patriarchs and prophets-第97部分

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of　obedience；　and　the　curses　that　would　follow　upon　transgression：

〃If　thou　shalt　hearken　diligently　unto　the　voice　of　the　Lord　thy　God；　to
observe　and　to　do　all　His　commandments　which　I　command　thee　this　day；〃
〃blessed　shalt　thou　be　in　the　city；　and　blessed　shalt　thou　be　in　the　field；〃
in　〃the　fruit　of　thy　body；　and　the　fruit　of　thy　ground；　and　the　fruit　of　thy
cattle。　。　。　。　Blessed　shall　be　thy　basket　and　thy　store。　Blessed　shalt　thou
be　when　thou　comest　in；　and　blessed　shalt　thou　be　when　thou　goest　out。　The
Lord　shall　cause　thine　enemies　that　rise　up　against　thee　to　be　smitten
before　thy　face。　。　。　。　The　Lord　shall　command　the　blessing　upon　thee　in　thy
storehouses；　and　in　all　that　thou　settest　thine　hand　unto。〃

〃But　it　shall　come　to　pass；　if　thou　wilt　not　hearken　unto　the　voice　of　the
Lord　thy　God；　to　observe　to　do　all　His　commandments　and　His　statutes　which　I
command　thee　this　day；　that　all　these　curses　shall　come　upon　thee；〃　〃and
thou　shalt　become　an　astonishment；　a　proverb；　and　a　byword；　among　all
nations　whither　the　Lord　shall　lead　thee。〃　〃And　the　Lord　shall　scatter　thee
among　all　people；　from　the　one　end　of　the　earth　even　unto　the　other；　and
there　thou　shalt　serve　other　gods；　which　neither　thou　nor　thy　fathers　have
known；　even　wood　and　stone。　And　among　these　nations　shalt　thou　find　no　ease；
neither　shall　the　sole　of　thy　foot　have　rest：　but　the　Lord　shall　give　thee
there　a　trembling　heart；　and　failing　of　eyes；　and　sorrow　of　mind：　and　thy
life　shall　hang　in　doubt　before　thee；　and　thou　shalt　fear

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day　and　night；　and　shalt　have　none　assurance　of　thy　life：　in　the　morning
thou　shalt　say；　Would　God　it　were　even！　and　at　even　thou　shalt　say；　Would
God　it　were　morning！　for　the　fear　of　thine　heart　wherewith　thou　shalt　fear；
and　for　the　sight　of　thine　eyes　which　thou　shalt　see。〃

By　the　Spirit　of　Inspiration；　looking　far　down　the　ages；　Moses　pictured　the
terrible　scenes　of　Israel's　final　overthrow　as　a　nation；　and　the　destruction
of　Jerusalem　by　the　armies　of　Rome：　〃The　Lord　shall　bring　a　nation　against
thee　from　far；　from　the　end　of　the　earth；　as　swift　as　the　eagle　flieth；　a
nation　whose　tongue　thou　shalt　not　understand；　a　nation　of　fierce
countenance；　which　shall　not　regard　the　person　of　the　old；　nor　show　favor　to
the　young。〃

The　utter　wasting　of　the　land　and　the　horrible　suffering　of　the　people
during　the　siege　of　Jerusalem　under　Titus　centuries　later；　were　vividly
portrayed：　〃He　shall　eat　the　fruit　of　thy　cattle；　and　the　fruit　of　thy　land；
until　thou　be　destroyed。　。　。　。　And　he　shall　besiege　thee　in　all　thy　gates；
until　thy　high　and　fenced　walls　come　down；　wherein　thou　trustedst；
throughout　all　thy　land。　。　。　。　Thou　shalt　eat　the　fruit　of　thine　own　body；
the　flesh　of　thy　sons　and　of　thy　daughters；　which　the　Lord　thy　God　hath
given　thee；　in　the　siege；　and　in　the　straitness；　wherewith　thine　enemies
shall　distress　thee。〃　〃The　tender　and　delicate　woman　among　you；　which　would
not　adventure　to　set　the　sole　of　her　foot　upon　the　ground　for　delicateness
and　tenderness；　her　eye　shall　be　evil　toward　the　husband　of　her　bosom；　。　。　。
and　toward　her　children　which　she　shall　bear：　for　she　shall　eat　them　for
want　of　all　things　secretly　in　the　siege　and　straitness；　wherewith　thine
enemy　shall　distress　thee　in　thy　gates。〃

