patriarchs and prophets-第53部分

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appear　to　be　the　result　of　human　skill　and　power。　In　many　minds　he　thus
destroys　faith　in　Christ　as　the　Son　of　God；　and　leads　them　to　reject　the
gracious　offers　of　mercy　through　the　plan　of　redemption。

Moses　and　Aaron　were　directed　to　visit　the　riverside　next　morning；　where　the
king　was　accustomed　to　repair。　The　overflowing　of　the　Nile　being　the　source
of　food　and　wealth　for　all　Egypt；　the　river　was　worshiped　as　a　god；　and　the
monarch　came　thither　daily　to　pay　his　devotions。　Here　the　two　brothers　again
repeated　the　message　to　him；　and　then　they　stretched　out　the　rod　and　smote
upon　the　water。　The　sacred　stream　ran　blood；　the　fish　died；　and　the　river
became　offensive　to　the　smell。　The　water　in　the　houses；　the　supply　preserved
in　cisterns；　was　likewise　changed　to　blood。　But　〃the　magicians　of　Egypt　did
so　with　their　enchantments；〃　and　〃Pharaoh　turned　and　went　into　his　house；
neither　did　he　set　his　heart　to　this　also。〃　For　seven　days　the　plague
continued；　but　without　effect。

Again　the　rod　was　stretched　out　over　the　waters；　and　frogs　came　up　from　the
river　and　spread　over　the　land。　They　overran　the　houses；　took　possession　of
the　bed　chambers；　and　even　the　ovens　and　kneading　troughs。　The　frog　was
regarded　as　sacred　by　the　Egyptians；　and　they　would　not　destroy　it；　but　the
slimy　pests　had　now　become　intolerable。　They　swarmed　even　in　the　palace　of
the　Pharaohs；　and　the　king　was　impatient　to　have　them　removed。　The　magicians
had　appeared　to　produce　frogs；　but　they　could　not　remove　them。　Upon　seeing
this；　Pharaoh　was　somewhat　humbled。　He　sent　for　Moses　and　Aaron；　and　said；
〃Entreat　the　Lord；　that　He　may　take　away　the　frogs　from　me；　and　from　my
people；　and　I　will　let　the　people　go；　that　they　may　do　sacrifice　unto　the
Lord。〃　After　reminding　the　king　of　his　former　boasting；　they　requested　him
to　appoint　a　time　when　they　should　pray　for　the　removal　of　the　plague。　He
set　the　next　day；　secretly　hoping　that　in　the　interval　the　frogs　might
disappear　of　themselves；　and

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thus　save　him　from　the　bitter　humiliation　of　submitting　to　the　God　of
Israel。　The　plague；　however；　continued　till　the　time　specified；　when
throughout　all　Egypt　the　frogs　died；　but　their　putrid　bodies；　which
remained；　polluted　the　atmosphere。

The　Lord　could　have　caused　them　to　return　to　dust　in　a　moment；　but　He　did
not　do　this　lest　after　their　removal　the　king　and　his　people　should
pronounce　it　the　result　of　sorcery　or　enchantment；　like　the　work　of　the
magicians。　The　frogs　died；　and　were　then　gathered　together　in　heaps。　Here
the　king　and　all　Egypt　had　evidence　which　their　vain　philosophy　could　not
gainsay；　that　this　work　was　not　accomplished　by　magic；　but　was　a　judgment
from　the　God　of　heaven。

〃When　Pharaoh　saw　that　there　was　respite；　he　hardened　his　heart。〃　At　the
command　of　God；　Aaron　stretched　out　his　hand；　and　the　dust　of　the　earth
became　lice　throughout　all　the　land　of　Egypt。　Pharaoh　called　upon　the
magicians　to　do　the　same；　but　they　could　not。　The　work　of　God　was　thus　shown
to　be　superior　to　that　of　Satan。　The　magicians　themselves　acknowledged；
〃This　is　the　finger　of　God。〃　But　the　king　was　still　unmoved。

