidelity is the introduction of God into the scene. Till He is
seen, they may strut up and down upon the stage, with an amazing show of wisdom and
cleverness; but the moment the eye catches even the faintest glimpse of that Blessed One,
they are stripped of their cloak, and disclosed in all their nakedness and deformity.

In reference to the king of Egypt, it may, assuredly, be said, he did "greatly err," not knowing
God, or His changeless counsels. He knew not that, hundreds of years back, before ever he
had breathed the breath of mortal life, God's word and oath—"two immutable things"—had
infallibly secured the full and glorious deliverance of that very people whom he was going, in
his wisdom, to crush. All this was unknown to him; and, therefore, all his thoughts and plans
were founded upon ignorance of that grand foundation-truth of all truths, namely, that GOD
IS. He vainly imagined that he, by his management, could prevent the increase of those
concerning whom God had said, "they shall be as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is
upon the sea-shore." His wise dealing, therefore, was simply madness and folly.

The wildest mistake which a man can possibly fall into is to act without taking God into his
account. Sooner or later, the thought of God will force itself upon him, and then comes the
awful crash of all his schemes and calculations. At best, everything that is undertaken,
independently of God, can last but for the present time. It cannot, by any possibility, stretch
itself into eternity. All that is merely human, however solid, however brilliant, or however
attractive, must fall into the cold grasp of death, and moulder in the dark, silent tomb. The
clod of the valley must cover man's highest excellencies and brightest glories; mortality is
engraved upon his brow, and all his schemes are evanescent. On the contrary, that which is
connected with, and based upon, God, shall endure for ever. "His name shall endure for ever,
and his memorial to all generations."

What a sad mistake, therefore, for a feeble mortal to set himself up against the eternal God, to
"rush upon the thick bosses of the shield of the Almighty!" As well might the monarch of
Egypt have sought to stem, with his puny hand, the ocean's tide, as to prevent the increase of
those who were the subjects of Jehovah's everlasting purpose. Hence, although "they did set
over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens," yet, "the more they afflicted them,
the more they multiplied and grew." Thus it must ever be. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall
laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision." (Ps. 2: 4) Eternal confusion shall be inscribed
upon all the opposition of men and devils. This gives sweet rest to the heart, in the midst of a
scene where all is, apparently, so contrary to God and so contrary to faith. Were it not for the
settled assurance that "the wrath of man shall praise" the Lord, the spirit would often be cast
down, while contemplating the circumstances and influences which surround one in the
world. Thank God, "we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal." (2 Cor. 4: 18) In the power of this, we may well say, "rest in the Lord, and wait
patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his may, because of the
man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." (Ps. 37: 7) How fully might the truth of this be
seen in the case of both the oppressed and the oppressor, as set before us in our chapter! Had
Israel "looked at the things that are seen," what were they? Pharaoh's wrath, stern taskmasters,
afflictive burdens, rigorous service, hard bondage, mortar and brick. But, then, "the things
which are not seen," what were they? God's eternal purpose, His unfailing promise, the
approaching dawn of a day of salvation, the "burning lamp" of Jehovah's deliverance.
Wondrous contrast Faith alone could enter into it. Nought save that precious principle could
enable any poor, oppressed Israelite to look from out the smoking furnace of Egypt, to the
green fields and vine-clad mountains of the land of Canaan. Who could possibly recognise in
those oppressed slaves, toiling in the brick-kilns of Egypt, the heirs of salvation, and the
objects of Heaven's peculiar interest and favour.

Thus it was then, and thus it is now. "We walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor. 5: 7) "It doth not
yet appear what we shall be." (l John 3: 2) We are "here in the body pent," "absent from the
Lord." As to fact, we are in Egypt, yet, in spirit, we are in the heavenly Canaan. Faith brings
the heart into the power of divine and unseen things, and thus enables it to mount above
everything down here, in this place "where death and darkness reign. Oh! for that simple
child-like faith that sits beside the pure and eternal fountain of truth, there to drink those deep
and refreshing draughts, which lift up the fainting spirit, and impart energy to the new man, in
its upward and onward course.

The closing verses of this section of our book present an edifying lesson in the conduct of
those God-fearing women, Shiphrah and Puah. They would not carry out the king's cruel
scheme, but braved his wrath, and hence, God made them houses. "Them that honour me I
will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." (1 Sam. 2: 30) May we ever
remember this, and act for God, under all circumstances!

Exodus 2

This section of our book abounds in the weightiest principles of divine truth—principles,
which range themselves under the three following heads, namely, the power of Satan, the
power of God, and the power of faith.

In the last verse of the previous chapter, we read, "And Pharaoh charged all his people,
saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river." This was Satan's power. The river
was the place of death; and, by death, the enemy sought to frustrate the purpose of God. It has
ever been thus. The serpent has, at all times, watched, with malignant eye, those instruments
which God was about to use for his own gracious ends. Look at the case of Abel, in Genesis 4.
What was that but the serpent watching God's vessel and seeking to put it out of the way by
death? Look at the case of Joseph, in Gen. 37. There you have the enemy seeking to put the
man of God's purpose in the place of death. Look at the case of "the seed royal," in 2 Chron.
22, the act of Herod, in Matt. 2, the death of Christ, in Matt. 27. In all these cases, you find
the enemy seeking, by death, to interrupt the current of divine action.

But, blessed be God, there is something beyond death. The entire sphere of divine action, as
connected with redemption, lies beyond the limits of death's domain. When Satan has
exhausted his power, then God begins to show Himself. The grave is the limit of Satans
activity; but there it is that divine activity begins. This is a glorious truth. Satan has the power
of death; but God is the God of the living; and He gives life beyond the reach and power of
death—a life which Satan cannot touch. The heart finds sweet relief in such a truth as this, in
the midst of a scene where death reigns. Faith can stand and look on at Satan putting forth the
plenitude of his power. It can stay itself upon God's mighty instrumentality of resurrection. It
can take its stand at the grave which has just closed over a beloved object, and drink in, from
the lips of Him who is "the resurrection and the life," the elevating assurance of a glorious
immortality. It knows that God is stronger than Satan, and it can, therefore, quietly wait for
the full manifestation of that superior strength, and, in thus waiting, find its victory and its
settled peace. We have a noble example of this power of faith in the opening verses of our
chapter.

"And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the
woman conceived and bare a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid
him three months. And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of
bulrushes and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in
the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him."
(Ex. 2: 1-4)Here we have a scene of touching interest, in whatever way we contemplate it. In
point of fact, it was simply faith triumphing over the influences of nature and death, and
leaving room for the God of resurrection to act in His own proper sphere and character. True,
the enemy's power is apparent, in the circumstance that the child had to be placed in such
position—a position of death, in principle. And, moreover, a sword was piercing through the
mother's heart, in thus beholding her precious offspring laid, as it were, in death. Satan might
act, and nature might weep; but the Quickener of the dead was behind the dark cloud, and
faith beheld Him there, gilding heaven's side of that cloud with His bright and life-giving
beams. "By faith Moses when he was born was hid three months of his parents, because they
saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." (Heb. 11:
23)

Thus, this honoured daughter of Levi teaches us a holy lesson. Her "ark of bulrushes, daubed
with slime and pitch," declares her confidence in the truth that there was a something which
could keep out the waters of death, in the case of this "proper child," as well as in the case of
Noah, "the preacher of righteousness. Are we to suppose, for a moment, that this "Ark" was
the invention of mere nature? Was it nature's mere thought that devised it, or nature's
ingenuity that constructed it? Was the babe placed in the ark at the suggestion of a mother's
heart, cherishing the fond but visionary hope of thereby saving her treasure from the ruthless
hand of death? Were we to reply to the above inquiries in the affirmative, we should, I
believe, lose the beauteous teaching of this entire scene. How could we ever suppose that the
"ark" was devised by one who saw no other portion or destiny for her child but death by
drowning? Impossible. We can only look upon that significant structure, as faith's draft
handed in at the treasury of the God of resurrection. devised by the hand of faith, as a vessel
of mercy, to carry "a proper child" safety over death's dark waters, into the place assigned him
by the immutable purpose of the living God. When we behold this daughter of Levi bending
over that ark of bulrushes," which her faith had constructed, and depositing therein her babe,
we see her "walking in the steps of that faith of her father Abraham, which he had," when "he
rose up from before his dead," and purchased the cave of Macpelah from the sons of Heth.
(Gen. 23) We do not recognise in her the energy of mere nature, hanging over the object of its
affections, about to fall into the iron grasp of the king of terrors. No; but we trace in her the
energy of a faith which enabled her to stand, as a conqueror, at the margin of death's cold
flood, and behold the chosen servant of Jehovah in safety at the other side.

Yes, my reader, faith can take those bold and lofty flights into regions far removed from this
land of death and wide-spread desolation. Its eagle eye can pierce the gloomy clouds which
gather around the tomb, and behold the God of resurrection displaying the results of His
everlasting counsels, in the midst of a sphere which no arrow of death can reach. It can take
its stand upon the top of the Rock of Ages, and listen, in holy triumph, while the surges of
death are lashing its base.

And what, let me ask, was "the king's commandment" to one who was in possession of this
heaven-born principle? What weight had that commandment with one who could calmly
stand beside her "ark of bulrushes" and look death straight in the face? The Holy Ghost
replies, "they were not afraid of the king's commandment." The spirit that knows ought of
communion with Him who quickens the dead, is not afraid of anything. Such an one can take
up the triumphant language of 1 Cor: 15 and say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where
is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to
God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." He can give forth these
words of triumph over a martyred Abel; over Joseph in the pit; over Moses in his ark of
bulrushes; in the midst of "the seed royal," slain by the hand of Athaliah; and in the babes of
Bethlehem, murdered by the mandate of the cruel Herod; and far above all, he can utter them
at the tomb of the Captain of our salvation.

Now, it may be, there are some who cannot trace the activities of faith, in the matter of the
ark of bulrushes. Many may not be able to travel beyond the measure of Moses' sister, when
"she stood afar off, to wit, what would be done to him." It is very evident that "his sister" was
not up to " the measure of faith" possessed by "his mother." No doubt, she possessed deep
interest and true affection, such as we may trace in "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
sitting over against the sepulchre." (Matt. 27: 61) But there was something far beyond either
interest or affection in the maker of the "ark." True, she did not "stand afar off to wit what
would be done to" her child, and hence, what frequently happens, the dignity of faith might
seem like indifference, on her part. It was not, however, indifference, but true elevation—the
elevation of faith. If natural affection did not cause her to linger near the scene of death, it
was only because the power of faith was furnishing her with nobler work, in the presence of
the God of resurrection. Her faith had cleared the stage for Him, and most gloriously did He
show Himself thereon.

"And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens
walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid
to fetch it. And when she had opened it she saw the child; and, behold, the babe wept. And
she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children." Here, then, the
divine response begins to break, in sweetest accents, on the ear of faith. God was in all this.
rationalism, or scepticism, or infidelity, or atheism, may laugh at such an idea. And faith can
laugh also; but the two kinds of laughter are very different. The former laughs, in cold
contempt, at the thought of divine interference in the trifling affair of a royal maiden's walk
by the river's side. The latter laughs, with real heart-felt gladness, at the thought that God is in
everything. And, assuredly, if ever God was in anything, He was in this walk of Pharaoh's
daughter, though she knew it not.

