#SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS.#--The "going out" of the Hebrews from Egypt marked the beginning of their national life, and laws were given governing their relation to G.o.d and to each other. The breaking of G.o.d's laws cost the nation forty years of wilderness wandering before they entered their "promised land."

Moses--Leader and Legislator

#33.# By far the greatest man in Old Testament history is Moses. In point of moral uplift, no man in all the world, until Christ, can be compared with him. His life divides itself into three equal sections--

(1) Life at Pharaoh's court.--Forty years.

(2) Life as shepherd in the desert.--Forty years.

(3) Life in the desert as leader of G.o.d's people.--Forty years.

#34. Life at Pharaoh's court.#--Moses was born at the time of Israel's greatest oppression, when, as a measure of self-defense, Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew male children to be cast into the Nile. Hence the Hebrew proverb, "When the tale of bricks is doubled, then comes Moses." As in the case of Joseph, we see at once the collision between G.o.d's plan and that of earth's greatest monarch. G.o.d's plan was that Moses must live; Pharaoh's plan, that Moses must die. Again we see the successful issue of G.o.d's plan, and the overthrow of the human plan.

In carrying out his plan, G.o.d makes use of a mother's wit, a sister's fidelity, a woman's curiosity, and a baby's tears. For all this read carefully Exodus 2:1-10. These are the minute links in the chain of G.o.d's providence which, welded together, restore that babe to his mother's arms in less than twenty-four hours, now with the shield of royalty protecting him. Had any one of these links broken, Moses' fate might have been sealed.

#35.# As ill.u.s.trating these links, in a different sphere, read the following: Professor Darwin tells that he noticed that pansies would not grow wild near English villages, but would grow far away from them. Investigation revealed that in English villages dogs go at large. Where dogs go at large, cats must stay at home; where cats stay at home, field-mice abound; where field-mice abound, b.u.mblebees' nests are destroyed; where b.u.mblebees' nests are destroyed, there in no fertilization of pollen. Therefore, where there are dogs, there are no wild pansies. Apply this to the case in hand. No mother's wit, no ark of bulrushes; no ark no sister's watch-care, and no chance to arouse the curiosity of the princess. Therefore, no discovery of the babe weeping. Consequently, no saving of the future deliverer of his people. Thus G.o.d worked through natural agencies to thwart the decree of Pharaoh. During these forty years Moses enjoyed all the educational advantages of the most civilized nation of that day. So he was prepared by the king himself to deliver the Hebrews from his control.

#36. Life as Shepherd in the Desert.#--Moses' life at court came to a sudden end, through his patriotic effort to deliver one of his race from the cruelty of an Egyptian. As a result he had to flee for his life, as even Pharaoh could not defend him for slaying one of the ruling race for cruelty to a mere slave. For forty years we find him on the Sinaitic peninsula, herding sheep. These must have been years of deep thought. Often he must have wondered why G.o.d had given him such deliverance, only to let him languish in the desert while at the same time his people, whom he might have helped, were ground down under the heel of the taskmaster. At the same time these years of solitude must have been rich in opportunity for meditation and communion upward. The city is not the best place for deep thought.

Elijah was no city man, neither was John the Baptist. In solitude these men learned much that the city never could teach them.

#37. Life as a Leader of G.o.d's People in the Desert.#--His life of solitude came to a sudden close, when G.o.d called to him out of the midst of the burning bush, and bade him return to Egypt and deliver his people. At first Moses begged to be excused, for he doubtless well remembered that because of his effort to deliver _one_ Hebrew, he had been an exile for forty years. How then could he succeed in delivering _a nation_? But on G.o.d's promise to be with him, he and his brother Aaron undertook the task.

#38.# Here we note the collision between G.o.d's plan and that of the king. G.o.d's plan is, Let my people go. Pharaoh's plan is, they shall stay right here. So the battle was joined. Note that Pharaoh, as a result of the consecutive plagues, relents and tries compromises. For these read carefully the story of the plagues, noting especially these pa.s.sages: Exodus 8:8, 15, 25, 32; Exodus 9:28, 35; Exodus 10:11, 20, 24, 28. And at last, when his pride is utterly broken, comes Exodus 12:31.

