Exodus-F B Hole

8/9/2019 Exodus-F B Hole

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Exodusby F. B. Hole

http://www.biblecentre.org

• Exodus 1—Exodus 2: 10• Exodus 2: 11—Exodus 3: 10• Exodus 3: 11—Exodus 4: 31• Exoydus 5: 1—Exodus 8: 1• Exodus 8: 20—Exodus : 35• Exodus 10: 1—Exodus 11: 10• Exodus 12: 1!3"• Exodus 12: 3#—Exodus 14: 20• Exodus 14: 20—Exodus 15: 2#• Exodus 1": 1—Exodus 1#: 1"• Exodus 18: 1—Exodus 20: 11• Exodus 20: 12—Exodus 22: 31• Exodus 23: 1—Exodus 25: • Exodus 25: 10—Exodus 2": 30• Exodus 2": 31—Exodus 2 : 28• Exodus 2 : 2 —Exodus 31: 18• Exodus 32: 1—Exodus 33: 11• Exodus 33: 12—Exodus 3 : 43• Exodus 40

Exodus 1—Exodus 2: 10

$he boo% o& Exodus opens with ' rec'pitul'tion o& the sons o& ('cob) 'nd with the &'ctth't not only (oseph died but 'll his brethren 'nd 'll th't gener'tion. *ut in spite o& thistheir descendents +ultiplied exceedingly. ,od w's with the+ 'nd they grew to be '

power&ul people in the l'nd o& ,oshen.

-s the ye'rs lengthened out) ' gre't ch'nge c'+e o er the whole situ'tion) occ'sioned bythe rising up o& ' new %ing) who %new not (oseph. $his expression +'y not +e'n th'the w's un'w're o& his existence but r'ther th't) reg'rding hi+ 's 'n interloper 'nd 'n

oppressor) he ignored hi+ 'ltogether.

uring the l'st century or so) our %nowledge o& Egypti'n history h's been gre'tlyincre'sed by the disco ery o& +'ny +onu+ents 'nd other records o& the p'st) coupledwith the disco ery o& the secrets o& their hieroglyphic writing) per+itting it to bedeciphered. t now see+s cert'in th't not ery long '&ter the de'th o& (oseph the rule o&the y%sos) or hepherd %ings) c'+e to 'n end. $here w's 'n uprising o& the re'l)n'ti e Egypti'ns) which thrust the+ out 'nd put ' represent'ti e o& their 'ncient dyn'sties


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on the throne. (oseph) being 'llied in r'ce with the hepherd %ings) w's o& course'n'the+' to the new rulers) 'nd the people o& sr'el were reg'rded in ' si+il'r light 'ndthere&ore 's ' potenti'l d'nger &or Egypt.

erses 8!10) then) e idently re&er to this st'te o& things th't de eloped 's ' century or two

rolled by) 'nd it led to ' co+plete ch'nge in their &ortunes. Egypt h'd been to the+ ' pl'ce o& re&uge) a kindly sanctuary in the ti+e o& &'+ine 'nd '&&liction. t now bec'+eto the+ the house of bondage. t bec'+e the s+o%ing &urn'ce th't -br'h'+ h'd seenwhen the horror o& gre't d'r%ness &ell upon hi+) 's recorded in ,enesis 15: 12. $heywere ensl' ed building tre'sure cities &or h'r'oh under the t's%+'sters.

$his did not) howe er) hinder wh't ,od h'd purposed. erse 12 records th't) the +orethey '&&licted the+) the +ore they +ultiplied 'nd grew. o here w's 'n illustr'tion 'nd

eri&ic'tion o& the word uttered by the s'l+ist) $hou h'st enl'rged +e when w's indistress 6 s. 4: 17. h'r'oh s e&&orts 't suppression were co+pletely neutr'li9ed by the'bund'nt incre'se th't ,od g' e.

