Exodus 1:9:1-9
“IN THE third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.” This chapter marks a turning point in God’s ways with His people. God was about to lo something very different with them from what He had ever done or any other nation. They were to be tested in a new way. Thus far He had dealt with them in pure grace. Out of the goodness of His own heart, and governed by no conditions whatsoever on their part, He had delivered them from Egypt and brought them all the way to Sinai, having promised to bring them and give them that beautiful land that flowed with milk and honey. However, this grace only brought out their disobedience, rebellion, and in. Now they were to be tried under law. Would they obey His voice and keep His covenant? If so, He would less them on that ground.
Moses was to tell the people: “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore if ye will obey My voice indeed and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine; and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.”
God reminds them in a most touching way of all that He had done for them, and now to test them He says, as it were: “Thus far I have done everything for you. But from now on I propose to make your standing before Me and your blessings depend on your obedience and works. Are you willing to go on on these terms?”
Moses called the elders of Israel together and put the question before them. How well it had been for them had they only remembered how many times they had murmured, disobeyed, and wanted to turn back to Egypt. How much beer it would have been if they had told God how helpless and guilty they were, and confessed that they were not able to keep His holy law. Had they considered their past they would have said: “We have disobeyed time after time, and we fear the same things might happen again, and then we lose all. Let us cast ourselves upon the same grace and mercy that has brought us thus far, and which will preserve us the rest of the way.”
But Israel did not consider nor remember. Rather they answered at once, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.” How self-confident they were! All their past experiences had gone for nothing. They had not learned the goodness of God nor their own evil hearts. Instead of clinging to what God was for them, they made everything depend on what they would be to God, and this is law-keeping.
How many today are putting themselves under law and expecting to earn the favor of God in this way. How many are hoping to get to heaven by their own good works. Even though thousands of year have rolled by, during which not one soul has ever kept the law (apart from the Lord Jesus Himself), countless people still are trying, only to put themselves under its curse: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” Galatians 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10). The sinner (and we are all sinners) cannot keep the holy law of God; we ought not to prose something for the future, but rather to say like the poor publican, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:1313And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13).
ML-12/21/1969