Appeal　and　warning　were　ineffectual；　and　another　judgment　was　inflicted。　The
time　of　its　occurrence　was　foretold；　that　it　might　not　be　said　to　have　come
by　chance。　Flies　filled　the　houses　and　swarmed　upon　the　ground；　so　that　〃the
land　was　corrupted　by　reason　of　the　swarms　of　flies。〃　These　flies　were　large
and　venomous；　and　their　bite　was　extremely　painful　to　man　and　beast。　As　had
been　foretold；　this　visitation　did　not　extend　to　the　land　of　Goshen。

Pharaoh　now　offered　the　Israelites　permission　to　sacrifice　in　Egypt；　but
they　refused　to　accept　such　conditions。　〃It　is　not　meet；〃　said　Moses；　〃lo；
shall　we　sacrifice　the　abomination　of　the　Egyptians　before　their　eyes；　and
will　they　not　stone　us？〃　The　animals　which　the　Hebrews　would　be　required　to
sacrifice　were　among　those　regarded　as　sacred　by　the　Egyptians；　and　such　was
the　reverence　in　which　these　creatures　were　held；　that　to　slay　one；　even
accidentally；　was　a　crime　punishable　with　death。　It　would　be　impossible　for
the　Hebrews　to　worship　in　Egypt　without　giving　offense　to　their　masters。
Moses　again　proposed　to　go　three　days'　journey　into　the　wilderness。　The
monarch　consented；　and　begged　the　servants　of　God　to　entreat　that　the　plague
might　be　removed。　They　promised　to　do　this；　but　warned　him　against

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dealing　deceitfully　with　them。　The　plague　was　stayed；　but　the　king's　heart
had　become　hardened　by　persistent　rebellion；　and　he　still　refused　to　yield。

A　more　terrible　stroke　followedmurrain　upon　all　the　Egyptian　cattle　that
were　in　the　field。　Both　the　sacred　animals　and　the　beasts　of　burdenkine
and　oxen　and　sheep；　horses　and　camels　and　asseswere　destroyed。　It　had　been
distinctly　stated　that　the　Hebrews　were　to　be　exempt；　and　Pharaoh；　on
sending　messengers　to　the　home　of　the　Israelites；　proved　the　truth　of　this
declaration　of　Moses。　〃Of　the　cattle　of　the　children　of　Israel　died　not
one。〃　Still　the　king　was　obstinate。

Moses　was　next　directed　to　take　ashes　of　the　furnace；　and　〃sprinkle　it
toward　heaven　in　the　sight　of　Pharaoh。〃　This　act　was　deeply　significant。
Four　hundred　years　before；　God　had　shown　to　Abraham　the　future　oppression　of
His　people；　under　the　figure　of　a　smoking　furnace　and　a　burning　lamp。　He　had
declared　that　He　would　visit　judgments　upon　their　oppressors；　and　would
bring　forth　the　captives　with　great　substance。　In　Egypt；　Israel　had　long
languished　in　the　furnace　of　affliction。　This　act　of　Moses　was　an　assurance
to　them　that　God　was　mindful　of　His　covenant；　and　that　the　time　for　their
deliverance　had　come。

As　the　ashes　were　sprinkled　toward　heaven；　the　fine　particles　spread　over
all　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　wherever　they　settled；　produced　boils　〃breaking
forth　with　blains　upon　man；　and　upon　beast。〃　The　priests　and　magicians　had
hitherto　encouraged　Pharaoh　in　his　stubbornness；　but　now　a　judgment　had　come
that　reached　even　them。　Smitten　with　a　loathsome　and　painful　disease；　their
vaunted　power　only　making　them　contemptible；　they　were　no　longer　able　to
contend　against　the　God　of　Israel。　The　whole　nation　was　made　to　see　the
folly　of　trusting　in　the　magicians；　when　they　were　not　able　to　protect　even
their　own　persons。

Still　the　heart　of　Pharaoh　grew　harder。　And　now　the　Lord　sent　a　message　to
him；　declaring；　〃I　will　at　this　time　send　all　My　plagues　upon　thy　heart；　and
upon　thy　servants；　and　upon　thy　people；　that　thou　mayest　know　that　there　is
none　like　Me　in　all　the　earth。　。　。　。　And　in　very　deed　for　this　cause　have　I
raised　thee　up；　for　to　show　in　thee　My　power。〃　Not　that　God　had　given　him　an
existence　for　this　purpose；　but　His　providence　had　overruled　events　to　place
him　upon　the　throne　at　the　very　time　appointed　for　Israel's　deliverance。
Though　this　haughty　tyrant　had　by　his

