patriarchs and prophets-第56节

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as　they　would　address　an　equal；　or　even　an　inferior。　There　are　those　who
conduct　themselves　in　His　house　as　they　would　not　presume　to　do　in　the
audience　chamber　of　an　earthly　ruler。　These　should　remember　that　they　are　in
His　sight　whom　seraphim　adore；　before　whom　angels　veil　their　faces。　God　is
greatly　to　be　reverenced；　all　who　truly　realize　His　presence　will　bow　in
humility　before　Him；　and；　like　Jacob　beholding　the　vision　of　God；　they　will
cry　out；　〃How　dreadful　is　this　place！　This　is　none　other　but　the　house　of
God；　and　this　is　the　gate　of　heaven。〃

As　Moses　waited　in　reverent　awe　before　God　the　words　continued：　〃I　have
surely　seen　the　affliction　of　My　people　which　are　in　Egypt；　and　have　heard
their　cry　by　reason　of　their　taskmasters；　for　I　know　their　sorrows；　and　I　am
come　down　to　deliver　them　out　of　the　hand　of　the　Egyptians；　and　to　bring
them　up　out　of　that　land　unto　a　good　land　and　a　large；　unto　a　land　flowing
with　milk　and　honey。　。　。　。　Come　now　therefore；　and　I　will　send　thee　unto
Pharaoh；　that　thou　mayest　bring　forth　My　people　the　children　of　Israel　out
of　Egypt。〃

Amazed　and　terrified　at　the　command；　Moses　drew　back；　saying；　〃Who　am　I；
that　I　should　go　unto　Pharaoh；　and　that　I　should　bring　forth　the　children　of
Israel　out　of　Egypt？〃　The　reply　was；　〃Certainly　I　will　be　with　thee；　and
this　shall　be　a　token　unto　thee；　that　I　have　sent　thee：　When　thou　hast
brought　forth　the　people　out　of　Egypt；　ye　shall　serve　God　upon　this
mountain。〃

Moses　thought　of　the　difficulties　to　be　encountered；　of　the　blindness；
ignorance；　and　unbelief　of　his　people；　many　of　whom　were　almost　destitute　of
a　knowledge　of　God。　〃Behold；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　come　unto　the　children　of
Israel；　and　shall　say　unto

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them；　The　God　of　your　fathers　hath　sent　me　unto　you；　and　they　shall　say　to
me；　What　is　His　name？　what　shall　I　say　unto　them？〃　The　answer　was

〃I　Am　That　I　Am。〃　〃Thus　shalt　thou　say　unto　the　children　of　Israel；　I　Am
hath　sent　me　unto　you。〃

Moses　was　commanded　first　to　assemble　the　elders　of　Israel；　the　most　noble
and　righteous　among　them；　who　had　long　grieved　because　of　their　bondage；　and
to　declare　to　them　a　message　from　God；　with　a　promise　of　deliverance。　Then
he　was　to　go　with　the　elders　before　the　king；　and　say　to　him

〃The　Lord　God　of　the　Hebrews　hath　met　with　us：　and　now　let　us　go；　we　beseech
thee；　three　days'　journey　into　the　wilderness；　that　we　may　sacrifice　to　the
Lord　our　God。〃

Moses　was　forewarned　that　Pharaoh　would　resist　the　appeal　to　let　Israel　go。
Yet　the　courage　of　God's　servant　must　not　fail；　for　the　Lord　would　make　this
the　occasion　to　manifest　His　power　before　the　Egyptians　and　before　His
people。　〃And　I　will　stretch　out　My　hand；　and　smite　Egypt　with　all　My　wonders
which　I　will　do　in　the　midst　thereof：　and　after　that　he　will　let　you　go。〃

Direction　was　also　given　concerning　the　provision　they　were　to　make　for　the
journey。　The　Lord　declared；　〃It　shall　come　to　pass；　that；　when　ye　go；　ye
shall　not　go　empty：　but　every　woman　shall　borrow　of　her　neighbor；　and　of　her
that　sojourneth　in　her　house；　jewels　of　silver；　and　jewels　of　gold；　and
raiment。〃　The　Egyptians　had　been　enriched　by　the　labor　unjustly　exacted　from
the　Israelites；　and　as　the　latter　were　to　start　on　the　journey　to　their　new
home；　it　was　right　for　them　to　claim　the　reward　of　their　years　of　toil。　They
were　to　ask　for　articles　of　value；　such　as　could　be　easily　transported；　and
God　would　give　them　favor　in　the　sight　of　the　Egyptians。　The　mighty　miracles
wrought　for　their　deliverance　would　strike　terror　to　the　oppressors；　so　that
the　requests　of　the　bondmen　would　be　granted。

Moses　saw　before　him　difficulties　that　seemed　insurmountable。　What　proof
could　he　give　his　people　that　God　had　indeed　sent　him？　〃Behold；〃　he　said；
〃they　will　not　believe　me；　nor　hearken　unto　my　voice：　for　they　will　say；　The
Lord　hath　not　appeared　unto　thee。〃　Evidence　that　appealed　to　his　own　senses
was　now　given。　He　was　told　to　cast　his　rod　upon　the　ground。　As　he　did　so；
〃it　became　a　serpent；　and　Moses　fled　from　before　it。〃　He　was　commanded　to
seize　it；　and　in　his　hand　it　became　a　rod。

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He　was　bidden　to　put　his　hand　into　his　bosom。　He　obeyed；　and　〃when　he　took
it　out；　behold；　his　hand　was　leprous　as　snow。〃　Being　told　to　put　it　again
into　his　bosom；　he　found　on　withdrawing　it　that　it　had　become　like　the
other。　By　these　signs　the　Lord　assured　Moses　that　His　own　people；　as　well　as
Pharaoh；　should　be　convinced　that　One　mightier　than　the　king　of　Egypt　was
manifest　among　them。

But　the　servant　of　God　was　still　overwhelmed　by　the　thought　of　the　strange
and　wonderful　work　before　him。　In　his　distress　and　fear　he　now　pleaded　as　an
excuse　a　lack　of　ready　speech：　〃O　my　Lord；　I　am　not　eloquent；　neither
heretofore；　nor　since　Thou　hast　spoken　unto　Thy　servant；　but　I　am　slow　of
speech；　and　of　a　slow　tongue。〃　He　had　been　so　long　away　from　the　Egyptians
that　he　had　not　so　clear　knowledge　and　ready　use　of　their　language　as　when
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　chos