Moses　closed　with　these　impressive　words：　〃I　call　heaven　and　earth　to　record
this　day　against　you；　that　I　have　set　before　you　life　and　death；　blessing
and　cursing：　therefore　choose　life；　that　both　thou　and　thy　seed　may　live：
that　thou　mayest　love　the　Lord　thy　God；　and　that　thou　mayest　obey　His　voice；
and　that　thou　mayest　cleave　unto　Him：　for　He　is　thy　life；　and　the　length　of
thy　days：　that　thou　mayest　dwell　in　the　land　which　the　Lord　sware　unto　thy
fathers；　to　Abraham；　to　Isaac；　and　to　Jacob；　to　give　them。〃　Deuteronomy
30：19；　20。

The　more　deeply　to　impress　these　truths　upon　all　minds；　the　great　leader
embodied　them　in　sacred　verse。　This　song　was　not

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only　historical；　but　prophetic。　While　it　recounted　the　wonderful　dealings　of
God　with　His　people　in　the　past；　it　also　foreshadowed　the　great　events　of
the　future；　the　final　victory　of　the　faithful　when　Christ　shall　come　the
second　time　in　power　and　glory。　The　people　were　directed　to　commit　to　memory
this　poetic　history；　and　to　teach　it　to　their　children　and　children's
children。　It　was　to　be　chanted　by　the　congregation　when　they　assembled　for
worship；　and　to　be　repeated　by　the　people　as　they　went　about　their　daily
labors。　It　was　the　duty　of　parents　to　so　impress　these　words　upon　the
susceptible　minds　of　their　children　that　they　might　never　be　forgotten。

Since　the　Israelites　were　to　be；　in　a　special　sense；　the　guardians　and
keepers　of　God's　law；　the　significance　of　its　precepts　and　the　importance　of
obedience　were　especially　to　be　impressed　upon　them；　and　through　them；　upon
their　children　and　children's　children。　The　Lord　commanded　concerning　His
statutes：　〃Thou　shalt　teach　them　diligently　unto　thy　children；　and　shalt
talk　of　them　when　thou　sittest　in　thine　house；　and　when　thou　walkest　by　the
way；　and　when　thou　liest　down；　and　when　thou　risest　up。　。　。　。　And　thou　shalt
write　them　upon　the　posts　of　thy　house；　and　on　thy　gates。〃

When　their　children　should　ask　in　time　to　come；　〃What　mean　the　testimonies；
and　the　statutes；　and　the　judgments；　which　the　Lord　our　God　hath　commanded
you？　then　the　parents　were　to　repeat　the　history　of　God's　gracious　dealings
with　themhow　the　Lord　had　wrought　for　their　deliverance　that　they　might
obey　His　Lawand　to　declare　to　them；　〃The　Lord　commanded　us　to　do　all　these
statutes；　to　fear　the　Lord　our　God；　for　our　good　always；　that　He　might
preserve　us　alive；　as　it　is　at　this　day。　And　it　shall　be　our　righteousness；
if　we　observe　to　do　all　these　commandments　before　the　Lord　our　God　as　He
hath　commanded　us。〃




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　43

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Death　of　Moses


In　all　the　dealings　of　God　with　His　people　there　is；　mingled　with　His　love
and　mercy；　the　most　striking　evidence　of　His　strict　and　impartial　justice。
This　is　exemplified　in　the　history　of　the　Hebrew　people。　God　had　bestowed
great　blessings　upon　Israel。　His　loving…kindness　toward　them　is　touchingly
portrayed：　〃As　an　eagle　stirreth　up　her　nest；　fluttereth　over　her　young；
spreadeth　abroad　her　wings；　taketh　them；　beareth　them　on　her　wings：　so　the
Lord　alone　did　lead　him。〃　And　yet　what　swift　and　severe　retribution　was
visited　upon　them　for　their　transgressions！