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crimes　forfeited　the　mercy　of　God；　yet　his　life　had　been　preserved　that
through　his　stubbornness　the　Lord　might　manifest　His　wonders　in　the　land　of
Egypt。　The　disposing　of　events　is　of　God's　providence。　He　could　have　placed
upon　the　throne　a　more　merciful　king；　who　would　not　have　dared　to　withstand
the　mighty　manifestations　of　divine　power。　But　in　that　case　the　Lord's
purposes　would　not　have　been　accomplished。　His　people　were　permitted　to
experience　the　grinding　cruelty　of　the　Egyptians；　that　they　might　not　be
deceived　concerning　the　debasing　influence　of　idolatry。　In　His　dealing　with
Pharaoh；　the　Lord　manifested　His　hatred　of　idolatry　and　His　determination　to
punish　cruelty　and　oppression。

God　had　declared　concerning　Pharaoh；　〃I　will　harden　his　heart；　that　he　shall
not　let　the　people　go。〃　Exodus　4：21。　There　was　no　exercise　of　supernatural
power　to　harden　the　heart　of　the　king。　God　gave　to　Pharaoh　the　most　striking
evidence　of　divine　power；　but　the　monarch　stubbornly　refused　to　heed　the
light。　Every　display　of　infinite　power　rejected　by　him；　rendered　him　the
more　determined　in　his　rebellion。　The　seeds　of　rebellion　that　he　sowed　when
he　rejected　the　first　miracle；　produced　their　harvest。　As　he　continued　to
venture　on　in　his　own　course；　going　from　one　degree　of　stubbornness　to
another；　his　heart　became　more　and　more　hardened；　until　he　was　called　to
look　upon　the　cold；　dead　faces　of　the　first…born。

God　speaks　to　men　through　His　servants；　giving　cautions　and　warnings；　and
rebuking　sin。　He　gives　to　each　an　opportunity　to　correct　his　errors　before
they　become　fixed　in　the　character；　but　if　one　refuses　to　be　corrected；
divine　power　does　not　interpose　to　counteract　the　tendency　of　his　own
action。　He　finds　it　more　easy　to　repeat　the　same　course。　He　is　hardening　the
heart　against　the　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　A　further　rejection　of　light
places　him　where　a　far　stronger　influence　will　be　ineffectual　to　make　an
abiding　impression。

He　who　has　once　yielded　to　temptation　will　yield　more　readily　the　second
time。　Every　repetition　of　the　sin　lessens　his　power　of　resistance；　blinds
his　eyes；　and　stifles　conviction。　Every　seed　of　indulgence　sown　will　bear
fruit。　God　works　no　miracle　to　prevent　the　harvest。　〃Whatsoever　a　man
soweth；　that　shall　he　also　reap。〃　Galatians　6：7。　He　who　manifests　an　infidel
hardihood；　a　stolid　indifference　to　divine　truth；　is　but　reaping　the　harvest
of

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that　which　he　has　himself　sown。　It　is　thus　that　multitudes　come　to　listen
with　stoical　indifference　to　the　truths　that　once　stirred　their　very　souls。
They　sowed　neglect　and　resistance　to　the　truth；　and　such　is　the　harvest
which　they　reap。

Those　who　are　quieting　a　guilty　conscience　with　the　thought　that　they　can
change　a　course　of　evil　when　they　choose；　that　they　can　trifle　with　the
invitations　of　mercy；　and　yet　be　again　and　again　impressed；　take　this　course
at　their　peril。　They　think　that　after　casting　all　their　influence　on　the
side　of　the　great　rebel；　in　a　moment　of　utmost　extremity；　when　danger
compasses　them　about；　they　will　change　leaders。　But　this　is　not　so　easily
done。　The　experience；　the　education；　the　discipline　of　a　life　of　sinful
indulgence；　has　so　thoroughly　molded