patriarchs and prophets-第69节

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falsehood。　By　a　glance　of　the　eye；　a　motion　of　the　hand；　an　expression　of
the　countenance；　a　falsehood　may　be　told　as　effectually　as　by　words。　All
intentional　overstatement；　every　hint　or　insinuation　calculated　to　convey　an
erroneous　or　exaggerated　impression；　even　the　statement　of　facts　in　such　a
manner　as　to　mislead；　is　falsehood。　This　precept　forbids　every　effort　to
injure　our　neighbor's　reputation　by　misrepresentation　or　evil　surmising；　by
slander　or　tale　bearing。　Even　the　intentional　suppression　of　truth；　by　which
injury　may　result　to　others；　is　a　violation　of　the　ninth　commandment。

〃Thou　shalt　not　covet　thy　neighbor's　house；　thou　shalt　not　covet　thy
neighbor's　wife；　nor　his　manservant；　nor　his　maidservant；　nor　his　ox；　nor
his　ass；　nor　anything　that　is　thy　neighbor's。〃

The　tenth　commandment　strikes　at　the　very　root　of　all　sins；　prohibiting　the
selfish　desire；　from　which　springs　the　sinful　act。　He　who　in　obedience　to
God's　law　refrains　from　indulging　even　a　sinful　desire　for　that　which
belongs　to　another　will　not　be　guilty　of　an　act　of　wrong　toward　his　fellow
creatures。

Such　were　the　sacred　precepts　of　the　Decalogue；　spoken　amid　thunder　and
flame；　and　with　a　wonderful　display　of　the　power　and　majesty　of　the　great
Lawgiver。　God　accompanied　the　proclamation　of　His　law　with　exhibitions　of
His　power　and　glory；　that　His　people　might　never　forget　the　scene；　and　that
they　might　be　impressed　with　profound　veneration　for　the　Author　of　the　law；
the　Creator　of　heaven　and　earth。　He　would　also　show　to　all　men　the
sacredness；　the　importance；　and　the　permanence　of　His　law。

The　people　of　Israel　were　overwhelmed　with　terror。　The　awful　power　of　God's
utterances　seemed　more　than　their　trembling　hearts　could　bear。　For　as　God's
great　rule　of　right　was

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presented　before　them；　they　realized　as　never　before　the　offensive　character
of　sin；　and　their　own　guilt　in　the　sight　of　a　holy　God。　They　shrank　away
from　the　mountain　in　fear　and　awe。　The　multitude　cried　out　to　Moses；　〃Speak
thou　with　us；　and　we　will　hear：　but　let　not　God　speak　with　us；　lest　we　die。〃
The　leader　answered；　〃Fear　not：　for　God　is　come　to　prove　you；　and　that　His
fear　may　be　before　your　faces；　that　ye　sin　not。〃　The　people；　however；
remained　at　a　distance；　gazing　in　terror　upon　the　scene；　while　Moses　〃drew
near　unto　the　thick　darkness　where　God　was。〃

The　minds　of　the　people；　blinded　and　debased　by　slavery　and　heathenism；　were
not　prepared　to　appreciate　fully　the　far…reaching　principles　of　God's　ten
precepts。　That　the　obligations　of　the　Decalogue　might　be　more　fully
understood　and　enforced；　additional　precepts　were　given；　illustrating　and
applying　the　principles　of　the　Ten　Commandments。　These　laws　were　called
judgments；　both　because　they　were　framed　in　infinite　wisdom　and　equity　and
because　the　magistrates　were　to　give　judgment　according　to　them。　Unlike　the
Ten　Commandments；　they　were　delivered　privately　to　Moses；　who　was　to
communicate　them　to　the　people。

The　first　of　these　laws　related　to　servants。　In　ancient　times　criminals　were
sometimes　sold　into　slavery　by　the　judges；　in　some　cases；　debtors　were　sold
by　their　creditors；　and　poverty　even　led　persons　to　sell　themselves　or　their
children。　But　a　Hebrew　could　not　be　sold　as　a　slave　for　life。　His　term　of
service　was　limited　to　six　years；　on　the　seventh　he　was　to　be　set　at
liberty。　Manstealing；　deliberate　murder；　and　rebellion　against　parental
authority　were　to　be　punished　with　death。　The　holding　of　slaves　not　of
Israelitish　birth　was　permitted；　but　their　life　and　person　were　strictly
guarded。　The　murderer　of　a　slave　was　to　be　punished；　an　injury　inflicted
upon　one　by　his　master；　though　no　more　than　the　loss　of　a　tooth；　entitled
him　to　his　freedom。

The　Israelites　had　lately　been　servants　themselves；　and　now　that　they　were
to　have　servants　under　them；　they　were　to　beware　of　indulging　the　spirit　of
cruelty　and　exaction　from　which　they　had　suffered　under　their　Egyptian
taskmasters。　The　memory　of　their　own　bitter　servitude　should　enable　them　to
put　themselves　in　the　servant's　place；　leading　them　to　be　kind　and
compassionate；　to　deal　with　others　as　they　would　wish　to　be　dealt　with。

The　rights　of　widows　and　orphans　were　especially　guarded；　and　a　tender
regard　for　their　helpless　condition　was　enjoined。

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〃If　thou　afflict　them　in　any　wise；〃　the　Lord　declared；　〃and　they　cry　at　all
unto　Me；　I　will　surely　hear　their　cry；　and　My　wrath　shall　wax　hot；　and　I
will　kill　you　with　the　sword；　and　your　wives　shall　be　widows；　and　your
children　fatherless。〃　Aliens　who　united　themselves　with　Israel　were　to　be
protected　from　wrong　or　oppression。　〃Thou　shalt　not　oppress　a　stranger：　for
ye　know　the　heart　of　a　stranger；　seeing　ye　were　strangers　in　the　land　of
Egypt。〃

