patriarchs and prophets-第67部分

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converting　his　defeat　into　a　victory。　To　stir　up　rebellion　in　the　fallen
race；　he　now　represented　God　as　unjust　in　having　permitted　man　to　transgress
His　law。　〃Why；〃　said　the　artful　tempter；　〃when　God　knew　what　would　be　the
result；　did　He　permit　man　to　be　placed　on　trial；　to　sin；　and　bring　in　misery
and　death？〃　And　the　children　of　Adam；　forgetful　of　the　long…suffering　mercy
that　had　granted　man　another　trial；　regardless　of　the　amazing；　the　awful
sacrifice　which　his　rebellion　had　cost　the　King　of　heaven；　gave　ear　to　the
tempter；　and　murmured　against　the　only　Being　who　could　save　them　from　the
destructive　power　of　Satan。

There　are　thousands　today　echoing　the　same　rebellious　complaint　against　God。
They　do　not　see　that　to　deprive　man　of　the　freedom　of　choice　would　be　to　rob
him　of　his　prerogative　as　an　intelligent　being；　and　make　him　a　mere
automaton。　It　is　not　God's　purpose　to　coerce　the　will。　Man　was　created　a
free　moral

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agent。　Like　the　inhabitants　of　all　other　worlds；　he　must　be　subjected　to　the
test　of　obedience；　but　he　is　never　brought　into　such　a　position　that
yielding　to　evil　becomes　a　matter　of　necessity。　No　temptation　or　trial　is
permitted　to　come　to　him　which　he　is　unable　to　resist。　God　made　such　ample
provision　that　man　need　never　have　been　defeated　in　the　conflict　with　Satan。

As　men　increased　upon　the　earth；　almost　the　whole　world　joined　the　ranks　of
rebellion。　Once　more　Satan　seemed　to　have　gained　the　victory。　But　omnipotent
power　again　cut　short　the　working　of　iniquity；　and　the　earth　was　cleansed　by
the　Flood　from　its　moral　pollution。

Says　the　prophet；　〃When　Thy　judgments　are　in　the　earth；　the　inhabitants　of
the　world　will　learn　righteousness。　Let　favor　be　showed　to　the　wicked；　yet
will　he　not　learn　righteousness；　。　。　。　and　will　not　behold　the　majesty　of
Jehovah。〃　Isaiah　26：9；　10。　Thus　it　was　after　the　Flood。　Released　from　His
judgments；　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　again　rebelled　against　the　Lord。
Twice　God's　covenant　and　His　statutes　had　been　rejected　by　the　world。　Both
the　people　before　the　Flood　and　the　descendants　of　Noah　cast　off　the　divine
authority。　Then　God　entered　into　covenant　with　Abraham；　and　took　to　Himself
a　people　to　become　the　depositaries　of　His　law。　To　seduce　and　destroy　this
people；　Satan　began　at　once　to　lay　his　snares。　The　children　of　Jacob　were
tempted　to　contract　marriages　with　the　heathen　and　to　worship　their　idols。
But　Joseph　was　faithful　to　God；　and　his　fidelity　was　a　constant　testimony　to
the　true　faith。　It　was　to　quench　this　light　that　Satan　worked　through　the
envy　of　Joseph's　brothers　to　cause　him　to　be　sold　as　a　slave　in　a　heathen
land。　God　overruled　events；　however；　so　that　the　knowledge　of　Himself　should
be　given　to　the　people　of　Egypt。　Both　in　the　house　of　Potiphar　and　in　the
prison　Joseph　received　an　education　and　training　that；　with　the　fear　of　God；
prepared　him　for　his　high　position　as　prime　minister　of　the　nation。　From　the
palace　of　the　Pharaohs　his　influence　was　felt　throughout　the　land；　and　the
knowledge　of　God　spread　far　and　wide。　The　Israelites　in　Egypt　also　became
prosperous　and　wealthy；　and　such　as　were　true　to　God　exerted　a　widespread
influence。　The　idolatrous　priests　were　filled　with　alarm　as　they　saw　the　new
religion　finding　favor。　Inspired　by　Satan　with　his　own　enmity　toward　the　God
of　heaven；　they　set　themselves　to　quench　the　light。　To　the　priests　was
committed

