patriarchs and prophets-第176节

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DAUGHTER；　NOR　THY　MANSERVANT；　NOR　THY　MAIDSERVANT；　NOR　THINE　OX；　NOR　THINE
ASS；　NOR　ANY　OF　THY　CATTLE；　NOR　THY　STRANGER　THAT　IS　WITHIN　THY　GATES；　THAT
THY　MANSERVANT　AND　THY　MAIDSERVANT　MAY　REST　AS　WELL　AS　THOU。　AND　REMEMBER
THAT　THOU　WAST　A　SERVANT　IN　THE　LAND　OF　EGYPT；　AND　THAT　THE　LORD　THY　GOD
BROUGHT　THEE　OUT　THENCE　THROUGH　A　MIGHTY　HAND　AND　BY　A　STRETCHED…OUT　ARM：
THEREFORE　THE　LORD　THY　GOD　COMMANDED　THEE　TO　KEEP　THE　SABBATH　DAY。〃　IN
EXODUS　5：5　WE　LEARN　THAT　MOSES　AND　AARON　MADE　THE　PEOPLE　〃REST　FROM　THEIR
BURDENS。〃

FROM　THESE　FACTS　WE　MAY　CONCLUDE　THAT　THE　SABBATH　WAS　ONE　OF　THE　THINGS　IN
WHICH　THEY　COULD　NOT　SERVE　THE　LORD　IN　EGYPT；　AND　WHEN　MOSES　AND　AARON　CAME
WITH　THE　MESSAGE　OF　GOD　（EXODUS　4：29…31）；　THEY　ATTEMPTED　A　REFORM；　WHICH
ONLY　INCREASED　THE　OPPRESSION。　THE　ISRAELITES　WERE　DELIVERED　THAT　THEY　MIGHT
OBSERVE　THE　STATUTES　OF　THE　LORD；　INCLUDING　THE　FOURTH　COMMANDMENT；　AND　THIS
PLACED　UPON　THEM　AN　ADDITIONAL　OBLIGATION　TO　KEEP　THE　SABBATH　STRICTLY；　AS
WELL　AS　TO　KEEP　ALL　THE　COMMANDMENTS。　THUS　IN　DEUTERONOMY　24：17；　18　THE　FACT
OF　THEIR　DELIVERANCE　FROM　EGYPT　IS　CITED　AS　PLACING　THEM　UNDER　SPECIAL
OBLIGATION　TO　SHOW　KINDNESS　TO　THE　WIDOW　AND　THE　FATHERLESS：　〃THOU　SHALT　NOT
PERVERT　THE　JUDGMENT　OF　THE　STRANGER；　NOR　OF　THE　FATHERLESS；　NOR　TAKE　A
WIDOW'S　RAIMENT　TO　PLEDGE：　BUT　THOU　SHALT　REMEMBER　THAT　THOU　WAST　A　BONDMAN
IN　EGYPT；　AND　THE　LORD　THY　GOD　REDEEMED　THEE　THENCE：　THEREFORE　I　COMMAND
THEE　TO　DO　THIS　THING。〃

758


NOTE　2。　PAGE　272。　THAT　THE　PLAGUES　WERE　DESIGNED　TO　DESTROY　THE　CONFIDENCE
OF　THE　EGYPTIANS　IN　THE　POWER　AND　PROTECTION　OF　THEIR　IDOLS；　AND　EVEN　MADE
THEIR　GODS　TO　APPEAR　AS　CRUEL　TORMENTORS　OF　THEIR　WORSHIPERS；　CAN　BE　SEEN
FROM　A　STUDY　OF　THE　EGYPTIAN　RELIGION。　A　FEW　EXAMPLES　MAY　SERVE　TO
ILLUSTRATE　THIS　FACT。

THE　FIRST　PLAGUE；　TURNING　THE　WATER　OF　THE　RIVER　NILE　AND　OF　ALL　CANALS　INTO
BLOOD　（EXODUS　7：19）；　WAS　DIRECTED　AGAINST　THE　SOURCE　OF　EGYPT'S　VERY
EXISTENCE。　THE　RIVER　NILE　WAS　REGARDED　WITH　RELIGIOUS　REVERENCE；　AND　AT
SEVERAL　PLACES　SACRIFICES　WERE　OFFERED　TO　THE　NILE　AS　TO　A　GOD。