The renewed mind enjoys one of its sweetest exercises, while tracing the divine footsteps in
circumstances and events in which a thoughtless spirit sees only blind chance or rigid fate.
The most trifling matter may, at times, turn out to be a most important link in a chain of
events by which the Almighty God is helping forward the development of His grand designs.
Look, for instance, at Esther 4: 1, and what do you see? A heathen monarch, spending a
restless night. No uncommon circumstance, we may suppose; and, yet, this very circumstance
was a link in a great chain of providence at the end of which you find the marvellous
deliverance of the oppressed seed of Israel.

Thus was it with the daughter of Pharaoh, in her walk by the river's side. Little did she think
that she was helping forward the purpose of "the Lord God of the Hebrews" How little idea
had she that the weeping babe, in that ark of bulrushes, was yet to be Jehovah's instrument in
shaking the land of Egypt to its very centre! Yet so it was. The Lord can make the wrath of
man to praise Him, and restrain the remainder. How plainly the truth of this appears in the
following passage!

"Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew
women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Go. And
the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this
child sway, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child
and nursed it. And the child grew and she brought him unto Pharaohs daughter, and he
became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the
water." (Ex. 2: 7-10) The beautiful faith of Moses' mother here meets its full reward; Satan is
confounded; and the marvellous wisdom of God is displayed. Who would have thought that
the one who had said, "If it be a son, then ye shall kill him," and, again, "every son that is born
ye shall cast into the river," should have in his court one of those very sons, and such "a son."
The devil was foiled by his own weapon, inasmuch as Pharaoh, whom he was using to
frustrate the purpose of God, is used of God to nourish and bring up Moses, who was to be
His instrument in confounding the power of Satan. Remarkable providence! Admirable
wisdom! Truly, Jehovah is "wonderful in counsel and excellent in working." May we learn to
trust Him with more artless simplicity, and thus our path shall be more brilliant, and our
testimony more effective.

In considering the history of Moses, we must look at him in two ways, namely, personally and
typically.

First, in his personal character, there is much, very much, for us to learn. God had not only to
raise him up, but also to train him, in one way or another, for the lengthened period of eighty
years-first in the house of Pharaoh's daughter; and then at "the backside of the desert." This, to
our shallow thoughts, would seem an immense space of time to devote to the education of a
minister of God. But then God's thoughts are not as our thoughts. He knew the need of those
forty years, twice told, in the preparation of His chosen vessel. When God educates, He
educates in a manner worthy of Himself and His most holy service. He will not have a novice
to do His work. The servant of Christ has to learn many a lesson, to undergo many an
exercise, to pass through many a conflict, in secret, ere he is really qualified to act in public.
Nature does not like this. It would rather figure in public than learn in private. It would rather
be gazed upon and admired by the eye of man than be disciplined by the hand of God. But it
will not do. We must take God's way. Nature may rush into the scene of operation; but God
does not want it there. It must be withered, crushed, set aside. The place of death is the place
for nature. If it will be active, God will so order matters, in His infallible faithfulness and
perfect wisdom, that the results of its activity will prove its utter defeat and confusion. He
knows what to do with nature, where to put it, and where to keep it. Oh that we may all be in
deeper communion with the mind of God, in reference to self and all that pertains thereto.
Then shall we make fewer mistakes. Then shall our path be steady and elevated, our spirit
tranquil, and our service effective.

"And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his
brethren, and looked on their burdens; and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of
his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw there was no man, he
slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand." This was zeal for his brethren; but it was "not
according to knowledge." God's time was not yet come for judging Egypt and delivering
Israel; and the intelligent servant will ever wait for God's time. "Moses was grown;" and "he
was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians;" and, moreover, "he supposed his brethren
would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them." all this was true; yet
he evidently ran before the time, and when one does this failure must be the issue. [In
Stephen's address to the council, at Jerusalem, there is an allusion to Moses' acting, to which
it may be well to advert. "And when he was full forty years old it came into his heart to visit
his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him,
and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian; for he supposed his brethren
would have understood how that God, by his hand, would deliver them; but they understood
not." (Acts 7: 23-25) It is evident that Stephen's object, in his entire address, has to bring the
history of the nation to bear upon the consciences of those whom he had before him; and it
would have been quite foreign to this object, and at variance with the Spirit's rule in the New
Testament, to raise a question as to whether Moses had not acted before the divinely-
appointed time.

Moreover, he merely says, "it came into his heart to visit his brethren." He does not say that
God sent him, at that time. Nor does this, in the least, touch the question of the moral
condition of those who rejected him. "They understood not." This was the fact as to them,
whatever Moses might have personally to learn in the matter. The spiritual mind can have no
difficulty in apprehending this.

Looking at Moses, typically, we can see the mission of Christ to Israel, and their rejection of
Him, and refusal to have Him to reign over them. On the other hand, looking at Moses,
personally, we find that he, like others, made mistakes and displayed infirmities; sometimes
went too fast, and sometimes too slow. All this is easily understood, and only tends to
magnify the infinite grace and exhaustless patience of God.]
  And not only is there failure in the end, but also manifest uncertainty, and lack of calm
elevation and holy independence in the progress of a work begun before God's time. Moses
"looked this way and that way." There is no need of this when a man is acting with and for
God, and in the full intelligence of His mind, as to the details of his work. If God's time had
really come, and if Moses was conscious of being divinely commissioned to execute
judgement upon the Egyptian, and if he felt assured of the divine presence with him, he would
not have "looked this way and that way."

This action teaches a deep practical lesson to all the servants of God. There are two things by
which it is superinduced: namely, the fear of man's wrath, and the hope of man's favour. The
servant of the living God should neither regard the one nor the other. What avails the wrath or
favour of a poor mortal, to one who holds the divine commission, and enjoys the divine
presence? It is, in the judgement of such an one, less than the small dust of the balance.
"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou
dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1: 9) "Thou,
therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak, unto them all that I command thee: be not
dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this
day a defended city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the
kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people
of the land. And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am
with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee." (Jer 1: 17-19)

When the servant of Christ stands upon the elevated ground set forth in the above quotations,
he will not "look this way and that way;" he will act on wisdom's heavenly counsel, "let thine
eyes look straight on, and thine eyelids look straight before thee." Divine intelligence will
ever lead us to look upward and onward. Whenever we look around to shun a mortal's frown
or catch his smile, we may rest assured there is something wrong; we are off the proper
ground of divine service. We lack the assurance of holding the divine commission, and of
enjoying the divine presence, both of which are absolutely essential.

True, there are many who, through profound ignorance, or excessive self-confidence, stand
forward in a sphere of service for which God never intended them, and for which He,
therefore, never qualified them. And not only do they thus stand forward, but they exhibit an
amount of coolness and self-possession perfectly amazing to those who are capable of
forming an impartial judgement about their gifts and merits. But all this will very speedily
find its level; nor does it in the least interfere with the integrity of the principle that nothing
can effectually deliver a man from the tendency to "look this way and that way," save the
consciousness of the divine commission and the divine presence. When these are possessed,
there is entire deliverance from human influence, and consequent independence. No man is in
a position to serve others who is not wholly independent of them; but a man who knows his
proper place can stoop and wash his brethren's feet.

When we turn away our eyes from man, and fix them upon the only true and perfect Servant,
we do not find him looking this way and that way, for this simple reason, that He never had
His eye upon men, but always upon God. He feared not the wrath of man nor sought his
favour. He never opened His lips to elicit human applause, nor kept them closed to avoid
human censure. This gave holy stability and elevation to all He said and did. Of Him alone
could it be truly said, "His leaf shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Everything He did turned to profitable account, because everything was done to God. Every
action, every word, every movement, every look, every thought, was like a beauteous cluster
of fruit, sent up to refresh the heart of God. He was never afraid of the results of His work,
because He always acted with and for God, and in the full intelligence of His mind. His own
will, though divinely perfect, never once mingled itself in ought that He did, as a man, on the
earth. He could say, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me." Hence, He brought forth fruit, "in its season" He did "always those things which
pleased the Father," and, therefore, never had any occasion to "fear," to "repent," or to "look
this way and that way."

Now in this, as in everything else, the blessed Master stands in marked contrast with His most
honoured and eminent servants. Even a Moses "feared," and a, Paul "repented;" but the Lord
Jesus never did either. He never had to retrace a step, to recall a word, or correct a thought.
All was absolutely perfect. All was "fruit in season." The current of His holy and heavenly life
flowed onward without a ripple and without a curve. His will was divinely subject. The best
and most devoted men make mistakes; but it is perfectly certain that the more we are enabled,
through grace, to mortify our own will, the fewer our mistakes will be. Truly happy it is when,
in the main, our path is really a path of faith and single-eyed devotedness to Christ.

Thus it was with Moses. He was a man of faith-a man who drank deeply into the spirit of his
Master, and walked with marvellous steadiness in His footprints. True, he anticipated, as has
been remarked, by forty years, the Lord's time of judgement on Egypt and deliverance for
Israel; yet, when we turn to the inspired commentary, in Hebrews 11, we find nothing about
this. We there find only the divine principle upon which, in the main, his course was founded.
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the
treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook
Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible." (Ver.
24-27)

This quotation furnishes a most gracious view of the actings of Moses. It is ever thus the Holy
Ghost deals with the history of Old Testament saints. When He writes a man's history, He
presents him to us as he is, and faithfully sets forth all his failures and imperfections. But
when, in the New Testament, he comments upon such history, He merely gives the real
principle and main result of a man's life. Hence, though we read, in Exodus, that "Moses
looked this way and that way"—that "he feared and said, surely this thing is known"—and,
finally, "Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh;" yet, we are taught, in Hebrews, that what he
did, he did "by faith"—that he did not fear" the wrath of the king"—that "he endured as seeing
him who is invisible."

Thus will it be, by and by, when "the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every
man have praise of God." (1 Cor. 4: 5) This is a precious and consolatory truth for every
upright mind and every loyal heart. Many a "Counsel" the "heart" may form, which, from
various causes, the hand may not be able to execute. All such "counsels" will be made
"manifest" when "the Lord comes." Blessed be the grace that has told us so! The affectionate
counsels of the heart are far more precious to Christ than the most elaborate works of the
hand. The latter may shine before the eye of man; the former are designed only for the heart
of Jesus. The latter may be spoken of amongst men; the former will be made manifest before
God and His holy angels. May all the servants of Christ have their hearts undividedly
occupied with His person, and their eyes steadily fixed upon His advent.

In contemplating the path of Moses, we observe how that faith led him entirely athwart the
ordinary course of nature. It led him to despise all the pleasures, the attractions, and the
honours of Pharaoh's court. And not only that, but also to relinquish an apparently wide
sphere of usefulness. Human expediency would have conducted him along quite an opposite
path. It would have led him to use his influence on behalf of the people of God—to act for
them instead of suffering with them. According to man's judgement, Providence would seem
to have opened for Moses a wide and most important sphere of labour; and surely if ever the
hand of God was manifest in placing a man in a distinct position, it was in his case. By a most
marvellous interposition—by a most unaccountable chain of circumstances, every link of
which displayed the finger of the Almighty—by an order of events which no human foresight
could have arranged, had the daughter of Pharaoh been made the instrument of drawing
Moses out of the water, and of nourishing and educating him until he was "full forty years
Old." With all these circumstances in his view, to abandon his high, honourable, and
influential position, could only be regarded as the result of a misguided zeal which no sound
judgement could approve.

