patriarchs and prophets-第55节

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untainted　by　sin。　He　saw　by　faith　an　imperishable　crown　that　the　King　of
heaven　would　place　on　the　brow　of　the　overcomer。　This　faith　led　him　to　turn
away　from　the　lordly　ones　of　earth　and　join　the　humble；　poor；　despised
nation　that　had　chosen　to　obey　God　rather　than　to　serve　sin。

Moses　remained　at　court　until　he　was　forty　years　of　age。　His　thoughts　often
turned　upon　the　abject　condition　of　his　people；　and　he　visited　his　brethren
in　their　servitude；　and　encouraged　them　with　the　assurance　that　God　would
work　for　their　deliverance。　Often；　stung　to　resentment　by　the　sight　of
injustice　and　oppression；　he　burned　to　avenge　their　wrongs。　One　day；　while
thus　abroad；　seeing　an　Egyptian　smiting　an　Israelite；　he　sprang　forward　and
slew　the　Egyptian。　Except　the　Israelite；　there　had　been　no　witness　to　the
deed；　and　Moses　immediately　buried　the　body　in　the　sand。　He　had　now　shown
himself　ready　to　maintain　the　cause　of　his　people；　and　he　hoped　to　see　them
rise　to　recover　their　liberty。　〃He　supposed　his　brethren　would　have
understood　how　that　God　by　his　hand　would　deliver　them；　but　they　understood
not。〃　Acts　7：25。　They　were　not　yet　prepared　for　freedom。　On　the　following
day　Moses　saw　two　Hebrews　striving　together；

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one　of　them　evidently　at　fault。　Moses　reproved　the　offender；　who　at　once
retaliated　upon　the　reprover；　denying　his　right　to　interfere；　and　basely
accusing　him　of　crime：　〃Who　made　thee　a　prince　and　a　judge　over　us？〃　he
said。　〃Intendest　thou　to　kill　me；　as　thou　killedst　the　Egyptian？〃

The　whole　matter　was　quickly　made　known　to　the　Egyptians；　and；　greatly
exaggerated；　soon　reached　the　ears　of　Pharaoh。　It　was　represented　to　the
king　that　this　act　meant　much；　that　Moses　designed　to　lead　his　people
against　the　Egyptians；　to　overthrow　the　government；　and　to　seat　himself　upon
the　throne；　and　that　there　could　be　no　security　for　the　kingdom　while　he
lived。　It　was　at　once　determined　by　the　monarch　that　he　should　die；　but；
becoming　aware　of　his　danger；　he　made　his　escape　and　fled　toward　Arabia。

The　Lord　directed　his　course；　and　he　found　a　home　with　Jethro；　the　priest
and　prince　of　Midian；　who　was　also　a　worshiper　of　God。　After　a　time　Moses
married　one　of　the　daughters　of　Jethro；　and　here；　in　the　service　of　his
father…in…law；　as　keeper　of　his　flocks；　he　remained　forty　years。

In　slaying　the　Egyptian；　Moses　had　fallen　into　the　same　error　so　often
committed　by　his　fathers；　of　taking　into　their　own　hands　the　work　that　God
had　promised　to　do。　It　was　not　God's　will　to　deliver　His　people　by　warfare；
as　Moses　thought；　but　by　His　own　mighty　power；　that　the　glory　might　be
ascribed　to　Him　alone。　Yet　even　this　rash　act　was　overruled　by　God　to
accomplish　His　purposes。　Moses　was　not　prepared　for　his　great　work。　He　had
yet　to　learn　the　same　lesson　of　faith　that　Abraham　and　Jacob　had　been
taughtnot　to　rely　upon　human　strength　or　wisdom；　but　upon　the　power　of　God
for　the　fulfillment　of　His　promises。　And　there　were　other　lessons　that；　amid
the　solitude　of　the　mountains；　Moses　was　to　receive。　In　the　school　of
self…denial　and　hardship　he　was　to　learn　patience；　to　temper　his　passions。
Before　he　could　govern　wisely；　he　must　be　trained　to　obey。　His　own　heart
must　be　fully　in　harmony　with　God　before　he　could　teach　the　knowledge　of　His
will　to　Israel。　By　his　own　experience　he　must　be　prepared　to　exercise　a
fatherly　care　over　all　who　needed　his　help。

Man　would　have　dispensed　with　that　long　period　of　toil　and　obscurity；
deeming　it　a　great　loss　of　time。　But　Infinite　Wisdom　called　him　who　was　to
become　the　leader　of　his　people　to　spend

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forty　years　in　the　humble　work　of　a　shepherd。　The　habits　of　caretaking；　of
self…forgetfulness　and　tender　solicitude　for　his　flock；　thus　developed；
would　prepare　him　to　become　the　compassionate；　longsuffering　shepherd　of
Israel。　No　advantage　that　human　training　or　culture　could　bestow；　could　be　a
substitute　for　this　experience。

Moses　had　been　learning　much　that　he　must　unlearn。　The　influences　that　had
surrounded　him　in　Egyptthe　love　of　his　foster　mother；　his　own　high
position　as　the　king's　grandson；　the　dissipation　on　every　hand；　the
refinement；　the　subtlety；　and　the　mysticism　of　a　false　religion；　the
splendor　of　idolatrous　worship；　the　solemn　grandeur　of　architecture　and
sculptureall　had　left　deep　impressions　upon　his　developing　mind　and　had
molded；　to　some　extent；　his　habits　and　character。　Time；　change　of
surroundings；　and　communion　with　God　could　remove　these　impressions。　It
would　require　on　the　part　of　Moses　himself　a　struggle　as　for　life　to
renounce　error　and　accept　truth；　but　God　would　be　his　helper　when　the
conflict　should　be　too　severe　for　human　strength。