$hey did howe er succeed in +'%ing their li es bitter with h'rd bond'ge in 'll +'nnero& rigorous ser ice. Egypt is cle'rly ' type o& the world) 'nd one o& the &irst steps intospiritu'l blessing is when the world) th't once &'scin'ted us 's the scene o& our ple'sures)is turned &or us into ' pl'ce o& bitter bond'ge. in brings bitterness in its tr'in 'nd wec'nnot esc'pe it. e sh'll see this presented 'g'in in this typic'l history recorded inExodus) &or in Exodus 12: 8) we re'd o& the bitter herbs) with which the 'sso er l'+bh'd to be e'ten; 'nd 'g'in in Exodus 15: 23) we re'd o& the bitter w'ters o&


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h'rdly c'll 'ttention to the s%ill o& the i ine h'nd) which ordered th't ittle did the h'r'oh o& th't d'y thin% th't hisdesign o& death w's preser ing in life the +'n who+ ,od would use in the d'ys o& hissuccessor to o erthrow the +ight o& Egypt. *ut so it w's.

h'r'oh s d'ughter c'lled hi+


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is brethren howe er did not underst'nd) &or they did not sh're his &'ith. n result theyreCected hi+ 's their deli erer) wishing to pursue their own w'y o& wrong!doing) 'nd notto stir up ret'li'tion &ro+ the power o& Egypt. n -cts #) tephen is led to +'%e these

points cle'r) in order to show th't in the reCection o& the >ord (esus the (ews h'd re!en'cted) on ' sc'le in&initely +ore serious) wh't their &'thers h'd pre iously done with

ord (esus there w's not the slightest ele+ent o& i+per&ection. n ord in the hour o& is tri'l w'ssurely ' good thing) 'nd eter supposed th't he h'd gr'ce 'nd power to do it. -s in thec'se o& ord (esus hrist 'ppe'red. hen e did 'ppe'r) we h' e the supre+e ex'+ple o&the @ne who stooped &ro+ the heights o& the i ine glory to t'%e up the c'use o& sin&ul+en) with 'll the repro'ch th't ent'iled. $he step th't


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$he i++edi'te e&&ect o& this inter ention by


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$he closing erses o& Exodus 2 rel'te the de'th o& the h'r'oh o& those d'ys) but theoppression o& sr'el continuing) ,od he'rd their cry 'nd gro'ning) 'nd e re+e+bered

is co en'nt with -br'h'+. >et us note th't is inter ention 'nd is rede+ption o&sr'el &ro+ the house o& bond'ge w's under th't co en'nt) 'nd the co en'nt o& l'w w's

not propounded until we re'ch Exodus 1 .

Exodus 3. -t the end o& the 40 ye'rs in ord i+sel&) 's we see i& weco+p're erses 2 'nd 4. $his being so) ord re&erred to the st'te+ent 's being spo%en untoyou. h't w's s'id to


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w's not so. ,od is ne er in ' hurry 'nd e inter enes in is own ti+e) which is the rightti+e. $he three st'te+ents in erse # 're ery touching: e h'd seen ; e h'd heard ; e kne# their sorrows. $hus it e er is with 'll is people) with us '+ong the rest. $hedeli er'nce o& sr'el +e'nt dr'stic Cudg+ents upon Egypt) 'nd our ,od is slow to 'nger.

o we wonder why the >ord (esus) who is co+ing Auic%ly) h's not yet co+eG >et us

re+e+ber th't is 'd ent will +e'n tre+endous Cudg+ents upon ' guilty world.

econd) e decl'red is purpose to deli er is people &ro+ the sl' ery o& Egypt 'nd bring the+ into ' l'nd) &lowing with +il% 'nd honey. $his is wh't 'lestine w's) 'scorrobor'ted by the spies) in ?u+bers 13: 2#; it is wh't the l'nd will be in ' co+ing d'y)though &or centuries it h's l'in desol'te. $he blessings o& th't l'nd were e'rthly) but theyc'+e &ro+ the h'nd o& ,od 'nd were not won 's the result o& irrig'tion 'nd toil 's in thec'se o& Egypt.

$hird) e told


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'nd there&ore %new well the n'+es o& the &'lse Egypti'n deities.


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h'd been but sl' es) wor%ing &or ' +ere subsistence. $he position w's to be entirelyre ersed) 'nd their &or+er +'sters would &e'r the+ 'nd gi e the+ wh't they 's%ed. -llthey could c'rry out o& Egypt would be ' +ere &r'ction o& wh't w's re'lly due to the+.


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so+ething o& hu+'n n'ture in oursel es) we thin% it w's not th't he h'd re'lly lost his powers o& +ighty speech) but th't while the &orty ye'rs o& discipline in the desert h'dco+pletely bro%en his sel&!con&idence) he h'd 'lso beco+e sel&!occupied) 'nd thus sounwilling to 'nswer to the c'll 'nd co++ission o& ,od.

