patriarchs and prophets-第51部分

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he　was　among　them。

The　Lord　said　unto　him；　〃Who　hath　made　man's　mouth？　or　who　maketh　the　dumb；
or　deaf；　or　the　seeing；　or　the　blind？　have　not　I　the　Lord？〃　To　this　was
added　another　assurance　of　divine　aid：　〃Now　therefore　go；　and　I　will　be　with
thy　mouth；　and　teach　thee　what　thou　shalt　say。〃　But　Moses　still　entreated
that　a　more　competent　person　be　selected。　These　excuses　at　first　proceeded
from　humility　and　diffidence；　but　after　the　Lord　had　promised　to　remove　all
difficulties；　and　to　give　him　final　success；　then　any　further　shrinking　back
and　complaining　of　his　unfitness　showed　distrust　of　God。　It　implied　a　fear
that　God　was　unable　to　qualify　him　for　the　great　work　to　which　He　had　called
him；　or　that　He　had　made　a　mistake　in　the　selection　of　the　man。

Moses　was　now　directed　to　Aaron；　his　elder　brother；　who；　having　been　in
daily　use　of　the　language　of　the　Egyptians；　was　able　to　speak　it　perfectly。
He　was　told　that　Aaron　was　coming　to　meet　him。　The　next　words　from　the　Lord
were　an　unqualified　command：

〃Thou　shalt　speak　unto　him；　and　put　words　in　his　mouth：　and　I　will　be　with
thy　mouth；　and　with　his　mouth；　and　will　teach　you　what　ye　shall　do。　And　he
shall　be　thy　spokesman　unto　the　people：　and　he　shall　be；　even　he　shall　be　to
thee　instead　of　a　mouth；　and　thou　shalt　be　to　him　instead　of　God。　And　thou
shalt　take　this　rod　in　thine　hand；　wherewith　thou　shalt　do　signs。〃　He　could
make　no　further　resistance；　for　all　ground　for　excuse　was　removed。

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The　divine　command　given　to　Moses　found　him　self…distrustful；　slow　of
speech；　and　timid。　He　was　overwhelmed　with　a　sense　of　his　incapacity　to　be　a
mouthpiece　for　God　to　Israel。　But　having　once　accepted　the　work；　he　entered
upon　it　with　his　whole　heart；　putting　all　his　trust　in　the　Lord。　The
greatness　of　his　mission　called　into　exercise　the　best　powers　of　his　mind。
God　blessed　his　ready　obedience；　and　he　became　eloquent；　hopeful；
self…possessed；　and　well　fitted　for　the　greatest　work　ever　given　to　man。
This　is　an　example　of　what　God　does　to　strengthen　the　character　of　those　who
trust　Him　fully　and　give　themselves　unreservedly　to　His　commands。

A　man　will　gain　power　and　efficiency　as　he　accepts　the　responsibilities　that
God　places　upon　him；　and　with　his　whole　soul　seeks　to　qualify　himself　to
bear　them　aright。　However　humble　his　position　or　limited　his　ability；　that
man　will　attain　true　greatness　who；　trusting　to　divine　strength；　seeks　to
perform　his　work　with　fidelity。　Had　Moses　relied　upon　his　own　strength　and
wisdom；　and　eagerly　accepted　the　great　charge；　he　would　have　evinced　his
entire　unfitness　for　such　a　work。　The　fact　that　a　man　feels　his　weakness　is
at　least　some　evidence　that　he　realizes　the　magnitude　of　the　work　appointed
him；　and　that　he　will　make　God　his　counselor　and　his　strength。

Moses　returned　to　his　father…in…law　and　expressed　his　desire　to　visit　his
brethren　in　Egypt。　Jethro's　consent　was　given；　with　his　blessing；　〃Go　in
peace。〃　With　his　wife　and　children；　Moses　set　forth　on　the　journey。　He　had
not　dared　to　make　known　the　object　of　his　mission；　lest　they　should　not　be
allowed　to　accompany　him。　Before　reaching　Egypt；　however；　he　himself　thought
it　best　for　their　own　safety　to　send　them　back　to　the　home　in　Midian。

A　secret　dread　of　Pharaoh　and　the　Egyptians；　whose　anger　had　been　kindled
against　him　forty　years　before；　had　rendered　Moses　still　more　reluctant　to
return　to　Egypt；　but　after　he　had　set　out　to　obey　the　divine　command；　the
Lord　revealed　to　him　that　his　enemies　were　dead。

On　the　way　from　Midian；　Moses　received　a　startling　and　terrible　warning　of
the　Lord's　displeasure。　An　angel　appeared　to　him　in　a　threatening　manner；　as
if　he　would　immediately　destroy　him。　No　explanation　was　given；　but　Moses
remembered　that　he　had　disregarded　one　of　God's　requirements；　yielding　to
the

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persuasion　of　his　wife；　he　had　neglected　to　perform　the　rite　of　circumcision
upon　their　youngest　son。　He　had　failed　to　comply　with　the　condition　by　which
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