Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.
for some considerable time." Those that would have communion with God must not only come to ordinances, but they must abide by them. Blessed are those that dwell in his house, not that merely call there. "Come up, and I will give thee a law, that thou mayest teach them." Moses taught them nothing but what he had received from the Lord, and he received nothing from the Lord but what he taught them; for he was faithful both to God and Israel, and did neither add nor diminish, but kept close to his instructions. Having received these orders, he appointed Aaron and Hur to be as lords-justices in his absence, to keep the peace and good order in the congregation, Ex 24:14. The care of his government he would leave behind him when he went up into the mount, that he might not have that to distract his mind; and yet he would not leave the people as sheep having no shepherd, no, not for a few days. Good princes find their government a constant care, and their people find it a constant blessing.
15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the
mount.
16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud
covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
A cloud covered the mount six days, a visible token of God's special presence there, for he so shows himself to us as at the same time to conceal himself from us. He lets us know so much as to assure us of his presence, power, and grace, but intimates to us that we cannot find him out to perfection. During these six days Moses staid waiting upon the mountain for a call into the presence-chamber, Ex 24:15,16. God thus tried the patience of Moses, and his obedience to that command (Ex 24:12), Be there. If Moses had been tired before the seventh day (as Saul, 1Sa 13:8,9), and had said, What should I wait for the Lord any longer? He would have lost the honour of entering into the cloud; but communion with God is worth waiting for. And it is fit we should address ourselves to solemn ordinances with a solemn pause, taking time to compose ourselves, Ps 108:1.