$here&ore wh't he needed w's to beco+e so ,od!conscious th't he +ight lose sight o&hi+sel& 'ltogether. ence the words o& the >ord to hi+) 's recorded in erses 11 'nd 12.$he +outh o& ord would

pl'y) 'nd whether


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$he episode recorded in erses 24!2" is expl'ined when we obser e th't ,od w'sinter&ering on sr'el s beh'l& under the co en'nt e h'd +'de with -br'h'+) 's recordedin ,enesis 1#: 1!14. @& th't co en'nt circu+cision w's the to%en or sign) 'nd it w'sde&initely st'ted by ,od th't i& circu+cision w's not obser ed de'th w's to be the

pen'lty. ere w's et ord 't once cl'i+ed the people's His ) whilst &or ' century or two the h'r'ohs o& Egypt h'd reg'rded the people 'stheirs ) 'nd ensl' ed to the+. o &ro+ the outset the issue w's Coined. (eho 'h cl'i+edthe people th't h'r'oh reg'rded 's his own. hich cl'i+'nt would pre 'ilG $he issuecould not be in doubt &or one +o+ent.

t is e ident th't &ro+ the &irst h'r'oh boldly ch'llenged the +ight o& (eho 'h. e %newery well the +'ny gods o& Egypt) but to hi+ (eho 'h) ,od o& sr'el w's the unkno#n

(od$ 'nd he &l'tly re&used to obey. e 'dopted the h'rd 'nd stubborn 'ttitude) which bec'+e ch'r'cteristic o& hi+ under the go ern+ent o& ,od.

n reply to the &urther 'ppe'l o&


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h's co+e the co++on s'ying 'bout +'%ing bric%s without str'w) signi&ying h' ing toundert'%e 'n 'l+ost i+possible t's%. $heir bric%!+'%ing w's to the end th't h'r'oh+ight pursue his building sche+es. Inder the t's%!+'sters they were be'ten into helpingto consolid'te the power o& the %ing who tyr'nni9ed o er the+.

n 1 orinthi'ns 10: " 'nd 11) we 're told th't the things th't h'ppened to sr'el wereour ex'+ples) or) types &or us) 'nd 't this point we begin to see the type t'%ing sh'pe.h'r'oh held the power o& de'th o er the children o& sr'el) 'nd thereby %ept the+ in

bond'ge. e is thus ' type o& 't'n 's he is presented in ebrews 2: 14) 15. Egypt with'll its +'gni&icence is cle'rly ' type o& the world) ensl' ing the people o& ,od under thedirection o& the de il) 'nd) ironic'lly enough using the+ to incre'se the power 'nd gloryo& the syste+ th't oppressed the+. ,od w's now setting in +otion the power th't w's todeli er the+.

*ut the &irst e&&ect o& this inter ention w's to incre'se the bond'ge 'nd +iseries o& the people. $hey were +'de to re'li9e th't they were under ' sentence o& de'th) 's erse 21

re e'ls. $hey h'd but little &'ith 'nd hence their re'ction w's to bl'+e


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word) supre+e 'bo e 'll the power th't would 'i+ 't de&lecting i+ &ro+ or thw'rtingis pl'n.

n erse 4 e speci&ic'lly +entions the co en'nt o& pro+ise) under which e w's goingto 'ct) in deli ering the+ &ro+ Egypt 'nd bringing the+ into the l'nd e h'd purposed

&or the+. $heir rede+ption &ro+ Egypt) their est'blish+ent in 'n''n which h'd beenthe l'nd o& their pilgri+'ge) when they were but str'ngers in it) 'll w's to be under th'tco en'nt) which w's +'de 430 ye'rs be&ore the co en'nt o& the l'w. ,'l'ti'ns 3: 1# tellsus this) 's 'lso th't the l'w could not dis'nnul the pro+ise th't h'd been +'de. @& courseit could not) &or (eho 'h h'd +'de it) though the i+plic'tions o& th't gre't n'+e were not%nown to -br'h'+. ,od is true to wh't e is in i+sel& irrespecti e o& wh't we +'y%now i+ to be. ,re't co+&ort co+es to our souls when we!'pprehend this. o this gre'tst'te+ent begins 'nd ends with the s'+e words) '+ (eho 'h 6 erses 2 'nd 87.