The　infinite　love　of　God　has　been　manifested　in　the　gift　of　His
only…begotten　Son　to　redeem　a　lost　race。　Christ　came　to　the　earth　to　reveal
to　men　the　character　of　His　Father；　and　His　life　was　filled　with　deeds　of
divine　tenderness　and　compassion。　And　yet　Christ　Himself　declares；　〃Till
heaven　and　earth　pass；　one　jot　or　one　title　shall　in　no　wise　pass　from　the
law。〃　Matthew　5：18。　The　same　voice　that　with　patient；　loving　entreaty
invites　the　sinner　to　come　to　Him　and　find　pardon　and　peace；　will　in　the
judgment　bid　the　rejecters　of　His　mercy；　〃Depart　from　Me；　ye　cursed。〃
Matthew　25：41。　In　all　the　Bible；　God　is　represented　not　only　as　a　tender
father　but　as　a　righteous　judge。　Though　He　delights　in　showing　mercy；　and
〃forgiving　iniquity　and　transgression　and　sin；〃　yet　He　〃will　by　no　means
clear　the　guilty。〃　Exodus　34：7。

The　great　Ruler　of　nations　had　declared　that　Moses　was　not　to　lead　the
congregation　of　Israel　into　the　goodly　land；　and　the　earnest　pleading　of
God's　servant　could　not　secure　a　reversing　of　His　sentence。　He　knew　that　he
must　die。　Yet　he　had　not　for　a　moment　faltered　in　his　care　for　Israel。　He
had　faithfully　sought　to　prepare　the　congregation　to　enter　upon　the　promised
inheritance。　At　the　divine　command　Moses　and　Joshua　repaired　to　the

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tabernacle；　while　the　pillar　of　cloud　came　and　stood　over　the　door。　Here　the
people　were　solemnly　committed　to　the　charge　of　Joshua。　The　work　of　Moses　as
leader　of　Israel　was　ended。　Still　he　forgot　himself　in　his　interest　for　his
people。　In　the　presence　of　the　assembled　multitude　Moses；　in　the　name　of
God；　addressed　to　his　successor　these　words　of　holy　cheer：　〃Be　strong　and　of
a　good　courage：　for　thou　shalt　bring　the　children　of　Israel　into　the　land
which　I　sware　unto　them：　and　I　will　be　with　thee。〃　He　then　turned　to　the
elders　and　officers　of　the　people；　giving　them　a　solemn　charge　to　obey
faithfully　the　instructions　he　had　communicated　to　them　from　God。

As　the　people　gazed　upon　the　aged　man；　so　soon　to　be　taken　from　them；　they
recalled；　with　a　new　and　deeper　appreciation；　his　parental　tenderness；　his
wise　counsels；　and　his　untiring　labors。　How　often；　when　their　sins　had
invited　the　just　judgments　of　God；　the　prayers　of　Moses　had　prevailed　with
Him　to　spare　them！　Their　grief　was　heightened　by　remorse。　They　bitterly
remembered　that　their　own　perversity　had　provoked　Moses　to　the　sin　for　which
he　must　die。

The　removal　of　their　beloved　leader　would　be　a　far　stronger　rebuke　to　Israel
than　any　which　they　could　have　received　had　his　life　and　mission　been
continued。　God　would　lead　them　to　feel　that　they　were　not　to　make　the　life
of　their　future　leader　as　trying　as　they　had　made　that　of　Moses。　God　speaks
to　His　people　in　blessings　bestowed；　and　when　these　are　not　appreciated；　He
speaks　to　them　in　blessings　removed；　that　they　may　be　led　to　see　their　sins；
and　return　to　Him　with　all　the　heart。

That　very　day　there　came　to　Moses　the　command；　〃Get　thee　up　。　。　。　unto　Mount
Nebo；　。　。　。　and　behold　the　land　of　Canaan；　which　I　give　unto　the　children　of
Israel　for　a　possession：　and　die　in　the　mount　whither　thou　goest　up；　and　be
gathered　unto　thy　people。〃　Moses　had　often　left　the　camp；　in　obedience　to
the　divine　summons；　to　commune　with　God；　but　he　was　now　to　depart　on　a　new
and　mysterious　errand。　He　must　go　forth　to　resign　his　life　into　the　hands　of
his　Creator。　Moses　knew　that　he　was　to　die　alone；　no　earthly　friend　would　be
permitted　to　minister　to　him　in　his　last　hours。　There　was　a　mystery　and
awfulness　about　the　scene　before　him；　from　which　his　heart　shrank。　The
se