patriarchs and prophets-第109节

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turned　from　courtly　honors　and　from　a　prospective　kingdom　in　Egypt；　to　cast
in　his　lot　with　God's　chosen　people。　He　called　to　mind　those　long　years　in
the　desert　with　the　flocks　of　Jethro；　the　appearance　of　the　Angel　in　the
burning　bush；　and　his　own　call　to　deliver　Israel。　Again　he　beheld　the　mighty
miracles　of　God's　power　displayed　in　behalf　of　the　chosen　people；　and　His
long…suffering　mercy　during　the　years　of　their　wandering　and　rebellion。
Notwithstanding　all　that　God

472

had　wrought　for　them；　notwithstanding　his　own　prayers　and　labors；　only　two
of　all　the　adults　in　the　vast　army　that　left　Egypt　had　been　found　so
faithful　that　they　could　enter　the　Promised　Land。　As　Moses　reviewed　the
result　of　his　labors；　his　life　of　trial　and　sacrifice　seemed　to　have　been
almost　in　vain。

Yet　he　did　not　regret　the　burdens　he　had　borne。　He　knew　that　his　mission　and
work　were　of　God's　own　appointing。　When　first　called　to　become　the　leader　of
Israel　from　bondage；　he　shrank　from　the　responsibility；　but　since　he　had
taken　up　the　work　he　had　not　cast　aside　the　burden。　Even　when　the　Lord　had
proposed　to　release　him；　and　destroy　rebellious　Israel；　Moses　could　not
consent。　Though　his　trials　had　been　great；　he　had　enjoyed　special　tokens　of
God's　favor；　he　had　obtained　a　rich　experience　during　the　sojourn　in　the
wilderness；　in　witnessing　the　manifestations　of　God's　power　and　glory；　and
in　the　communion　of　His　love；　he　felt　that　he　had　made　a　wise　decision　in
choosing　to　suffer　affliction　with　the　people　of　God；　rather　than　to　enjoy
the　pleasures　of　sin　for　a　season。

As　he　looked　back　upon　his　experience　as　a　leader　of　God's　people；　one　wrong
act　marred　the　record。　If　that　transgression　could　be　blotted　out；　he　felt
that　he　would　not　shrink　from　death。　He　was　assured　that　repentance；　and
faith　in　the　promised　Sacrifice；　were　all　that　God　required；　and　again　Moses
confessed　his　sin　and　implored　pardon　in　the　name　of　Jesus。

And　now　a　panoramic　view　of　the　Land　of　Promise　was　presented　to　him。　Every
part　of　the　country　was　spread　out　before　him；　not　faint　and　uncertain　in
the　dim　distance；　but　standing　out　clear；　distinct；　and　beautiful　to　his
delighted　vision。　In　this　scene　it　was　presented；　not　as　it　then　appeared；
but　as　it　would　become；　with　God's　blessing　upon　it；　in　the　possession　of
Israel。　He　seemed　to　be　looking　upon　a　second　Eden。　There　were　mountains
clothed　with　cedars　of　Lebanon；　hills　gray　with　olives　and　fragrant　with　the
odor　of　the　vine；　wide　green　plains　bright　with　flowers　and　rich　in
fruitfulness；　here　the　palm　trees　of　the　tropics；　there　waving　fields　of
wheat　and　barley；　sunny　valleys　musical　with　the　ripple　of　brooks　and　the
song　of　birds；　goodly　cities　and　fair　gardens；　lakes　rich　in　〃the　abundance
of　the　seas；〃　grazing　flocks　upon　the　hillsides；　and　even　amid　the　rocks　the
wild　bee's　hoarded　treasures。　It　was　indeed　such　a　land　as　Moses；　inspired
by　the　Spirit　of　God；　had　described　to　Israel：　〃Blessed

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of　the　Lord　。　。　。　for　the　precious　things　of　heaven；　for　the　dew；　and　for
the　deep　that　coucheth　beneath；　and　for　the　precious　fruits　brought　forth　by
the　sun；　。　。　。　and　for　the　chief　things　of　the　ancient　mountains；　。　。　。　and
for　the　precious　things　of　the　earth　and　fullness　thereof。〃

Moses　saw　the　chosen　people　established　in　Canaan；　each　of　the　tribes　in　its
own　possession。　He　had　a　view　of　their　history　after　the　settlement　of　the
Promised　Land；　the　long；　sad　story　of　their　apostasy　and　its　punishment　was
spread　out　before　him。　He　saw　them；　because　of　their　sins；　dispersed　among
the　heathen；　the　glory　departed　from　Israel；　her　beautiful　city　in　ruins；
and　her　people　captives　in　strange　lands。　He　saw　them　restored　to　the　land
of　their　fathers；　and　at　last　brought　under　the　dominion　of　Rome。

He　was　permitted　to　look　down　the　stream　of　time　and　behold　the　first　advent
of　our　Saviour。　He　saw　Jesus　as　a　babe　in　Bethlehem。　He　heard　the　voices　of
the　angelic　host　break　forth　in　the　glad　song　of　praise　to　God　and　peace　on
earth。　He　beheld　in　the　heavens　the　star　guiding　the　Wise　Men　of　the　East　to
Jesus；　and　a　great　light　flooded　his　mind　as　he　called　those　prophetic
words；　〃There　shall　come　a　Star　out　of　Jacob；　and　a　Scepter　shall　rise　out
of　Israel。〃　Numbers　24：17。　He　beheld　Christ's　humble　life　in　Nazareth；　His
ministry　of　love　and　sympathy　and　healing；　His　rejection　by　a　proud；
unbelieving　nation。　Amazed　he　listened　to　their　boastful　exaltation　of　the
law　of　God；　while　they　despised　and　rejected　Him　by　whom　the　law　was　given。
He　saw　Jesus　upon　Olivet　as　with　weeping　He　bade　farewell　to　the　city　of　His
love。　As　Moses　beheld　the　final　rejection　of　that　people　so　highly　blessed
of　Heaventhat　people　for　whom　he　had　toiled　and　prayed　and　sacrificed；　for
whom　he　had　been　willing　that　his　own　name　should　be　blotted　from　the　book
of　life；　as　he　listened　to　those　fearful　words；　〃Behold　your　house　is　left
unto　you　desolate〃　（Matthew　23：38）；　his　heart　was　wrung　with　anguish；　and
bitter　tears　fell　from　his　eyes；　in　sympathy　with　the　sorrow　of　the　Son　of
God。

