patriarchs and prophets-第74节

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them　with　joy。　There　is　fear　in　guilt。　The　soul　that　is　free　from　sin　will
not　wish　to　hide　from　the　light　of　heaven。

Moses　had　much　to　communicate　to　them；　and　compassionating　their　fear；　he
put　a　veil　upon　his　face；　and　continued　to　do　so　thereafter　whenever　he
returned　to　the　camp　from　communion　with　God。

By　this　brightness　God　designed　to　impress　upon　Israel　the　sacred；　exalted
character　of　His　law；　and　the　glory　of　the　gospel　revealed　through　Christ。
While　Moses　was　in　the　mount；　God　presented　to　him；　not　only　the　tables　of
the　law；　but　also　the　plan　of　salvation。　He　saw　that　the　sacrifice　of　Christ
was　pre…figured　by　all　the　types　and　symbols　of　the　Jewish　age；　and　it　was
the　heavenly　light　streaming　from　Calvary；　no　less　than　the　glory　of　the　law
of　God；　that　shed　such　a　radiance　upon　the　face　of　Moses。　That　divine
illumination　symbolized　the　glory　of　the　dispensation　of　which　Moses　was　the
visible　mediator；　a　representative　of　the　one　true　Intercessor。

The　glory　reflected　in　the　countenance　of　Moses　illustrates　the　blessings　to
be　received　by　God's　commandment…keeping　people　through　the　mediation　of
Christ。　It　testifies　that　the　closer　our　communion　with　God；　and　the　clearer
our　knowledge　of　His　requirements；　the　more　fully　shall　we　be　conformed　to
the　divine　image；　and　the　more　readily　do　we　become　partakers　of　the　divine
nature。

Moses　was　a　type　of　Christ。　As　Israel's　intercessor　veiled　his　countenance；
because　the　people　could　not　endure　to　look　upon　its　glory；　so　Christ；　the
divine　Mediator；　veiled　His　divinity　with　humanity　when　He　came　to　earth。
Had　He　come　clothed　with　the　brightness　of　heaven；　he　could　not　have　found
access　to　men　in　their　sinful　state。　They　could　not　have　endured　the　glory
of　His　presence。　Therefore　He　humbled　Himself；　and　was　made　〃in　the　likeness
of　sinful　flesh　（Romans　8：3）；　that　He　might　reach　the　fallen　race；　and　lift
them　up。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　29

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Satan's　Enmity　Against　the　Law


The　very　first　effort　of　Satan　to　overthrow　God's　lawundertaken　among　the
sinless　inhabitants　of　heavenseemed　for　a　time　to　be　crowned　with　success。
A　vast　number　of　the　angels　were　seduced；　but　Satan's　apparent　triumph
resulted　in　defeat　and　loss；　separation　from　God；　and　banishment　from
heaven。

When　the　conflict　was　renewed　upon　the　earth；　Satan　again　won　a　seeming
advantage。　By　transgression；　man　became　his　captive；　and　man's　kingdom　also
was　betrayed　into　the　hands　of　the　archrebel。　Now　the　way　seemed　open　for
Satan　to　establish　an　independent　kingdom；　and　to　defy　the　authority　of　God
and　His　Son。　But　the　plan　of　salvation　made　it　possible　for　man　again　to　be
brought　into　harmony　with　God；　and　to　render　obedience　to　His　law；　and　for
both　man　and　the　earth　to　be　finally　redeemed　from　the　power　of　the　wicked
one。

Again　Satan　was　defeated；　and　again　he　restored　to　deception；　in　the　hope　of
converting　his　defeat　into　a　victory。　To　stir　up　rebellion　in　the　fallen
race；　he　now　represented　God　as　unjust　in　having　permitted　man　to　transgress
His　law。　〃Why；〃　said　the　artful　tempter；　〃when　God　knew　what　would　be　the
result；　did　He　permit　man　to　be　placed　on　trial；　to　sin；　and　bring　in　misery
and　death？〃　And　the　children　of　Adam；　forgetful　of　the　long…suffering　mercy
that　had　granted　man　another　trial；　regardless　of　the　amazing；　the　awful
sacrifice　which　his　rebellion　had　cost　the　King　of　heaven；　gave　ear　to　the
tempter；　and　murmured　against　the　only　Being　who　could　save　them　from　the
destructive　power　of　Satan。

There　are　thousands　today　echoing　the　same　rebellious　complaint　against　God。
They　do　not　see　that　to　deprive　man　of　the　freedom　of　choice　would　be　to　rob
him　of　his　prerogative　as　an　intelligent　being；　and　make　him　a　mere
automaton。　It　is　not　God's　purpose　to　coerce　the　will。　Man　was　created　a
free　moral

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agent。　Like　the　inhabitants　of　all　other　worlds；　he　must　be　subjected　to　the
test　of　obedience；　but　he　is　never　brought　into　such　a　position　that
yielding　to　evil　becomes　a　matter　of　necessity。　No　temptation　or　trial　is
permitted　to　come　to　him　which　he　is　unable　to　resist。　God　made　such　ample
provision　that　man　need　never　have　been　defeated　in　the　conflict　with　Satan。

As　men　increased　upon　the　earth；　almost　the　whole　world　joined　the　ranks　of
rebellion。　Once　more　Satan　seemed　to　have　gained　the　victory。　But　omnipotent
power　again　cut　short　the　working　of　iniquity；　and　the　earth　was　cleansed　by
the　Flood　from　its　moral　pollution。

