The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-12-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
for December =, 10O1-Moses
ana Pharaoh.
THE LESSON TEXT.

EXODUS II :1-10.)
1. And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet Will
bring one plague more 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.
g. Speak now In the ears Of the people,
and let every man borrow 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.
l. And Moses said. Thus saith the Lord.
About midnight will go out into the midst
of Egypt:
g. And all the firstborn in the land Of
Egypt shall die, from the irstborn OF
Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even
unto the frstborn Of the maldservant that
is behind the mill, and all the firstborn OF
beasts.
g. And there shall be a great cry through
out all the land of Egypt, such as there was
none like 1t. nor shall be like 1t any more.
T. 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 difference be-
tween the Egyptians and Israel.
s. And all these thy servants shall come
down unto me. and bow down themselves
people that follow thee: and after that
will go out. And he went out from
Pharaoh in a great anger
o. And the Lord said unto Moses. Pharaoh
shall not hearken unto you: that my won
ders 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, so that he
would not let the children OF Israel go out
of his land.
GOLDEN TExT.-The angel of his
presence saved them.-Is 83,D.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The complete story of this most in
teresting period is found in chapters
to II, inclusive. The events record
ed took place B. c. 1401.
Conflict Begun (Ex. 5:1-7:13).-The
first demand on Pharaoh was reason
able. hut would be granted only il
Pharaoh recognized the authority Of
Jehovah. 1t was not intended to de-
ceive him, but only to test him. The
first result of the demand was not
merely contemptuous refusal, but an
increase of lsraers burden.
The Plaques (Ex. 7:14-10:29).-
There were ten plaques in all, nine Of
which had passed when Moses had the
interview with Pharaoh recorded in
the lesson. The first was a defiling
of the sacred river Nile, on whose con-
stancy and purity the comfort Of
Egypt depends. The frogs of the sec.
ond plague were loathsome and noisy;
the gnats or mosquitoes (rather than
'lice") of the third plague were annoy
ing on account of their sting; the flies
of the fourth came in immense
swarms, so that they interfered with
health as well as with comfort. The
fifth plague was an epidemic among
cattle. which destroyed many of the
beasts; while the boils of the sixth
plague broke out upon both man and
beast, and may have been some erup-
tive disease resembling smallpox in
some of its symptoms. though II is not
described as very dangerous to life.
The two plaques following injured the
agriculture which is Egypt's chief re-
lance. The hail was destructive. to
cattle and early crops. while the To-
Gusts completed the work Of destruc-
tion. The darkness may have been
due to strong wind bringing up a
dusty cloud from the desert. Such
storms are not unknown In Egypt.
The plaques were sent to show that
Jehovah is greater than all the gods
Of Egypt G2:12).
The Last Warning LEX. 11:1-1O).-
The last warning to Pharaoh was
given by Moses under Gods assur-
ance that the end was at hand. The
Jewels which the Hebrews were to get
were not to be BORROWED" in our
modern sense OF the word, but asked
for. The gifts would only partly make
up for the years pa ssed by the Hebrews
in hard labor without pay. In spite Of
Moses declarr ton to Pharaoh in 10: go,
he seems to have taken to him warming
of the last plague. Oriental families
give more distinction to the Oldest
son than is common in America not
only In the distribution Of property,
but also by way of love and honor.
The plague. touching all classes Of SO.
ciety, and even cattle, was therefore
the most terrible that could be con-
ceived. Moses "hot anger" against
Pharaoh was justified, as was the sim.
liar wrath of Jesus against the Phari.
sees Matt 23), by long and obstinate
opposition to- the messages of God.
In verse 10 occurs that standing puz.
zle, the words: "The Lord harde ned
Pharaoh's heart" To the Hebrew
writer. to whom everything that hap
,pened was an act of God, these words
are precisely similar to the words:
Pharaoh hardened his heart" The
Lord had determined to free Israel;
Pharaoh might yield or resist