Thus might poor blind nature reason. But faith thought differently; for nature and faith are
always at issue. They cannot agree upon a single point. Nor is there anything, perhaps, in
reference to which they differ so widely as what are commonly called "openings of
Providence." Nature will constantly regard such openings as warrants for self-indulgence;
whereas faith will find in them opportunities for self-denial. Jonah might have deemed it a
very remarkable opening of Providence to find a ship going to Tarshish; but in truth it was an
opening through which he slipped off the path of obedience.

No doubt, it is the Christian's privilege to see his Father's hand, and hear His voice, in
everything; but he is not to be guided by circumstances. A Christian so guided is like a vessel
at sea without rudder or compass; she is at the mercy of the waves and the winds. God's
promise to His child is, "I will guide thee with mine eye." (Ps: 32: 8) His warning is, "Be not
as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth must be held in with
bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee." It is much better to be guided by our Father's
eye, than by the bit and bridle of circumstances; and we know that in the ordinary acceptation
of the term, "Providence" is only another word for the impulse of circumstances.

Now, the power of faith may constantly be seen in refusing and forsaking the apparent
openings of Providence. It was so in the case of Moses. "By faith he refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter;" and "by faith he forsook Egypt." Had he judged according to the
sight of his eyes, he would have grasped at the proffered dignity, as the manifest gift of a kind
Providence, and he would have remained in the court of Pharaoh as in a sphere of usefulness
plainly thrown open to him by the hand of God. But, then, he walked by faith, and not by the
sight of his eyes; and, hence, he forsook all. Noble example! May we have grace to follow it!

And observe what it was that Moses "esteemed greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;" it
was the "reproach of Christ." It was not merely reproach for Christ. "The reproaches of them
that reproached thee have fallen upon me." The Lord Jesus, in perfect grace, identified
Himself with His people. He came down from heaven, leaving His Father's bosom, and laying
aside all His glory, He took His people's place, confessed their sins, and bore their judgement
on the cursed tree. Such was His voluntary devotedness, He not merely acted for us, but made
Himself one with us, thus perfectly delivering us from all that was or could be against us.

Hence, we see how much in sympathy Moses was with the spirit and mind of Christ, in
reference to the people of God. He was in the midst of all the ease the pomp and dignity of
Pharaoh's house, where "the pleasures of sin," and "the treasures of Egypt," lay scattered
around him, in richest profusion. All these things he might have enjoyed if he would. He
could have lived and died in the midst of wealth and splendour. His entire path, from first to
last, might, if he had chosen, have been enlightened by the sunshine of royal favour: but that
would not have been "faith;" it would not have been Christ-like. From his elevated position,
he saw his brethren bowed down beneath their heavy burden, and faith led him to see that his
place was to be with them. Yes; with them, in all their reproach, their bondage, their
degradation, and their sorrow. Had he been actuated by mere benevolence, philanthropy, or
patriotism, he might have used his personal influence on behalf of his brethren. He might
have succeeded in inducing Pharaoh to lighten their burden, and render their path somewhat
smoother, by royal grants in their favour; but this would never do, never satisfy a heart that
had a single pulsation in common with the heart of Christ. Such a heart Moses, by the grace
of God, carried in his bosom; and, therefore, with all the energies and all the affections of that
heart, he threw himself, body, soul, and spirit, into the very midst of his oppressed brethren.
He "chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God." And, moreover, he did this "by
faith."

Let my reader ponder this deeply. We must not be satisfied with wishing well to, doing
service for, or speaking kindly on behalf of, the people of God. We ought to be fully
identified with them, no matter how despised or reproached they may be. It is, in a measure,
an agreeable thing to a benevolent and generous spirit, to patronise Christianity; but it is a
wholly different thing to be identified with Christians, or to suffer with Christ. A patron is
one thing, a martyr is quite another. This distinction is apparent throughout the entire book of
God. Obadiah took care of God's witnesses, but Elijah was a witness for God. Darius was so
attached to Daniel that he lost a night's rest on his account, but Daniel spent that selfsame
night in the lion's den, as a witness for the truth of God. Nicodemus ventured to speak a word
for Christ, but a more matured discipleship would have led him to identify himself with
Christ.

These considerations are eminently practical. The Lord Jesus does not want patronage; He
wants fellowship. The truth concerning Him is declared to us, not that we might patronise His
cause on earth, but have fellowship with His Person in heaven. He identified Himself with us,
at the heavy cost of all that love could give. He might have avoided this. He might have
continued to enjoy His eternal place "in the bosom of the Father." But how, then, could that
mighty tide of love, which was pent up in His heart, flow down to us guilty and hell-deserving
sinners? Between Him and us there could be no oneness, save on conditions which involved
the surrender of everything on His part. But, blessed, throughout the everlasting ages, be His
adorable Name, that surrender was voluntarily made. "He gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works." (Titus 2: 14) He would not enjoy His glory alone. His loving heart would gratify itself
by associating "many sons" with Him in that glory. "Father," He says, "I will that they also
whom thou hast given me be with Me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou
hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." (John 17: 24) Such
were the thoughts of Christ in reference to His people; and we can easily see how much in
sympathy with these precious thoughts was the heart of Moses. He, unquestionably, partook
largely of his Master's spirit; and he manifested that excellent spirit in freely sacrificing every
personal consideration, and associating himself, unreservedly, with the people of God.

The personal character and actings of this honoured servant of God will come before us again
in the next section of our book. We shall here briefly consider him as a type of the Lord Jesus
Christ. That he was a type of Him is evident from the following passage, "The Lord thy God
will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto
him ye shall hearken." (Deut. 18: 15) We are not, therefore, trafficking in human imagination
in viewing Moses as a type; it is the plain teaching of scripture, and, in the closing verses of
Exodus 2. we see this type in a double way: first, in the matter of his rejection by Israel; and,
secondly, in his union with a stranger in the land of Midian. These points have already been,
in some measure, developed in the history of Joseph, who, being cast out by his brethren,
according to the flesh, forms an alliance with an Egyptian bride. Here, as in the case of
Moses, we see shadowed forth Christ's rejection by Israel, and His union with the Church, but
in a different phase. In Joseph's case, we have the exhibition of positive enmity against his
person. In Moses it is the rejection of his mission. In Joseph's case we read, "they hated him,
and could not speak peaceably unto him." (Gen. 37: 4) In the case of Moses, the word is,
"Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?" In short, the former was personally hated; the
latter, officially refused.

So also in the mode in which the great mystery of the Church is exemplified, in the history of
those two Old Testament saints. "Asenath" presents quite a different phase of the Church
from that which we have in the person of "Zipporah." The former was united to Joseph in the
time of his exaltation; the latter was the companion of Moses, in the obscurity of his desert
life. (Comp. Gen. 41: 41-45 with Ex. 2: 15; 3: 1) True, both Joseph and Moses were, at the
time of their union with a stranger, rejected by their brethren; yet the former was "governor
over all the land of Egypt;" whereas the latter tended a few sheep at "the backside of the
desert."

Whether, therefore, we contemplate Christ, as manifested in glory: or as hidden from the
world's gaze, the Church is intimately associated with Him. And now, inasmuch as the world
seeth Him not, neither can it take knowledge of that body which is wholly one with Him.
"The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (2 John 3: 1) By and by, Christ will
appear in His glory, and the Church with Him. "When Christ our life shall appear, then shall
ye also appear with him in glory." (Col. 3: 4) And, again, "The glory which thou gavest me I
have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and
hast loved them as thou hast loved Me." (John 17: 22, 23)
[There are two distinct unities spoken of in John 17: 21, 23. The first is that unity which the
Church was responsible to have maintained, but in which she has utterly failed. The second,
that unity which God will infallibly accomplish, and which He will manifest in glory. If the
reader will turn to the passage he will at once see the difference, both as to character and
result, of the two.]

Such, then, is the Church's high and holy position. She is one with Him who is cast out by this
world, but who occupies the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. The Lord Jesus made
Himself responsible for her on the cross, in order that she might share with Him His present
rejection and His future glory. Would that all who form a part of such a highly privileged
body were more impressed with a sense of what becomes them as to course and character
down here! Assuredly, there should be a fuller and clearer response on the part of all the
children of God, to that love wherewith He has loved them, to that salvation wherewith He
has saved them, and to that dignity wherewith He has invested them. The walk of the
Christian should ever be the natural result of realised privilege, and not the constrained result
of legal vows and resolutions, the proper fruit of a position known and enjoyed by faith, and
not the fruit of one's own efforts to reach a position "by works of law." All true believers are a
part of the bride of Christ. Hence they owe Him those affections which become that relation.
The relationship is not obtained because of the affections, but the affections flow out of the
relationship.

So let it be, O Lord, with all thy beloved and blood bought people.

Exodus 3

We shall now resume the personal history of Moses, and contemplate him during that deeply-
interesting period of his career which he spent in retirement-a period including, as we should
say, forty of his very best years—the prime of life. This is full of meaning. The Lord had
graciously, wisely, and faithfully, led His dear servant apart from the eyes and thoughts of
men, in order that He might train him under His own immediate hand. Moses needed this.
True, he had spent forty years in the house of Pharaoh; and, while his sojourn there was not
without its influence and value, yet was it as nothing when compared with his sojourn in the
desert. The former might be valuable; but the latter was indispensable.

Nothing can possibly make up for the lack of secret communion with God, or the training and
discipline of His school "All the wisdom of the Egyptians" would not have qualified Moses
for his future path. He might have pursued a most brilliant course through the schools and
colleges of Egypt. He might have come forth laden with literary honours—his intellect stored
with learning, and his heart full of pride and self-sufficiency. He might have taken out his
degree in the school of man, and yet have to learn his alphabet in the school of God. Mere
human wisdom and learning; how valuable soever in themselves, can never constitute any one
a servant of God, nor equip him for any department of divine service. Such things may qualify
unrenewed nature to figure before the world; but the man whom God will use must be
endowed with widely different qualifications—such qualifications as can alone be found in
the deep and hallowed retirement of the Lord's presence.

All God's servants have been made to know and experience the truth of these statements.
Moses at Horeb, Elijah at Cherith, Ezekiel at Chebar, Paul in Arabia, and John at Patmos, are
all striking examples of the immense practical importance of being alone with God. and when
we look at the Divine Servant, we find that the time He spent in private was nearly ten times
as long as that which He spent in public. He, though perfect in understanding and in will,
spent nearly thirty years in the obscurity of a carpenter's house at Nazareth, ere He made His
appearance in public. And, even when He had entered upon His public career, how oft did He
retreat from the gaze of men, to enjoy the sweet and sacred retirement of the divine presence!

