patriarchs and prophets-第60节

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God　was　displayed；　the　people　were　tested；　and　it　was　shown　how　many　had
been　led　to　fear　God　by　the　manifestation　of　His　power。

The　storm　came　as　predictedthunder　and　hail；　and　fire　mingled　with　it；
〃very　grievous；　such　as　there　was　none　like　it　in　all　the　land　of　Egypt
since　it　became　a　nation。　And　the　hail　smote　throughout　all　the　land　of
Egypt　all　that　was　in　the　field；　both　man　and　beast；　and　the　hail　smote
every　herb　of　the　field；　and　brake　every　tree　of　the　field。〃　Ruin　and
desolation　marked　the　path　of　the　destroying　angel。　The　land　of　Goshen　alone
was　spared。　It　was　demonstrated　to　the　Egyptians　that　the　earth　is　under　the
control　of　the　living　God；　that　the　elements　obey　His　voice；　and　that　the
only　safety　is　in　obedience　to　Him。

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All　Egypt　trembled　before　the　awful　outpouring　of　divine　judgment。　Pharaoh
hastily　sent　for　the　two　brothers；　and　cried　out；　〃I　have　sinned　this　time：
the　Lord　is　righteous；　and　I　and　my　people　are　wicked。　Entreat　the　Lord　（for
it　is　enough）　that　there　be　no　more　mighty　thunderings　and　hail；　and　I　will
let　you　go；　and　ye　shall　stay　no　longer。〃　The　answer　was；　〃As　soon　as　I　am
gone　out　of　the　city；　I　will　spread　abroad　my　hands　unto　the　Lord；　and　the
thunder　shall　cease；　neither　shall　there　be　any　more　hail；　that　thou　mayest
know　how　that　the　earth　is　the　Lord's。　But　as　for　thee　and　thy　servants；　I
know　that　ye　will　not　yet　fear　the　Lord　God。〃

Moses　knew　that　the　contest　was　not　ended。　Pharaoh's　confessions　and
promises　were　not　the　effect　of　any　radical　change　in　his　mind　or　heart；　but
were　wrung　from　him　by　terror　and　anguish。　Moses　promised；　however；　to　grant
his　request；　for　he　would　give　him　no　occasion　for　further　stubbornness。　The
prophet　went　forth；　unheeding　the　fury　of　the　tempest；　and　Pharaoh　and　all
his　host　were　witnesses　to　the　power　of　Jehovah　to　preserve　His　messenger。
Having　passed　without　the　city；　Moses　〃spread　abroad　his　hands　unto　the
Lord：　and　the　thunders　and　hail　ceased；　and　the　rain　was　not　poured　upon　the
earth。〃　But　no　sooner　had　the　king　recovered　from　his　fears　than　his　heart
returned　to　its　perversity。

Then　the　Lord　said　unto　Moses；　〃Go　in　unto　Pharaoh：　for　I　have　hardened　his
heart；　and　the　heart　of　his　servants；　that　I　might　show　these　My　signs
before　him；　and　that　thou　mayest　tell　in　the　ears　of　thy　son；　and　of　thy
son's　son；　what　things　I　have　wrought　in　Egypt；　and　My　signs　which　I　have
done　among　them；　that　ye　may　know　how　that　I　am　Jehovah。〃　The　Lord　was
manifesting　His　power；　to　confirm　the　faith　of　Israel　in　Him　as　the　only
true　and　living　God。　He　would　give　unmistakable　evidence　of　the　difference
He　placed　between　them　and　the　Egyptians；　and　would　cause　all　nations　to
know　that　the　Hebrews；　whom　they　had　despised　and　oppressed；　were　under　the
protection　of　the　God　of　heaven。

Moses　warned　the　monarch　that　if　he　still　remained　obstinate；　a　plague　of
locusts　would　be　sent；　which　would　cover　the　face　of　The　earth　and　eat　up
every　green　thing　that　remained；　they　would　fill　the　houses；　even　the　palace
itself；　such　a　scourge；　he　said；　as　〃neither　thy　fathers；　nor　thy　fathers'
fathers　have　seen；　since　the　day　that　they　were　upon　the　earth　unto　this
day。〃

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The　counselors　of　Pharaoh　stood　aghast。　The　nation　had　sustained　great　loss
in　the　death　of　their　cattle。　Many　of　the　people　had　been　killed　by　the
hail。　The　forests　were　broken　down　and　the　crops　destroyed。　They　were　fast
losing　all　that　had　been　gained　by　the　labor　of　the　Hebrews。　The　whole　land
was　threatened　with　starvation。　Princes　and　courtiers　pressed　about　the　king
and　angrily　demanded；　〃How　long　shall　this　man　be　a　snare　unto　us？　let　the
men　go；　that　they　may　serve　the　Lord　their　God：　knowest　thou　not　yet　that
Egypt　is　destroyed？〃

Moses　and　Aaron　were　again　summoned；　and　the　monarch　said　to　them；　〃Go；
serve　the　Lord　your　God：　but　who　are　they　that　shall　go？〃

The　answer　was；　〃We　will　go　with　our　young　and　with　our　old；　with　our　sons
and　with　our　daughters；　with　our　flocks　and　with　our　herds　will　we　go；　for
we　must　hold　a　feast　unto　the　Lord。〃

The　king　was　filled　with　rage。　〃Let　the　Lord　be　so　with　you；〃　he　cried；　〃as
I　will　let　you　go；　and　your　little　ones：　look　to　it；　for　evil　is　before　you。
Not　so：　go　now　ye　that　are　men；　and　serve　the　Lord；　for　that　ye　did　desire。
And　they　were　driven　out　from　Pharaoh's　presence。〃　Pharaoh　had　endeavored　to
destroy　the　Israelites　by　hard　labor；　but　he　now　pretended　to　have　a　deep
interest　in　their　welfare　and　a　tender　care　for　their　little　ones。　His　real
object　was　to　keep　the　women　and　children　as　surety　for　the　return　of　the
men。

