patriarchs and prophets-第48章

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and　Aaron；　that　wrought　the　miracles　which　they　showed　before　Pharaoh。　Those
signs　and　wonders　were　designed　to　convince　Pharaoh　that　the　great　〃I　AM〃
had　sent　Moses；　and　that　it　was　the　duty　of　the　king　to　let　Israel　go；　that
they　might　serve　the　living　God。　The　magicians　also　showed　signs　and
wonders；　for　they　wrought　not　by　their　own　skill　alone；　but　by　the　power　of
their　god；　Satan；　who　assisted　them　in　counterfeiting　the　work　of　Jehovah。

The　magicians　did　not　really　cause　their　rods　to　become　serpents；　but　by
magic；　aided　by　the　great　deceiver；　they　were　able　to　produce　this
appearance。　It　was　beyond　the　power　of　Satan　to　change　the　rods　to　living
serpents。　The　prince　of　evil；　though　possessing　all　the　wisdom　and　might　of
an　angel　fallen；　has　not　power　to　create；　or　to　give　life；　this　is　the
prerogative　of　God　alone。　But　all　that　was　in　Satan's　power　to　do；　he　did；
he　produced　a　counterfeit。　To　human　sight　the　rods　were　changed　to　serpents。
Such　they　were　believed　to　be　by　Pharaoh　and　his　court。　There　was　nothing　in
their　appearance　to　distinguish　them　from　the　serpent　produced　by　Moses。
Though　the　Lord　caused　the　real　serpent　to　swallow　up　the　spurious　ones；　yet
even　this　was　regarded　by　Pharaoh；　not　as　a　work　of　God's　power；　but　as　the
result　of　a　kind　of　magic　superior　to　that　of　his　servants。

Pharaoh　desired　to　justify　his　stubbornness　in　resisting　the　divine　command；
and　hence　he　was　seeking　some　pretext　for　disregarding　the　miracles　that　God
had　wrought　through　Moses。　Satan　gave　him　just　what　he　wanted。　By　the　work
that　he　wrought　through　the　magicians　he　made　it　appear　to　the　Egyptians
that　Moses　and　Aaron　were　only　magicians　and　sorcerers；　and　that　the　message
they　brought　could　not　claim　respect　as　coming　from　a　superior　being。　Thus
Satan's　counterfeit　accomplished　its　purpose　of　emboldening　the　Egyptians　in
their　rebellion　and　causing　Pharaoh　to　harden　his　heart　against　conviction。
Satan　hoped　also　to　shake　the　faith　of　Moses　and　Aaron　in　the　divine　origin
of　their　mission；　that　his　instruments　might　prevail。　He　was　unwilling　that
the　children　of　Israel　should　be　released　from　bondage　to　serve　the　living
God。

But　the　prince　of　evil　had　a　still　deeper　object　in　manifesting　his　wonders
through　the　magicians。　He　well　knew　that　Moses；　in　breaking　the　yoke　of
bondage　from　off　the　children　of　Israel；　pre…figured　Christ；　who　was　to
break　the　reign　of　sin　over　the

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human　family。　He　knew　that　when　Christ　should　appear；　mighty　miracles　would
be　wrought　as　an　evidence　to　the　world　that　God　had　sent　Him。　Satan　trembled
for　his　power。　By　counterfeiting　the　work　of　God　through　Moses；　he　hoped　not
only　to　prevent　the　deliverance　of　Israel；　but　to　exert　an　influence　through
future　ages　to　destroy　faith　in　the　miracles　of　Christ。　Satan　is　constantly
seeking　to　counterfeit　the　work　of　Christ　and　to　establish　his　own　power　and
claims。　He　leads　men　to　account　for　the　miracles　of　Christ　by　making　them
appear　to　be　the　result　of　human　skill　and　power。　In　many　minds　he　thus
destroys　faith　in　Christ　as　the　Son　of　God；　and　leads　them　to　reject　the
gracious　offers　of　mercy　through　the　plan　of　redemption。

Moses　and　Aaron　were　directed　to　visit　the　riverside　next　morning；　where　the
king　was　accustomed　to　repair。　The　overflowing　of　the　Nile　being　the　source
of　food　and　wealth　for　all　Egypt；　the　river　was　worshiped　as　a　god；　and　the
monarch　came　thither　daily　to　pay　his　devotions。　Here　the　two　brothers　again
repeated　the　message　to　him；　and　then　they　stretched　out　the　rod　and　smote
upon　the　water。　The　sacred　stream　ran　blood；　the　fish　died；　and　the　river
became　offensive　to　the　smell。　The　water　in　the　houses；　the　supply　preserved
in　cisterns；　was　likewise　changed　to　blood。　But　〃the　magicians　of　Egypt　did
so　with　their　enchantments；〃　and　〃Pharaoh　turned　and　went　into　his　house；
neither　did　he　set　his　heart　to　this　also。〃　For　seven　days　the　plague
continued；　but　without　effect。

