patriarchs and prophets-第73节

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for　them。

〃Ye　have　sinned　a　great　sin；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　I　will　go　up　unto　the　Lord；
peradventure　I　shall　make　an　atonement　for　your　sin。〃　He　went；　and　in　his
confession　before　God　he　said；　〃Oh；　this　people　have　sinned　a　great　sin；　and
have　made　them　gods　of　gold。　Yet　now　if　Thou　wilt　forgive　their　sin；　and
if　not；　blot　me；　I　pray　Thee；　out　of　Thy　book　which　Thou　hast　written。〃　The
answer　was；　〃Whosoever　hath　sinned　against　Me；　him　will　I　blot　out　of　My
book。　Therefore　now　go；　lead　the　people　into　the　place　of　which　I　have
spoken　unto　thee：　behold；　Mine　Angel　shall　go　before　thee：　nevertheless；　in
the　day　when　I　visit；　I　will　visit　their　sin　upon　them。〃

In　the　prayer　of　Moses　our　minds　are　directed　to　the　heavenly　records　in
which　the　names　of　all　men　are　inscribed；　and　their　deeds；　whether　good　or
evil；　are　faithfully　registered。　The　book　of　life　contains　the　names　of　all
who　have　ever　entered　the　service　of　God。　If　any　of　these　depart　from　Him；
and　by　stubborn　persistence　in　sin　become　finally　hardened　against　the
influences　of　His　Holy　Spirit；　their　names　will　in　the　judgment　be　blotted
from　the　book　of　life；　and　they　themselves　will　be　devoted　to　destruction。
Moses　realized　how　dreadful　would　be　the　fate　of　the　sinner；　yet　if　the
people　of　Israel　were　to　be　rejected　by　the　Lord；　he　desired　his　name　to　be
blotted　out　with　theirs；　he　could　not　endure　to　see　the　judgments　of　God
fall　upon　those　who　had　been　so　graciously　delivered。　The　intercession　of
Moses　in　behalf　of　Israel　illustrates　the　mediation　of　Christ　for　sinful
men。　But　the　Lord　did　not　permit　Moses　to　bear；　as　did　Christ；　the　guilt　of
the　transgressor。　〃Whosoever

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hath　sinned　against　Me；〃　He　said；　〃him　will　I　blot　out　of　My　book。〃

In　deep　sadness　the　people　had　buried　their　dead。　Three　thousand　had　fallen
by　the　sword；　a　plague　had　soon　after　broken　out　in　the　encampment；　and　now
the　message　came　to　them　that　the　divine　Presence　would　no　longer　accompany
them　in　their　journeyings。　Jehovah　had　declared；　〃I　will　not　go　up　in　the
midst　of　thee；　for　thou　art　a　stiffnecked　people：　lest　I　consume　thee　in　the
way。〃　And　the　command　was　given；　〃Put　off　thy　ornaments　from　thee；　that　I
may　know　what　to　do　unto　thee。〃　Now　there　was　mourning　throughout　the
encampment。　In　penitence　and　humiliation　〃the　children　of　Israel　stripped
themselves　of　their　ornaments　by　the　mount　Horeb。〃

By　the　divine　direction　the　tent　that　had　served　as　a　temporary　place　of
worship　was　removed　〃afar　off　from　the　camp。〃　This　was　still　further
evidence　that　God　had　withdrawn　His　presence　from　them。　He　would　reveal
Himself　to　Moses；　but　not　to　such　a　people。　The　rebuke　was　keenly　felt；　and
to　the　conscience…smitten　multitudes　it　seemed　a　foreboding　of　greater
calamity。　Had　not　the　Lord　separated　Moses　from　the　camp　that　He　might
utterly　destroy　them？　But　they　were　not　left　without　hope。　The　tent　was
pitched　without　the　encampment；　but　Moses　called　it　〃the　tabernacle　of　the
congregation。〃　All　who　were　truly　penitent；　and　desired　to　return　to　the
Lord；　were　directed　to　repair　thither　to　confess　their　sins　and　seek　His
mercy。　When　they　returned　to　their　tents　Moses　entered　the　tabernacle。　With
agonizing　interest　the　people　watched　for　some　token　that　his　intercessions
in　their　behalf　were　accepted。　If　God　should　condescend　to　meet　with　him；
they　might　hope　that　they　were　not　to　be　utterly　consumed。　When　the　cloudy
pillar　descended；　and　stood　at　the　entrance　of　the　tabernacle；　the　people
wept　for　joy；　and　they　〃rose　up　and　worshiped；　every　man　in　his　tent　door。〃

Moses　knew　well　the　perversity　and　blindness　of　those　who　were　placed　under
his　care；　he　knew　the　difficulties　with　which　he　must　contend。　But　he　had
learned　that　in　order　to　prevail　with　the　people；　he　must　have　helped　from
God。　He　pleaded　for　a　clearer　revelation　of　God's　will　and　for　an　assurance
of　His　presence：　〃See；　Thou　sayest　unto　me；　Bring　up　this　people：　and　Thou
hast　not　let　me　know　whom　Thou　wilt　send　with　me。　Yet　Thou

328

hast　said；　I　know　thee　by　name；　and　thou　hast　also　found　grace　in　My　sight。
Now　therefore；　I　pray　Thee；　if　I　have　found　grace　in　Thy　sight；　show　me　now
Thy　way；　that　I　may　know　Thee；　that　I　may　find　grace　in　Thy　sight：　and
consider　that　this　nation　is　Thy　people。〃