Moses　now　stretched　forth　his　rod　over　the　land；　and　an　east　wind　blew；　and
brought　locusts。　〃Very　grievous　were　they；　before　them　there　were　no　such
locusts　as　they；　neither　after　them　shall　be　such。〃　They　filled　the　sky　till
the　land　was　darkened；　and　devoured　every　green　thing　remaining。　Pharaoh
sent　for　the　prophets　in　haste；　and　said；　〃I　have　sinned　against　the　Lord
your　God；　and　against　you。　Now　therefore；　forgive；　I　pray　thee；　my　sin　only
this　once；　and　entreat　the　Lord　your　God；　that　He　may　take　away　from　me　this
death　only。〃　They　did　so；　and　a　strong　west　wind　carried　away　the　locusts
toward　the　Red　Sea。　Still　the　king　persisted　in　his　stubborn　resolution。

The　people　of　Egypt　were　ready　to　despair。　The　scourges　that　had　already
fallen　upon　them　seemed　almost　beyond　endurance；　and　they　were　filled　with
fear　for　the　future。　The　nation　had　worshiped　Pharaoh　as　a　representative　of
their　god；　but　many

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were　now　convinced　that　he　was　opposing　himself　to　One　who　made　all　the
powers　of　nature　the　ministers　of　His　will。　The　Hebrew　slaves；　so
miraculously　favored；　were　becoming　confident　of　deliverance。　Their
taskmasters　dared　not　oppress　them　as　heretofore。　Throughout　Egypt　there　was
a　secret　fear　that　the　enslaved　race　would　rise　and　avenge　their　wrongs。
Everywhere　men　were　asking　with　bated　breath；　What　will　come　next？

Suddenly　a　darkness　settled　upon　the　land；　so　thick　and　black　that　it　seemed
a　〃darkness　which　may　be　felt。〃　Not　only　were　the　people　deprived　of　light；
but　the　atmosphere　was　very　oppressive；　so　that　breathing　was　difficult。
〃They　saw　not　one　another；　neither　rose　any　from　his　place　for　three　days：
but　all　the　children　of　Israel　had　light　in　their　dwellings。〃　The　sun　and
moon　were　objects　of　worship　to　the　Egyptians；　in　this　mysterious　darkness
the　people　and　their　gods　alike　were　smitten　by　the　power　that　had
undertaken　the　cause　of　the　bondmen。＇*　SEE　APPENDIX；　NOTE　2。＇　Yet　fearful　as
it　was；　this　judgment　is　an　evidence　of　God's　compassion　and　His
unwillingness　to　destroy。　He　would　give　the　people　time　for　reflection　and
repentance　before　bringing　upon　them　the　last　and　most　terrible　of　the
plagues。

Fear　at　last　wrung　from　Pharaoh　a　further　concession。　At　the　end　of　the
third　day　of　darkness　he　summoned　Moses；　and　consented　to　the　departure　of
the　people；　provided　the　flocks　and　herds　were　permitted　to　remain。　〃There
shall　not　an　hoof　be　left　behind；〃　replied　the　resolute　Hebrew。　〃We　know　not
with　what　we　must　serve　the　Lord；　until　we　come　thither。〃　The　king's　anger
burst　forth　beyond　control。　〃Get　thee　from　me；〃　he　cried；　〃take　heed　to
thyself；　see　my　face　no　more；　for　in　that　day　thou　seest　my　face　thou　shalt
die。〃

The　answer　was；　〃Thou　hast　spoken　well；　I　will　see　thy　face　again　no　more。〃

〃The　man　Moses　was　very　great　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　in　the　sight　of
Pharaoh's　servants；　and　in　the　sight　of　the　people。〃　Moses　was　regarded　with
awe　by　the　Egyptians。　The　king　dared　not　harm　him；　for　the　people　looked
upon　him　as　alone　possessing　power　to　remove　the　plagues。　They　desired　that
the　Israelites　might　be　permitted　to　leave　Egypt。　It　was　the　king　and　the
priests　that　opposed　to　the　last　the　demands　of　Moses。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　24

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Passover


When　the　demand　for　Israel's　release　had　been　first　presented　to　the　king　of
Egypt；　the　warning　of　the　most　terrible　of　the　plagues　had　been　given。　Moses
was　directed　to　say　to　Pharaoh；　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord；　Israel　is　My　son；　even
My　first…born：　and　I　say　unto　thee；　Let　My　son　go；　that　he　may　serve　Me：　and
if　thou　refuse　to　let　him　go；　behold；　I　will　slay　thy　son；　even　thy
first…born。〃　Exodus　4：22；　23。　Though　despised　by　the　Egyptians；　the
Israelites　had　been　honored　by　God；　in　that　they　were　singled　out　to　be　the
depositaries　of　His　law。　In　the　special　blessings　and　privileges　accorded
them；　they　had　pre…eminence　among　the　nations；　as　the　first…born　son　had
among　brothers。

The　judgment　of　which　Egypt　had　first　been　warned；　was　to　be　the　last
visited。　God　is　long…suffering　and　plenteous　in　mercy。　He　has　a　tender　care
for　the　beings　formed　in　His　image。　If　the　loss　of　their　harvests　and　their
flocks　and　herds　had　brought　Egypt　to　repentance；　the　children　would　not
have　been　smitten；　but　the　nation　had　stubbornly　resisted　the　divine
command；　and　now　the　final　blow　was　about　to　fall。

Moses　had　been　forbid