THE　SECOND　PLAGUE　BROUGHT　FROGS　OVER　EGYPT。　EXODUS　8：6。　FROGS　WERE　HELD
SACRED　BY　THE　EGYPTIANS；　AND　ONE　OF　THEIR　DEITIES；　HEQA；　WAS　A　FROG…HEADED
GODDESS　THOUGHT　TO　POSSESS　CREATIVE　POWER。　WHEN　THE　FROGS；　AS　THE　RESULT　OF
MOSES'　COMMAND；　MULTIPLIED　TO　THE　EXTENT　THAT　THEY　FILLED　THE　LAND　FROM　ONE
END　TO　THE　OTHER；　THE　EGYPTIANS　MAY　HAVE　WONDERED　WHY　HEQA　WAS　TORMENTING
HER　ARDENT　WORSHIPERS　INSTEAD　OF　PROTECTING　THEM。　IN　THIS　WAY　THE　EGYPTIANS
WERE　NOT　ONLY　PUNISHED　BY　THE　SECOND　PLAGUE；　BUT　WITNESSED　ALSO　CONTEMPT
HEAPED　UPON　THEM；　AS　THEY　SUPPOSED；　BY　ONE　OF　THEIR　GODS　（EXODUS　9：3）；　OF
WHICH　MANY　REPRESENTED　POWERFUL　GODS　IN　THE　EGYPTIANS　PANTHEON。　TO　MENTION
ONLY　A　FEW；　WE　FIND　THAT　THE　APIS　BULL　WAS　DEDICATED　TO　PTAH；　THE　FATHER　OF
ALL　THE　GODS；　THE　COW　WAS　SACRED　TO　HATHOR；　ONE　OF　THE　MOST　WIDELY　WORSHIPED
OF　ALL　FEMALE　DEITIES　OF　THE　NILE　COUNTRY；　WHILE　THE　RAM　REPRESENTED　SEVERAL
GODS　LIKE　KHNEMU；　AND　THE　RAM…HEADED　AMEN；　WHO　WAS　EGYPT'S　CHIEF　GOD　IN　THE
NEW　EMPIRE　PERIOD。　HENCE；　THE　DISEASE　WHICH　SLEW　THE　ANIMALS　DEDICATED　TO
THEIR　DEITIES　REVEALED　TO　THE　EGYPTIANS　THE　IMPOTENCE　OF　THEIR　GODS　IN　THE
PRESENCE　OF　THE　GOD　OF　THE　DESPISED　HEBREWS。

THE　NINTH　PLAGUE　（EXODUS　10：21）　DEALT　A　HEAVY　BLOW　TO　ONE　OF　THE　GREATEST
GODS　OF　EGYPT；　THE　SUN　OF　GOD　RA；　WHO　HAD　BEEN　CONTINUOUSLY　WORSHIPED　FROM
THE　EARLIEST　TIMES　OF　THAT　COUNTRY'S　KNOWN　HISTORY。　IN　A　LAND　WHICH　HARDLY
EVER　SAW　CLOUDS　IN　THE　SKY；　THE　SUN　WAS　RECOGNIZED　AS　A　NEVER…FAILING　POWER
WHICH　PROVIDED　WARMTH；　LIGHT；　LIFE；　AND　GROWTH　TO　THE　WHOLE　WORLD。　EVERY
EGYPTIAN　KING　CONSIDERED　HIMSELF　AS　A　〃SON　OF　RA；〃　AND　CARRIED　THIS
EXPRESSION　IN　HIS　TITULARY。　WHEN　AMEN　OF　THEBES　BECAME　CHIEF　GOD　OF　EGYPT
DURING　THE　EIGHTEENTH　DYNASTY；　THE　POWER　OF　THE　SUN…GOD　RA　WAS　RECOGNIZED　AS
SO　GREAT　THAT　A　COMPROMISE　WAS　MADE　BY　COMBINING　AMEN　AND　RA　TO　MAKE　ONE　GOD
AMEN…RA。　A　FEW　YEARS　AFTER　THE　EXODUS；　WHEN　IKHNATON　INTRODUCED　A
SHORT…LIVED　MONOTHEISM；　THE　ONLY　GOD　RETAINED　WAS　ATON；　THE　SUN　DISK。　SEEING
HOW　ENTRENCHED　SUNWORSHIP　WAS　IN　THE　RELIGIOUS　LIFE　OF　THE　EGYPTIANS；　AND
HOW　HIGHLY　THE　SUN　GOD　RA；　AMEN…RA；　OR　ATON　WAS　REVERED；　WE　CAN　UNDERSTAND
WHY　THE　PLAGUE　DIRECTED　AGAINST　THE　GOD　WAS　BROUGHT　UPON　EGYPT　TOWARD　THE
CULMINATION　OF　THE　FIGHT　BETWEEN　THE　GOD　OF　THE　HEBREWS　AND　HIS　EGYPTIAN
ADVERSARIES。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　759