The　answer　was；　〃My　presence　shall　go　with　thee；　and　I　will　give　thee　rest。〃
But　Moses　was　not　yet　satisfied。　There　pressed　upon　his　soul　a　sense　of　the
terrible　results　should　God　leave　Israel　to　hardness　and　impenitence。　He
could　not　endure　that　his　interests　should　be　separated　from　those　of　his
brethren；　and　he　prayed　that　the　favor　of　God　might　be　restored　to　His
people；　and　that　the　token　of　His　presence　might　continue　to　direct　their
journeyings：　〃If　Thy　presence　go　not　with　me；　carry　us　not　up　hence。　For
wherein　shall　it　be　known　here　that　I　and　Thy　people　have　found　grace　in　Thy
sight？　is　it　not　in　that　Thou　goest　with　us？　So　shall　we　be　separated；　I　and
Thy　people；　from　all　the　people　that　are　upon　the　face　of　the　earth。〃

And　the　Lord　said；　〃I　will　do　this　thing　also　that　thou　hast　spoken：　for
thou　hast　found　grace　in　My　sight；　and　I　know　thee　by　name。〃　Still　the
prophet　did　not　cease　pleading。　Every　prayer　had　been　answered；　but　he
thirsted　for　greater　tokens　of　God's　favor。　He　now　made　a　request　that　no
human　being　had　ever　made　before：　〃I　beseech　Thee；　show　me　Thy　glory。〃

God　did　not　rebuke　his　request　as　presumptuous；　but　the　gracious　words　were
spoken；　〃I　will　make　all　My　goodness　pass　before　thee。〃　The　unveiled　glory
of　God；　no　man　in　this　mortal　state　can　look　upon　and　live；　but　Moses　was
assured　that　he　should　behold　as　much　of　the　divine　glory　as　he　could
endure。　Again　he　was　summoned　to　the　mountain　summit；　then　the　hand　that
made　the　world；　that　hand　that　〃removeth　the　mountains；　and　they　know　not〃
（Job　9：5）；　took　this　creature　of　the　dust；　this　mighty　man　of　faith；　and
placed　him　in　a　cleft　of　the　rock；　while　the　glory　of　God　and　all　His
goodness　passed　before　him。

This　experienceabove　all　else　the　promise　that　the　divine　Presence　would
attend　himwas　to　Moses　an　assurance　of　success　in　the　work　before　him；　and
he　counted　it　of　infinitely　greater　worth　than　all　the　learning　of　Egypt　or
all　his　attainments　as　a　statesman　or　a　military　leader。　No　earthly　power　or
skill　or　learning　can　supply　the　place　of　God's　abiding　presence。

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To　the　transgressor　it　is　a　fearful　thing　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the
living　God；　but　Moses　stood　alone　in　the　presence　of　the　Eternal　One；　and　he
was　not　afraid；　for　his　soul　was　in　harmony　with　the　will　of　his　Maker。　Says
the　psalmist；　〃If　I　regard　iniquity　in　my　heart；　the　Lord　will　not　hear　me。〃
Psalm　66：18。　But　〃the　secret　of　the　Lord　is　with　them　that　fear　Him；　and　He
will　show　them　His　covenant。〃　Psalm　25：14。

The　Deity　proclaimed　Himself；　〃The　Lord；　The　Lord　God；　merciful　and
gracious；　long…suffering；　and　abundant　in　goodness　and　truth；　keeping　mercy
for　thousands；　forgiving　iniquity　and　transgression　and　sin；　and　that　will
by　no　means　clear　the　guilty。〃

〃Moses　made　haste；　and　bowed　his　head　toward　the　earth；　and　worshiped。〃
Again　he　entreated　that　God　would　pardon　the　iniquity　of　His　people；　and
take　them　for　His　inheritance。　His　prayer　was　granted。　The　Lord　graciously
promised　to　renew　His　favor　to　Israel；　and　in　their　behalf　to　do　marvels
such　as　had　not　been　done　〃in　all　the　earth；　nor　in　any　nation。〃

Forty　days　and　nights　Moses　remained　in　the　mount；　and　during　all　this　time；
as　at　the　first；　he　was　miraculously　sustained。　No　man　had　been　permitted　to
go　up　with　him；　nor　during　the　time　of　his　absence　were　any　to　approach　the
mount。　At　God's　command　he　had　prepared　two　tables　of　stone；　and　had　taken
them　with　him　to　the　summit；　and　again　the　Lord　〃wrote　upon　the　tables　the
words　of　the　covenant；　the　Ten　Commandments。〃　＇*　SEE　APPENDIX；　NOTE　5。＇

During　that　long　time　spent　in　communion　with　God；　the　face　of　Moses　had
reflected　the　glory　of　the　divine　Presence；　unknown　to　himself　his　face
shown　with　a　dazzling　light　when　he　descended　from　the　mountain。　Such　a
light　illumined　the　countenance　of　Stephen　when　brought　before　his　judges；
〃and　all　that　sat　in　the　council；　looking　steadfastly　on　him；　saw　his　face
as　it　had　been　the　face　of　an　angel。〃　Acts　6：15。　Aaron　as　well　as　the　people
shrank　away　from　Moses；　and　〃they　were　afraid　to　come　nigh　him。〃　Seeing
their　confusion　and　terror；　but　ignorant　of　the　cause；　he　urged　them　to　come
near。　He　held　out　to　them　the　pledge　of　God's　reconciliation；　and　assured
them　of　His　restored　favor。　They　perceived　in　his　voice　nothing　but　love　and
entreaty；　and　at　last　one　ventured　to　approach　him。　Too　awed　to　speak；　he
silently　pointed　to　the　countenance　of　Moses；　and　then　toward

330

heaven。　The　great　leader　understood　his　meaning。　In　their　conscious　guilt；
feeling　themselves　still　under　the　divine　displeasure；　they　could　not　endure
the　heavenly　light；　which；　had　they　been　obedient　to　God；　would　have　filled
them　with　joy。　There　is　fear　in　guilt。　The　soul　that　is　free　from