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the　education　of　the　heir　to　the　throne；　and　it　was　this　spirit　of
determined　opposition　to　God　and　zeal　for　idolatry　that　molded　the　character
of　the　future　monarch；　and　led　to　cruelty　and　oppression　toward　the　Hebrews。

During　the　forty　years　after　the　flight　of　Moses　from　Egypt；　idolatry　seemed
to　have　conquered。　Year　by　year　the　hopes　of　the　Israelites　grew　fainter。
Both　king　and　people　exulted　in　their　power；　and　mocked　the　God　of　Israel。
This　grew　until　it　culminated　in　the　Pharaoh　who　was　confronted　by　Moses。
When　the　Hebrew　leader　came　before　the　king　with　a　message　from　〃Jehovah；
God　of　Israel；〃　it　was　not　ignorance　of　the　true　God；　but　defiance　of　His
power；　that　prompted　the　answer；　〃Who　is　Jehovah；　that　I　should　obey　His
voice？　。　。　。　I　know　not　Jehovah。〃　From　first　to　last；　Pharaoh's　opposition
to　the　divine　command　was　not　the　result　of　ignorance；　but　of　hatred　and
defiance。

Though　the　Egyptians　had　so　long　rejected　the　knowledge　of　God；　the　Lord
still　gave　them　opportunity　for　repentance。　In　the　days　of　Joseph；　Egypt　had
been　an　asylum　for　Israel；　God　had　been　honored　in　the　kindness　shown　His
people；　and　now　the　long…suffering　One；　slow　to　anger；　and　full　of
compassion；　gave　each　judgment　time　to　do　its　work；　the　Egyptians；　cursed
through　the　very　objects　they　had　worshiped；　had　evidence　of　the　power　of
Jehovah；　and　all　who　would；　might　submit　to　God　and　escape　His　judgments。
The　bigotry　and　stubbornness　of　the　king　resulted　in　spreading　the　knowledge
of　God；　and　bringing　many　of　the　Egyptians　to　give　themselves　to　His
service。

It　was　because　the　Israelites　were　so　disposed　to　connect　themselves　with
the　heathen　and　imitate　their　idolatry　that　God　had　permitted　them　to　go
down　into　Egypt；　where　the　influence　of　Joseph　was　widely　felt；　and　where
circumstances　were　favorable　for　them　to　remain　a　distinct　people。　Here　also
the　gross　idolatry　of　the　Egyptians　and　their　cruelty　and　oppression　during
the　latter　part　of　the　Hebrew　sojourn　should　have　inspired　in　them　an
abhorrence　of　idolatry；　and　should　have　led　them　to　flee　for　refuge　to　the
God　of　their　fathers。　This　very　providence　Satan　made　a　means　to　serve　his
purpose；　darkening　the　minds　of　the　Israelites　and　leading　them　to　imitate
the　practices　of　their　heathen　masters。　On　account　of　the　superstitious
veneration　in　which　animals　were　held　by　the　Egyptians；　the　Hebrews　were　not

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permitted；　during　their　bondage；　to　present　the　sacrificial　offerings。　Thus
their　minds　were　not　directed　by　this　service　to　the　great　Sacrifice；　and
their　faith　was　weakened。　When　the　time　came　for　Israel's　deliverance；　Satan
set　himself　to　resist　the　purposes　of　God。　It　was　his　determination　that
that　great　people；　numbering　more　than　two　million　souls；　should　be　held　in
ignorance　and　superstition。　The　people　whom　God　had　promised　to　bless　and
multiply；　to　make　a　power　in　the　earth；　and　through　whom　he　was　to　reveal
the　knowledge　of　His　willthe　people　whom　He　was　to　make　the　keepers　of　His
lawthis　very　people　Satan　was　seeking　to　keep　in　obscurity　and　bondage；
that　he　might　obliterate　from　their　minds　the　remembrance　of　God。