ALSO　THE　TENTH　PLAGUE；　THE　SLAUGHTERING　OF　THE　FIRST…BORN　（EXODUS　12：29）；
WAS　STRIKING　AT　LEAST　ONE　GOD；　AND　THAT　WAS　THE　KING；　WHO　WAS　CONSIDERED　TO
BE　HORUS；　THE　SON　OF　OSIRIS。　AS　THE　RULER　OF　THE　NILE　COUNTRY；　HE　WAS
ADDRESSED　BY　HIS　SUBJECTS　AS　〃THE　GOOD　GOD。〃　HENCE；　THE　LAST　PLAGUE　CROWNED
THE　ACTIONS　WROUGHT　BY　THE　MIRACLE…WORKING　POWER　OF　THE　HEBREW　GOD。　SO　FAR
GODS　CONTROLLING　THE　FORCES　OF　NATURE　OR　ANIMALS　HAD　BEEN　DISGRACED；　BUT　NOW
A　GOD　LIVING　IN　A　VISIBLE　FORM　AMONG　THE　EGYPTIANS　WAS　ALSO　HUMILIATED　BY
THE　DESPISED　GOD　OF　THE　HEBREWS　SLAVES；　OF　WHOM　THE　PROUD　PHARAOH　ONCE　HAD
SAID；　〃WHO　IS　THE　LORD；　THAT　I　SHOULD　OBEY　HIS　VOICE　TO　LET　ISRAEL　GO？　I
KNOW　NOT　THE　LORD；　NEITHER　WILL　I　LET　ISRAEL　GO。〃　EXODUS　5：2。


NOTE　3。　PAGE　282。　IN　GENESIS　15：13　WE　READ　THAT　THE　LORD　SAID　TO　ABRAHAM；
〃KNOW　OF　A　SURETY　THAT　THY　SEED　SHALL　BE　A　STRANGER　IN　A　LAND　THAT　IS　NOT
THEIRS；　AND　SHALL　SERVE　THEM：　AND　THEY　SHALL　AFFLICT　THEM　FOUR　HUNDRED
YEARS。〃　THIS　TEXT　RAISES　THE　QUESTIONS　WHETHER　THE　400　YEARS　REFER　TO　THE
TIME　OF　AFFLICTION　OR　SOJOURNING；　OR　BOTH；　AND　WHAT　THE　RELATION　OF　THE　400
YEARS　IS　TO　THE　430　YEARS　OF　EXODUS　12：40；　41；　AND　GALATIANS　3：16；　17。

THE　STATEMENT　IN　EXODUS　12：40；　THAT　〃THE　SOJOURNING　OF　THE　CHILDREN　OF
ISRAEL；　WHO　DWELT　IN　EGYPT；　WAS　FOUR　HUNDRED　AND　THIRTY　YEARS；〃　GIVES　THE
IMPRESSION　THAT　THE　ISRAELITES；　FROM　JACOB'S　ENTRY　INTO　EGYPT　TO　THE　EXODUS；
ACTUALLY　SPENT　430　YEARS　IN　THE　COUNTRY　OF　THE　NILE。　THAT　THIS　IMPRESSION
CANNOT　BE　CORRECT　IS　OBVIOUS　FROM　PAUL'S　INSPIRED　INTERPRETATION　PRESENTED
IN　GALATIANS　3：16；　17；　WHERE　THE　430　YEARS　ARE　SAID　TO　COVER　THE　PERIOD
BEGINNING　WHEN　GOD　MADE　HIS　COVENANT　WITH　ABRAHAM　UNTIL　THE　LAW　WAS
PROMULGATED　AT　SINAI。　PAUL　SEEMS　TO　REFER　TO　THE　FIRST　PROMISE　MADE　BY　GOD
TO　ABRAHAM　WHEN　HE　WAS　CALLED　TO　LEAVE　HARAN。　GENESIS　12：1…3。　AT　THAT　TIME
THE　430　YEARS　BEGAN；　WHEN　ABRAHAM　WAS　SEVENTY…FIVE　YEARS　OLD　（CHAPTER　12：4）；
WHILE　THE　400　YEARS　OF　THE　PROPHECY　OF　GENESIS　15：13　BEGAN　THIRTY　YEARS
LATER；　WHEN　ABRAHAM　WAS　105　AND　HIS　SON　ISAAC　FIVE　YEARS　OLD　（CHAPTER　21：5）。
AT　THAT　TIME　ISHMAEL；　WHO　〃WAS　BORN　AFTER　THE　FLESH　PERSECUTED　HIM　＇ISAAC＇
THAT　WAS　BORN　AFTER　THE　SPIRIT〃　（GALATIANS　4：29；　GENESIS　21：9…11）；　BEGINNING
A　TIME　OF　AFFLICTION　OF　ABRAHAM'S　SEED　WHICH　INTERMITTENTLY　WOULD　BE
CONTINUED　UNTIL　THE　TIME　OF　THE　EXODUS。　ISAAC　HAD　NOT　ONLY　TROUBLES　WITH　HIS
HALF　BROTHER　ISHMAEL；　BUT　ALSO　WITH　THE　PHILISTINES　（GENESIS　26：15；　20；　21）；
JACOB　FLED　FOR　HIS　LIFE　FROM　ESAU　（GENESIS　27：
41…43）；　AND　LATER　FROM　LABAN　（GENESIS　31：21）；　AND　THEN　WAS　AGAIN　IN
JEOPARDY　FROM　ESAU　（GENESIS　32：8）；　JOSEPH　WAS　SOLD　INTO　SLAVERY　BY　HIS
BRETHREN　（GENESIS　37：28）；　AND　THE　CHILDREN　OF　ISRAEL　WERE　OPPRESSED　BY　THE
EGYPTIANS　FOR　MANY　DECADES　（EXODUS　1：14）。

