Uncle Moses

“ Well, a body'd ought to take a bit o' trouble, now an' then, whilst they're little. It does take such a mere mite to make childern pleased. She—"
Poor Uncle Moses could bear no more. There had never been so many interesting things happening as since he had been in bed, unable to take part in them. Within his age-worn body beat the heart of a little child, and he was nearly frantic, imagining what might be going on beyond those closed barn doors and he shut out. [Pg 299]
"Clear out, Susanna Sprigg. Get away from that winder. ”

“ January 1, Sunday.—My uncle read to us the “Song of Moses,” after the escape of the Israelites from Pharaoh and his host. He then said; as nearly as I can recollect, “This beautiful composition is not only a thanksgiving for their memorable deliverance, but it contains also precise prophecies of the downfal of the nations of Palestine, with the settlement of the Israelites in their room; and of the establishment of the temple on Mount Zion, with the ultimate destruction of all idolatry. ”

“ Why may he not have become a true man of God, and transmitted to his tribe the memory and the example of a holy character? Certain it is that we find among his descendants in Egypt some very noble specimens of godliness. The mother of Moses, a daughter of the house of Levi, is a woman of incomparable faith. Moses, her son, is emphatically "the man of God." Aaron, his brother, moved by a Divine influence, goes to the wilderness to find him when the very crisis of oppression seems to indicate that God's time for the deliverance of Israel is drawing nigh. ”

“ Long study and retirement from the busy haunts of men have made him self-distrustful. He replies to the great I Am, "Who am I, that I should bring forth the Children of Israel out of Egypt? Behold, I am not eloquent; they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice." In spite of the miracle of the rod, Moses obeys reluctantly, and Aaron, his elder brother, is appointed as his spokesman. ”

“ It is quite another question whether there is any idea in the Decalogue which can be as old as Moses. It is urged by many critics that Moses cannot have prohibited the worship of Yahweh by images; for the subsequent history shows us a descendant of Moses as priest in the idolatrous sanctuary of Dan. There were teraphim in David’s house, and the worship of Yahweh under the image of a calf was the state religion of the kingdom of Ephraim. Even Moses himself is said to have made a brazen serpent which, down to Hezekiah’s time, continued to be worshipped at Jerusalem. ”

“ Which people would it have been most profitable for Moses to belong to—the Egyptians or the Hebrews? Sometimes we see a boy who is clever and fortunate separating himself from his family. How did Moses feel when he grew up and saw the sad condition of his people? ”

“ Miriam, the sister of Moses, then about ten or twelve years of age, who waited near by, asked Pharaoh's daughter if she might not find a nurse for her, and being allowed to do it, she called Jochebed, the child's mother. Thus her prayer was answered, and she had the care of the child besides.
He was named Moses, which signifies being taken out of the water. He was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and was treated in all respects as if he were the son of the princess. ”

“ Yet were they not content, but ever grudging, wherefore God smote them and took vengeance on them by a great plague and many died and were buried there. And then from thence they went into Hazeroth and dwelt. After this Miriam and Aaron, brother and sister of Moses, began to speak against Moses, because of his wife which was of Ethiopia, and said: God hath not spoken only by Moses, hath he not also spoken to us? Wherefore our Lord was wroth. Moses was the humblest and the meekest man that was in all the world. ”

“ But he was over-confident and determined to run it, rather than be baulked of his purpose,
“And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua; and Moses went up into the mount of God.
“And he said unto the elders, Tarry you here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: and if any man have matters to do, let him come unto them. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” ”

“ The rest of the tribes were on the eve of crossing the Jordan, when their great leader Moses was removed by death. The thirty days which the Israelites spent in mourning were not an excessive sacrifice. His loss was irreparable, and they felt themselves utterly bereft. Amongst all lawgivers, founders of states, and teachers of mankind, none has equalled Moses. Not only did he, under the most inauspicious circumstances, transform a horde of slaves into a nation, but he imprinted on it the seal of everlasting existence: he breathed into the national body an immortal soul. ”

“ It was a commission to lead Israel out of their bondage in Egypt into the land promised to their fathers.
Though very humble as to his fitness for such leadership, Moses was assured of Jehovah's presence and help. He was equipped with extraordinary powers for convincing the proud Pharaoh that his demands were God's demands; and he was given the aid of his brother Aaron, who had a readiness of speech which Moses at this time seems to have lacked. ”

“ Of this glory that is to be, Moses is promised no portion, and no place, and being meekest of all men that are upon the face of the earth, he is satisfied to be the humblest servant of his Lord. There is for him no glory but the glory of God. Moses has dwelt always, in spirit, in Egypt. He has never day or night ceased to think upon the bondage of his people. And who knows the purposes of Mizram better than this son of Israel that stands before you. He is the adopted son of Pharaoh’s great daughter. ”

“ You know the nation, that she has evil. 23 And they said to me: "Make us gods, who will go before us: because this Moses, the man who raised us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what happened to him."
24 And I said to them: for he who has gold, break it apart, and they will give to me, and I will throw it in fire, and this calf came out.
25 And Moses saw the nation, that it is unruly. That Aaron had let it be unruly, as an auspice to their opponents.
26 And Moses stood on the entrance of the camp, and said: "All of Yahweh, to me!" and all the sons of Levi gathered to him. ”

