patriarchs and prophets-第57节

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his　child　could　be　entitled　to　the　blessings　of　God's　covenant　with　Israel；
and　such　a　neglect　on　the　part　of　their　chosen　leader　could　not　but　lessen
the　force　of　the　divine　precepts　upon　the　people。　Zipporah；　fearing　that　her
husband　would　be　slain；　performed　the　rite　herself；　and　the　angel　then
permitted　Moses　to　pursue　his　journey。　In　his　mission　to　Pharaoh；　Moses　was
to　be　placed　in　a　position　of　great　peril；　his　life　could　be　preserved　only
through　the　protection　of　holy　angels。　But　while　living　in　neglect　of　a
known　duty；　he　would　not　be　secure；　for　he　could　not　be　shielded　by　the
angels　of　God。

In　the　time　of　trouble　just　before　the　coming　of　Christ；　the　righteous　will
be　preserved　through　the　ministration　of　heavenly　angels；　but　there　will　be
no　security　for　the　transgressor　of　God's　law。　Angels　cannot　then　protect
those　who　are　disregarding　one　of　the　divine　precepts。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　23

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Plagues　of　Egypt


Aaron；　being　instructed　by　angels；　went　forth　to　meet　his　brother；　from　whom
he　had　been　so　long　separated；　and　they　met　amid　the　desert　solitudes；　near
Horeb。　Here　they　communed　together；　and　Moses　told　Aaron　〃all　the　words　of
the　Lord　who　had　sent　him；　and　all　the　signs　which　He　had　commanded　him。〃
Exodus　4：28。　Together　they　journeyed　to　Egypt；　and　having　reached　the　land
of　Goshen；　they　proceeded　to　assemble　the　elders　of　Israel。　Aaron　repeated
to　them　all　the　dealings　of　God　with　Moses；　and　then　the　signs　which　God　had
given　Moses　were　shown　before　the　people。　〃The　people　believed：　and　when
they　heard　that　the　Lord　had　visited　the　children　of　Israel；　and　that　He　had
looked　upon　their　affliction；　then　they　bowed　their　heads　and　worshiped。〃
Verse　31。

Moses　had　been　charged　also　with　a　message　for　the　king。　The　two　brothers
entered　the　palace　of　the　Pharaohs　as　ambassadors　from　the　King　of　kings；
and　they　spoke　in　His　name：　〃Thus　saith　Jehovah；　God　of　Israel；　Let　My
people　go；　that　they　may　hold　a　feast　unto　Me　in　the　wilderness。〃

〃Who　is　Jehovah；　that　I　should　obey　His　voice　to　let　Israel　go？〃　demanded
the　monarch；　〃I　know　not　Jehovah；　neither　will　I　let　Israel　go。〃

Their　answer　was；　〃The　God　of　the　Hebrews　hath　met　with　us：　let　us　go；　we
pray　thee；　three　days'　journey　into　the　desert；　and　sacrifice　unto　the　Lord
our　God；　lest　He　fall　upon　us　with　pestilence；　or　with　the　sword。〃

Tidings　of　them　and　of　the　interest　they　were　exciting　among　the　people　had
already　reached　the　king。　His　anger　was　kindled。　〃Wherefore　do　ye；　Moses　and
Aaron；　let　＇hinder＇　the　people　from　their　works？〃　he　said。　〃Get　you　unto
your　burdens。〃　Already　the　kingdom　had　suffered　loss　by　the　interference　of
these　strangers。　At　thought　of　this　he　added；　〃Behold；　the　people　of　the

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land　now　are　many；　and　ye　make　them　rest　from　their　burdens。〃

In　their　bondage　the　Israelites　had　to　some　extent　lost　the　knowledge　of
God's　law；　and　they　had　departed　from　its　precepts。　The　Sabbath　had　been
generally　disregarded；　and　the　exactions　of　their　taskmasters　made　its
observance　apparently　impossible。　But　Moses　had　shown　his　people　that
obedience　to　God　was　the　first　condition　of　deliverance；　and　the　efforts
made　to　restore　the　observance　of　the　Sabbath　had　come　to　the　notice　of
their　oppressors。＇*　SEE　APPENDIX；　NOTE　1。＇

The　king；　thoroughly　roused；　suspected　the　Israelites　of　a　design　to　revolt
from　his　service。　Disaffection　was　the　result　of　idleness；　he　would　see　that
no　time　was　left　them　for　dangerous　scheming。　And　he　at　once　adopted
measures　to　tighten　their　bonds　and　crush　out　their　independent　spirit。　The
same　day　orders　were　issued　that　rendered　their　labor　still　more　cruel　and
oppressive。　The　most　common　building　material　of　that　country　was　sun…dried
brick；　the　walls　of　the　finest　edifices　were　made　of　this；　and　then　faced
with　stone；　and　the　manufacture　of　brick　employed　great　numbers　of　the
bondmen。　Cut　straw　being　intermixed　with　the　clay；　to　hold　it　together；
large　quantities　of　straw　were　required　for　the　work；　the　king　now　directed
that　no　more　straw　be　furnished；　the　laborers　must　find　it　for　themselves；
while　the　same　amount　of　brick　should　be　exacted。

This　order　produced　great　distress　among　the　Israelites　throughout　the　land。
The　Egyptian　taskmasters　had　appointed　Hebrew　officers　to　oversee　the　work
of　the　people；　and　these　officers　were　responsible　for　the　labor　performed
by　those　under　their　charge。　When　the　requirement　of　the　king　was　put　in
force；　the　people　scattered　themselves　throughout　the　land；　to　gather
stubble　instead　of　straw；　but　they　found　it　impossible　to　accomplish　the
usual　amount　of　labor。　For　this　failure　the　Hebrew　officers　were　cruelly
beaten。