Now we may feel disposed to ask, how could the urgent demand for workmen ever be met, if
all need such protracted training, in secret, ere they come forth to their work? This is the
Master's care—not ours. He can provide the workmen, and He can train them also. This is not
man's work. God alone can provide and prepare a true minister. Nor is it a question with Him
as to the length of time needful for the education of such an one. We know He could educate
him in a moment, if it were His will to do so. One thing is evident, namely, that God has had
all His servants very much alone with Himself, both before and after their entrance upon their
public work; nor will any one ever get on without this. The absence of secret training and
discipline will, necessarily leave us barren, superficial, and theoretic. A man who ventures
forth upon a public career ere he has duly weighed himself in the balances of the sanctuary, or
measured himself in the presence of God, is like a ship putting out to sea without proper
ballast: he will doubtless overset with the first stiff breeze. On the contrary, there is a depth, a
solidity, and a steadiness flowing from our having passed from form to form in the school of
God, which are essential elements in the formation of the character of a true and effective
servant of God.

Hence, therefore, when we find Moses, at the age of forty years, taken apart from all the
dignity and splendour of a court, for the purpose of spending forty years in the obscurity of a
desert, we are led to expect a remarkable course of service; nor are we disappointed. The man
whom God educates, is educated, and none other. It lies not within the range of man to
prepare an instrument for the service of God. The hand of man could never mould "a vessel
meet for the Master's use." The One who is to use the vessel can alone prepare it; and we have
before us a singularly beautiful sample of His mode of preparation.

"Now, Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the
flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb." (Ex. 3:
1) Here, then, we have a marvellous change of circumstances. In Genesis 46: 31, we read,
"every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians;" and yet Moses, who was "learned in all
the wisdom of the Egyptians," is transferred from the Egyptian court to the back of a
mountain to tend a flock of sheep, and to be educated for the service of God. Assuredly, this
is not "the manner of man." This is not nature's line of things. Flesh and blood could not
understand this. We should have thought that Moses' education was finished when he had
become master of all Egypt's wisdom, and that, moreover, in immediate connection with the
rare advantages which a court life affords. We should have expected to find in one so highly
favoured, not only a solid and varied education; but also such an exquisite polish as would fit
him for any sphere of action to which he might be called. But then, to find such a man with
such attainments, called away from such a position to mind sheep at the back of a mountain,
is something entirely beyond the utmost stretch of human thought and feeling. It lays prostrate
in the dust all man's pride and glory. It declares plainly that this world's appliances are of little
value in the divine estimation; yea, they are as "dung and dross," not only in the eyes of the
Lord, but also in the eyes of all those who have been taught in His school.

There is a very wide difference between human and divine education. The former has for its
end the refinement and exaltation of nature; the latter begins with withering it up and setting
it aside. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1
Cor. 2: 14) Educate the "natural man" as much as you please, and you cannot make him a
"spiritual man." "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit:" (John 3: 6) If ever an educated "natural man" might look for success in the service of
God, Moses might have counted upon it; he was "grown," he was "learned," he was "mighty in
word and deed," and yet he had to learn something at "the backside of the desert," which
Egypt's schools could never have taught him. Paul learnt more in Arabia than ever he had
learnt at the feet of Gamaliel.* None can teach like God; and all who will learn of Him must
be alone with Him. "In the desert God will teach thee." There it was that Moses learnt his
sweetest, deepest, most influential and enduring lessons. Thither, too, must all repair who
mean to be educated for the ministry.
{*Let not my reader suppose for a moment that the design of the above remarks is to detract
from the value of really useful information, or the proper culture of the mental powers. By no
means. If, for example, he is a parent, let him store his child's mind with useful knowledge;
let him teach him everything which may, hereafter, turn to account in the Master's service: let
him not burden him with ought which he would have to "lay aside in running his Christian
course, nor conduct him, for educational purposes through a region from which it is well-nigh
impossible to come forth with an unsoiled mind. You might just as well shut him up for ten
years in a coal mine, in order to qualify him for discussing the properties of light and shade,
as cause him to wade through the mire of a heathen mythology, in order to fit him for the
interpretation of the oracles of God, or prepare him for leading the flock of Christ}

Beloved reader, may you prove, in your own deep experience, the real meaning of "the
backside of the desert," that sacred spot where nature is laid in the dust, and God alone
exalted. There it is that men and things—the world and self—present circumstances and their
influence, are all valued at what they are really worth. There it is, and there alone, that you
will find a divinely-adjusted balance in which to weigh all within and all around. There are no
false colours, no borrowed plumes, no empty pretensions there. The enemy of your soul
cannot gild the sand of that place. All is reality there. The heart that has found itself in the
presence of God, at "the backside of the desert," has right thoughts about everything. It is
raised far above the exciting influence of this world's schemes. The din and noise! the bustle
and confusion of Egypt do not fall upon the ear in that distant place. The crash in the
monetary and commercial world is not heard there. The sigh of ambition is not heaved there.
This world's fading laurels do not tempt there. The thirst for gold is not felt there. The eye is
never dimmed with lust, nor the heart swollen with pride there. Human applause does not
elate, nor human censure depress there. In a word, everything is set aside save the stillness
and light of the divine presence. God's voice alone is heard—His light enjoyed—His thoughts
received. This is the place to which all must go to be educated for the ministry; and there all
must remain, if they would succeed in the ministry.

Would that all who come forward to serve in public knew more of what it is to breathe the
atmosphere of this place. We should, then, have far less vapid attempts at ministry, but far
more effective Christ-honouring service.

Let us now enquire what Moses saw and what he heard at "the backside of the desert." We
shall find him learning lessons which lay far beyond the reach of Egypt's most gifted masters.
It might appear, in the eyes of human reason, a strange loss of time for a man like Moses to
spend forty years doing nothing save to keep a few sheep in the wilderness. But he was there
with God, and the time that is thus spent is never lost. It is salutary for us to remember that
there is something more than mere doing necessary on the part of the true servant. A man who
is always doing will be apt to do too much. Such an one would need to ponder over the
deeply-practical words of the perfect Servant, "He wakeneth morning by morning, he
wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned." (Isa. 1: 4) This is an indispensable part of the
servant's business. The servant must frequently stand in his master's presence, in order that he
may know what he has to do. The "ear" and the "tongue" are intimately connected, in more
ways than one; but, in a spiritual or moral point of view, if my ear be closed and my tongue
loose, I shall be sure to talk a great deal of folly. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every
man be swift to hear, slow to speak." (James 1: 19) This seasonable admonition is based upon
two facts, namely, that everything good comes from above, and that the heart is brim full of
naughtiness, ready to flow over. Hence, the need of keeping the ear open and the tongue quiet
rare and admirable attainments! -attainments in which Moses made great proficiency at "the
backside of the desert," and which all can acquire, if only they are disposed to learn in that
school.

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush:
and he looked, And behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And
Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." (Ex. 3:
2, 3) This was, truly, "a great sight"—a bush burning, yet not burnt. The palace of Pharaoh
could never have afforded such a sight. But it was a gracious sight as well as a great sight, for
therein was strikingly exhibited the condition of God's elect. They were in the furnace of
Egypt; and Jehovah reveals Himself in a burning bush. But as the bush was not consumed, so
neither were they, for God was there. "The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our
refuge." (Ps. 46) Here is strength and security—victory and peace. God with us, God in us,
and God for us. This is ample provision for every exigence.

Nothing can be more interesting or instructive than the mode in which Jehovah was pleased to
reveal Himself to Moses, as presented in the above quotation. He was about to furnish him
with his commission to lead forth His people out of Egypt, that they might be His assembly—
His dwelling-place, in the wilderness, and in the land of Canaan; and the place from which
He speaks is a burning bush. Apt, solemn, and beautiful symbol of Jehovah dwelling in the
midst of His elect and redeemed congregation! "Our God is a consuming fire," not to consume
us, but to consume all in us and about us which is contrary to His holiness, and, as such,
subversive of our true and permanent happiness. "Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness
becometh thy house, O Lord, for ever."

There are various instances, both in the Old and New Testaments, in which we find God
displaying Himself as "a consuming fire." Look, for example, at the case of Nadab and Abihu,
in Leviticus 10. This was a deeply solemn occasion. God was dwelling in the midst of His
people, and He would keep them in a condition worthy of Himself. He could not do
otherwise. It would neither be for His glory nor for their profit, were He to tolerate ought in
them inconsistent with the purity of His presence. God's dwelling-place must be holy.

So, also, in Joshua 7 we have another striking proof, in the case of Achan, that Jehovah could
not possibly sanction, by His presence, evil, in any shape or form, how covert soever that evil
might be. He was "a Consuming fire," and, as such, He should act, in reference to any attempt
to defile that assembly in the midst of which He dwelt. To seek to connect God's presence
with evil unjudged, is the very highest character of wickedness.

Again, in Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira teach us the same solemn lesson. God the Holy Ghost
was dwelling in the midst of the Church, not merely as an influence, but as a divine Person, in
such a way as that one could lie to Him. The Church was, and is still, His dwelling place; and
He must rule and judge in the midst thereof. Men may walk in company with deceit,
covetousness, and hypocrisy; but God cannot. If God is going to walk with us, we must judge
our ways, or we will judge them for us. (See also 1 Cor. 11: 29-32)

In all these cases, and many more which might be adduced, we see the force of that solemn
word, "holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, for ever." The moral effect of this will ever be
similar to that produced in the case of Moses, as recorded in our chapter. "Draw not nigh
hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy
ground." (Verse 5) The place of God's presence is holy, and can only be trodden with unshod
feet. God, dwelling in the midst of His people, imparts a character of holiness to their
assembly, which is the basis of every holy affection and every holy activity. The character of
the dwelling place takes its stamp from the character of the Occupant.

The application of this to the Church, which is now the habitation of God, through the Spirit,
is of the very utmost practical importance. While it is blessedly true that God, by His Spirit,
inhabits each individual member of the Church, thereby imparting a character of holiness to
the individual; it is equally true that He dwells in the assembly; and, hence the assembly must
be holy. The centre round which the members are gathered is nothing less than the Person of a
living, victorious, and glorified Christ. The energy by which they are gathered is nothing less
than God the Holy Ghost; and the Lord God Almighty dwells in them and walks in them. (See
Matt. 18: 20; 1 Cor. 6: 19; 1 Cor. 3: 16, 17; Eph. 2: 21, 22) Such being the holy elevation
belonging to God's dwelling-place, it is evident that nothing which is unholy, either in
principle or practice, must be tolerated. Each one connected therewith should feel the weight
and solemnity of that word, "the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." "If any man
defile the temple of God, him will God destroy."(1 Cor. 3: 17) Most weighty words these, for
every member of God's assembly—for every stone in His holy temple! May we all learn to
tread Jehovah's courts, with unshod feet!

However, the visions of Horeb bear witness to the grace of the God of Israel as well as to His
holiness. If God's holiness is infinite, His grace is infinite also; and, while the manner in
which He revealed Himself to Moses, declared the former, the very fact of His revealing
Himself at all evidenced the latter. He came down, because He was gracious; but when come
down, He should reveal Himself as holy. "Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was
afraid to look upon God." (Verse 6) The effect of the divine presence must ever be to make
nature hide itself; and, when we stand before God, with unshod feet and covered head, i.e. in
the attitude of soul which those acts so aptly and beautifully express, we are prepared to
hearken to the sweet accents of grace. When man takes his suited place, God can speak, in the
language of unmingled mercy.

