I. Redemption is possible, although the difficulties are great, because God is its Author. On the Divine side--
1. Satisfaction to the throne in the obedience of Christ; and on the human side--
2. The sanctification of man through the blood of Jesus.
II. The magnitude of redemption is less than the Divine resources. God is able to supply--
1. Strength;
2. Patience; and--
3. Preservation for the journey.
III. God can fulfil all prospective desires in heaven. (British Weekly.)
Israel and Pharaoh: types of the new and old man
I. Israel’s position in Egypt. One of great and increasing trial. Iron bondage, occasioned instrumentally by cruelty and jealousy of Pharaoh. Ordained of God to wean them from Egypt, and make them long for promised land.
II. The judgment on Egypt. Real contest between kingdom of light and kingdom of darkness. Satan has supernatural power; and in order to deceive Pharaoh, and harden his heart, he gave the magicians power, as far as he could (for there is a limit to his power), to work miracles of deception in imitation of miracles of truth. A miracle does not necessarily prove a man comes from God; but only that he is connected with some higher power--one of two kingdoms. It is the morality of the miracle, and the holiness of the doctrine it is meant to attest, that proves it to be from God.
III. The bearing of these on the Christian’s life. See Rom_7:9; Rom_7:24 : State of awakened soul; o]d man and new, with conflict between them; new man often oppressed, old man often dominant though under judgment. (G. Wagner.)
A stretched out arm
The significance of this figure, “a stretched-out arm,” must have been well understood by the Israelites. The deities of the Egyptians were represented with outstretched arms, as symbols of irresistible might. In the hieroglyphics which may yet be seen upon the obelisk at Heliopolis, and with which the Children of Israel must have been familiar, two outstretched arms occur as part of the title of one of the kings, Osirtasen Racheperka, with this meaning, “Osirtasen, the sun, is might!” God’s outstretched arm, therefore, is opposed to the king’s; and He adds, “I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am theLord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burden of the Egyptians.” Moses must also have bethought him of the promise made to him upon the mountains: “See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh”: his outstretched arm was now endued with “might”; it was the instrument by which many of the plagues were brought upon the land, and by which atlast Pharaoh and his host were overwhelmed. (T. S. Millington.)
