20. The Pursuit. Pharaoh's Host Drowned. After God had given further instructions relative to the keeping of the passover, he commanded the Israelites14 to 'sanctify their firstborn unto him, as a memorial of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt.5 'Moses took the bones of Joseph with him from Egypt. And the Lord went before the people by day in a 'pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of 'fire, to give them light. The Egyptians repented that they had let the Israelites go, and Pharaohs and his host pursued them. They overtook them encamping by the Red Sea, beside Pi-hahiroth. And when Pharaoh and his host of chariots and horsemen drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were *sore afraid; and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord; and they said unto Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." And Moses said unto the people, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." By the command of God, Moses was to lift up his rod over the sea, and the water would divide, that the Israelites might pass through the midst of it. The angel of God then went behind the camp of the Israelites; the cloud also removed from before their face, and stood behind them; and it was darkness to the Egyptians, but it gave light by 'night to the people of Israel; so that the one came not near the other all the night. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, the waters were divided, and the children of Israel passed through the sea on dry ground. The Egyptians pursued them into the midst of the sea, with their chariots and horses. Moses, by the command of God, again stretched his hand over the sea; the waters returned, and Pharaoh and his host were drowned. Thus the Lord saved Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. Red Sea-called also the Arabian Gulf, separates Arabia on the east from Egypt and Abyssinia on the west; it is about 1,400 miles in length, and averages 140 in width. Pi-hahiroth-'opening of the valley,' an encampment of the Israelites on the Red Sea, to which they were pursued by Pharaoh's host. EXPLANATIONS. further instructions, &c.-viz., no stranger was to eat thereof until he was circumcised; a lamb was to be taken for each house, both for fellowship and for the entire consumption of the animal; a bone of it was not to be broken; all the con gregation were to keep the feast. sanctify, &c.-your firstborn were saved when God's avenging wrath_struck down all the firstborn of Egypt (Les.19) dedicate them therefore to my special service, for I have redeemed them. Moses took, &c.-when the embalmers had delivered up the body to the friends of the deceased, encased in a coffin of sycamore wood, it was usually placed upright against the wall of the house, where it remained for many years. Probably Joseph's remains were so retained, ready for removal whenever the Lord should deliver Israel. pillar, &c.-the cloud rising perpendicularly in their front, supplied at once the place of guides, charts or maps, and afforded a shade from the scorching heat by day, as well as light by night. fire-this luminous and miraculous meteor was necessary for showing them the dangers of the untrodden path. pursued, &c.-confident of bringing back their former captives, who they concluded were entangled in the wilderness; for instead of marching across the isthmus of Suez, the Israelites had, according to God's direction, turned and traversed the narrow strait between the western shore of the Red Sea, and the mountains of Hiroth. Thus they were hemmed in. the cloud...removed, &c.-this miraculous interposition placed a wall of partition between the Israelites and their enemies. He who divided the light from the darkness, still directs and controls both. Thus the Israelites did not see the terrors which menaced them. night-this was not a moonlight night for it was seven days after the full moon, so that they had no light but from the pillar of fire. It was probably the last day of eating unleavened bread. pursued, &c.-the first check the Egyptians received was the loss of their chariot wheels; they were ignorant of the danger into which their rashness had led them. Moses... stretched, &c.-his outstretched arm had opened the way of escape for Israel, now he again obeys the command of God and the drowning of the infant Hebrews (Les. 17) is avenged, for the waters return, and the dead bodies of the Egyptians are washed upon the sands. QUESTIONS. What further instructions did God give respecting the observance of the passover-feast? Why were the firstborn sanctified? Describe to me the peculiarly suitable methods, both of guidance and protec tion which God employed. What were the feelings of the Egyptians, and what did they do? How did the Israelites feel when they saw the Egyptians marching after them? In what words did they reproach Moses? What did Moses say to allay their fears? How was Moses directed to act for the escape of the Israelites? What miraculous interposition hid the Israelites from their enemies? What was the consequence of this extraordinary manifestation of God's providence for Israel? How can you account for the infatuation of the Egyptians in entering the sea? What was the first check they received? In what way were they effectually punished? PRECEPTIVE LESSONS. When "the chief of (all the) strength" of Egypt fell beneath the sword of God's destroying angel the blood sprinkled Israelites remained untouched; such a mercy demanded a suitable acknowledgment, which God required in the dedication of all the firstborn of Israel to him. Here therefore the duty of giving the first, the best of all our endowments to his service is plainly intimated. The zealous and self-denying leaders of great enterprizes have often had to complain of the cowardice and ingratitude of those under their command; so was it with Moses, yet how inexcusable were the murmurings of those for whose benefit he had renounced regal honours, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God." The blind and headlong fury of Pharaoh hurried him and his army to an untimely grave. Here we see the folly and wickedness of indulging in cruelty and revenge. Rage made the Egyptians daring and inconsiderate, and thus the ruin of sinners is brought on by their own presumption. 