The　taking　of　usury　from　the　poor　was　forbidden。　A　poor　man's　raiment　or
blanket　taken　as　a　pledge；　must　be　restored　to　him　at　nightfall。　He　who　was
guilty　of　theft　was　required　to　restore　double。　Respect　for　magistrates　and
rulers　was　enjoined；　and　judges　were　warned　against　perverting　judgment；
aiding　a　false　cause；　or　receiving　bribes。　Calumny　and　slander　were
prohibited；　and　acts　of　kindness　enjoined；　even　toward　personal　enemies。

Again　the　people　were　reminded　of　the　sacred　obligation　of　the　Sabbath。
Yearly　feasts　were　appointed；　at　which　all　the　men　of　the　nation　were　to
assemble　before　the　Lord；　bringing　to　Him　their　offerings　of　gratitude　and
the　first　fruits　of　His　bounties。　The　object　of　all　these　regulations　was
stated：　they　proceeded　from　no　exercise　of　mere　arbitrary　sovereignty；　all
were　given　for　the　good　of　Israel。　The　Lord　said；　〃Ye　shall　be　holy　men　unto
Me〃worthy　to　be　acknowledged　by　a　holy　God。

These　laws　were　to　be　recorded　by　Moses；　and　carefully　treasured　as　the
foundation　of　the　national　law；　and；　with　the　ten　precepts　which　they　were
given　to　illustrate；　the　condition　of　the　fulfillment　of　God's　promises　to
Israel。

The　message　was　now　given　them　from　Jehovah：　〃Behold；　I　send　an　Angel　before
thee；　to　keep　thee　in　the　way；　and　to　bring　thee　into　the　place　which　I　have
prepared。　Beware　of　Him；　and　obey　His　voice；　provoke　Him　not；　for　He　will
not　pardon　your　transgressions：　for　My　name　is　in　Him。　But　if　thou　shalt
indeed　obey　His　voice；　and　do　all　that　I　speak；　then　I　will　be　an　enemy　unto
thine　enemies；　and　an　adversary　unto　thine　adversaries。〃　During　all　the
wanderings　of　Israel；　Christ；　in　the　pillar　of　cloud　and　of　fire；　was　their
Leader。　While　there　were　types　pointing　to　a　Saviour　to　come；　there　was　also
a　present　Saviour；　who　gave　commands　to　Moses　for　the　people；　and　who　was
set　forth　before　them　as　the　only　channel　of　blessing。

Upon　descending　from　the　mountain；　〃Moses　came　and　told　the　people　all　the
words　of　the　Lord；　and　all　the　judgments：

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and　all　the　people　answered　with　one　voice；　and　said；　All　the　words　which
the　Lord　hath　said　will　we　do。〃　This　pledge；　together　with　the　words　of　the
Lord　which　it　bound　them　to　obey；　was　written　by　Moses　in　a　book。

Then　followed　the　ratification　of　the　covenant。　An　altar　was　built　at　the
foot　of　the　mountain；　and　beside　it　twelve　pillars　were　set　up；　〃according
to　the　twelve　tribes　of　Israel；〃　as　a　testimony　to　their　acceptance　of　the
covenant。　Sacrifices　were　then　presented　by　young　men　chosen　for　the
service。

Having　sprinkled　the　altar　with　the　blood　of　the　offerings；　Moses　〃took　the
book　of　the　covenant；　and　read　in　the　audience　of　the　people。〃　Thus　the
conditions　of　the　covenant　were　solemnly　repeated；　and　all　were　at　liberty
to　choose　whether　or　not　they　would　comply　with　them。　They　had　at　the　first
promised　to　obey　the　voice　of　God；　but　they　had　since　heard　His　law
proclaimed；　and　its　principles　had　been　particularized；　that　they　might　know
how　much　this　covenant　involved。　Again　the　people　answered　with　one　accord；
〃All　that　the　Lord　hath　said　will　we　do；　and　be　obedient。〃　〃When　Moses　had
spoken　every　precept　to　all　the　people　according　to　the　law；　he　took　the
blood；　。　。　。　and　sprinkled　both　the　book　and　all　the　people；　saying；　This　is
the　blood　of　the　testament　which　God　hath　enjoined　unto　you。〃　Hebrews　9：19；
20。

Arrangements　were　now　to　be　made　for　the　full　establishment　of　the　chosen
nation　under　Jehovah　as　their　king。　Moses　had　received　the　command；　〃Come　up
unto　the　Lord；　thou；　and　Aaron；　Nadab；　and　Abihu；　and　seventy　of　the　elders
of　Israel；　and　worship　ye　afar　off。　And　Moses　alone　shall　come　near　the
Lord。〃　While　the　people　worshiped　at　its　foot；　these　chosen　men　were　called
up　into　the　mount。　The　seventy　elders　were　to　assist　Moses　in　the　government
of　Israel；　and　God　put　upon　them　His　Spirit；　and　honored　them　with　a　view　of
His　power　and　greatness。　〃And　they　saw　the　God　of　Israel：　and　there　was
under　His　feet　as　it　were　a　paved　work　of　a　sapphire　stone；　and　as　it　were
the　body　of　heaven　in　his　clearness。〃　They　did　not　behold　the　Deity；　but
they　saw　the　glory　of　His　presence。　Before　this　they　could　not　have　endured
such　a　scene；　but　the　exhibition　of　God's　power　had　awed　them　to　repentance；
they　had　been　contemplating　His　glory；　purity；　and　mercy；　until　they　could
approach　near