In　all　who　have　been　chosen　to　accomplish　a　work　for　God　the　human　element
is　seen。　Yet　they　have　not　been　men　of　stereotyped　habits　and　character；　who
were　satisfied　to　remain　in　that　condition。　They　earnestly　desired　to　obtain
wisdom　from　God　and　to　learn　to　work　for　Him。　Says　the　apostle；　〃If　any　of
you　lack　wisdom；　let　him　ask　of　God；　that　giveth　to　all　men　liberally；　and
upbraideth　not；　and　it　shall　be　given　him。〃　James　1：5。　But　God　will　not
impart　to　men　divine　light　while　they　are　content　to　remain　in　darkness。　In
order　to　receive　God's　help；　man　must　realize　his　weakness　and　deficiency；
he　must　apply　his　own　mind　to　the　great　change　to　be　wrought　in　himself；　he
must　be　aroused　to　earnest　and　persevering　prayer　and　effort。　Wrong　habits
and　customs　must　be　shaken　off；　and　it　is　only　by　determined　endeavor　to
correct　these　errors　and　to　conform　to　right　principles　that　the　victory　can
be　gained。　Many　never　attain　to　the　position　that　they　might　occupy；　because
they　wait　for　God　to　do　for　them　that　which　He　has　given　them　power　to　do
for　themselves。　All　who　are　fitted　for　usefulness　must　be　trained　by　the
severest　mental　and　moral　discipline；　and　God　will　assist　them　by　uniting
divine　power　with　human　effort。

Shut　in　by　the　bulwarks　of　the　mountains；　Moses　was　alone

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with　God。　The　magnificent　temples　of　Egypt　no　longer　impressed　his　mind　with
their　superstition　and　falsehood。　In　the　solemn　grandeur　of　the　everlasting
hills　he　beheld　the　majesty　of　the　Most　High；　and　in　contrast　realized　how
powerless　and　insignificant　were　the　gods　of　Egypt。　Everywhere　the　Creator's
name　was　written。　Moses　seemed　to　stand　in　His　presence　and　to　be
over…shadowed　by　His　power。　Here　his　pride　and　self…sufficiency　were　swept
away。　In　the　stern　simplicity　of　his　wilderness　life；　the　results　of　the
ease　and　luxury　of　Egypt　disappeared。　Moses　became　patient；　reverent；　and
humble；　〃very　meek；　above　all　the　men　which　were　upon　the　face　of　the　earth〃
（Numbers　12：3）；　yet　strong　in　faith　in　the　mighty　God　of　Jacob。

As　the　years　rolled　on；　and　he　wandered　with　his　flocks　in　solitary　places；
pondering　upon　the　oppressed　condition　of　his　people；　he　recounted　the
dealings　of　God　with　his　fathers　and　the　promises　that　were　the　heritage　of
the　chosen　nation；　and　his　prayers　for　Israel　ascended　by　day　and　by　night。
Heavenly　angels　shed　their　light　around　him。　Here；　under　the　inspiration　of
the　Holy　Spirit；　he　wrote　the　book　of　Genesis。　The　long　years　spent　amid　the
desert　solitudes　were　rich　in　blessing；　not　alone　to　Moses　and　his　people；
but　to　the　world　in　all　succeeding　ages。

〃And　it　came　to　pass　in　process　of　time；　that　the　king　of　Egypt　died：　and
the　children　of　Israel　sighed　by　reason　of　the　bondage；　and　they　cried；　and
their　cry　came　up　unto　God　by　reason　of　the　bondage。　And　God　heard　their
groaning；　and　God　remembered　His　covenant　with　Abraham；　with　Isaac；　and　with
Jacob。　And　God　looked　upon　the　children　of　Israel；　and　God　had　respect　unto
them。〃　The　time　for　Israel's　deliverance　had　come。　But　God's　purpose　was　to
be　accomplished　in　a　manner　to　pour　contempt　on　human　pride。　The　deliverer
was　to　go　forth　as　a　humble　shepherd；　with　only　a　rod　in　his　hand；　but　God
would　make　that　rod　the　symbol　of　His　power。　Leading　his　flocks　one　day　near
Horeb；　〃the　mountain　of　God；〃　Moses　saw　a　bush　in　flames；　branches；　foliage；
and　trunk；　all　burning；　yet　seeming　not　to　be　consumed。　He　drew　near　to　view
the　wonderful　sight；　when　a　voice　from　out　of　the　flame　called　him　by　name。
With　trembling　lips　he　answered；　〃Here　am　I。〃　He　was　warned　not　to　approach
irreverently：　〃Put　off　thy　shoes　from　off　thy　feet；　for　the　place　whereon
thou　standest　is　holy　ground。　。　。　。　I　am　the　God

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of　thy　father；　the　God　of　Abraham；　the　God　of　Isaac；　and　the　God　of　Jacob。〃
It　was　He　who；　as　the　Angel　of　the　covenant；　had　revealed　Himself　to　the
fathers　in　ages　past。　〃And　Moses　hid　his　face；　for　he　was　afraid　to　look
upon　God。〃

Humility　and　reverence　should　characterize　the　deportment　of　all　who　come
into　the　presence　of　God。　In　the　name　of　Jesus　we　may　come　before　Him　with
confidence；　but　we　must　not　approach　Him　with　the　boldness　of　presumption；
as　though　He　were　on　a　level　with　ourselves。　There　are　those　who　address　the
great　and　all…powerful　and　holy　God；　who　dwelleth　in　light　unapproachable；
as　they　would　address　an　equal；　or　even　an　inferior