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God and Israel at all times, and similarly that between Him and His Church. Forthe
circumstances in which the Church is placed, and the purpose of God towards it,
continuealways the same. But this God, in the midst of the flames of the bush, is also a
consuming fire, alike incase of forgetfulness of the covenant on the part of His people,
(Deuteronomy 4:24) and as "a fire"that "burneth up His enemies round about." (Psalm
97:3) This manifestation of God under the symbolof fire, which on comparison will be
seen to recur through all Scripture, shall find its fullestaccomplishment when the Lord
Jesus shall come to judge -"His eyes as a flame of fire, and on Hishead many crowns."
(Revelation 19:12)
But as for Moses, he "hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God." The vision
vouchsafed, andthe words which accompanied it, prepare us for the further
communication which the Lord waspleased to make to His servant. He had heard the
cry of His people; He knew their sorrows, and Hehad come to deliver and bring them
into the Land of Promise, "a good land," it is added, "and alarge," a land "flowing with
milk and honey" -large and fruitful enough to have been at the time theterritory of not
fewer than six Canaanitish races (ver. 8). Finally, the Lord directed Moses to go
toPharaoh in order to bring His people out of Egypt.
Greater contrast could scarcely be conceived than between the Moses of forty years
ago and himwho now pleaded to be relieved from this work. If formerly his self-
confidence had been such as totake the whole matter into his own hands, his self-
diffidence now went the length of utmostreluctance to act, even. as only the Lord's
messenger and minister. His first and deepest feelingsspeak themselves in the
question, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bringforth the
children of Israel out of Egypt?" (ver. 11). But the remembrance of former inward
andoutward failure was no longer applicable, for God Himself would now be with
him. In token of thishe was told, "When thou hast brought forth the people out of
Egypt, ye shall serve God upon thismountain." Evidently this "token" appealed to his
faith, as indeed every "sign" does, whence theirmisunderstanding by those "who are
not of the household of faith" (comp. Matthew 12:38, 39; Luke16:31). Similarly, long
afterwards, a distantly future event - the birth of the Virgin's Son - was to be asign to
the house of Ahaz of the preservation of the royal line of David. (Isaiah 7:10-14) Was
it thenthat underneath all else God saw in the heart of Moses a want of realizing faith,
and that He wouldnow call it forth? This first difficulty, on the part of Moses, had
been set aside. His next was: Whatshould he say in reply to this inquiry of Israel about
God? "What is His Name?" (ver. 13). Thismeans, What was he to tell them in answer
to their doubts and fears about God's purposes towardsthem? For, in Scripture, the
name is regarded as the manifestation of character or of deepestpurpose, whence also
a new name was generally given after some decisive event, which for everafter
stamped its character upon a person or place.
(^)