THE　TIME　FROM　ABRAHAM'S　CALL　TO　JACOB'S　ENTRY　INTO　EGYPT　WAS　215　YEARS；
BEING　THE　TOTAL　OF　（1）　TWENTY…FIVE　YEARS　LYING　BETWEEN　ABRAHAM'S　CALL　AND
THE　BIRTH　OF　ISAAC　（GENESIS　12：4；　21：5）；　（2）　SIXTY　YEARS　LYING

760

BETWEEN　ISAAC'S　BIRTH　AND　JACOB'S　BIRTH　（GENESIS　25：26）；　AND　（3）　THE　AGE　OF
JACOB　AT　THE　TIME　OF　HIS　MIGRATION　INTO　EGYPT　（GENESIS　47：9）。　THIS　LEAVES
THE　REMAINING　215　YEARS　OF　THE　430　AS　THE　ACTUAL　TIME　THE　HEBREWS　SPENT　IN
EGYPT。　HENCE　THE　430　YEARS　OF　EXODUS　12：40　INCLUDES　THE　SOJOURN　OF　THE
PATRIARCHS　IN　CANAAN　AS　WELL　AS　THEIR　STAY　IN　EGYPT。　SINCE　IN　THE　TIME　OF
MOSES；　PALESTINE　WAS　PART　OF　THE　EGYPTIAN　EMPIRE；　IT　IS　NOT　STRANGE　TO　FIND
AN　AUTHOR　OF　THAT　PERIOD　INCLUDING　CANAAN　IN　THE　TERM　〃EGYPT。〃　THE
TRANSLATORS　OF　THE　SEPTUAGINT；　KNOWING　THAT　THE　430　YEARS　INCLUDED　THE
SOJOURN　OF　THE　PATRIARCHS　IN　CANAAN；　MADE　THIS　POINT　CLEAR　IN　THEIR
RENDERING　OF　THIS　PASSAGE：　〃AND　THE　SOJOURNING　OF　THE　CHILDREN　OF　ISRAEL；
WHILE　THEY　SOJOURNED　IN　THE　LAND　OF　EGYPT　AND　THE　LAND　OF　CANAAN；　WAS　FOUR
HUNDRED　AND　THIRTY　YEARS。〃　AN　ADDITIONAL　CORROBORATION　OF　THE　INTERPRETATION
OF　THE　430　YEARS　GIVEN　ABOVE　IS　FOUND　IN　THE　PROPHECY　THAT　THE　FOURTH
GENERATION　OF　THOSE　WHO　HAD　ENTERED　EGYPT　WOULD　LEAVE　IT　（GENESIS　15：16）；
AND　ITS　RECORDED　FULFILLMENT　IN　EXODUS　6：16…20。


NOTE　4。　PAGE　316。　THE　ISRAELITES；　IN　THEIR　ADORATION　OF　THE　GOLDEN　CALF；
PROFESSED　TO　BE　WORSHIPING　GOD。　THUS　AARON；　WHEN　INAUGURATING　THE　WORSHIP　OF
THE　IDOL；　PROCLAIMED；　〃TOMORROW　IS　A　FEAST　UNTO　JEHOVAH。〃　THEY　PROPOSED　TO
WORSHIP　GOD；　AS　THE　EGYPTIANS　WORSHIPED　OSIRIS；　UNDER　THE　SEMBLANCE　OF　THE
IMAGE。　BUT　GOD　COULD　NOT　ACCEPT　THE　SERVICE。　THOUGH　OFFERED　IN　HIS　NAME；　THE
SUN…GOD；　AND　NOT　JEHOVAH；　WAS　THE　REAL　OBJECT　OF　THEIR　ADORATION。

THE　WORSHIP　OF　APIS　WAS　ACCOMPANIED　WITH　THE　GROSSEST　LICENTIOUSNESS；　AND
THE　SCRIPTURE　RECORD　INDICATES　THAT　THE　CALF　WORSHIP　BY　THE　ISRAELITES　WAS
ATTENDED　WITH　ALL　THE　LICENSE　USUAL　IN　HEATHEN　WORSHIP。　WE　READ：　〃THEY　ROSE
UP　EARLY　ON　THE　MORROW；　AND　OFFERED　BURNT　OFF