Says　the　prophet；　〃When　Thy　judgments　are　in　the　earth；　the　inhabitants　of
the　world　will　learn　righteousness。　Let　favor　be　showed　to　the　wicked；　yet
will　he　not　learn　righteousness；　。　。　。　and　will　not　behold　the　majesty　of
Jehovah。〃　Isaiah　26：9；　10。　Thus　it　was　after　the　Flood。　Released　from　His
judgments；　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　again　rebelled　against　the　Lord。
Twice　God's　covenant　and　His　statutes　had　been　rejected　by　the　world。　Both
the　people　before　the　Flood　and　the　descendants　of　Noah　cast　off　the　divine
authority。　Then　God　entered　into　covenant　with　Abraham；　and　took　to　Himself
a　people　to　become　the　depositaries　of　His　law。　To　seduce　and　destroy　this
people；　Satan　began　at　once　to　lay　his　snares。　The　children　of　Jacob　were
tempted　to　contract　marriages　with　the　heathen　and　to　worship　their　idols。
But　Joseph　was　faithful　to　God；　and　his　fidelity　was　a　constant　testimony　to
the　true　faith。　It　was　to　quench　this　light　that　Satan　worked　through　the
envy　of　Joseph's　brothers　to　cause　him　to　be　sold　as　a　slave　in　a　heathen
land。　God　overruled　events；　however；　so　that　the　knowledge　of　Himself　should
be　given　to　the　people　of　Egypt。　Both　in　the　house　of　Potiphar　and　in　the
prison　Joseph　received　an　education　and　training　that；　with　the　fear　of　God；
prepared　him　for　his　high　position　as　prime　minister　of　the　nation。　From　the
palace　of　the　Pharaohs　his　influence　was　felt　throughout　the　land；　and　the
knowledge　of　God　spread　far　and　wide。　The　Israelites　in　Egypt　also　became
prosperous　and　wealthy；　and　such　as　were　true　to　God　exerted　a　widespread
influence。　The　idolatrous　priests　were　filled　with　alarm　as　they　saw　the　new
religion　finding　favor。　Inspired　by　Satan　with　his　own　enmity　toward　the　God
of　heaven；　they　set　themselves　to　quench　the　light。　To　the　priests　was
committed

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the　education　of　the　heir　to　the　throne；　and　it　was　this　spirit　of
determined　opposition　to　God　and　zeal　for　idolatry　that　molded　the　character
of　the　future　monarch；　and　led　to　cruelty　and　oppression　toward　the　Hebrews。

During　the　forty　years　after　the　flight　of　Moses　from　Egypt；　idolatry　seemed
to　have　conquered。　Year　by　year　the　hopes　of　the　Israelites　grew　fainter。
Both　king　and　people　exulted　in　their　power；　and　mocked　the　God　of　Israel。
This　grew　until　it　culminated　in　the　Pharaoh　who　was　confronted　by　Moses。
When　the　Hebrew　leader　came　before　the　king　with　a　message　from　〃Jehovah；
God　of　Israel；〃　it　was　not　ignorance　of　the　true　God；　but　defiance　of　His
power；　that　prompted　the　answer；　〃Who　is　Jehovah；　that　I　should　obey　His
voice？　。　。　。　I　know　not　Jehovah。〃　From　first　to　last；　Pharaoh's　opposition
to　the　divine　command　was　not　the　result　of　ignorance；　but　of　hatred　and
defiance。

Though　the　Egyptians　had　so　long　rejected　the　knowledge　of　God；　the　Lord
still　gave　them　opportunity　for　repentance。　In　the　days　of　Joseph；　Egypt　had
been　an　asylum　for　Israel；　God　had　been　honored　in　the　kindness　shown　His
people；　and　now　the　long…suffering　One；　slow　to　anger；　and　full　of
compassion；　gave　each　judgment　time　to　do　its　work；　the　Egyptians；　cursed
through　the　very　objects　they　had　worshiped；　had　evidence　of　the　power　of
Jehovah；　and　all　who　would；　might　submit　to　God　and　escape　His　judgments。
The　bigotry　and　stubbornness　of　the　king　resulted　in　spreading　the　knowledge
of　God；　and　bringing　many　of　the　Egyptians　to　give　themselves　to　His
service。

It　was　because　the　Israelites　were　so　disposed　to　connect　themselves　with
the　heathen　and　imitate　their　idolatry　that　God　had　permitted　them　to　go
down　into　Egypt；　where　the　influence　of　Joseph　was　widely　felt；　and　where
circumstances　were　favorable　for　them　to　remain　a　distinct　people。　Here　also
the　gross　idolatry　of　the　Egyptians　and　their　cruelty　and　oppression　during
the　latter　part　of　the　Hebrew　sojourn　should　have　inspired　in　them　an
abhorrence　of　idolatry；　and　should　have　led　them　to　flee　for　refuge　to　the
God　of　their　fathers。　This　very　providence　Satan　made　a　means　to　serve　his
purpose；　darkening　the　minds　of　the　Israelites　and　leading　them　to　imitate
the　practices　of　their　heathen　masters。　On　account　of　the　superstitious
veneration　in　which　animals　were　held　by　the　Egyptians；　the　Hebrews　were　not

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permitted；　during　their　bondage；　to　present　the　sacrificial　offerings。　Thus
their　minds　were　not　directed　by　this　service　to　the　great　Sacrifice；　and
their　faith　was　weakened。　When　the　time　came　for　Israel's　deliverance；　Satan
set　himself　to　resist　the　purposes　of　God。　It　was　his　determination　that
t