315 13, 14) promised to go with him. The same “Captain” promises to abide with every servant who accepts a commission to give the Gospel to the world (Matt. 28:18-20). This shall be the token. God often requires a step of faith without visi ble evidence of His supernatural presence. Yet, because of the weakness of His peo ple, He usually gives one providential token of His presence after another to reassure those who go forth to serve Him. Ye shall serve God upon this moun tain. God gave other tokens, such as the mighty miracles of judgment upon the land of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, etc. When Sinai was finally reached by the pilgrims from Egypt, the evidence of God’s faithfulness to His word was complete. * * * L esson Q uestions . V. 1. Where was Midian? What cir cumstances brought Moses there? What was he doing? How long had he been there? In what way was this a time of training for his future work? V. 2. Who is the Angel of Jehovah (cf. v. 4) ? How did He appear to Mo ses? Is fire frequently a symbol of deity in the Scripture? V. 3. Was Moses surprised at the sight? What did he plan to do? V. 4. With what words did God call him? Why the repetition of his name? What response did he make? Had he ' failed to respond, would the vision have meant anything to him? V. 5. In what way did Moses learn reverence? Why did he need to learn it? Is such a spirit always necessary in our approach to God? V. 6. What name does Jehovah as sume? Does this prove that the patri archs were still living in the presence of God (Mk. 12:26) ? What was the effect of this word upon Moses? Was this slavish fear or godly fear? Vs. 7-8. What had Jehovah seen? What had He heard? What did He know? What had He come to do? To what land did He promise to bring them ? What peoples were then in the land? Were these extraordinary promises? Vs. 9-10. What repetition here con cerning what God had heard and seen? What did He require of Moses? To whom was Moses to be sent? What was Moses expected to do? Was Moses a match for Pharaoh? V. 11. How did Moses answer? Did this show courage or fear? Had he at tempted to act as a deliverer forty years before with real courage? Was this atti tude of humility safer than the old brav ado? Did he depreciate himself? V. 12. What promise was given him? Was this promise sufficient to encourage and equip him for the task ? What token was given him? * * * P ractical P oints 1. God’s great leaders frequently arise suddenly out of obscurity. He. takes time to train them in the hard school of ad versity. 2. It is worth while to have long years of preparation if the resultant service is effective. 3. God’s rule for His servants is, first, forsake the world; second, when ready
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II. His Vision (2, 3). V. 2. The angel of Jehovah. In verse 4 He is called Jehovah. He is the angel of the covenant, the second person of the Trinity, later revealed to men in the per son of Jesus Christ. In a flame of fire. Fire in the Scripture is frequently an emblem of deity. We recall the pillar of fire that led the Israelites in the wilder ness and the Shechinah which appeared above the ark in the most holy place. The midst o f the bush. It has been con jectured that it was the acacia, a very common tree in the desert The bush was not consumed. Some have found in this a type of Christ in whom dwelt the holy presence of God (Jno. 1 :14). It may also be a type of Israel or of the Church. Both have been frequently in the flames of persecution but have come out un harmed. V. 3. I will turn aside. Moses did not look with the eyes of a skeptic nor pass by with indifference. He was alert to investigate the unusual sight. III. His Call (4-9). V. 4. God called. Drawing near to God, this shepherd of Midian heard the great Shepherd calling him by name (cf. Jno. 10:3). Here am I. After the forty years of waiting, Moses was at last summoned to service and promptly re sponded. He had made no entangling al liances and there was nothing in his spirit that hindered an immediate going forth to do the Lord’s bidding. V. S. Draw not nigh hither. The first lesson Moses needed to learn was that of reverence and awe in the presence of God. Put off thy shoes. In the eastern lands sandals are removed as an expres sion of respect. Levitical priests in their service had their feet unshod. V. 6. The God o f thy father. The fa ther of Moses was Amram, a devout Levite. The God of Abraham. This pas sage is quoted by Jesus to prove to the Sadducees the certainty of the resurrec tion (Mk. 12:26). The God of the pa triarchs revealed Himself to Moses with the assurance that the covenant had not been abrogated. That which God had promised the fathers He was prepared to do. Afraid to look upon God. Not the terror that comes to the unrepentant sin ner, but godly fear in the presence of His maj esty. V. 7. I have surely seen. It had seemed perhaps as if God for 400 years had been blind to their sorrows and afflictions. But God always sees His people’s distresses (Psa. 12:5). Have heard their cry. The taskmasters were the foremen of the groups of Hebrew laborers. Their bru talities evoked many a cry of pain. I know their sorrows. The heart of God is moved when His people suffer (Isa. 63:9). V. 8. I am come down to deliver. Forty years before, Moses had attempted with out God’s help to deliver his people. It had taken him forty years to learn that the true Deliverer was Jehovah. Out of that land. God promised to take them out of the power of the Egyptians and also out of the land of Egypt, Complete separation from the land was necessary for safety. A land flowing with milk and honey. This was a metaphor signifying that the land was one of fruitfulness, but it demanded laborious tilling of the soil, even more than the region of the Nile re quired. However, toil was repaid by
abundant fruits. The place o f the Canaan- ite. Six great nations inhabiting the land are here mentioned. All of these would have to be dispossessed. The Canaanites were the original inhabitants dwelling along the sea coast and in the Jordan valley. The Hittites were a great nation to the north of Canaan, but some of their people were in the land. The home of the Amorites was also to the north. The Per- izzites lived in central Canaan. The Hi- vites were a small tribe of central Pales tine. The Jebusites occupied the site of Jerusalem. V. 9. The cry of the children o f Israel. A repetition in slightly different language of verse 8. IV. His Commission (10). V. 10. Come now therefore. Moses now receives his commission. Jehovah had come down to deliver, but He needed a human instrument. Therefore He sum moned Moses and said, “I will send thee unto Pharaoh.” Bring forth my people. Moses understood what a difficult task lay before him. How could he, virtually alone, meet the power of the greatest nation on earth and release from its grasp this race of slaves? It was not surprising, in the light of his earlier experience, that he hesitated. V. His Equipment (11, 12). V. l l . Who am I. True humility stands out in this attitude of Moses. It is not fair to think of it as cowardice. Neither was it wrong for him to face what ap peared to be an impossible task and to cry out in helplessness. Self-confidence must be lost before there can be true con fidence in God. V. 12. Certainly I will be with thee. Moses is called the deliverer, but an un seen “captain of the host” (cf. Josh. 5:
“ Forgive Our Sins” B y E. G uy T albott We pray Thee, O Master of men, “Forgive us," again and again. Each day we must call on Thy name For sins that are ever the same. From sins o f self-seeking and greed, Deliver us, Master, we plead; And from the delusions of pride, And passions we leave undenied. Forgive us; we know Thou art just; Thou knowest our frame; we are dust. Then help us to trust in Thy grace; Our sins Thou alone canst efface. Repentant, our hearts turn to Thee, With longing from sins to be free. Then smile on us, Master, we pray, And grant us forgiveness today.
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