When we come, further on in this book, to examine the details from the night of the Passover until the morning of praise (Ex. 12-15), we find that all are based upon these opening thoughts of Exodus. The details give us the varied features of the great facts of redemption, as learned by each soul and entered upon by faith. They are faith’s lessons, laying hold of what the Gospel is. The former great truths are really the work for us; and the learning of such is the work in us, by which we enter on and realize all that God has done in Christ.
Next comes the first great initiatory lesson for the soul, with whom God is about to deal. (Ex. 3:1414And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14)) When Moses would come to Israel, and they would say to him, “What is his name?” “What (said he) shall I say unto them?” “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Now, here is the first thing for the soul’s acceptance — God is! He is not afar off, but near. One out of whose presence we cannot escape. One in whose presence we ever are. Do we act on this as if we believed it, my friends? Does the poor fool who says in his heart, “There is no God,” believe this? How do his actions speak in reply? Just in this solemn way — that they are performed without reference to God at all! Who could sin with impunity, consciously in the presence of God? Not even the most depraved. He dare not commit his iniquity there. But his life is formed upon the principle that there is no God. He does not say this with his lips; but his heart says it. He would love to think that his desire is true, and that when he died he would be as the beasts that perish and cease to be.
Here I would pause on that solemn thought — the heart of man! “The Law” says of it, “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, is only evil continually” (Gen. 6:55And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)). The “Prophets” testify, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)). The “Psalms” bear witness that “The fool saith in his heart, there is no God” (Psa. 14:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)). The “Gospels” —in the words of Jesus, record that “Out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21,2221For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: (Mark 7:21‑22)). And the “Epistles” tell us the same, in words of even deeper import. “The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts” (Eph. 4:17,1817This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (Ephesians 4:17‑18)). It is the one universal testimony of every section of the Word of God.
But as the “heart” of man is the spring of evil, so it is the channel for good; and when cleansed of God it is where “Christ may dwell.” “Out of its abundance,” for good or evil, it “speaks.” “With the heart man believes unto righteousness;” it is “purified by faith”; the “pure in heart see God.” It “cleaves with purpose of heart to the Lord.” God’s love is shed abroad in it. It is a good thing that it be established in grace. When God said, “Seek ye my face,” my heart said, “Thy face Lord will I seek.” God would say too, “My son give me thine heart.”
But we must return to this initial lesson of the soul. God reveals Himself as the great “I AM,” the self-existing God, beside whom there is none. Let us act according to this revelation, and act always so as to prove that we believe it. There is none who can say, “I am that I am” but He. Where is the man who is not double-minded at times? Does he tell me all that is in his heart? Nay; not even to his best beloved on earth! Paul as a saved one can say “by the grace of God I am what I am.” I am what grace has made me. But even he cannot say “I am that I am.”
Blessed be God there is a Man of whom God hath said this, even when under the very wrath of the Cross. But He stands in this alone, as in all else beside. When He cried, out of those mighty depths, “He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days; I said, O God, take me not away in the midst of my days,” what was the reply? It was then the glory of the self-existing One is expressed; “Thy years are throughout all generations. Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art [see Hebrew and Greek] and thy years shall have no end” (Psa. 102:23-2723He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. 24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. 25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. (Psalm 102:23‑27) and Heb. 1:10-1210And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:10‑12) and 13).
What then must be the first expression of the soul which has to do with God? It exclaims “God is!” “He that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)). God says of Himself, “I am.” He says to Jesus, as Man in weakness, “Thou Art”; and the believing soul bows in faith saying, “He is!” This is the grammar of divine realities!
We see the result of this in Exodus 4:29-3129And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 30And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. (Exodus 4:29‑31). We find in those verses a lovely expression of the sinner’s true attitude when first he has to do with God as a Savior; when he has been seized with the reality of God before his conscience. He has not yet learned His work of Grace, nor has he experienced aught but the great fact that God has interfered. “God has visited the children of Israel.” “He has heard them; He has looked on their affliction.” What deep soul trouble might be saved were those two points grasped with a firm and mighty tenacity! “God is”; and “God has visited us, and looked upon our affliction!”
What now is the soul’s true response to these things? “Then they bowed their heads and worshipped!” This was faith’s obedience. It was not obedience to a claim from Him. It was not obedience to the law. It was not the obedience of love. Obedience to the law owns God’s authority. The obedience of love is the soul’s service of gratitude to Him who loves us. The former may honor His authority; the obedience of love may express the devotedness of a heart to Him. But nothing can honor God like the “obedience of faith.” It accepts the fact that He has revealed Himself as a Savior.
What a pity that this lovely expression should be obscured by a weak rendering in that most excellent of all translations, our honored and beloved English Bible. If we refer to the two passages where only it is found (namely Rom. 1:55By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: (Romans 1:5) and 16:26), we see how much we lose in not having the true thought given us. After unfolding the substance of the Gospel, as in the person of Christ, the apostle turns (Rom. 1:55By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: (Romans 1:5)) to his own connection with it: “By whom (he says) we have received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all nations, for his name.” The Gospel is thus presented for obedience of faith. The other passage represents the Church — the mystery as revealed also for obedience of faith. Paul’s two-fold ministry, as many are aware, is thus presented.
Now this was faith’s obedience in Israel. God had revealed the fact that He had interfered, and faith accepted this without a “but” or a doubt! This is refreshing to the soul. Would that we saw such now-a-days.
But mark, now, that if in Israel we see that blessed effect of the news through Aaron, we see the opposite effect in Pharaoh — this man who solemnly witnesses to the terrible fact that God hardens those who harden themselves against Him. He shuts them up to that which they desire. “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness” (ch. 5:1). Be (as it were) a fellow-worker with God to that blessed end. What then was the reply of Pharaoh? What the reply of many who hear the testimony of grace, day after day? “Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?” Terrible reply of a soul who has never stood in aught but unbelief and defiance before Him. “I know not the Lord.” Thus speaks the pride of man, who hardens his neck against the Blessed God — “I know Him not.” For these two things God will take vengeance when Christ returns. He will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels — taking vengeance on them that know not God; and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”; and “who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day” (2 Thess. 1:9, 109Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:9‑10)).