21. The Bitter Water. The Manna. Amalek Conquered. Exodus xiv. 30-xix. 13. When Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore, they 'feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses. Then the Israelites1 sang a song of praise to God. They entered the wilderness of Shur, and after three days' journey came to Marah, where the waters were bitter. They murmured, saying, “What shall we drink?" The Lord showed Moses a tree, which he cast into the waters, and they were made sweet. They came to "Elim, where were 'twelve wells of water, and three-score-and-ten palm trees; here they encamped. They left Elim, and came into the Wilderness of Sin. Here they murmured against Moses and Aaron because they wanted bread. Then the Lord said unto Moses, "I will 'rain 'bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day." On the sixth day they were to gather a double portion, because the morrow was the sabbath, when there should be none. A pot of the 'manna was laid up, and kept; so that their children might see the food with which the Lord had fed them in the wilderness. The Israelites again murmured against Moses, because they wanted 'water. God told Moses to smite the rock in Horeb, 17 and water should come out of it, that the people might drink, and Moses did so, and the Israelites drank. The Amalekites came to fight against Israel at **Rephidim. Moses stood on the top of the hill, and held up the rod of God during the battle; when he held up his hand Israel prevailed, but when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed. Moses' hands were heavy; so Aaron and Hur seated him on a stone and stayed up his hands until the going down of the sun, when the Amalekites were discomfited. And the Lord said unto Moses, "Write this for a memorial in a book, and 'rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; for I will 'utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." After leaving Rephidim the Israelites came into the Wilderness of Sinai. God called to Moses out of **Mount Sinai, saying, "Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my 'covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." The Lord then commanded him to sanctify the people, for the third day he would come down in sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, advised him to appoint rulers to assist him in the government of the people. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. Marah-a place in the wilderness of Shur three days' journey from the Red Sea, where the water was bitter. Elim-the place at which the Israelites encamped after they left Marah. Mount Sinai-the celebrated mountain in Horeb, on which God delivered the ten commandments to Moses. Les. 22. On Sinai the plan of the tabernacle was shown to Moses. EXPLANATIONS. feared, &c.-the evidences of His Almighty power, as shown in their deliverance, and in His vengeance upon the Egyptians filled them with awe. sang a song-it was sung in alternate parts by Miriam, who led the womensingers, by Moses, and in grand chorus by all the people. bitter-travellers inform us that there is a well of bitter water, called Hawara, on the eastern coast of the gulf of Suez. showed,Sc.-hence a miraculous disclosure. a tree-the Arabs know of no tree possessing the property of sweetening bitter water; but the sassafras is used in Florida for this purpose; and it is reasonably supposed that the first use of tea in China was to take away a bad flavour, and to impart a better. twelve wells, &c.-Dr. Shaw says he saw nine of them; the other three were stopped up with sand; but instead of 70 palm trees, there were no fewer * than 2,000. rain, &c.-it presented the appearance of globules, it was like the coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. bread-the process of preparation was similar to that of grain; it was bruised or ground, and then baked, and made cakes of, and the taste of it was like the taste of fresh oil. manna-Heb., Manhu, What is this?'the exclamation of the people when they first saw it. It had the following remarkable qualities. 1. It only fell on six days of the week, and not on the sabbath. 2. A double quantity fell on the sixth day as a supply for the sabbath. 3. That which was gathered on the first five days became putrid if kept more than one day, but that which was gathered on the sixth day remained sweet for two days. 4. It sustained above two millions of souls forty years, and ceased to fall after the Israelites had entered Canaan. Les. 30. water-hey had probably dug for it in vain; they then reproached Moses and were almost ready to stone him. rehearse it, &c.-that he who was to be the leader of Israel after Moses might never enter into any league with them; to him was to be committed the execution of the decree. utterly, Sc.-because they were the first of the Canaanitish nations who displayed bitter hostility towards the covenant-conditions people of Israel. on which God would bless and acknowledge them. CONTEMPORARY CHARACTERS. HUR-a man of the tribe of Judah who attached himself to Moses and Aaron. Josephus, the Jewish historian, says he was the husband of Miriam. JOSHUA-the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, he was the assistant of Moses during his life, and his successor at his death. Les. 30. He was the victorious commander of the Israelites at Rephidim and the intelligent representative of his tribe in the exploration of Canaan. Les. 25. HOBAB-the son of Jethro; some commentators consider that it was Hobab who recommended the appointment of subordinate rulers, to aid Moses in the government of the people. QUESTIONS. What effect had the destruction of the Egyptians upon the Israelites? How long did their feelings last? What lesson does this teach us? By what means were the waters of Marah made sweet At what place did Israel next encamp? Where did the people first lack bread? How did God provide for them? In what place was manna first sent? Mention some of the particular properties of this food. For how long were the Israelites supplied with it? me What event occurred at Horeb? PRECEPTIVE LESSONS. We learn from this lesson that great deliverances call for songs of grateful adoration; singing is the mode of expressing holy joy, prayer of uttering holy desires. We see the sin of unbelief exhibited in the murmurings of Israel, let us hence learn that the fearful and unbelieving shall never enter the heavenly Canaan. The control of the divine Being over the means of human existence is manifested in his miraculous provision for the wants of the Israelites-he gave "them of the corn of heaven," and "brought streams also out of the rock." is shown in the success which resulted from the l'fting up of Moses' hands, while The efficacy of prayer the doom of Amalek shows God's abhorrence of the wantonness of a warlike spirit. 22. The Delivery of the Law. Exodus xix. 14-xxiv. 18; xxxi. 18 The people were sanctified and gathered around the mountain, and the 'third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceedingly loud, so that all the people that were in the camp 'trembled. And God spake all these words, saying, "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 1st Commandment. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 2nd Commandment. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 3rd Commandment. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 4th Commandment. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 5th Commandment. Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. '6th Commandment. Thou shalt not kill. 7th Commandment. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8th Commandment. Thou shalt not steal. 9th Commandment. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 10th Commandment. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." When the people saw the law delivered amidst thunders and lightnings, and the mountain smoking, and heard the noise of the trumpet, they removed and stood afar off. The people were not allowed to touch the mountain, because it was sanctified by the presence of God's glory. The glory of God was on Mount Sinai21 six days, and on the seventh day God called Moses up to the mount, and he remained there forty days and forty nights. Then God gave him the 'two tables of stone, with the ten commandments written on them. |