“ For the next forty years Moses led the life of a shepherd in the land of Midian, in gradual preparation for the great work he was to do later. He certainly learned patience and must have become familiar with the country through which he was to lead the children of Israel when the time of their deliverance from Egypt came. During this time the afflictions of the Israelites had been increased. Another Pharaoh ruled the land, but his reign brought no relief to the nation toiling under cruel taskmasters. ”

“ NOW after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. ”

“ Aaron came with all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. 018:013 It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. 018:014 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?" 018:015 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ”

“ He was a deliverer of his people out of bondage, and their guide through the wilderness, like Moses; a prince and a lawgiver, like Moses; the builder of the true tabernacle, as Moses was of the typical one. Moses was faithful as a servant, Christ as a Son. Moses was murmured against by Israel, defied by Pharaoh, yet God owned him, and ratified his commission. Moses was a pattern of meekness and patience, so is Christ. Moses died by the word of the Lord, so did Christ. ”

“ The love of parents for their children. If it had been discovered that Moses’ parents had hidden away a son, they would have been severely punished, and most likely put to death. Parents are willing to expose themselves to a great deal of danger for the sake of their children.
The confidence in God shown by Moses' parents. They did what they could to save the child, and prayed, full of confidence, to God to help them. Their confidence was not misplaced. He who trusts in God, builds on a sure foundation.
Compassion. The king’s daughter was a pagan, and yet she had a kind, compassionate heart. ”

“ Hedged in as they are, the Sons of Moses yet communicate with their brethren of the tribes of Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, who dwell near the banks of the Sambation. Carrier pigeons bear letters hither and thither.
In the land of the Sons of Moses there are none but clean animals, and in every respect the inhabitants lead a holy and pure life, worthy of their ancestor Moses. They never use an oath, and, if perchance an oath escapes the lips of one of them, he is at once reminded of the Divine punishment connected with his act his children will die at a tender age. ”

“ Moses then agreed to go back to Egypt provided his brother could go with him. Whereupon the Lord appeared to Aaron, and directed him to meet Moses in the wilderness. They met at the mount of God, went to Egypt, gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel, spake all the words which God had spoken unto Moses, and did all the signs in the sight of the people. The Israelites believed, bowed their heads and worshiped ”

“ So Moses, the Hebrew boy, lived in the palace among the nobles of the land, as the son of the princess. There he learned much more than he could have learned among his own people; for there were very wise teachers. Moses gained all the knowledge that the Egyptians had to give. There in the court of the cruel king who had made slaves of the Israelites, God's people, was growing up our Israelite boy who should at some time set his people free!
Although Moses grew up among the Egyptians, and gained their learning, he loved his own people. ”

“ Before his birth, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, being fearful of their increase, had given orders to have every male infant of the Hebrews murdered. The father and mother of Moses were Hebrews, and, like other parents, they loved their child too much to have him injured. ”

“ Pharaoh again called for Moses, and told him that his people could go and serve the Lord, provided they would leave their flocks and herds. Moses would not agree to this, for the reason that they needed the flocks and herds for sacrifices and burnt offerings, and he did not know how many of the animals God might require, and for that reason he could not leave a single hoof. Upon the question of the cattle, they divided, and Pharaoh again refused to let the people go. God then commanded Moses to tell the Hebrews to borrow, each of his neighbor, jewels of silver and gold. ”

“ Standing as he did at the fountain-head of nationalism, the prominence assigned to his act of individual choice and rejection is very significant. Before his days the heirs of the promise were in the bond of God’s covenant in virtue of their birth. They were members of the elect family. After the days of Moses every Israelite enjoyed the privileges of the covenant by right of national descent. They were the elect nation. Moses stands at the turning point. The nation now absorbs the family, [244] which becomes henceforth part of the larger conception. ”

“ I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob; I have seen the affliction of my people and have heard their cry; now I will send thee to Pharaoh, and thou shalt bring my people out of Egypt. Moses answered: My brethren will not believe that Thou hast sent me. The Lord said: Cast thy rod on the ground. Moses did so, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from it. At the Lord’s command Moses took it by the tail, and it became a rod again. The Lord gave him power to work other wonders; but Moses continued to excuse himself and said: I am slow of speech. ”

“ He said, "We will strengthen thine arm with thy brother, and we will give power unto you both, and they shall not equal you in our signs. Ye twain and they who shall follow you, shall gain the day."
And when Moses came to him with our demonstrative signs they said, "This is nought but magical device. We never heard the like among our sires of old."
And Moses said, "My Lord best knoweth on whom He hath bestowed His guidance, and whose shall be the recompense of the abode of Paradise. Verily, the wicked shall not prosper." ”

“ Moses said—"Remember thy covenant which thou didst make with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our fathers, that they and their seed should have this land for an everlasting inheritance." "No," said the Lord, "I can raise up seed unto you Moses, that you may go in and possess the land." "No," said Moses, "remember that ancient covenant, that thy people may not be deprived of their inheritance;" and the Lord finally concluded to hearken to the voice of Moses, and to let them go into the land. ”

“ When Moses appeared surrounded with glory, and, as it were transfigured on Mount Sinai, afraid lest the Israelites, always superstitious, should consider him as a god descended upon the earth, the Lord, amid a flame of fire, declared at the same time from on high, " I am that I am, and thou shalt worship only me." Moses himself appears before the people with only the tables of the law in his hands, as if to let them know that, notwithstanding the glory with which they had seen him arrayed, he nevertheless was only the minister, and not the author of the holy law ”