Lord [Hebrew, the Angel of Jehovah] appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed." Who was this Angel of Jehovah? He speaks to Moses from the midst of the shining flame, and declares himself to be the true God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. He proclaims also another name, a wonderful name, by which he may be known-What is it? "I AM THAT I AM;" this implies independent self-existence, underived, and eternal. The almighty voice commands Moses to return to Egypt, to collect the elders of Israel, and proclaim to them that the Lord God of their fathers had appeared to him, and commanded him to make known to his people, that the time for their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt had come. To Pharaoh also must he and the elders go, and demand the release of the Israelites: "The Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people, and heard their cry; I know their sorrows: come now, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people out of Egypt." How was Moses to prove that he was sent of God? He was endowed with the power of working miracles. EXOD. 4:4. God encouraged him by saying that the rod or staff which he held in his hand, should be transformed by his almighty power into a serpent, and afterwards he would cause it to return to the form of a rod. No such miracle could be wrought by human power, and those who beheld it must acknowledge that the agent acted by divine authority. What is a miracle? An event which does not occur in the ordinary course of nature, and is beyond the power of natural causes to produce: something which man cannot do without immediate aid from God. People may be deceived, and think they behold a miracle when they are imposed upon by artifice. But the miracles of Moses were wrought in public, before numerous witnesses, and in their nature and character were so open and conspicuous that the persons in whose presence they were performed could not be deceived. Who was joined with Moses, as herald or chief speaker? How old were the brothers when they stood before Pharaoh? What series of miracles subdued the proud heart of Pharaoh, and made him consent to set the Israelites free? The ten plagues. THE PLAGUES. 1. Water reddens to blood; ; 'Tis the last of the train. Go! go! is now the king's decree; This conquering plague sets Israel free. What ordinance was instituted to commemorate the departure from Egypt? The Passover; so called because the destroying angel passed over the houses of the Israelites when he slew the first-born of Egypt. What were the ceremonies of the Passover? A lamb was sacrificed, and the blood sprinkled upon he posts and lintel of every door, as a sign to the angel of death to pass by that house, and not enter on his fatal errand. The lamb was eaten by the household. What counterpart to this ordinance do we find under the gospel dispensation? The Lord's Supper, which has been commemorated by Christians from the day on which Christ rose from the dead to the present time. Christ is our Passover: he suffered death for us in the same month, and on the same day of the month, that Israel went out of Egypt. He frees us from the bondage of sin; and by his blood, through faith, we are preserved from the wrath of God, and led into a better country than was the promised land of the Israelites. The blood marked upon the door, is a symbol of our duty openly to profess our faith in Christ. "It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians.' EXOD. 12:27. "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." Co 5:7. THE DEPARTURE. At what period was the departure from Egypt? Four hundred and thirty years after the call of Abraham. Fourteen hundred and ninety-one years before Christ. What was the number of persons that left the country? Probably about three millions. The number of men was six hundred thousand, besides women and children. There went with them also a mixed multitude who were not true Israelites, but who, from various motives, followed in the train. The departing Israelites carried with them their flocks, herds, and effects. What a mighty host to break up their settlements, and march at once into an unknown country! BORROWING. With what were the Israelites, before their departure, freely furnished by the Egyptians? "They borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment." "And they spoiled the Egyptians." EXOD. 12:35, 36. |