1932 Young Mens Corner - page 3

THE BOOK OF EXODUS.

Young Men’s Corner Thirteenth Series.

January, 1932

" Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in

that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so."  (Acts 17. 11).

CONTENTS.

Page Israel’s bondage, and the early days of Moses 1

Israel’s offerings ; the Ark and the Mercy-seat 12

ISRAEL’S BONDAGE, AND THE EARLY DAYS OF MOSES.

--Exodus 1. 1--2. 15.

From Middlesbrough.-- A Pharaoh comes to the throne who knows not Joseph and who greatly errs, not knowing Joseph’s God and not bringing Him into his thoughts.  The nation of Israel rapidly grows and the king becomes afraid of a crisis and uses affliction and slavery, which only caused a greater multiplication of the Israelites’ numbers.  Though they had Joseph’s bones and God’s words (through Mm) of promise, from Joshua 24. 14 and Ezekiel 20. 7 it would seem that in a great measure the Israelites were idol worshippers and had forgotten God.  This made us wonder whether God was chastening them that they might acknowledge Him.  Pharaoh waxes worse unto the commanding of the death of the male children, which God overrules, using the midwives who feared Him ; because they acknowledged God, He honoured them (1 Samuel 2. 30).  Have the " houses " in 1. 21

any special significance ?  [The word house is used in two senses at least in the Scriptures ; the first is that of a building, and the second that of a person’s descendants.  I take it that it is in the latter sense that God made the midwives houses.  God gave them children and children’s children, which was a hope of every true Israelite. -- J.M.].

Stephen, in Acts 7. 20, says that " about this time Moses was born."  Hebrews 11. 23 shows that the hiding of Moses was an act of faith -- fearing God rather than the king’s commandment.  We see God’s protecting care over Moses even to the finding of a nurse in his own mother.  Though trained in Pharaoh’s palace in all the knowledge of Egypt, yet by faith he refused all Egypt could offer.  It came into Moses’ heart (Acts 7. 23) to visit his brethren, the number of years given in the promise to Abraham having nearly elapsed.

No doubt Moses was in communication with God --Acts 7. 25--

but this is not God’s time for him to deliver his brethren.  Moses, like others, made mistakes, and this is easily understood and only tends to magnify the infinite grace and exhaustless patience of God.  [We must be careful not to blame Moses for a fault which really lies at the door of the Israelites.  Exactly the same consideration arises when we think of the Lord being sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  Was it the time to save Israel ? or was the Lord mistaken ?  Wherein did the failure in saving Israel lie ?  Was it not in the fact that they refused the Divine Deliverer, and because of their unbelief must endure the persecution and tribulation which the persecution of Israel in Egypt E. H. Bowers.

typifies ?--J.M.].