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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 3:6

Verse 6 6.I am the God of thy father. He does not merely proclaim himself as some heavenly power, nor claim for himself only the general name of God, but recalling to memory his covenant formerly made with the patriarchs, he casts down all idols and false gods, and confirms Moses in the true faith. For hence he knew surely, that he had not set his hopes in vain in the God whom Abraham and the other patriarchs had worshipped, and who, by the privilege of adoption, had separated their race from... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 3:7

Verse 7 7.And the Lord said. Before he delegates to Moses the office of delivering his people, God encourages him in a somewhat lengthened address to the hope of victory and success; for we know how doubts enfeeble and hold back the mind with anxiety and care; Moses then could not engage in or set about his work earnestly until furnished with the confidence of divine assistance. Therefore God promises to be his guide, that in reliance upon such aid he may gird himself boldly to the warfare.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 3:8

Verse 8 8.And I am come down to deliver them. He now more clearly announces his intention not only to relieve their present calamity, but to fulfill the promise given to Abraham as to the possession of Canaan. He therefore marks the end of their deliverance, that they might enjoy the rest and inheritance promised to them. It is a common manner of speaking to say, God descends to us, when he actually puts forth his power and shews that he is near us; as much as to say, that the Israelites would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1

Moses kept the flock . The Hebrew expresses that this was his regular occupation. Understand by "flock" either sheep or goats, or the two intermixed. Both anciently and at the present day the Sinaitic pastures support these animals, and not horned cattle. Of Jethro, his father-in-law . The word translated "father-in-law" is of much wider application, being used of almost any relation by marriage. Zipporah uses it of Moses in Exodus 4:25 , Exodus 4:26 ; in Genesis 19:12 , Genesis... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-2

The Burning Bush. All nations have seen in fire something emblematic of the Divine nature. The Vedic Indians made Agni (fire) an actual god, and sang hymns to him with more fervour than to almost any other deity. The Persians maintained perpetual fires on their fire-altars, and supposed them to have a divine character. Hephaistos in the Greek and Vulcan in the Roman mythology were fire-gods; and Baal, Chemosh, Moloch, Tahiti, Orotal, etc ; represented more or less the same idea. Fire... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-5

Moses at the bush. We do not now see burning bushes, or hear voices calling to us from their midst. The reason is, that we do not need them, The series of historical revelations is complete. Revelation in the sense of the communication of new truth—of truth beyond the range of our natural faculties, or not capable of being derived, under the guidance of God's Spirit, from revelations already given—is not to be expected. The Bible is the sum of God's authoritative revelations to the race.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-5

The bush and its suggestions. Glean here a few of the general suggestions of the passage:— I. REVELATION . The appearance at the bush suggestive— 1 . Of the supernatural in Nature. Bushes are aglow all around us, if only we had eyes to see them. Christ's teaching an illustration of the spiritual suggestiveness of Nature. "Consider the lilies" ( Matthew 6:28 ). The parables. 2 . Of the supernatural in common life. "Moses kept the flock of Jethro." The Higher Presence may... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-5

The burning bush. I. OBSERVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH GOD FINDS MOSES . He is still with Jethro, although forty years have passed since their first acquaintance. Though a fugitive, he had not become a mere wanderer. 1 . He continues , however , in a comparatively humble position. His marriage to Jethro's daughter and his long stay in the country do not seem to have brought him much external prosperity. He has not reached even the modest point of success in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-6

Forty years since, Moses ( Exodus 2:11 ) had "turned aside" from court life in Egypt to see how his brethren the children of Israel fared amid the furnace of trial. The old life seems like a dream, so long ago; the old lance ( Exodus 4:10 ) grown unfamiliar. The annual routine; flocks to be driven to distant-pasturage at the approach of summer. God's hour at hand just when least expected. I. THE PROPHETIC VISION . When God calls to the prophetic office, there is usually some... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-10

The Burning Bush. "Behold the bush," etc. Exodus 3:2 . A very astonishing event; yet amply evidenced to us by those voluminous arguments which now more than ever establish the authenticity of Exodus; but in addition to this, we have here the special endorsement of the Truth Incarnate. See Mark 12:26 . [Examine this passage critically, and consider how full and valid the endorsement is! No mere acceptance of received legend.] I. THE TIME . A solemn undertone in Mark 12:1 .... read more

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