When　the　miracles　were　wrought　before　the　king；　Satan　was　on　the　ground　to
counteract　their　influence　and　prevent　Pharaoh　from　acknowledging　the
supremacy　of　God　and　obeying　His　mandate。　Satan　wrought　to　the　utmost　of　his
power　to　counterfeit　the　work　of　God　and　resist　His　will。　The　only　result
was　to　prepare　the　way　for　greater　exhibitions　of　the　divine　power　and
glory；　and　to　make　more　apparent；　both　to　the　Israelites　and　to　all　Egypt；
the　existence　and　sovereignty　of　the　true　and　living　God。

God　delivered　Israel　with　the　mighty　manifestations　of　His　power；　and　with
judgments　upon　all　the　gods　of　Egypt。　〃He　brought　forth　his　people　with　joy；
and　His　chosen　with　gladness：　。　。　。　that　they　might　observe　His　statutes；
and　keep　His　laws。〃　Psalm　105：43…45。　He　rescued　them　from　their　servile
state；　that　He　might　bring　them　to　a　good　landa　land　which　in　His
providence　had　been　prepared　for　them　as　a　refuge　from　their　enemies；　where
they　might　dwell　under　the　shadow　of　His　wings。　He　would　bring　them　to
Himself；　and　encircle　them　in　His　everlasting　arms；　and　in　return　for　all
His　goodness　and　mercy　to　them　they　were　required　to　have　no　other　gods
before　Him；　the　living　God；　and　to　exalt　His　name　and　make　it　glorious　in
the　earth。

During　the　bondage　in　Egypt　many　of　the　Israelites　had；　to　a　great　extent；
lost　the　knowledge　of　God's　law；　and　had　mingled　its　precepts　with　heathen
customs　and　traditions。　God　brought　them　to　Sinai；　and　there　with　His　own
voice　declared　His　law。

Satan　and　evil　angels　were　on　the　ground。　Even　while　God　was　proclaiming　His
law　to　His　people；　Satan　was　plotting　to　tempt　them　to　sin。　This　people　whom
God　had　chosen；　he　would　wrench　away；　in　the　very　face　of　Heaven。　By　leading
them　into

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idolatry；　he　would　destroy　the　efficacy　of　all　worship；　for　how　can　man　be
elevated　by　adoring　what　is　no　higher　than　himself　and　may　be　symbolized　by
his　own　handiwork？　If　men　could　become　so　blinded　to　the　power；　the　majesty；
and　the　glory　of　the　infinite　God　as　to　represent　Him　by　a　graven　image；　or
even　by　a　beast　or　reptile；　if　they　could　so　forget　their　own　divine
relationship；　formed　in　the　image　of　their　Maker　as　to　bow　down　to　these
revolting　and　senseless　objectsthen　the　way　was　open　for　foul　license；　the
evil　passions　of　the　heart　would　be　unrestrained；　and　Satan　would　have　full
sway。

At　the　very　foot　of　Sinai；　Satan　began　to　execute　his　plans　for　overthrowing
the　law　of　God；　thus　carrying　forward　the　same　work　he　had　begun　in　heaven。
During　the　forty　days　while　Moses　was　in　the　mount　with　God；　Satan　was　busy
exciting　doubt；　apostasy；　and　rebellion。　While　God　was　writing　down　His　law；
to　be　committed　to　His　covenant　people；　the　Israelites；　denying　their
loyalty　to　Jehovah；　were　demanding　gods　of　gold！　When　Moses　came　from　the
awful　presence　of　the　divine　glory；　with　the　precepts　of　the　law　which　they
had　pledged　themselves　to　obey；　he　found　them；　in　open　defiance　of　its
commands；　bowing　in　adoration　before　a　golden　image。

By　leading　Israel　to　this　daring　insult　and　blasphemy　to　Jehovah；　Satan　had
planned　to　cause　their　ruin。　Since　they　had　proved　themselves　to　be　so
utterly　degraded；　so　lost　to　all　sense　of　the　privileges　and　blessings　that
God　had　offered　them；　and　to　their　own　solemn　and　repeated　pledges　of
loyalty；　the　Lord　would；　he　believed；　divorce　them　from　Himself　and　devote
them　to　destruction。　Thus　would　be　secured　the　extinction　of　the　seed　of
Abraham；　that　seed　of　promise　that　was　to　preserve　the　knowledge　of　t