Again　the　rod　was　stretched　out　over　the　waters；　and　frogs　came　up　from　the
river　and　spread　over　the　land。　They　overran　the　houses；　took　possession　of
the　bed　chambers；　and　even　the　ovens　and　kneading　troughs。　The　frog　was
regarded　as　sacred　by　the　Egyptians；　and　they　would　not　destroy　it；　but　the
slimy　pests　had　now　become　intolerable。　They　swarmed　even　in　the　palace　of
the　Pharaohs；　and　the　king　was　impatient　to　have　them　removed。　The　magicians
had　appeared　to　produce　frogs；　but　they　could　not　remove　them。　Upon　seeing
this；　Pharaoh　was　somewhat　humbled。　He　sent　for　Moses　and　Aaron；　and　said；
〃Entreat　the　Lord；　that　He　may　take　away　the　frogs　from　me；　and　from　my
people；　and　I　will　let　the　people　go；　that　they　may　do　sacrifice　unto　the
Lord。〃　After　reminding　the　king　of　his　former　boasting；　they　requested　him
to　appoint　a　time　when　they　should　pray　for　the　removal　of　the　plague。　He
set　the　next　day；　secretly　hoping　that　in　the　interval　the　frogs　might
disappear　of　themselves；　and

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thus　save　him　from　the　bitter　humiliation　of　submitting　to　the　God　of
Israel。　The　plague；　however；　continued　till　the　time　specified；　when
throughout　all　Egypt　the　frogs　died；　but　their　putrid　bodies；　which
remained；　polluted　the　atmosphere。

The　Lord　could　have　caused　them　to　return　to　dust　in　a　moment；　but　He　did
not　do　this　lest　after　their　removal　the　king　and　his　people　should
pronounce　it　the　result　of　sorcery　or　enchantment；　like　the　work　of　the
magicians。　The　frogs　died；　and　were　then　gathered　together　in　heaps。　Here
the　king　and　all　Egypt　had　evidence　which　their　vain　philosophy　could　not
gainsay；　that　this　work　was　not　accomplished　by　magic；　but　was　a　judgment
from　the　God　of　heaven。

〃When　Pharaoh　saw　that　there　was　respite；　he　hardened　his　heart。〃　At　the
command　of　God；　Aaron　stretched　out　his　hand；　and　the　dust　of　the　earth
became　lice　throughout　all　the　land　of　Egypt。　Pharaoh　called　upon　the
magicians　to　do　the　same；　but　they　could　not。　The　work　of　God　was　thus　shown
to　be　superior　to　that　of　Satan。　The　magicians　themselves　acknowledged；
〃This　is　the　finger　of　God。〃　But　the　king　was　still　unmoved。

Appeal　and　warning　were　ineffectual；　and　another　judgment　was　inflicted。　The
time　of　its　occurrence　was　foretold；　that　it　might　not　be　said　to　have　come
by　chance。　Flies　filled　the　houses　and　swarmed　upon　the　ground；　so　that　〃the
land　was　corrupted　by　reason　of　the　swarms　of　flies。〃　These　flies　were　large
and　venomous；　and　their　bite　was　extremely　painful　to　man　and　beast。　As　had
been　foretold；　this　visitation　did　not　extend　to　the　land　of　Goshen。

Pharaoh　now　offered　the　Israelites　permission　to　sacrifice　in　Egypt；　but
they　refused　to　accept　such　conditions。　〃It　is　not　meet；〃　said　Moses；　〃lo；
shall　we　sacrifice　the　abomination　of　the　Egyptians　before　their　eyes；　and
will　they　not　stone　us？〃　The　animals　which　the　Hebrews　would　be　required　to
sacrifice　were　among　those　regarded　as　sacred　by　the　Egyptians；　and　such　was
the　reverence　in　which　these　creatures　were　held；　that　to　slay　one；　even
accidentally；　was　a　crime　punishable　with　death。　It　would　be　impossible　for
the　Hebrews　to　worship　in　Egypt　without　giving　offense　to　their　masters。
Moses　again　proposed　to　go　three　days'　journey　into　the　wilderness。　The
monarch　consented；　and　begged　the　servants　of　God　to　entreat　that　the　plague
might　be　removed。　They　promised　to　do　this；　but　warned　him　against

