The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-12-05
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
International Lesson Comments For
December 8.
Subject Moses and Pharaoh, Ex. xi., lilo
Golden Text, lisa. xviii, 9--Memory
Verses, 4'7--commentary on
the Days Lesson.

tne Day LESSON
Iltroduction.-Moses asked that they
might 90 three days Journey into the will.
derness, where they would be free from
all intrusion, aud where the worship of
God which had been neglected could be
revived Many seem to think that this
proposition on the part of Moses was not
sincere, and that he intended to go and
not return. But there is no suggestion
that any such dupicty was planned.
They would have gone and worshipped
and returned, had they been permitted
to do SO; and then God would have made
further demands upon Pharoah. 1t is
not necessary for Jehovah to resort to
triclSery in order to accomplish His pur-
poses.
l. "The Lord said" Or. as some think.
the Lord had said, at some time in the
PAST. Verses l-3 are evidently thrown
IN here in parenthesis, as verses AS seem
to be continuation of the interview
Moses was having with Pharaoh at the
close of the preceding chapter. Pharaoh
had ordered Moses to leave his presence.
and threatened him with death il he saw
his face again 10:2S, 29); and Moses said
he would see his face no more, but be.
fore he left Pharaoh he threatened him
with the death of the first born. 1t was
a. terrible threat, but was carried out to
the letter soon after l2:29-33. "Onc
plague more" One more heavy blow must
fall upon this hard-hearted monarch and
his land ere he will be compelled to let
go the favored objects of Jehovah's SOW
ereign grace. The king of Egypt had am
pie warning of the terrible calamity that
was to come upon them, and if he had
repented and humbled himself it might
have been averted.
.. "Let every man borrow" etc. Let
them ask every man" etc. r. V. Bor-
row is a wrong and misleading transla-
ton. God commanded the Israelites to
ask or demand a certain recompense for
their past services, and He inclined the
hearts of the Egyptians to give literally;
and this, far from being matter of op-
preston, wrong, or even charity, was no
more, than very partial recompense for
the long and painful services which we
may say 100000 Israeltes had rendered
TO Egypt, during many years. There can
re 10 doubt that during their servitude
the Profits of their labor went wholly to
the Egyptians God has many ways of
balancing accounts of righting the op-
pressed, and compelling those who have
done wrong to make restitution. Jew
els" etc. The work translated "iewels"
may be translated ARTICLES or goods"
The lsraelites received gold and silver,
probably both in coin and in plate of diff
fcrent kinds
8. 'Very great" Because Of the mira
cles he had wrought and the plaques he
had brought upon the people. "This seems
to , be mentioned m as a reason why no. at
tempt had been made against his life"
4. About midnight" Gods judgments
come upon sinners when they least expect
It, and in their moments of fancied secur-
lty.- The darkness can not hide from God
we know not what will be in the approach
ing night The wicked may awake to find
that the stern messenger of eternal justice
gpIZnH / nt,tf
In this last plague God is represented as
descending in person. This was designed
to impress Pharaoh with the terrible char
acter of the next judgment.
.. THE first born" 1t has been sug-
gested that this might not in every case
as that child might now have been dead or
absent; but, inasmuch as there was not a
house where there was not one dead
(l2; 3O), the word in some cases must have
meant the most eminent" or the "best
beloved" In this sense the term is fre-
quently used. Behind the mill" The
poor captive slave employed in the hardest
labor. 1t was the custom then, as it is
with the Arabs at present, to grind their
corn with hand.mills, turned by their WON.
en-. servants, who, for that purpose, stood
behind the mill.
6. Great cry" The Egyptians were
excessive in their manifestations of grief.
selves, and when a relative died they ran
into the streets and howled in the most la
mentable and frantic manner" How
dreadful must have been the scene when
there was one dead in every house No
such wall ever went up before or since.
Z. 'Shall not a dog" etc. The Israel
ties were not only to be free from death,
but they were to depart without being mo-
Tested in any way; the dogs would not even
bark at them. Doth put difference"
The Egyptians were crying, helpless,
frightened, dead. The Israeltes were
quiet, peaceful, protected, blessed. So the
Lord always puts difference between His
people and His enemies One has the
to come; the other has nothing to expect
but indignation and wrath from the hands
of an offended God
8. Get thee out" See the fulilment
of this in Elk. u; Sl-36.. "In great an
ger" 'In hot anger"-R V. "Moses
was not in an unholy passion; he was
grieved at the perversity of wicked soul"
10. ''The Lord hardened Pharaoh's
heart" God is sometimes said to do
what He merely permits to be done, be-
cause He can not wisely prevent it. But,
by studying the narrative it will be seen
that Pharoah hardened his own heart.
Harden is used nineteen times in this
account. Eleven times God is said to
harden Pharaoh's heart, five times the
simple statement is made that it was
hardened, and three times it is said that
he hardened it himself. 'In the narrative
of what actually took place, it is not till
after the sixth plague that it is said that
the Lord hardened his heart, and cnly
after the eighth plague is the agency cx-
clusiyely ascribed to God"