Exodus 4:31

The people believed.

Lessons

1. The people’s faith should closely follow upon God’s word ministered, and by His works confirmed. A good connection.

2. Where God promiseth success to His ministers in the faith of others, there they shall believe (Exodus 3:18).

3. All professed believers, receive not God’s word with the same faith.

4. Hearing is the usual sense of bringing in faith and the fruits of it.

5. God’s gracious visitation of His Church, and providential sight of its afflictions, is very good to be heard by them.

6. Such hearing of God’s visiting love and redeeming providence must affect God’s Israel.

7. Faith working by this sense stirs up souls to suitable returns unto God.

8. The humblest and sincerest worship in body and spirit is the most suitable return to God for His redemption. (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Human and Divine attitudes

I. The attitudes predicated of the people.

1. Their belief.

2. Their reverence.

3. Their devotion.

II. The attitudes predicated of God.

1. He saw the affliction of Israel.

2. Visited Israel. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

Faith easy when in the line of desire

People are a great deal more apt to receive a message as from God when it is in the line of their own longings. The Israelites were quick to receive from God a promise of relief from Egyptian brick-making, readier to worship than when they wanted water or meat on the desert and failed to find it ready at hand for them. And they were very much like the rest of us in all this. How we should bow our heads and worship if the one inner longing of our hearts at this moment were granted to us, or even promised of God, all of a sudden! But how is it while God keeps back from us that which we long for, and we know that He is prompted to His course by both wisdom and love? Do we bow our heads and worship, all the same? Well, we bow our heads; but not always to worship. (H. C. Trumbull.)

Confidence in God

The Roman noblemen could give no greater proof of their confidence in their city and army, than when they bought the land on which their Carthaginian enemies were encamped around the city. And we can give no greater proof of our confidence in God, than by trusting Him in the land which our enemies, darkness and sickness and trouble, seem to possess, and acting as if He were their master, and mightier than they all. (W. Baxendale.)

The believing people

I. God always furnishes sufficient evidence to justify belief. Moses was a stranger to the people; Aaron doubtless well known. He had a welcome message--deliverance. Miracles in outward form: miracles typical in character: rod changed to a serpent and back, Moses changed from a shepherd to a ruler; cleansing of leprosy, the purifying of the human for Divine use.

II. Hearing precedes believing. God sent Aaron to speak. Ministers sent to preach.

III. The Israelites manifest their faith publicly. We must confess Christ in token of faith.

IV. God prepares the way for the reception of His truth. Aaron called to meet Moses. God’s Spirit precedes and accompanies the truth we utter.

V. Faith secures deliverance. By it the Israelites secured theirs. So must we by ours. It is unto us according to our faith. (Dr. Fowler.)

Bowed heads

1. Some heads are bowed with business cares. During the last four years many homes have been broken, and others sadly reduced, not so much through men’s own folly, as from the long and serious depression in trade.

2. Some heads are bowed with sorrow over sinful children. That never-fading picture of the Prodigal Son, painted by a master hand, is often too truly representative of our own families. Young men, think of all the pain and anguish you cause for those dear parents by your lives of sin.

3. Some heads are bowed with bereavement. To many of us there have come dark days of sorrow and pain. Roses have withered in our domestic gardens; buds have been nipped before they had time to bloom; lights we loved have gone out. (Charles Leach.).