p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 49. (12/4/1901)

LESSON 10.—DECEMBER 8.—MOSES AND PHARAOH.

Lesson Scripture, Ex. 11:1-10, R.V.

1 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. 4 And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.”

Golden Text.—“The angel of His presence saved them.” Isa. 63:9.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) After the ninth plague brought upon Egypt, what did the Lord say to Moses? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What was Moses commanded to say to the Israelites? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) How did the Lord help in this matter? How was Moses regarded by the Egyptians? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) At what time did the Lord say He would go out into Egypt? Verse 4. (5) What great calamity would He bring? Verse 5. Note 4. (6) What would be the effect upon the people? Verse 6. (7) What indicates the total exemption of the Israelites? Verse 7. Note 5. (8) What would be the result of this terrible visitation? After delivering this last message to the king, what did Moses do? Verse 8. Note 6. (9) What then did the Lord say to Moses? What would the Lord have done, had Pharaoh hearkened unto Him? Verse 9. Note 7. (10) What was the result of the wonders wrought by Moses and Aaron? Verse 10. Note 8.

NOTES.

1. Nine plagues had preceded this, the last one, darkness for three days, had called forth a promise from Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go, but he afterward refused. Now the Lord will strive no longer with him.

2. It was an ancient custom for masters to give presents to servants going out from their service, as a recognition of their labors. So the Israelites, in asking for presents, were simply asking for that which would be deemed their due according to custom. The word “borrow” in the Common Version is misleading.

3. It is natural for people to deem the instrument great through whom the Lord does anything wonderful. But even Christ gave credit to the Father for the mighty works which He did. John 14:10.

4. That the plagues should have to be increased in severity to such an extent before men would yield to the demand of God, shows a depth of obstinacy almost incomprehensible. No wonder that “Egyptian darkness” became the synonym of total depravity.

5. “Shall not a dog move his tongue” is an expression of the total exemption of Israel from any infliction. And the fact of this exemption of God’s people showed beyond doubt that the plagues were sent by His power. It was a convincing sign to both Egypt and Israel.

6. The hot anger of Moses as he went out from Pharaoh for the last time represented the anger of the

Lord, and that he would not strive with the enemies of His people any longer. That act was a type of the close of probation, when the wrath of God will be poured out without mixture upon the world of wickedness.

7. It was of no use to multiply wonders before a people who would not hearken. The Lord is long-suffering, even beyond all understanding on the part of His creatures, but to the incorrigibly rebellious there comes an end of all overtures when their determined resistance is thoroughly manifested. Had Pharaoh hearkened to the Lord, wonders would have been multiplied in Egypt, but of a far different character from those that were displayed.

8. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart by persisting in opposing his wickedness, and by withdrawing the grieved Spirit. When the wicked will not yield to the appeals of the Holy Spirit, the effect is always hardening to the unrepentant heart. The more stubborn the resistance, the harder becomes the heart. The disposition to favor the Lord’s people is always exasperating to Satan and his agents.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED

By A. G. L.

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LUCY SHOWERS

By Lucy Showers

Witness No. 4

I am reading “Power for Witnessing” for the third time now, and when I go visiting I take it along and read it to my neighbors. As I do this they say, “That is the truth.”

LUCY SHOWERS

Prescott, Iowa

A Little Talk with Gift-Makers

By Editor

There are now less than one hundred copies of above-mentioned booklet left, but while any remain they will be sent free to inquirers. They tell all about our latest book offer.

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Good Things in the Signs

By Editor

There are many good things in the SIGNS this week. There are every week, for that matter. Will not our readers help us to more rapidly increase its circulation?

We give in our Home department a good story by Hart Hall. Professor Griggs' article on nature study did not come to hand this week in time. The articles will be resumed next week. The two following are “Magnetism and Electricity” and “Sound.”

A Mine of Wealth.—Do you wish a veritable mine of Bible instruction, a great spiritual helper which will continually unfold to you new beauties of the Word of God and the life of Christ? If you do, then purchase and read, “The Desire of Ages.” There is no book apart from the Bible that equals it. It is a wellspring of blessed instruction.

The Name.—There appeared in the SIGNS a few weeks ago, in the Mission department, a little sketch entitled, “The Name.” It told in a simple touching manner the power of the name of Jesus to save a shipwrecked soul. There has been such a call for that paper that we have published the article in tract form, as a number of the Apples of Gold Library. It is just the thing for Christian workers everywhere. See advertisement on page 11.

Martin Luther, the four hundred and eighteenth anniversary of whose birth was celebrated by Lutherans November 10, was a mighty figure in the great Reformation of the sixteenth century; but he was not the One, nor the only one used. The One in that Reformation who is worthy of all honor is Jesus Christ. The Reformation was of Him—all that was true. All that was not of Him, all that was of man, was not true, and utterly failed of its purpose. God used Martin Luther, but He also used John Wickliffe, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague before him. He used William Tyndale, and Ulric Zwingli, and others, as truly as He used Martin Luther. If the Protestant church had followed the principle of adherence to the Word as sole authority, there would not have been the multitude of churches to-day which we now see. There would not have been the clamoring for civil power which is so evident among Protestant denominations. Luther rejected the aid of the civil magistrate. Why do his followers seek it and use it? The Protestant church has much light now that Luther had not, but it is, as a whole, a long way behind Luther in living up to the light.

One of the latter-day characteristics, as given by Paul in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 is that of wilfulness. Men are said to be “heady” or “headstrong,” not willing to take counsel or advice. O, there is so much of it. Young men and women think they know it all, and despise the advice of parents and friends. They do not realize that “he that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul; but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.” Nevertheless it is true.