He　followed　the　Saviour　to　Gethsemane；　and　beheld　the　agony　in　the　garden；
the　betrayal；　the　mockery　and　scourging　the　crucifixion。　Moses　saw　that　as
he　had　lifted　up　the　serpent　in　the　wilderness；　so　the　Son　of　God　must　be
lifted　up；　that　whosoever　would　believe　on　Him　〃should　not　perish；　but　have
eternal

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life。〃　John　3：15。　Grief；　indignation；　and　horror　filled　the　heart　of　Moses
as　he　viewed　the　hypocrisy　and　satanic　hatred　manifested　by　the　Jewish
nation　against　their　Redeemer；　the　mighty　Angel　who　had　gone　before　their
fathers。　He　heard　Christ's　agonizing　cry；　〃My　God；　My　God；　why　hast　Thou
forsaken　Me？〃　Mark　15：34。　He　saw　Him　lying　in　Joseph's　new　tomb。　The
darkness　of　hopeless　despair　seemed　to　enshroud　the　world。　But　he　looked
again；　and　beheld　Him　coming　forth　a　conqueror；　and　ascending　to　heaven
escorted　by　adoring　angels　and　leading　a　multitude　of　captives。　He　saw　the
shining　gates　open　to　receive　Him；　and　the　host　of　heaven　with　songs　of
triumph　welcoming　their　Commander。　And　it　was　there　revealed　to　him　that　he
himself　would　be　one　who　should　attend　the　Saviour；　and　open　to　Him　the
everlasting　gates。　As　he　looked　upon　the　scene；　his　countenance　shone　with　a
holy　radiance。　How　small　appeared　the　trials　and　sacrifices　of　his　life　when
compared　with　those　of　the　Son　of　God！　how　light　in　contrast　with　the　〃far
more　exceeding　and　eternal　weight　of　glory〃！　2　Corinthians　4：17。　He　rejoiced
that　he　had　been　permitted；　even　in　a　small　measure；　to　be　a　partaker　in　the
sufferings　of　Christ。

Moses　beheld　the　disciples　of　Jesus　as　they　went　forth　to　carry　His　gospel
to　the　world。　He　saw　that　though　the　people　of　Israel　〃according　to　the
flesh〃　had　failed　of　the　high　destiny　to　which　God　had　called　them；　in　their
unbelief　had　failed　to　become　the　light　of　the　world；　though　they　had
despised　God's　mercy　and　forfeited　their　blessings　as　His　chosen　peopleyet
God　had　not　cast　off　the　seed　of　Abraham；　the　glorious　purposes　which　He　had
undertaken　to　accomplish　through　Israel　were　to　be　fulfilled。　All　who
through　Christ　should　become　the　children　of　faith　were　to　be　counted　as
Abraham's　seed；　they　were　inheritors　of　the　covenant　promises；　like　Abraham；
they　were　called　to　guard　and　to　make　known　to　the　world　the　law　of　God　and
the　gospel　of　His　Son。　Moses　saw　the　light　of　the　gospel　shining　out　through
the　disciples　of　Jesus　to　them　〃which　sat　in　darkness〃　（Matthew　4：16）；　and
thousands　from　the　lands　of　the　Gentiles　flocking　to　the　brightness　of　its
rising。　And　beholding；　he　rejoiced　in　the　increase　and　prosperity　of　Israel。

And　now　another　scene　passed　before　him。　He　had　been　shown　the　work　of　Satan
in　leading　the　Jews　to　reject　Christ；　while　they　professed　to　honor　His
Father's　law。　He　now　saw　the

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Christian　world　under　a　similar　deception　in　professing　to　accept　Christ
while　they　rejected　God's　law。　He　had　heard　from　the　priests　and　elders　the
frenzied　cry；　〃Away　with　Him！〃　〃Crucify　Him；　crucify　Him！〃　and　now　he　heard
from　professedly　Christian　teachers　the　cry；　〃Away　with　the　law！〃　He　saw　the
Sabbath　trodden　under　foot；　and　a　spurious　institution　established　in　its
place。　Again　Moses　was　filled　with　astonishment　and　horror。　How　could　those
who　believed　in　Christ　reject　the　law　spoken　by　His　own　voice　upon　the
sacred　mount？　How　could　any　that　feared　God　set　aside　the　law　which　is　the
foundation　of　His　government　in　heaven　and　earth？　With　joy　Moses　saw　the　law
of　God　still　honored　and　exalted　by　a　faithful　few。　He　saw　the　last　great
struggle　of　earthly　powers　to　destroy　those　who　keep　God's　law。　He　looked
forward　to　the　time　when　God　shall　arise　to　punish　the　inhabitants　of　the
earth　for　their　iniquity；　and　those　who　have　feared　His　name　shall　be
covered　and　hid　in　the　day　of　His　anger。　He　heard　God's　covenant　of　peace
with　those　who　have　kept　His　law；　as　He　utters　His　voice　from　His　holy
habitation　and　the　heavens　and　the　earth　do　shake。　He　saw　the　second　coming
of　Christ　in　glory；　the　righteous　dead　ra