Exodus 5:15-16

Wherefore dealest thou thus.

Lessons

1. Oppressed souls cannot but complain of cruel and unjust smitings; blows make cries.

2. Addresses for relief are fittest from the afflicted to the highest power oppressing.

3. Access and cries and sad speeches are forced from oppressed to oppressors.

4. The execution by instruments is justly charged upon their lords.

5. True servants may justly expostulate about hard dealings from their rulers.

6. Unreasonable exactions will force afflicted ones to expostulate with powers oppressing them (Exodus 5:15).

7. To give no straw and to command bricks is a most unreasonable exaction.

8. To punish innocent servants when others sin is a most unjust oppression.

9. Such sad dealings make God’s servants sometimes to complain to earthly powers (Exodus 5:16). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Reasons required for moral conduct

I. There are times when men are required to give reasons for their method of moral conduct. Public opinion often calls a man to its tribunal. Sometimes men are the questioners. Sometimes God is the Questioner.

II. It is highly important that every man should be able to allege heavenly principles and motives as the basis of his conduct. Love to God and man is the only true and loyal principle and motive of human action, and only will sustain the scrutiny of infinite rectitude.

III. That a man who can allege heavenly principles as the basis of his conduct will be safe at any tribunal to which he may be called.

1. He will be safe at the tribunal of his own conscience.

2. He will be safe at the tribunal of God’s Book.

3. He will be safe at the tribunal of public opinion.

4. He will be safe at the final tribunal of the universe. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The expostulations of the slave

I. They expostulate that the means necessary to the accomplishment of their daily work were withheld. “There is no straw given to thy servants.”

II. They expostulate that they were brutally treated. “Thy servants are beaten.”

III. They expostulate that they were not morally culpable in their neglect of work. “The fault is in thine own people.” (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The tyrant

1. Unreasonable in his demands.

2. Cruel in his resentment.

3. Mistaken in his judgment of guilt. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The true object of blame

Gotthold had a little dog, which, when placed before a mirror, became instantly enraged, and barked at its own linage. He remarked on the occasion: In general, a mirror serves as an excitement to self-love, whereas it stimulates this dog to anger against itself. The animal cannot conceive that the figure it sees is only its own reflection, but fancies that it is a strange dog, and therefore will not suffer it to approach its master. This may remind us of an infirmity of our depraved hearts. We often complain of others, and take offence at the things they do against us, without reflecting that, for the most part, the blame lies with ourselves.