It Would Not Be Hard if It Were There.—Oftentimes it is stated, as in a leaflet before us, that some one will prove that Sunday is the only Bible Sabbath. But the some one does not do it. If a Bible-Sabbath man is asked for proof that the seventh day is the Sabbath, he need only reply in the words of God’s eternal law: “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Now if the Bible Sabbath is the first day, why do not its advocates present the proof? It would not be hard to do if the proof were in the Bible. But it is not there; and that is why we have so many fanciful theories and contradictions among Sunday advocates.

The Study of Man

There is considerable agitation just now over the establishment of a national bureau for the special study of man. A circular, making a plea for this, has the following:—

The greatest of all studies is that of man himself as he is to-day. A scientific investigation of man must be based primarily upon the individual, who is the unit of the social organism.

If we are ever to have sufficient definite knowledge of living human beings that may become a science, it can only be done by the careful study of large numbers of individuals. The more thorough the study and the larger the number, the more useful such investigation can be made to society.

The study of man, to be of most utility, must be directed first to the causes of crime, pauperism, alcoholism, and other forms of abnormality.

As in machinery we must first repair the little wheels out of gear, so in society we must first study the criminal, crank, insane, inebriate, or pauper who can seriously injure both individual and community.

The most rigid and best method of study of both children and adults is that of the laboratory, with instruments of precision in connection with sociological data.

A scientist not believing more, could plan for no more than what is here included; but he would never arrive at anything like an exact science concerning man. He would gather very many interesting facts, in general and detail, regarding heredity and environment, etc.; he would demonstrate many facts which man already knows; he would by instruments of precision tell us the amount of pain which could be borne by individuals, the strength and relative strength of each organ, and many other interesting things; but, after all, he could not evolve by any of these studies a knowledge of man or find the causes of degeneracy. He looks for knowledge at the wrong source; he begins at the wrong end.

The important thing above all for man to know is God. It was a great burden of Christ’s prayer that His children might know God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. John 17:3. It is eternal life to know Him. But of man it is said: “The heart is ‘deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?—I the Lord.” Only God can know man. It is only through God that we can learn man. The Bible reveals the science of man, but only through the knowledge of God.

To know man aright we must not begin at the lowest. To know a forest we would not study the dry, dead trunks or stumps. To know the fruit of an apple-tree we would not seek out rotten specimens. Even so to know man we must begin our study with the subject as he came from the hands of God. All below that are perversions caused by sin, the cause of all the wickedness, woe, and want of this world. The most important thing is to know God.

ANTI-CIGARET LEAGUE.

November 24th was the day set apart by the American Anti-cigaret League as a day for delivering to the cigaret a genuine "body blow." The League confidently expected on that day to secure one million new members. It now numbers within its ranks 300,000 boys and girls who have pledged themselves not to smoke cigarets or use tobacco in any form until they are at least 21 years old. It is hoped that by the time they have reached that age, they will have seen so much of the folly of its use that they will have no desire ever to take it up. This effort is certainly a commendable one; for the cigaret is to-day blighting the life prospects of many thousands of boys. Nor are boys the only ones who fall victims to this vile and destructive habit; for in many places girls as well as boys have taken up the practise. The object for which the League is organized is one for whose success every well-wisher of humanity has a right to hope. As a result of the agitation carried on in various States against the cigaret, there has been a considerable falling off in its manufacture. In several States laws have been passed, making the sale of cigarets to minors unlawful.

An Awful Conception.

A tract before us has the following paragraph, among others of kindred thought:—

Some sinners presume on the mercy of God, and wonder that He should damn a human spirit to everlasting torment. Such people do not take into consideration the fact that the substance spirit which creates life and consciousness is in all creatures the very same breath of God that makes God immortal. And that the difference between an evil and a good spirit is, not of any corruption of substance, per se, but it is moral corruption; and even as God can not extinguish His own Spirit He must needs also create a place, a prison and a hell, to confine all sin-polluted spirits, angelic or human. His holiness demands it.

Think of it! God has made immortal creatures without any choice of their own; made them of a part of Himself; and now that He has gotten Himself in this dilemma, He must create a place where these parts of Himself shall be tormented to all eternity! God's holiness demands nothing of the sort. “The wages of sin is death.” “The soul that sinneth it shall die.” “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The wicked “shall not be;” they “shall be as tho they had not been.” All this is Bible truth. And it is not only true because God's holiness demands it; the reward of the wicked is the inevitable result of his own sowing; for “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” When the wicked are destroyed, “they eat of the fruit of their own way.” And they do all this contrary to the desire of God; for “as I ‘live’ saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the ‘death’ of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Why will Christians misrepresent God?

The Power of a Good Example

“A good example,” said an African preacher, “is the tallest kind of preaching.” And he was right. When Daniel’s enemies sought occasion against him, they could find nothing in his private or public life by which to condemn him. They must resort to condemnation because of his devotion to the law of his God. No one could justly bring anything against the character of Christ. As a man He was an example for all in every respect. So the Spirit says, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” 1 Peter 4:15, 16. “We are made a spectacle unto the world” (1 Cor. 4:9), therefore a good example is incumbent upon us, for the sake of the cause we represent. “Actions speak louder than words.”

“Popular Remedies.”

—How much many of the illustrated advertisements of popular remedies may be depended upon is pointedly indicated in the following anecdote clipped from the New York Christian Advocate:—

A noted woman went to a photographer’s one day to sit for her portrait.

“I want you to print one or two photographs from the negative without retouching it,” she said. “But let the others be finished in your best style.”

“May I ask your reason for that?” he asked.

“To be sure,” she replied. “A manufacturer of cosmetics wants me to furnish him my ‘before using’ and ‘after using’ portraits for an illustrated advertisement in one of the magazines.”

These Are Evil Days, but the Christian Need Not Fear

These are evil days, but the Christian need not fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.