"And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and
have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows. And I am come
down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land
unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. . . . . Now, therefore,
behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come up unto me; and I have also seen the
oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them." (Ver. 7-9) Here the absolute, free,
unconditional grace of the God of Abraham, and the God of Abraham's seed, shines forth in
all its native brightness, unhindered by the "ifs" and "buts," the vows, resolutions, and
conditions of man's legal spirit. God had come down to display Himself, in sovereign grace,
to do the whole work of salvation, to accomplish His promise made to Abraham, and repeated
to Isaac and Jacob. He had not come down to see if, indeed, the subjects of His promise were
in such a condition as to merit His salvation. It was sufficient for Him that they needed it.
Their oppressed state, their sorrows, their tears, their sighs, their heavy bondage, had all come
in review before Him; for, blessed be His name, He counts His people's sighs and puts their
tears into His bottle. He was not attracted by their excellencies or their virtues. It was not on
the ground of aught that was good in them, either seen or foreseen, that he was about to visit
them, for He knew what was in them. In one word, we have the true ground of His gracious
acting set before us in the words, "I am the God of Abraham," and "I have seen the affliction
of my people."

These words reveal a great fundamental principle in the ways of God. It is on the ground of
what He is, that He ever acts. "I AM," secures all for "MY PEOPLE." Assuredly He was not
going to leave His people amid the brick-kilns of Egypt, and under the lash of Pharaoh's
taskmasters. They were His people, and He mould act toward them in a manner worthy of
Himself. To be His people—to be the favoured objects of Jehovah's electing love—the
subjects of His unconditional promise, settled everything. Nothing should hinder the public
display of His relationship with those for whom His eternal purpose had secured the land of
Canaan. He had come down to deliver them; and the combined power of earth and hell could
not hold them in captivity one hour beyond His appointed time. He might and did use Egypt
as a school, and Pharaoh as a schoolmaster; but when the needed work was accomplished,
both the school and the schoolmaster were set aside, and His people were brought forth with a
high hand and an outstretched arm.

Such, then, was the double character of the revelation made to Moses at Mount Horeb. What
he saw and what he heard combined the two elements of holiness and grace—elements
which, as we know, enter into, and distinctly characterise, all the ways and all the
relationships of the blessed God, and which should also mark the ways of all those who, in
any wise, act for, or have fellowship with, Him. Every true servant is sent forth from the
immediate presence of God, with all its holiness and all its grace; and he is called to be holy
and gracious—he is called to be the reflection of the grace and holiness of the divine
character; and, in order that he may be so, he should not only start from the immediate
presence of God, at the first, but abide there, in spirit, habitually. This is the true secret of
effectual service.

"Childlike, attend what thou wilt say
Go forth and do it, while 'tis day,
Yet never leave my sweet retreat."

The spiritual man alone can understand the meaning of the two things, "go forth and do," and,
"yet never leave." In order to act for God outside, I should be with Him inside. I must be in the
secret sanctuary of His presence, else I shall utterly fail.

Very many break down on this point. There is the greatest possible danger of getting out of
the solemnity and calmness of the divine presence, amid the bustle of intercourse with men,
and the excitement of active service. This is to be carefully guarded against. If we lose that
hallowed tone of spirit which is expressed in "the unshod foot," our service will, very
speedily, become vapid and unprofitable. If I allow my work to get between my heart and the
Master, it will be little worth. We can only effectually serve Christ as we are enjoying Him. It
is while the heart dwells upon His powerful attractions that the hands perform the most
acceptable service to His name; nor is there any one who can minister Christ with unction,
freshness, and power to others, if he be not feeding upon Christ, in the secret of his own soul.
True, he may preach a sermon, deliver a lecture, utter prayers, write a book, and go through
the entire routine of outward service, and yet not minister Christ. The man who will present
Christ to others must be occupied with Christ for himself.

Happy is the man who ministers thus, whatever be the success or reception of his ministry.
For should his ministry fail to attract attention, to command influence, or to produce apparent
results, he has his sweet retreat and his unfailing portion in Christ, of which nothing can
deprive him. Whereas, the man who is merely feeding upon the fruits of his ministry, who
delights in the gratification which it affords, or the attention and interest which it commands,
is like a mere pipe, conveying water to others, and retaining only rust itself. This is a most
deplorable condition to be in; and yet is it the actual condition of every servant who is more
occupied with his work and its results, than with the Master and His glory.

This is a matter which calls for the most rigid self-judgement. The heart is deceitful, and the
enemy is crafty; and, hence there is great need to hearken to the word of exhortation, "be
sober, be vigilant." It is when the soul is awakened to a sense of the varied and manifold
dangers which beset the servant's path, that it is, in any measure, able to understand the need
there is for being much alone with God: it is there one is secure and happy. It is when we
begin, continue, and end our work at the Master's feet, that our service will be of the right
kind.

From all that has been said, it must be evident to any reader that every servant of Christ will
find the air of "the backside of the desert" most salutary. Horeb is really the starting post for
all whom God sends forth to act for Him. It was at Horeb that Moses learnt to put off his
shoes and hide his face. Forty years before he had gone to work; but his movement was
premature. It was amid the flesh-subduing solitudes of the mount of God, and forth from the
burning bush, that the divine commission fell on the servant's ear, "Come now, therefore, and
I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel,
out of Egypt." (Ver. 10) Here was real authority. There is a vast difference between God
sending a man, and a man running unsent. But it is very manifest that Moses was not ripe for
service when first he set about acting. If forty years of secret training were needful for him,
how could he have got on without it? Impossible! He had to be divinely educated, and
divinely commissioned; and so must all who go forth upon a path of service and testimony for
Christ. Oh! that these holy lessons may be deeply graven on all our hearts, that so our every
work may wear upon it the stamp of the Master's authority, and the Masters approval.

However, we have something further to learn at the foot of Mount Horeb. The soul finds it
seasonable to linger in this place. "It is good to be here." The presence of God is ever a deeply
practical place; the heart is sure to be laid open there. The light that shines in that holy place
makes everything manifest; and this is what is so much needed in the midst of the hollow
pretension around us, and the pride and self complacency within.

We might be disposed to think that, the very moment the divine commission was given to
Moses, his reply would be, "Here am I," or "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" But no; he
had yet to be brought to this. Doubtless, he was affected by the remembrance of his former
failure. If a man acts in anything without God, he is sure to be discouraged, even when God is
sending him. "And Moses said unto God, Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I
should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Ver. 11) This is very unlike the man
who, forty years before, "supposed that his brethren would have understood how that God, by
his hand, would deliver them." Such is man!—at one time too hasty; at another time too slow.
Moses had learnt a greet deal since the day in which he smote the Egyptian. He had grown in
the knowledge of himself, and this produced diffidence and timidity. But, then, he manifestly
lacked confidence in God. If I am merely looking at myself, I shall do "nothing;" but if I am
looking at Christ, "I can do all things." Thus, when diffidence and timidity led Moses to say,
"Who am I" God's answer was, "Certainly I will be with thee." (Ver. 12.) This ought to have
been sufficient. If God be with me, it makes very little matter who I am, or what I am. When
God says, "I will send thee," and "I will be with thee," the servant is amply furnished with
divine authority and divine power; and he ought, therefore, to be perfectly satisfied to go
forth.

But Moses puts another question; for the human heart is full of questions. "And Moses said
unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God
of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall
I say unto them?" It is marvellous to see how the human heart reasons and questions, when
unhesitating obedience is that which is due to God; and still more marvellous is the grace that
bears with all the reasonings and answers all the questions. Each question seems but to elicit
some new feature of divine grace.

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the
children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Ver. 14) The title which God here gives
Himself is one of wondrous significancy. In tracing through Scripture the various names
which God takes, we find them intimately connected with the varied need of those with
whom He was in relation. "Jehovah-jireh," (the Lord will provide.) "Jehovah-nissi," (the Lord
my banner.) "Jehovah-shalom," (the Lord send peace.) "Jehovah-tsidkenu," (the Lord our
righteousness.) All these His gracious titles are unfolded to meet the necessities of His
people; and when He calls Himself "I AM," it comprehends them all. Jehovah, in taking this
title, was furnishing His people with a blank cheque, to be filled up to any amount. He calls
Himself "I AM," and faith has but to write over against that ineffably precious name whatever
me want. God is the only significant figure, and human need may add the ciphers. If we want
life, Christ says, "I AM the life." If we want righteousness, He is "THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS." If we want peace, "He is our peace" If we want wisdom, sanctification,
and redemption," He "is made" all these "unto us." In a word, we may travel through the wide
range of human necessity, in order to have a just conception of the amazing depth and
fullness of this profound and adorable name, "I AM."

What a mercy to be called to walk in companionship with One who bears such a name as this!
We are in the wilderness, and there we have to meet with trial, sorrow, and difficulty; but, so
long as we have the happy privilege of betaking ourselves, at all times, and under all
circumstances, to One who reveals Himself in His manifold grace, in connection with our
every necessity and weakness, we need not fear the wilderness: God was about to bring His
people across the sandy desert, when He disclosed this precious and comprehensive name;
and, although the believer now, as being endowed with the Spirit of adoption, can cry, "Abba
Father," yet is he not deprived of the privilege of enjoying communion with God in each and
every one of those manifestations which He has been pleased to make of Himself. For
example, the title "God" reveals Him as acting in the solitariness of His own being, displaying
His eternal power and Godhead in the works of creation. "The Lord God" is the title which He
takes in connection with man. Then, as "the Almighty God," He rises before the view of His
servant Abraham, in order to assure his heart in reference to the accomplishment of His
promise touching the seed. As Jehovah, He made Himself known to Israel, in delivering them
out of the land of Egypt, and bringing them into the land of Canaan.

Such were the various measures and various modes in which "God spake in times past unto
the fathers, by the prophets:" (Heb. 1: 1) and the believer, under this dispensation or economy,
as possessing the spirit of sonship, can say, "It was my Father who thus revealed himself—
thus spoke—thus acted."

Nothing can be more interesting or practically important in its way than to follow out those
great dispensational titles of God. These titles are always used in strict moral consistency with
the circumstances under which they are disclosed; but there is, in the name "I AM," a height,
a depth, a length, a breadth, which truly pass beyond the utmost stretch of human conception.

"When God would teach mankind His name,
He calls Himself the great "I AM,"
And leaves a blank—believers may
Supply those things for which they pray."


And, be it observed, it is only in connection with His own people that He takes this name. He
did not address Pharaoh in this name. When speaking to him, He calls Himself by that
commanding and majestic title, "The Lord God of the Hebrews;" i.e., God, in connection with
the very people whom he was seeking to crush. This ought to have been sufficient to show
Pharaoh his awful position with respect to God. "I AM" would have conveyed no intelligible
sound to an uncircumcised ear—no divine reality to an unbelieving heart. When God manifest
in the flesh declared to the unbelieving Jews of His day those words, "before Abraham was, I
am," they took up stones to cast at Him. It is only the true believer who can feel, in any
measure, the power, or enjoy the sweetness of that ineffable name, "I AM." Such an one can
rejoice to hear from the lips of the blessed Lord Jesus such declarations as these:—"I am that
bread of life," "I am the light of the world," "I am the good shepherd,'' "I am the resurrection
and the life," "I am the way, the truth, and the life," "I am the true vine," "I am alpha and
Omega, "I am the bright and morning star." In a word, he can take every name of divine
excellence and beauty, and, having placed it after "I AM," find JESUS therein, and admire,
adore, and worship.

