VIII.

Moses the Christ-like mediator.

'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken.'-DEUT. xviii. 15.

N the history of Abraham and the patri

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archs, Divine revelation takes the form of promise rather than of prophecy. It is God speaking in His own name, and declaring His own purposes; not man interpreting to his fellow-man what he has previously heard from God.

This the proper office and work of the prophet begins with Moses; and here modern criticism makes one of its greatest efforts to trace the origin of prophecy to natural causes only.

If that effort fails, it is certainly from no

want of able and learned advocacy. We cannot read the pages in which the great critic of Jewish history, Ewald, describes the character and work of Moses without feeling that we gain a fuller, and in some respects truer, idea of the great Lawgiver and Prophet; but only in some respects truer, because in this picture the man appears invested with a greatness that is in part divine; and Moses stands transfigured in a glory which is made more dazzling because its true source is hidden from our sight.

My first endeavour therefore must be to show that nothing less than a Divine and supernatural power made Moses so great a prophet as he was.

Looking first at the influences by which his character was formed in youth and early manhood, we can hardly doubt that his preservation in infancy, though in no sense miraculous, must have impressed him afterwards with the feeling that a Divine providence had preserved him for some great purpose. What that purpose was he must have gathered from the records of the promise made to Abraham, that

MOSES POWERLESS WITHOUT GOD.

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after 400 years of bondage in a strange land God would deliver His people.

The first attempt which Moses made to fulfil this purpose is most instructive, though sceptical critics, not without reason, pass it over very lightly.

Let us look at the acknowledged facts. Moses himself was in the fresh prime and vigour of life, learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, conspicuous by his position at the court of Pharaoh, and commended to his countrymen by his willing sacrifice of all worldly advantages for their sake.

'It is easy to understand,' writes Ewald, 'how sympathy with the great and wide-spread suffering of his own people would act on a mind so powerful and healthy by nature. The extremest resolves of the indignant spirit would seem capable of realization, and the deepest powers of life be roused into an astonishing energy.'

It is agreed also that there was still in Israel a living memory of their ancient religion, so simple and sublime in comparison with the superstitions of Egypt; and still a tradition of

the glory of the patriarchs, and of God's promises entailed on their descendants.

Very naturally, therefore, Moses 'supposed that they would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them; but they understood not.'

So complete was the failure, that Moses was forced to flee in haste lest his own countrymen should denounce him as a murderer.

Now contrast this ignominious failure with the wonderful success of his later enterprise, and what is the explanation?

There is none in the human conditions. The fire of patriotism, the indignation roused by the sight of oppression, the hope inspired by ancient promises, the assurance of a righteous cause, these and all other motives that could kindle man's courage and nerve man's arm were combined in that earlier adventure with the full energy and unbroken confidence of youth.

Why were they unavailing then?

What

was wanting to a success like that which was afterwards achieved?

One cause of the difference is apparent, and