These　officers　supposed　that　their　oppression　came　from　their　taskmasters；
and　not　from　the　king　himself；　and　they　went　to　him　with　their　grievances。
Their　remonstrance　was　met　by　Pharaoh　with　a　taunt：　〃Ye　are　idle；　ye　are
idle：　therefore　ye　say；　Let　us　go　and　do　sacrifice　to　the　Lord。〃　They　were
ordered　back　to　their　work；　with　the　declaration　that　their　burdens　were　in
no　case　to　be　lightened。　Returning；　they　met　Moses　and　Aaron；　and　cried　out
to　them；　〃The　Lord　look　upon　you；　and　judge；　because　ye　have　made　our　savor
to　be　abhorred　in　the　eyes　of　Pharaoh；　and　in　the　eyes　of　his　servants；　to
put　a　sword　in　their　hand　to　slay　us。〃

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As　Moses　listened　to　these　reproaches　he　was　greatly　distressed。　The
sufferings　of　the　people　had　been　much　increased。　All　over　the　land　a　cry　of
despair　went　up　from　old　and　young；　and　all　united　in　charging　upon　him　the
disastrous　change　in　their　condition。　In　bitterness　of　soul　he　went　before
God；　with　the　cry；　〃Lord；　wherefore　hast　Thou　so　evil　entreated　this　people？
why　is　it　that　Thou　hast　sent　me？　For　since　I　came　to　Pharaoh　to　speak　in
Thy　name；　he　hath　done　evil　to　this　people；　neither　hast　Thou　delivered　Thy
people　at　all。〃　The　answer　was；　〃Now　shalt　thou　see　what　I　will　do　to
Pharaoh：　for　with　a　strong　hand　shall　he　let　them　go；　and　with　a　strong　hand
shall　he　drive　them　out　of　his　land。〃　Again　he　was　pointed　back　to　the
covenant　which　God　had　made　with　the　fathers；　and　was　assured　that　it　would
be　fulfilled。

During　all　the　years　of　servitude　in　Egypt　there　had　been　among　the
Israelites　some　who　adhered　to　the　worship　of　Jehovah。　These　were　solely
troubled　as　they　saw　their　children　daily　witnessing　the　abominations　of　the
heathen；　and　even　bowing　down　to　their　false　gods。　In　their　distress　they
cried　unto　the　Lord　for　deliverance　from　the　Egyptian　yoke；　that　they　might
be　freed　from　the　corrupting　influence　of　idolatry。　They　did　not　conceal
their　faith；　but　declared　to　the　Egyptians　that　the　object　of　their　worship
was　the　Maker　of　heaven　and　earth；　the　only　true　and　living　God。　They
rehearsed　the　evidences　of　His　existence　and　power；　from　creation　down　to
the　days　of　Jacob。　The　Egyptians　thus　had　an　opportunity　to　become
acquainted　with　the　religion　of　the　Hebrews；　but　disdaining　to　be　instructed
by　their　slaves；　they　tried　to　seduce　the　worshipers　of　God　by　promises　of
reward；　and；　this　failing；　by　threats　and　cruelty。

The　elders　of　Israel　endeavored　to　sustain　the　sinking　faith　of　their
brethren　by　repeating　the　promises　made　to　their　fathers；　and　the　prophetic
words　of　Joseph　before　his　death；　foretelling　their　deliverance　from　Egypt。
Some　would　listen　and　believe。　Others；　looking　at　the　circumstances　that
surrounded　them；　refused　to　hope。　The　Egyptians；　being　informed　of　what　was
reported　among　their　bondmen；　derided　their　expectations　and　scornfully
denied　the　power　of　their　God。　They　pointed　to　their　situation　as　a　nation
of　slaves；　and　tauntingly　said；　〃If　your　God　is　just　and　merciful；　and
possesses　power　above　that　of　the　Egyptian　gods；　why　does　He　not　make　you　a
free　people？〃　They　called　attention　to　their　own　condition。　They　worshiped
deities

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termed　by　the　Israelites　false　gods；　yet　they　were　a　rich　and　powerful
nation。　They　declared　that　their　gods　had　blessed　them　with　prosperity；　and
had　given　them　the　Israelites　as　servants；　and　they　gloried　in　their　power
to　oppress　and　destroy　the　worshipers　of　Jehovah。　Pharaoh　himself　boasted
that　the　God　of　the　Hebrews　could　not　deliver　them　from　his　hand。

Words　like　these　destroyed　the　hopes　of　many　of　the　Israelites。　The　case
appeared　to　them　very　much　as　the　Egyptians　had　represented。　It　was　true
that　they　were　slaves；　and　must　endure　whatever　their　cruel　taskmasters
might　choose　to　inflict。　Their　children　had　been　hunted　and　slain；　and　their
own　lives　were　a　burden。　Yet　they　were　worshiping　the　God　of　heaven。　If
Jehovah　were　indeed　above　all　gods；　surely　He　would　not　thus　leave　them　in
bondage　to　idolaters。　But　those　who　were　true　to　God　understood　that　it　was
because　of　Israel's　departure　from　Himbecause　of　their　disposition　to
marry　with　heathen　nations；　thus　being　led　into　idolatrythat　the　Lord　had
permitted　them　to　become　bondmen；　and　they　confidently　assured　their
brethren　that　He　would　soon　break　the