Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc09/v10450

Text File | 1994-03-01 | 7KB | 118 lines

10455
 * The tables of the law renewed. (1-4) The name of the Lord
 proclaimed, The entreaty of Moses. (5-9) God's covenant. (10-17)
 The festivals. (18-27) The vail of Moses. (28-35)

 #1-4 When God made man in his own image, the moral law was
 written in his heart, by the finger of God, without outward
 means. But since the covenant then made with man was broken, the
 Lord has used the ministry of men, both in writing the law in
 the Scriptures, and in writing it in the heart. When God was
 reconciled to the Israelites, he ordered the tables to be
 renewed, and wrote his law in them. Even under the gospel of
 peace by Christ, the moral law continues to bind believers.
 Though Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, yet not
 from the commands of it. The first and the best evidence of the
 pardon of sin, and peace with God, is the writing the law in the
 heart.

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 #5-9 The Lord descended by some open token of his presence and
 manifestation of his glory in a cloud, and thence proclaimed his
 NAME; that is, the perfections and character which are denoted
 by the name JEHOVAH. The Lord God is merciful; ready to forgive
 the sinner, and to relieve the needy. Gracious; kind, and ready
 to bestow undeserved benefits. Long-suffering; slow to anger,
 giving time for repentance, only punishing when it is needful.
 He is abundant in goodness and truth; even sinners receive the
 riches of his bounty abundantly, though they abuse them. All he
 reveals is infallible truth, all he promises is in faithfulness.
 Keeping mercy for thousands; he continually shows mercy to
 sinners, and has treasures, which cannot be exhausted, to the
 end of time. Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin; his
 mercy and goodness reach to the full and free forgiveness of
 sin. And will by no means clear the guilty; the holiness and
 justice of God are part of his goodness and love towards all his
 creatures. In Christ's sufferings, the Divine holiness and
 justice are fully shown, and the evil of sin is made known.
 God's forgiving mercy is always attended by his converting,
 sanctifying grace. None are pardoned but those who repent and
 forsake the allowed practice of every sin; nor shall any escape,
 who abuse, neglect, or despise this great salvation. Moses bowed
 down, and worshipped reverently. Every perfection in the name of
 God, the believer may plead with Him for the forgiveness of his
 sins, the making holy of his heart, and the enlargement of the
 Redeemer's kingdom.

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 #10-17 The Israelites are commanded to destroy every monument of
 idolatry, however curious or costly; to refuse all alliance,
 friendship, or marriage with idolaters, and all idolatrous
 feasts; and they were reminded not to repeat the crime
 of making molten images. Jealously is called the rage of a man,
 #Pr 6:34|; but in God it is holy and just displeasure. Those
 cannot worship God aright, who do not worship him only.
10472
 #18-27 Once a week they must rest, even in ploughing time, and
 in harvest. All worldly business must give way to that holy
 rest; even harvest work will prosper the better, for the
 religious observance of the sabbath day in harvest time. We must
 show that we prefer our communion with God, and our duty to him,
 before the business or the joy of harvest. Thrice a year they
 must appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. Canaan was a
 desirable land, and the neighbouring nations were greedy; yet
 God says, They shall not desire it. Let us check all sinful
 desires against God and his glory, in our hearts, and then trust
 him to check all sinful desires in the hearts of others against
 us. The way of duty is the way of safety. Those who venture for
 him never lose by him. Three feasts are here mentioned: 1. The
 Passover, in remembrance of the deliverance out of Egypt. 2. The
 feast of weeks, or the feast of Pentecost; added to it is the
 law of the first-fruits. 3. The feast of in-gathering, or the
 feast of Tabernacles. Moses is to write these words, that the
 people might know them better. We can never be enough thankful
 to God for the written word. God would make a covenant with
 Israel, in Moses as a mediator. Thus the covenant of grace is
 made with believers through Christ.

10482
 #28-35 Near and spiritual communion with God improves the graces
 of a renewed and holy character. Serious godliness puts a lustre
 upon a man's countenance, such as commands esteem and affection.
 The vail which Moses put on, marked the obscurity of that
 dispensation, compared with the gospel dispensation of the New
 Testament. It was also an emblem of the natural vail on the
 hearts of men respecting spiritual things. Also the vail that
 was and is upon the nation of Israel, which can only be taken
 away by the Spirit of the Lord showing to them Christ, as the
 end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
 Fear and unbelief would put the vail before us, they would
 hinder our free approach to the mercy-seat above. We should
 spread our wants, temporal and spiritual, fully before our
 heavenly Father; we should tell him our hindrances, struggles,
 trails, and temptations; we should acknowledge our offences.
10490
 * The sabbath to be observed. (1-3) The free gifts for the
 tabernacle. (4-19) The readiness of the people in general.
 (20-29) Bezaleel and Aholiab called to the work. (30-35)

 #1-3 The mild and easy yoke of Christ has made our sabbath
 duties more delightful, and our sabbath restraints less irksome,
 than those of the Jews; but we are the more guilty by neglecting
 them. Surely God's wisdom in giving us the sabbath, with all the
 mercy of its purposes, are sinfully disregarded. Is it nothing
 to pour contempt upon the blessed day, which a bounteous God has
 given to us for our growth in grace with the church below, and
 to prepare us for happiness with the church above?

10493
 #4-19 The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God,
 and used in his service; and therefore what was brought for it,
 was an offering to the Lord. The rule is, Whosoever is of a
 willing heart, let him bring. All that were skilful must work.
 God dispenses his gifts; and as every man hath received, so he
 must minister, #1Pe 4:10|. Those that were rich, must bring in
 materials to work on; those that were skilful, must serve the
 tabernacle with their skill: as they needed one another, so the
 tabernacle needed them both, #1Co 12:7-21|.