Thus, there is a sweetness, as well as a comprehensiveness, in the name "I AM," which is
beyond all power of expression. Each believer can find therein that which exactly suits his
own spiritual need, whatever it be. There is not a single winding in all the Christian's
wilderness journey, not a single phase of his soul's experience, not a single point in his
condition which is not divinely met by this title, for the simplest of all reasons, that whatever
he wants, he has but to place it, by faith, over against " I AM" and find it all in Jesus. To the
believer, therefore, however feeble and faltering, there is unmingled blessedness in this name.

But, although it was to the elect of God that Moses was commanded to say, "I AM hath sent
me unto you," yet is there deep solemnity and reality in that name, when looked at with
reference to the unbeliever. If one who is yet in his sins contemplates, for a moment, this
amazing title, he cannot, surely, avoid asking himself the question, "How do I stand as to this
Being who calls Himself, "I AM THAT I AM.' If, indeed, it be true that HE Is, then what is
He to me? What am I to write over against this solemn name, "I AM" I shall not rob this
question of its characteristic weight and power by any words of my own; but I pray that God
the Holy Ghost may make it searching to the conscience of any reader who really needs to be
searched thereby.

I cannot close this section without calling the attention of the Christian reader to the deeply-
interesting declaration contained in the 15th verse: "And God said, moreover, unto Moses,
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for
ever, and this is my memorial to all generations." This statement contains a very important
truth—a truth which many professing Christians seem to forget, namely, that God's
relationship with Israel is an eternal one. He is just as much Israel's God now, as when He
visited them in the land of Egypt. Moreover, He is just as Positively dealing with them now as
then, only in a different way. His word is clear and emphatic: "This is my name for ever." He
does not say, 'This is my name for a time, so long as they continue what they ought to be." No;
"this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." Let my reader
ponder this. "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew." (Rom. 11: 2) They are
His people still, whether obedient or disobedient, united together, or scattered abroad;
manifested to the nations, or hidden from their view. They are His people, and He is their
God. Exodus 3: 15 is unanswerable. The professing church has no warrant whatever, for
ignoring a relationship which God says is to endure " for ever." Let us beware how we tamper
with this weighty word, "for ever." If we say it does not mean for ever, when applied to Israel,
what proof have we that it means for ever when applied to us? God means what He says; and
He will, ere long, make manifest to all the nations of the earth, that His connection with Israel
is one which shall outlive all the revolutions of time. "The gifts and calling of God are
without repentance." When He said, "this is my name for ever," He spoke absolutely. " I AM"
declared Himself to be Israel's God for ever; and all the Gentiles shall be made to understand
and bow to this; and to know, moreover, that all God's providential dealings with them, and
all their destinies, are connected, in some way or other, with that favoured and honoured,
though now judged and scattered, people. "When the Most High divided to the nations their
inheritance, when be separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people, according
to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of
his inheritance." (Deut. 32: 8, 9)

Has this ceased to be true? Has Jehovah given up His " portion," and surrendered "the lot of
His inheritance?" Does His eye of tender love no longer rest on Israel's scattered tribes, long
lost to man's vision are the walls of Jerusalem no longer before Him! or has her dust ceased to
be precious in His sight? To reply to these inquiries would be to quote a large portion of the
Old Testament, and not a little of the New but this would not be the place to enter elaborately
upon such a subject. I would only say, in closing this section, let not Christendom " be
ignorant of this mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the
Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11: 25, 26)

Exodus 4

We are still called to linger at the foot of Mount Horeb, at "the backside of the desert;" and,
truly, the air of this place is most healthful for the spiritual constitution. Man's unbelief and
God's boundless grace are here made manifest in a striking way.

"And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my
voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee." How hard it is to overcome
the unbelief of the human heart! How difficult man ever finds it to trust God! How slow he is
to venture forth upon the naked promise of Jehovah. Anything, for nature, but that. The most
slender reed that the human eye can see is counted more substantial, by far, as a basis for
nature's confidence, than the unseen "Rock of ages." Nature will rush, with avidity, to any
creature stream or broken cistern, rather than abide by the unseen "Fountain of living waters.

"We might suppose that Moses had seen and heard enough to set his fears entirely aside. The
consuming fire in the unconsumed bush, the condescending grace, the precious, endearing,
and comprehensive titles, the divine commission, the assurance of the divine presence,—all
these things might have quelled every anxious thought, and imparted a settled assurance to
the heart. Still, however, Moses raises questions, and still God answers them; and, as we have
remarked, each successive question brings out fresh grace. "And the Lord said unto him, What
is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod." The Lord would just take him as he was, and use
what he had in his hand. The rod with which he had tended Jethro's sheep was about to be
used to deliver the Israel of God, to chastise the land of Egypt, to make a way through the
deep, for the ransomed of the Lord to pass over, and to bring forth water from the flinty rock
to refresh Israel's thirsty hosts in the desert. God takes up the weakest instruments to
accomplish His mightiest ends. "A rod," "a ram's horn," "a cake of barley meal," "an earthern
pitcher," "a shepherds sling," anything, in short, when used of God, will do the appointed
work. Men imagine that splendid ends can only be reached by splendid means; but such is not
God's way. He can use a crawling worm as well as a scorching sun, a gourd as well as a
vehement east wind. (See Jonah.)

But Moses had to learn a deep lesson, both as to the rod and the hand that was to use it. and
the people had to be convinced. Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it
became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth
thine hand and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand and caught it, and it became a rod
in his hand: that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." This is a deeply significant
sign. The rod became a serpent, so that Moses fled from it; but, being commissioned by
Jehovah, he took the serpent by the tail, and it became a rod. Nothing could more aptly
express the idea of Satan's power being turned against himself. This is largely exemplified in
the ways of God. Moses himself was a striking example. The serpent is entirely under the
hand of Christ; and when he has reached the highest point in his mad career, he shall be
hurled into the lake of fire, there to reap the fruits of his work throughout eternity's countless
ages. "That old serpent, the accuser, and the adversary," shall be eternally crushed beneath the
rod of God's Anointed.

"Then the end—beneath His rod,
Man's last enemy shall fall;
Hallelujah! Christ in God,
God in Christ, is all in all."


"And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his
hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he
said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, and
plucked it out of his bosom; and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh." The leprous
hand and the cleansing thereof present to us the moral effect of sin, as also the way in which
sin has been met in the perfect work of Christ. The clean hand, placed in the bosom, becomes
leprous; and the leprous hand placed there becomes clean. Leprosy is the well-known type of
sin; and sin came in by the first man and was put sway by the second. "By man came death,
by man came also the resurrection of the dead." (1 Cor. 15: 21) Man brought in ruin, man
brought in redemption; man brought in guilt, man brought in pardon; man brought in sin, man
brought in righteousness; man filled the scene with death, man abolished death and filled the
scene with life, righteousness, and glory. Thus, not only shall the serpent himself be eternally
defeated and confounded, but every trace of his abominable work shall be eradicated and
wiped away by the atoning sacrifice of Him who "was manifested that he might destroy the
works of the devil."

"And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto
thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land; and the
water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land." This was a
solemn and most expressive figure of the consequence of refusing to bow to the divine
testimony. This sign was only to be wrought in the event of their refusing the other two. It
was, first, to be a sign to Israel, and afterwards a plague upon Egypt. (Comp. Ex. 7: 17)

All this, however, fails to satisfy the heart of Moses. "And Moses said unto the Lord, O my
Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; but I
am slow of speech and of a slow tongue." Terrible backwardness! Nought save Jehovah's
infinite patience could have endured it. Surely when God Himself had said, "I will be with
thee," it was an infallible security. in reference to everything which could possibly be needed.
If an eloquent tongue were necessary, what had Moses to do but to set it over against "I AM?"
Eloquence, wisdom, might, energy, everything was contained in that exhaustless treasury.
"And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or
deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now, therefore, go, and I will be with
thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." Profound, adorable, matchless grace! worthy
of God! There is none like unto the Lord our God, whose patient grace surmounts all our
difficulties, and proves itself amply sufficient for our manifold need and weakness. "I THE
LORD" Ought to silence for ever the reasonings of our carnal hearts. But, alas! these
reasonings are hard to be put down. Again and again they rise to the surface, to the
disturbance of our peace, and the dishonour of that blessed One, who sets Himself before our
souls, in all His own essential fullness, to be used according to our need.

It is well to bear in mind that when we have the Lord with us, our very deficiencies and
infirmities become an occasion for the display of His all-sufficient grace and perfect patience.
Had Moses remembered this, his want of eloquence need not have troubled him. The Apostle
Paul learnt to say, "most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power
of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak then am I
strong." (2 Cor. 12: 9, 10) This is, assuredly, the utterance of one who had reached an
advanced form in the school of Christ. It is the experience of one who would not have been
much troubled because of not possessing an eloquent tongue, inasmuch as he had found an
answer to every description of need in the precious grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The knowledge of this truth ought to have delivered Moses from his diffidence and inordinate
timidity. When the Lord had so graciously assured him that He would be with his mouth, it
should have set his mind at rest as to the question of eloquence. The Maker of man's mouth
could fill that mouth with the most commanding eloquence, if such were needed. This, in the
judgement of faith, is most simple; but, alas! the poor doubting heart would place far more
confidence in an eloquent tongue than in the One who created it. This would seem most
unaccountable, did we not know the materials of which the natural heart is composed. That
heart cannot trust God; and hence it is that even the people of God, when they suffer
themselves to be, in any measure, governed by nature; exhibit such a humiliating lack of
confidence in the living God. Thus, in the scene before us, we find Moses still demurring.
"And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send." This
was, in reality, casting from him the high honour of being Jehovah's sole messenger to Egypt
and to Israel.

It were needless to say that divinely-wrought humility is an inestimable grace. To "be clothed
with humility" is a divine precept; and humility is, unquestionably, the most becoming dress
in which a worthless sinner can appear. But, it cannot be called humility to refuse to take the
place which God assigns, or to tread the path which His hand marks out for us. That it was not
true humility in Moses is obvious from the fact that "the anger of the Lord was kindled
against him." So far from its being humility, it had actually passed the limit of mere
weakness. So long as it wore the aspect of an excessive timidity, however reprehensible,
God's boundless grace bore with it, and met it with renewed assurances; but when it assumed
the character of unbelief and slowness of heart, it drew down Jehovah's just displeasure; and
Moses, instead of being the sole, is made a joint, instrument in the work of testimony and
deliverance.

Nothing is more dishonouring to God or more dangerous for us than a mock humility. When
we refuse to occupy a position which the grace of God assigns us, because of our not
possessing certain virtues and qualifications, this is not humility, inasmuch as if we could but
satisfy our own consciences in reference to such virtues and qualifications, We should then
deem ourselves entitled to assume the position. If, for instance, Moses had possessed such a
measure of eloquence as he deemed needful, we may suppose he would have been ready to
go. Now the question is, how much eloquence would he have needed, to furnish him for his
mission? The answer is, without God no amount of human eloquence would have availed;
but, with God, the merest stammerer would have proved an efficient minister.

