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BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR EX 4CHAPTER IV.Ver. 1. But, behold, they will not believe me. — Moses' temptation to shrink fromthe contest : — Our duty to our Lord in this world requires that we should dosome-what more than live a life of obedience to Him. Our obedience must be acknow-ledged obedience. We must never be loth to say, " Whose we are, and Whom weserve." We may read this lesson writ large in the history of God's sending Mosesto deliver His people. Moses went through a trial on Mount Horeb, the exactopposite of the trial of Christ. I. Moses was tempted to decline the contest withthe world altogether, to shrink from action and from prominence, when God calledhim. Christ was tempted to take the world by storm, to overwhelm it withconviction.II. Moses w.is full of sympathy for the poor, full of a desire to see God's ancientpromises realized ; but when the time came, and God said, " ow go," then, for thefirst time, it flashed upon Moses that he was unfit to carry out what he had soaspired to be trusted with. His eighty years of life had been given him that in itsvast experience he might learn that God was all, man was nothing. He had verynearly learned it in truth ; the crust or chrysalis of self was very nearly ready todrop off ; it needed just this interview with God to rid him of it entirely. He hadseen the miraculous powers with which he had been endowed, but he had not fullyunderstood them, and therefore his will was pausing still. III. The voice of Godwithin him and without him waxed more imperious. God sternly pointed out thatsuch eloquence as he longed for was but a secondary qualification. " Thybrother, I know that he can speak well " ; the legislator need not be the orator.There is not one of us who ever complained to God of insufiicient strength withoutfinding his complaint answered either by ministration of gi'ace or disappearance of difficulties. IV. What interests trembled in the balance while Moses was debat-ing ! It is not for ourselves only that we shall be responsible if we debate till thetimeis gone. (Archbishop Benson.) God's call and man's duty : — I. God proposes greatthings to men. In proportion as any call in life is great, let the heart pause andconsider whether its very greatness is not a proof of its divinity. II. We are not toLOOS AT WHAX WE ABE, but at what God is. When He calls, He qualifies for thework CHIP. IV.] EXODUS. 87
 
III. What is bight in itself may be perverted and abused. Timidity is right initself ; but when pushed into cowardice, it is wrong. Self -distrust is right iuitself ; but if it degenerates into atheism, then it is the plague and destruction of thesoul. IV. God's call to faith is the greatest call to His universe. Our dutyis to go forward to the unknown and the invisible, and live by faith. (J. Parker,D.D.)The mission of Moses : — I. The nature of the mission. 1. Its difficulty and danger.2. It was divinely appointed. II. Moses was trained specially for it. 1. Theschool of providence. 2. Our need of discipline. III. Moses was sufficientlyequipped. The rod. 1. The use of httle things. 2. The use of present means.Use " what is in thy hand." IV. Moses shrank from his mission. Modesty andself-distrust generally go with true greatness and exalted virtue. (P. S. Heiison,D.D.) The lament of the pulpit : — I. The preacher has frequently to lamentthe scepticism of his congregation. Practical unbehef. II. The preacher hasfrequently to lament the inattention of his congregation. othing worse thandisobedience to the messages of God, III. The preacher has frequently to lamentthe querulous spirit op his congregation. They question inspiration, preparation,quahfication of teacher. And often in unkind, factious spirit. Should rather wel-come him as from God, sent to achieve their moral freedom. IV. That this conductO THE PART OF COGREGATIOS HAS A MOST DEPRESSIGIFLUECE O THE MIDS OFMIISTERS. He needs the attention, sympathy, prayers, help of those whom heseeksto free from the tyranny of sin. He has enough to contend with external hindrances,with the opposition of Pharaoh, without having added to it that of the slave whosefetter he seeks to break. (J. S. Exell, M.A.) Why did Moses imagine that theIsraelites ivould not believe him ? — 1. Because he knew that they were a stiff-necked people. 2. Because he considered himself of insufficient authority tocommand their respect. 3. Because the power and tyranny of Pharaoh would deterthem from beUeving him. 4. Because they would think it unlikely that God, whohad never been seen by man, should appear to him. (Ibid.) Human distrust : — Human distrust is a difficulty which every preacher, teacher, and holy labourer hasto encounter. All great movements are carried by consent of parties. God Himself cannot re-establish moral order without the concurrence of the powers that haverebelled against His rule. After all, the spiritual labourer has less to do with theunbehef of his hearers than Avith the instruction and authority of God. We haveto ascertain what God the Lord would have us to say, and then to speak it simplyand lovingly, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear. The preachermust prepare himself for having doubts thrown upon his authority ; and he musttake care that his answer to such doubts be as complete as the authority itself . God
 
alone can give the true answer to human doubt. We are not to encounter scepticismwith merely ingenious repUes and clever arguments, but in the power and grace of the hving God. (•/. Parker, D.D.) Ministerial duty in spite of discouragement : — Dr. Stevens narrates how an eminent minister was very much depressed by theunbelief of his congregation, and how his spirit of depression was shaken off. Hedi-eamed that he was working with a pick-axe on the top of a b:tKaltic rock, whichremained non-riven in spite of repeated strokes of his arm of muscle. When aboutto give up in despair, a stranger of solemn and dignified demeanour appeared onthescene, who reminded him that as a servant he was bound to go on whether the rock yielded or not. " Work is your duty ; leave the results to God," were the last wordsof his strange visitor. The result was that the discouraged pastor resumed his work,and was abundantly rewarded by " the shattering of the rock of unbehef andindifference " among his flock. Frailty invested tvith divinity : — If we pause for amoment and consider the almost insurmountable difficulties which stood in theway of Israel's redemption from Egypt, we can readily appreciate the hesitation on thepart of Moses before undertaking this herculean task. Egypt at that time was oneof tne most powerful of nations. It was not that Egypt desu-ed simply to holdIsrael in subjection, that such a strict and powerful sovereignty was exercised ;but the Israelites had become the servants, the slaves of the Egyptians, andas such were almost necessai-y to the vigour of the nation. Besides, fourcenturies of oppression had left their deep and degrading mark upon the childrenof Israel. They had become in a measure satisfied with their condition. Hope hadtaken to itself wings. Ambition had died within them. There native fire andenergy had wasted away. To redeem a people who do not care to be redeemed, toset free a nation which is content with captivity, is a work well-nigh impossible.And then, to add to the difficulty of the case, supposing even that they were free,where will they go ? Their own land, the land promised to their father Abraham,88 THE BIBLICAL ILLVSTEATOB. [chat, iv.'is already occupied. Warlike tribes have come down from the north and stronglyentrenched themselves within its borders. " Who and what am I," said Mosea." that I should go upon this great mission ? What proofs can I bring to assure thepeople that I am come from God ? They will not behove my word, and they willask, Where is the God of om- fathers and what is His name ? What sign have Ito convince them ? What power have I to display " ? At length God answers, Whatis that in thy hand ? And he said a rod. He was told to cast it upon the ground,when all at once it became a writhing serpent. You will notice all through the
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