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dealing　deceitfully　with　them。　The　plague　was　stayed；　but　the　king's　heart
had　become　hardened　by　persistent　rebellion；　and　he　still　refused　to　yield。

A　more　terrible　stroke　followedmurrain　upon　all　the　Egyptian　cattle　that
were　in　the　field。　Both　the　sacred　animals　and　the　beasts　of　burdenkine
and　oxen　and　sheep；　horses　and　camels　and　asseswere　destroyed。　It　had　been
distinctly　stated　that　the　Hebrews　were　to　be　exempt；　and　Pharaoh；　on
sending　messengers　to　the　home　of　the　Israelites；　proved　the　truth　of　this
declaration　of　Moses。　〃Of　the　cattle　of　the　children　of　Israel　died　not
one。〃　Still　the　king　was　obstinate。

Moses　was　next　directed　to　take　ashes　of　the　furnace；　and　〃sprinkle　it
toward　heaven　in　the　sight　of　Pharaoh。〃　This　act　was　deeply　significant。
Four　hundred　years　before；　God　had　shown　to　Abraham　the　future　oppression　of
His　people；　under　the　figure　of　a　smoking　furnace　and　a　burning　lamp。　He　had
declared　that　He　would　visit　judgments　upon　their　oppressors；　and　would
bring　forth　the　captives　with　great　substance。　In　Egypt；　Israel　had　long
languished　in　the　furnace　of　affliction。　This　act　of　Moses　was　an　assurance
to　them　that　God　was　mindful　of　His　covenant；　and　that　the　time　for　their
deliverance　had　come。

As　the　ashes　were　sprinkled　toward　heaven；　the　fine　particles　spread　over
all　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　wherever　they　settled；　produced　boils　〃breaking
forth　with　blains　upon　man；　and　upon　beast。〃　The　priests　and　magicians　had
hitherto　encouraged　Pharaoh　in　his　stubbornness；　but　now　a　judgment　had　come
that　reached　even　them。　Smitten　with　a　loathsome　and　painful　disease；　their
vaunted　power　only　making　them　contemptible；　they　were　no　longer　able　to
contend　against　the　God　of　Israel。　The　whole　nation　was　made　to　see　the
folly　of　trusting　in　the　magicians；　when　they　were　not　able　to　protect　even
their　own　persons。

Still　the　heart　of　Pharaoh　grew　harder。　And　now　the　Lord　sent　a　message　to
him；　declaring；　〃I　will　at　this　time　send　all　My　plagues　upon　thy　heart；　and
upon　thy　servants；　and　upon　thy　people；　that　thou　mayest　know　that　there　is
none　like　Me　in　all　the　earth。　。　。　。　And　in　very　deed　for　this　cause　have　I
raised　thee　up；　for　to　show　in　thee　My　power。〃　Not　that　God　had　given　him　an
existence　for　this　purpose；　but　His　providence　had　overruled　events　to　place
him　upon　the　throne　at　the　very　time　appointed　for　Israel's　deliverance。
Though　this　haughty　tyrant　had　by　his

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crimes　forfeited　the　mercy　of　God；　yet　his　life　had　been　preserved　that
through　his　stubbornness　the　Lord　might　manifest　His　wonders　in　the　land　of
Egypt。　The　disposing　of　events　is　of　God's　providence。　He　could　have　placed
upon　the　throne　a　more　merciful　king；　who　would　not　have　dared　to　withstand
the　mighty　manifestations　of　divine　power。　But　in　that　case　the　Lord's
purposes　would　not　have　been　accomplished。　His　people　were　permitted　to
experience　the　grinding　cruelty　of　the　Egyptians；　that　they　might　not　be
deceived　concerning　the　debasing　influence　of　idolatry。　In　His　dealing　with
Pharaoh；　the　Lord　manifested　His　hatred　of　idolatry　and　His　determination　to
punish　cruelty　and　oppression。

God　had　declared　concerning　Pharaoh；　〃I　will　harden　his　heart；　that　he　shall
not　let　the　people　go。〃　Exodus　4：21。　There　was　no　exercise　of　supernatural
power　to　harden　the　heart　of　the　king。　God　gave　to　Pharaoh　the　most　striking
evidence　of　divine　power；　but　the　monarch　stubbornly　refused　to　heed　the
light。　Every　display　of　infinite　power　rejected　by　him；　rendered　him　the
more　determined　in　his　rebellion。　The　seeds　of　rebellion　that　he　sowed　when
he　rejected　the　first　miracle；　produced　their　harvest。　As　he　continued　to
venture　on　in　his　own　course；　go