This is a real practical truth. Unbelief is not humility, but thorough pride. It refuses to believe
God because it does not find, in self, a reason for believing. This is the very height of
presumption. If, when God speaks, I refuse to believe, on the ground of something in myself, I
make Him a liar. (1 John 5: 10) When God declares His love, and I refuse to believe because I
do not deem myself a sufficiently worthy object, I make Him a liar and exhibit the inherent
pride of my heart. The bare supposition that I could ever be worthy of ought save the lowest
pit of hell, can only be regarded as the most profound ignorance of my own condition and of
God's requirements. And the refusal to take the place which the redeeming love of God
assigns me, on the ground of the finished atonement of Christ, is to make God a liar, and cast
gross dishonour upon the sacrifice of the cross. God's love flows forth spontaneously. It is not
drawn forth by my deserts, but by my misery. Nor is it a question as to the place which I
deserve, but which Christ deserves. Christ took the sinner's place, on the cross, that the sinner
might take His place in the glory. Christ got what the sinner deserved, that the sinner might
get what Christ deserves. Thus, self is totally set aside, and this is true humility. No one can
be truly humble until he has reached heaven's side of the cross; but there he finds divine life,
divine righteousness, and divine favour. He is done with himself for ever, as regards any
expectation of goodness or righteousness, and he feeds upon the princely wealth of another.
He is morally prepared to join in that cry which shall echo through the spacious vault of
heaven, throughout the everlasting ages, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name
give glory." (Ps. 115: 1)

It would ill become us to dwell upon the mistakes or infirmities of so honoured a Servant as
Moses, of whom we read that he "was verily faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a
testimony of those things which were to be spoken after." (Heb. 3: 5) But, though we should
not dwell upon them, in a spirit of self-complacency, as if we would have acted differently, in
his circumstances, we should, nevertheless, learn from such things those holy and seasonable
lessons which they are manifestly designed to teach. We should learn to judge ourselves and
to place more implicit confidence in God—to set self aside, that He might act in us, through
us, and for us. This is the true secret of power.

We have remarked that Moses forfeited the dignity of being Jehovah's sole instrument in that
glorious work which He was about to accomplish. But this was not all. "The anger of the Lord
was kindled against Moses; and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he
can speak well: and, also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; and when he seeth thee, he
will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I
will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall
be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a
mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand,
wherewith thou shalt do signs." (Ex. 4: 14-17) This passage contains a mine of most precious
practical instruction. We have noted the timidity and hesitation of Moses, notwithstanding the
varied promises and assurances with which divine grace had furnished him. And, nom,
although there was nothing gained in the way of real power, although there was no more
virtue or efficacy in one mouth than in another, although it was Moses after all who was to
speak unto Aaron; yet was Moses quite ready to go when assured of the presence and co-
operation of a poor feeble mortal like himself; whereas he could not go when assured, again
and again, that Jehovah would be with him.

Oh! my reader, does not all this hold up before us a faithful mirror in which you and I can see
our hearts reflected? Truly it does. We are more ready to trust anything than the living God.
We move along, with bold decision, when we possess the countenance and support of a poor
frail mortal like ourselves; but we falter, hesitate, and demur, when we have the light of the
Master's countenance to cheer us, and the strength of His omnipotent arm to support us. This
should humble us deeply before the Lord, and lead us to seek a fuller acquaintance with Him,
so that we might trust Him with a more unmixed confidence, and walk on with a firmer step,
as having Him alone for our resource and portion.

No doubt, the fellowship of a brother is most valuable—"Two are better than one"—whether
in labour, rest, or conflict. The Lord Jesus, in sending forth His disciples, "sent them two by
two,"—for unity is ever better than isolation—still, if our personal acquaintance with God,
and our experience of His presence, be not such as to enable us, if needful, to walk alone, we
shall find the presence of a brother of very little use. It is not a little remarkable, that Aaron,
whose companionship seemed to satisfy Moses, was the man who afterwards made the golden
calf. (Ex. 32: 21) Thus it frequently happens, that the very person whose presence we deem
essential to our progress and success, afterwards proves a source of deepest sorrow to our
hearts. May we ever remember this!

However, Moses, at length, consents to go; but ere he is fully equipped for his work, he must
pass through another deep exercise; yea, he must have the sentence of death inscribed by the
hand of God upon his very nature. He had learnt deep lessons at "the backside of the desert;"
he is called to learn something deeper still, "by the way in the inn." It is no light matter to be
the Lord's servant. No ordinary education will qualify a man for such a position. Nature must
be put in the place of death and kept there. " We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that
we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead. (2 Cor. 1: 9) Every
successful servant will need to know something of this. Moses was called to enter into it, in
his own experience, ere he was morally qualified. He was about to sound in the ears of
Pharaoh the following deeply-solemn message, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even
my first-born: and I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to
let him go, behold I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn." Such was to be his message to
Pharaoh; a message of death, a message of judgement; and, at the same time, his message to
Israel was a message of life and salvation. But, be it remembered, that the man who will
speak, on God's behalf, of death and judgement, life and salvation, must, ere he does so, enter
into the practical power of these things in his own soul. Thus it was with Moses. We have
seen him, at the very outset, in the place of death, typically; but this was a different thing
from entering into the experience of death in his own person. Hence we read, "And it came to
pass, by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took
a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a
bloody husband art thou to me. So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art,
because of the circumcision." This passage lets us into a deep secret, in the personal and
domestic history of Moses. It is very evident that Zipporah's heart had, up to this point, shrunk
from the application of the knife to that around which the affections of nature were entwined.
She had avoided that mark which had to be set in the flesh of every member of the Israel of
God. She was not aware that her relationship with Moses was one involving death to nature.
She recoiled from the cross. This was natural. But Moses had yielded to her in the matter; and
this explains to us the mysterious scene "in the inn." If Zipporah refuses to circumcise her
son, Jehovah will lay His hand upon her husband; and if Moses spares the feelings of his wife,
Jehovah will "seek to kill him." The sentence of death must be written on nature; and if we
seek to avoid it in one way, we shall have to encounter it in another.

It has been already remarked, that Zipporah furnishes an instructive and interesting type of the
Church. She was united to Moses, during the period of his rejection; and from the passage just
quoted, we learn that the Church is called to know Christ, as the One related to her "by
blood." It is her privilege to drink of his cup, and be baptised with His baptism. Being
crucified with Him, she is to be conformed to His death; to mortify her members which are on
the earth; to take up the cross daily, and follow Him. Her relationship with Christ is founded
upon blood, and the manifestation of the power of that relationship will, necessarily, involve
death to nature. "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power;
in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the
body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, mho hath raised
him from the dead." (Col. 2: 10-12)

Such is the doctrine as to the Church's place with Christ—a doctrine replete with the richest
privileges for the Church, and each member thereof. Everything, in short, is involved: the
perfect remission of sin, divine righteousness, complete acceptance, everlasting security, full
fellowship with Christ in all His glory. "Ye are complete in him." This, surely, comprehends
everything. What could be added to one who is "complete" Could "philosophy, "the tradition
of men," "the rudiments of the world," "meats, drinks, holy days, new moons," "Sabbaths"
"Touch not" this, "taste not that, "handle not" the other, "the commandments and doctrines of
men," "days and months, and times, and years," could any of these things, or all of them put
together, add a single jot or tittle to one whom God has pronounced "complete?" We might
just as well enquire, if man could have gone forth upon the fair creation of God, at the close
of the six days' work, to give the finishing touch to that which God had pronounced "very
good?"

Nor is this completeness to be, by any means, viewed as a matter of attainment, some point
which we have not yet reached, but after which we must: diligently strive, and of the
possession of which we cannot be sure until we lie upon a bed of death, or stand before a
throne of judgement. It is the portion of the feeblest, the most inexperienced, the most
unlettered child of God. The very weakest saint is included in the apostolic "ye." All the
people of God "are complete in Christ." The apostle does not say, "ye will be," "ye may be,"
"hope that ye may be," "pray that ye may be:" no; he, by the Holy Ghost, states, in the most
absolute and unqualified manner, that "ye are complete." This is the true Christian starting-
post: and for man to make a goal of what God makes a starting-post, is to upset everything.

But, then, some will say, "have we no sin, no failure, no imperfection?" Assuredly we have.
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1: 8)
We have sin in us, but no sin on us. Moreover, our standing is not in self, but in Christ. It is
"in him" we "are complete." God says the believer in Christ, with Christ, and as Christ. This is
his changeless condition, his everlasting standing. "The body of the sins of the flesh" is "put
off by the circumcision of Christ." The believer is not in the flesh, though the flesh is in him.
He is united to Christ in the power of a new and an endless life, and that life is inseparably
connected with divine righteousness in which the believer stands before God. The Lord Jesus
has put away everything that was against the believer, and He has brought him nigh to God, in
the self-same favour as that which He Himself enjoys. In a word, Christ is his righteousness.
This settles every question, answers every objection, silences every doubt. "Both he that
sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, are all of one." (Heb. 2: 11)

The foregoing line of truth has flowed out of the deeply-interesting type presented to us in the
relationship between Moses and Zipporah. We must, now, hasten to close this section, and
take our leave, for the present, of "the backside of the desert," though not of its deep lessons
and holy impressions, so essential to every servant of Christ, and every messenger of the
living God. All who would serve effectually, either in the important work of evangelization,
or in the varied ministries of the house of God—which is the Church—will need to imbibe
the precious instructions which Moses received at the foot of Mount Horeb, and "by the way
in the inn."

Were these things properly attended to, we should not have so many running unsent—so
many rushing into spheres of ministry for which they were never designed. Let each one who
stands up to preach, or teach, or exhort, or serve in any way, seriously enquire if, indeed, he
be fitted, and taught, and sent of God. If not, his work will neither be owned of God nor
blessed to men, and the sooner he ceases, the better for himself and for those upon whom he
has been imposing the heavy burden of hearkening to him. Neither a humanly-appointed, nor
a self-appointed ministry, will ever suit within the hallowed precincts of the Church of God.
All must be divinely gifted, divinely taught, and divinely sent.

"And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went and met
him in the mount of God, and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord
who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him." This was a fair and
beauteous scene—a scene of sweet brotherly love and union—a scene which stands in
marked contrast with many of those scenes which were afterwards enacted in the wilderness-
career of these two men. Forty years of wilderness life are sure to make great changes in men
and things. Yet it is sweet to dwell upon those early days of one's Christian course, before the
stern realities of desert life had, in any measure, checked the gush of warm and generous
affections—before deceit, and corruption, and hypocrisy had well-nigh dried up the springs of
the heart's confidence, and placed the whole moral being beneath the chilling influences of a
suspicious disposition.

That such results have been produced, in many cases, by years of experience, is, alas! too
true. Happy is he who, though his eyes have been opened to see nature in a clearer light than
that which this world supplies, can, nevertheless, Serve his generation by the energy of that
grace which flows forth from the bosom of God. Who ever knew the depths and windings of
the human heart as Jesus knew them? "He knew all, and needed not that any should testify of
man: for he knew what was in man." (John 2: 24, 25) So well did He know man that He could
not commit Himself unto him. He could not accredit man's professions, or endorse his
pretensions. And yet, who so gracious as He? Who so loving, so tender, so compassionate, so
sympathising?  With a heart that understood all, He could feel for all. He did not suffer His
perfect knowledge of human worthlessness to keep Him aloof from human need. "He went
about doing good." Why? Was it because He imagined that all those who flocked around Him
were real? No; but because God was with him." (Acts 10: 38) This is our example. Let us
follow it, though, in doing so, we shall have to trample on self and all its interests, at every
step of the way.

