Bible Commentaries

Exodus 2:9

I. To none is God's commendation vouchsafed more fully than to those who love children for Christ's sake. The presence of childhood represents and brings back our own. It is then that our Divine Master seems to repeat His words in our ears, "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." Children confide in those around them with a sweet and simple faith. They obey from affection, and not from fear. And so our Father, which is in heaven, would have His children trust Him, casting all our care upon Him, for He careth for us.

II. Children teach us reverence as well as faith. They listen to us with a solemn awe when we talk to them of God. They tread softly, they speak with bated breath, in His holy place. Our age has need to learn from them that we cannot serve God acceptably without reverence and godly fear.

III. Children teach us to be kind, pitiful, and tender-hearted. They cannot bear to witness pain. They do all they can to soothe. Have we these sorrowful sympathies? Do we "keep the child's heart in the brave man's breast"?

IV. If the love of Christ is in our hearts, it should constrain us to do our very best, thoughtfully, prayerfully, generously, to preserve in the children and to restore in ourselves that which made them so precious in His sight, and makes them so like Him now—like Him in their innocence, their sweet humility, their love.

S. R. Hole, The Family Churchman, Jan. 12th, 1887.

References: Exodus 2:9.—J. Van Dyke, The Christian at Work, June 17th, 1880; see also Old Testament Outlines, p. 24; S. Baring-Gould, Village Preaching for a Year, vol. ii., p. 274; J. Sherman, Thursday Penny Pulpit, vol. iv., p. 193; J.Weils, Bible Children, pp. 81, 95. Exodus 2:11-15.—W. M. Taylor, Moses the Lawgiver, p. 24. Exodus 2:12.—J. Reid Howatt, The Churchette, p. 245. 2:16-4:17.—W. M. Taylor, Moses the Lawgiver, p. 41. Exodus 2:23.—W. Landels, Christian World Pulpit, vol. iii., p. 113. 2-4.—J. Monro Gibson, The Mosaic Era, p. 17. 3—W. Landels, Christian World Pulpit, vol. iii., p. 129. Exodus 3:1-2.—J. Hamilton, Works, vol. v., p. 70. Exodus 3:1-4.—Clergyman's Magazine, vol. xvi., p. 97. Exodus 3:1-5.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. xi., p. 302. Exodus 3:1-6.—W. Jay, Thursday Penny Pulpit, vol. iii., p. 127.