Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Exodus
Book: Exodus
Chapter: 4
Overview:
God gives
Moses power to work miracles.
(1-9) Moses is loath to
be sent,
Aaron is to assist him.
(10-17) Moses leaves
Midian,
God's message to
Pharaoh.
(18-23) God's displeasure against
Moses,
Aaron meets him, The people believe them.
(24-31)
1-9 Moses objects, that the people would not take his
Word,
unless he showed them some sign.
God gives him power to work
miracles. But those who are now employed to deliver
God's
messages to men, need not the power to work miracles: their
character and their doctrines are to be tried
By that
Word of
God to which they
Appeal. These miracles especially referred to
the miracles of the
Lord Jesus Christ. It belonged to Him only,
to cast the power of the
Devil out of the soul, and to heal the
soul of the
Leprosy of
Sin; and
So it was for Him first to cast
the
Devil out of the body, and to heal the
Leprosy of the body.
10-17 Moses continued backward to the work
God designed him
for; there was much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in
him. We must not
Judge of men
By the readiness of their
discourse. A great
Deal of
Wisdom and true worth may be with a
slow tongue.
God sometimes makes choice of those as his
messengers, who have the least of the advantages of art or
nature, that his
Grace in them may appear the more glorious.
Christ's disciples were
No orators, till the Holy
Spirit made
them such.
God condescends to answer the excuse of
Moses. Even
self-diffidence, when it hinders us from duty, or clogs us in
duty, is very displeasing to the
Lord. But while we blame
Moses
for shrinking from this dangerous service, let us ask our own
hearts if we are not neglecting duties more easy, and less
perilous. The tongue of
Aaron, with the head and
Heart of
Moses,
would make one completely fit for this errand.
God promises, I
will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth. Even
Aaron, who
could speak
Well, yet could not speak to purpose, unless
God
gave constant teaching and help; for without the constant aid of
Divine
Grace, the best
Gifts will fail.
18-23 After
God had appeared in the
Bush, he often spake to
Moses.
Pharaoh had hardened his own
Heart against the groans and
cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now
God, in the way of
righteous
Judgment, hardens his
Heart against the teaching of
the miracles, and the terror of the plagues. But whether
Pharaoh
will hear, or whether he will forbear,
Moses must tell him, Thus
saith the
Lord. He must demand a discharge for
Israel, Let my
son go; not only my servant, whom thou hast
No right to detain,
but my son. It is my son that serves me, and therefore must be
spared, must be pleaded for. In case of refusal I will slay thy
son, even thy
First-born. As men
Deal with
God's people, let
them expect
So to be dealt with.
24-31 God met
Moses in
Anger. The
Lord threatened him with
Death or sent sickness upon him, as the
Punishment of his having
neglected to circumcise his son. When
God discovers to us what
is amiss in our lives, we must give all diligence to amend it
speedily. This is the voice of every rod; it calls us to return
to Him that smites us.
God sent
Aaron to meet
Moses. The more
they saw of
God's bringing them together, the more pleasant
their interview was. The elders of
Israel met them in
Faith, and
were ready to obey them. It often happens, that less difficulty
is found than was expected, in such undertakings as are
according to the will of
God, and for his
Glory. Let us but
arise and try at our proper work, the
Lord will be with us and
prosper us. If
Israel welcomed the tidings of their deliverance,
and worshipped the
Lord, how should we welcome the glad tidings
of
Redemption, embrace it in
Faith, and
Adore the
Redeemer!