Who would desire that wisdom, that knowledge of nature, that experience, which only lead
men to ensconce themselves within the enclosures of a hard-hearted selfishness, from which
they look forth with an eye of dark suspicion upon everybody? Surely such a result could
never follow from ought of a heavenly or excellent nature. God gives wisdom; but it is not a
wisdom which locks the heart against all the appeals of human need and misery. He gives a
knowledge of nature; but it is not a knowledge which causes us to grasp with a selfish
eagerness that which we, falsely, call " our own." He gives experience; but it is not an
experience which results in suspecting everybody except myself. If I am walking in the
footprints of Jesus, if I am imbibing, and therefore manifesting, His excellent spirit, if, in
short, I can say, "to me to live is Christ;" then, would I walk through the world, with a
knowledge of what the world is; while I come in contact with man, with a knowledge of what
I am to expect from him; I am able, through grace, to manifest Christ in the midst of it all.
The springs which move me, and the objects which animate me, are all above, where He is,
who if "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." (Heb. 13: 8) It was this which sustained
the heart of that beloved and honoured servant, whose history, even so far, has furnished us
with such deep and solid instruction. It was this which carried him through the trying and
varied scenes of his wilderness course. And we may safely assert that, at the close of all,
notwithstanding the trial and exercise of forty years, Moses could embrace his brother, when
he stood on Mount Hor, with the same warmth as he had when first he met him, "in the mount
of God." True, the two occasions were very different. At "the mount of God" they met, and
embraced, and started together on their divinely-appointed mission. Upon "Mount Hor" they
met by the commandment of Jehovah, in order that Moses might strip his brother of his
priestly robes, and see him gathered to his fathers, because of an error in which he himself
had participated. (How solemn! How touching!) Circumstances vary: men may turn away
from one; but with God "is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1: 17)

"And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel; and
Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the
sight of the people. And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited
the children of Israel and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads
and worshipped." (Ver. 29-31) When God works, every barrier must give way. Moses had
said, "the people will not believe me." But the question was not, as to whether they would
believe him, but whether they would believe God. When a man is enabled to view himself
simply as the messenger of God. he may feel quite at ease as to the reception of his message.
It does not detract, in the smallest degree, from his tender and affectionate solicitude, in
reference to those whom he addresses. Quite the contrary; but it preserves him from that
inordinate anxiety of spirit which can only tend to unfit him for calm, elevated, steady
testimony. The messenger of God should ever remember whose message he bears. When
Zacharias said to the angel, "Whereby shall I know this?" was the latter perturbed by the
question? Not in the least. His calm, dignified reply was, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the
presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee: these glad tidings." (Luke
1: 18, 19) The angel rises before the doubting mortal, with a keen and exquisite sense of the
dignity of his message. It is as if he would say, "How can you doubt, when a messenger has
actually been dispatched from the very Presence-chamber of the Majesty of heaven?" Thus
should every messenger of God, in his measure, go forth, and, in this spirit, deliver his
message.

Exodus 5 & 6

The effect of the first appeal to Pharaoh seemed ought but encouraging. The thought of losing
Israel made him clutch them with greater eagerness and watch them with greater vigilance.
Whenever Satan's power becomes narrowed to a point, his rage increases. Thus it is here. The
furnace is about to be quenched by the hand of redeeming love; but, ere it is, it blazes forth
with greater fierceness and intensity. The devil does not like to let go any one whom he has
had in his terrible grasp. He is "a strong man armed," and while he "keepeth his palace, his
goods are in peace." But, blessed be God, there is "a stronger than he," who has taken from
him "his armour wherein he trusted," and divided the spoils among the favoured objects of
His everlasting love.

"And afterward, Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of
Israel, let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." (Ex. 5: 3) Such
was Jehovah's message to Pharaoh. He claimed full deliverance for the people, on the ground
of their being His; and, in order that they might hold a feast to Him in the wilderness. Nothing
can ever satisfy God in reference to His elect, but their entire emancipation from the yoke of
bondage. "Loose him, and let him go" is, really, the grand motto in God's gracious dealings
with those who, though held in bondage by Satan, are, nevertheless, the objects of His eternal
love.

When we contemplate Israel amid the brick-kilns of Egypt, we behold a graphic figure of the
condition of every child of Adam by nature. There they were, crushed beneath the enemy's
galling yoke, and having no power to deliver themselves. The mere mention of the word
liberty only caused the oppressor to bind his captives with a stronger fetter, and to lade them
with a still more grievous burden. It was absolutely necessary that deliverance should come
from without. But from whence has it to come? Where were the resources to pay their
ransom? or where was the power to break their chains? And, even were there both the one and
the other, where was the will? Who would take the trouble of delivering them? Alas! there
was no hope, either within or around. They had only to look up, their refuge was in God. He
had both the power and the will. He could accomplish a redemption both by price and by
power. In Jehovah, and in Him alone, was there salvation for ruined and oppressed Israel.

Thus is it in every case. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4: 12) The sinner is in the
hands of one who rules him with despotic power. He is "sold under sin" "led captive by Satan
at his will"—fast bound in the fetters of lust, passion, and temper, "without strength"—
"without hope"—"without God." Such is the sinner's condition. How, then, can he help
himself? What can he do? He is the slave of another, and everything he does is done in the
capacity of a slave. His thoughts, his words, his acts, are the thoughts, words, and acts of a
slave. Yea, though he should weep and sigh for emancipation, his very tears and sighs are the
melancholy proofs of his slavery. He may struggle for freedom; but his very struggle, though
it evinces a desire for liberty, is the positive declaration of his bondage.

Nor is it merely a question of the sinner's condition; his very nature is radically corrupt—
wholly under the power of Satan. Hence, he not only needs to be introduced into a new
condition, but also to be endowed with a new nature. The nature and the condition go
together. If it were possible for the sinner to better his condition, what would it avail so long
as his nature was irrecoverably bad? A nobleman might take a beggar off the streets and adopt
him; he might endow him with a noble's wealth and set him in a noble's position; but he could
not impart to him nobility of nature; and thus the nature of a beggarman would never be at
home in the condition of a nobleman. There must be a nature to suit the condition; and there
must be a condition to suit the capacity, the desires, the affections, and the tendencies of the
nature.

Now, in the gospel of the grace of God, we are taught that the believer is introduced into an
entirely new condition; that he is no longer viewed as in his former state of guilt and
condemnation, but as in a state of perfect and everlasting justification; that the condition in
which God now sees him is not only one of full pardon; but it is such that infinite holiness
cannot find so much as a single stain. He has been taken out of his former condition of guilt,
and placed absolutely and eternally in a new condition of unspotted righteousness. It is not, by
any means, that his old condition is improved. This was utterly impossible. "That which is
crooked cannot be made straight." "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his
spots?" Nothing can be more opposed to the fundamental truth of the gospel than the theory
of a gradual improvement in the sinner's condition. He is born in a certain condition, and until
he is "born again" he cannot be in any other. We may try to improve. He may resolve to be
better for the future turn over a new leaf"—to live a different sort of life; but, all the while, he
has not moved a single hair's breadth out of his real condition as a sinner. He may become
"religious" as it is called, he may try to pray, he may diligently attend to ordinances, and
exhibit an appearance of moral reform; but none of these things can, in the smallest degree,
affect his positive condition before God.

The case is precisely similar as to the question of nature. How can a man alter his nature? He
may make it undergo a process, he may try to subdue it, to place it under discipline; but it is
nature still. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." There must be a new nature as well as a
new condition. And how is this to be had? By believing God's testimony concerning His Son.
"As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his Name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God." (John 1: 12, 13) Here we learn that those who believe on the
name of the only-begotten Son of God, have the right or privilege of being sons of God. They
are made partakers of a new nature. They have gotten eternal life. "He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life." (John 3: 36) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my
word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. " (John 5: 24) "And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17.3)
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." "He
that hath the Son hath life." (1 John 5: 11, 12)

Such is the plain doctrine of the Word in reference to the momentous questions of condition
and nature. But on what is all this founded How is the believer introduced into a condition of
divine righteousness and made partaker of the divine nature? It all rests on the great truth that
"JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN." That Blessed One left the bosom of eternal love—the
throne of glory—the mansions of unfading light came down into this world of guilt and
woe—took upon Him the likeness of sinful flesh; and, having perfectly exhibited and
perfectly glorified God, in all the movements of His blessed life here below, He died upon the
cross, under the full weight of His people's transgressions. By so doing, He divinely met all
that was, or could be, against us. He magnified the law and made it honourable; and, having
done so, He became a curse by hanging on the tree. Every claim was met, every enemy
silenced, every obstacle removed. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace
have kissed each other." Infinite justice was satisfied, and infinite love can flow, in all its
soothing and refreshing virtues, into the broken heart of the sinner; while, at the same time,
the cleansing and atoning stream that flowed from the pierced side of a crucified Christ,
perfectly meets all the cravings of a guilty and convicted conscience. The Lord Jesus, on the
cross, stood in our place. He was our representative. He died, "the just for the unjust." "He
was made sin for us." (2 Cor. 5: 21; 2 Peter 3: 18) He died the sinner's death, was buried, and
rose again, having accomplished all. Hence, there is absolutely nothing against the believer.
He is linked with Christ and stands in the same condition of righteousness. "As he is so are we
in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

This gives settled peace to the conscience. If I am no longer in a condition of guilt, but in a
condition of justification; if God only sees me in Christ and as Christ, then, clearly, my
portion is perfect peace. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ." (Rom. 5: 1) The blood of the Lamb has cancelled all the believer's guilt, blotted
out his heavy debt, and given him a perfectly blank page, in the presence of that holiness
which "cannot look upon sin."

But the believer has not merely found peace with God; he is made a child of God, so that he
can taste the sweetness of communion with the Father and the Son, through the power of the
Holy Ghost. The cross is to be viewed in two ways: first, as satisfying God's claims; secondly,
as expressing God's affections. If I look at my sins in connection with the claims of God as a
Judge, I find, in the cross, a perfect settlement of those claims. God, as a Judge, has been
divinely satisfied—yea, glorified, in the cross. But there is more than this. God had affections
as well as claims; and, in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, all those affections are sweetly
and touchingly told out into the sinner's ear; while, at the same time, he is made the partaker
of a new nature which is capable of enjoying those affections and of having fellowship with
the heart from which they flow. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3: 18) Thus we are not only brought into a
condition, but unto a Person, even God Himself, and we are endowed with a nature which
can delight in Him.  We also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have
now received the atonement." (Rom. 5: 11)

What force and beauty, therefore, can we see in those emancipating words, "Let my people
go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised." (Luke 4: 18) The glad tidings of the gospel announce full deliverance
from every yoke of bondage. Peace and liberty are the boons which that gospel bestows on all
who believe it, as God has declared it.

And mark, it is "that they may hold a feast to me." If they were to get done with Pharaoh, it
was that they might begin with God. This was a great change. Instead of toiling under
Pharaoh's taskmasters, they were to feast in company with Jehovah; and, although they were
to pass from Egypt into the wilderness, still the divine presence was to accompany them; and
if the wilderness was rough and dreary, it was the