#39.# Then came that night, much to be observed, on which Israel marched out in triumph, while Egypt mourned, and Pharaoh repented ever resisting the divine command. To this day all Jews observe that great night, called the night of the Pa.s.sover.

#40.# Under the crags of Mount Sinai, Moses spent one year with his people. That was a most significant year, as there he received the ten commandments, and the instructions as to the building of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. There, too, he received directions as to the sacrifices that were to be typical of that great sacrifice on Mount Calvary, hundreds of years later. There, too, he had his bitter experience with his people in the matter of the worship of the golden calf; a presage of much that was to follow in the history of that wonderful but stiffnecked people as they continued their journeys through the wilderness.

#41.# Mark in the life of this wonderful man the incredible contrast between his highest and his lowest moods. In his agony over the idolatry of his people while he was on the Mount receiving the ten commandments, Moses pleads with G.o.d for them, and even goes so far as to beg that, if need be, his own name might be blotted out of G.o.d's book. If he or the people must perish, let it be he, and not the people. This is most n.o.ble, and reminds one of what Paul later on said, in the same strain (Rom. 9:1-3). Yet later on Moses yields to incomprehensible murmuring, when the people have again transgressed.

"Moses was displeased. And Moses said unto Jehovah--Have I conceived all this people?... that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom?... I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand" (Num. 11:10-15). Is this the same man who speaks in the matter of the golden calf, as we saw above? And in this extraordinary fall we learn a lesson of humility and self-distrust. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

#42.# At last, after forty years of wandering, Israel is on the borders of the Land of Promise, but on account of his unadvised speech, Moses is not permitted to enter. On Mount Nebo he dies, alone, and there G.o.d lays his body away until the great resurrection day.

#43.# But again we see Moses. This time not outside of the Land of Promise, but in the midst of it. On the Mount of Transfiguration he appears, and this time with Israel's great prophet, Elijah, and with Israel's Messiah. There they talk of the death so soon to be accomplished in Jerusalem. Then he and the prophet return to the spirit world.

#44.# Yet once more Moses is brought to our attention. On the Isle of Patmos, John in vision sees and hears much of what goes on in the eternal world of bliss. And lo, he hears the ransomed sing the song of Moses and the Lamb (Rev. 15:3). To this man is given the privilege accorded to none other of the sons of men, to have his name coupled with that of the Son of G.o.d in the glad songs of heaven. Truly a privilege so exalted that we cannot possibly magnify it too much!

Test Questions

Into what three divisions does Moses' life fall?

State the plan of G.o.d and man in relation to this babe.

Give the links in the carrying out of G.o.d's plan, on the birth of the child.

What ill.u.s.tration is given to make these links more clear?

What event terminated Moses' life at court?

How long did his desert life as shepherd last?

What brought this period of his life to its close?

Give again the conflict between the plan of G.o.d and that of Pharaoh with regard to the people.

Give the various attempts at compromise on the part of Pharaoh.

Where did Israel spend the first year after the Exodus?

What two great revelations did Moses receive at Sinai?

Give the two instances of Moses' action that are apparently contradictory to each other.

Where did Moses die?

Why could he not enter the Land of Promise?

Where do we next meet him?

Give the final mention of this man in the Word.

Test Questions for Review

Introduction to Lesson 5

1. Give the reasons why the following periods are important.

Patriarchal; Mosaic; of Elijah and Elisha; of the Messiah.

2. Name the four periods in which the narrative amplifies and miracles multiply.

3. Give the extent of the first, second, and third periods.

4. Give two divisions of period four.

5. What was the cause of the division of the United Kingdom?

6. Give the names of the chief actors in the first period of Bible history.

7. Name the great characters of the Old Testament up to David.

8. Who were buried in the Cave of Machpelah?

9. Into what two sections may we divide Joseph's life?

10. Into whose household did Joseph go in Egypt?

11. What two peculiar facts may be noted with regard to Joseph's body?