=or the +o+ent the 'nguish o& the sr'elites w's so gre't th't the recit'l to the+ o& thesewonder&ul words h'd no e&&ect. E en ord stood.

*ut be&ore we proceed with the record o& how it did st'nd we h' e ' p'renthesis. $he l'sterse o& the ch'pter repe'ts the words o&


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*ut 'g'in the +'gici'ns pro ed th't they could si+il'rly produce de'th 'nd stin%ing) soth't h'r'oh s he'rt re+'ined h'rd. $h't 't'n could produce de'th) or th't which issy+bolic o& de'th) is not 't 'll surprising) since he is the 'uthor o& sin) 'nd by sin de'thh's co+e to p'ss. $hough h'r'oh +'de light o& this &irst pl'gue) the co++on people &eltthe weight o& it 'nd it l'sted &or se en d'ys. $his) we suppose) is wh't the l'st erse o& the

ch'pter indic'tes.

-t the end o& th't ti+e the >ord through


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ence) without &urther del'y or 'ppe'l to the %ing)


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e p'use here ' +o+ent to obser e th't IrAuh'rt in his ?ew *iblic'l ,uide) pointsout ery &orcibly th't there 're ' nu+ber o& words used th't h' e their roots in theEgypti'n l'ngu'ge 'nd not the ebrew) 's well 's 'llusions to Egypti'n custo+s 'ndgeogr'phic'l det'ils) which would only be %nown to people &'+ili'r with Egypt) 'nd th'tthese 're introduced without one word o& expl'n'tion. $he unbelie ing igher ritics

insisted th't the ent'teuch w's ne er written by ord h'd s'id) 'nd this se ering o& ,oshen gre'tly heightened the i+pressi e &orce o& the+ir'cle. $he l'nd w's corrupted) or destroyed by these sw'r+s) which r'thersupports the ide' th't they were beetles) &or in recent ti+es tr' ellers in Egypt h' etesti&ied to the ery destructi e h'bits o& the sort o& beetles th't 're &ound there.

$his pl'gue e idently +'de ' deep i+pression on the stubborn +ind o& h'r'oh 'nd &orthe &irst ti+e he +'de ' show o& yielding) but only by w'y o& ' s+'ll concession o& 'co+pro+ising n'ture. $he sr'elites +ight h' e ' short rele'se &ro+ their t's%s 'nds'cri&ice to their ,od) but it +ust be in Egypt 'nd not outside its borders. $hey +ighth' e ' little bit o& their religion so long 's their lin%s with Egypt were not cut. - type this)

o& the sn're th't h's pre 'iled so l'rgely in hristendo+. $he god o& this 'ge is content&or us to c'rry on hristi'n obser 'nces) so long 's we re+'in 'tt'ched to) 'nd controlled by) this present e il world.


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'ccording to the pr'yer o&


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'nd in the line o& succession. & this be so) it illu+in'tes the position. e w's r'ised up by ,od) not in the sense o& being born into the world) but o& being r'ised to the throne in'n unusu'l w'y.

$he so ereignty o& ,od is one o& the gre't &ound'tion &'cts o& cripture: ' &'ct th't +'y

well +o e our he'rts to pr'ise. & e were not so ereign in is o+niscience 'ndo+nipotence) we +ight well tre+ble be&ore the +ight o& the gre't 'd ers'ry. $heresponsibility o& +'n) e en though &'llen) is 'nother &'ct +'de pl'in in cripture) 'nd

both &'cts we +ust +'int'in) though we +'y not &eel 'ble to correl'te the two. ?ebuch'dne99'r) whose responsibility w's undoubted) 'c%nowledged the i ineso ereignty when he s'id) e doeth 'ccording to is will in the 'r+y o& he' en) 'nd'+ong the inh'bit'nts o& the e'rth: 'nd none c'n st'y is h'nd) or s'y unto i+) h'tdoest $houG

,od %new the stubborn sel&!will 'nd pride o& this +'n) 'nd wor%ing behind the scenesr'ised hi+ up to where he could c'rry on 'nd e en intensi&y the ill!tre't+ent o& is

people) 'nd thus bring things to ' he'd. $he hour w's now ripe &or ,od to de'l with hi+)'nd in doing so) displ'y is power in such &'shion th't is n'+e would be decl'redthroughout 'll the e'rth. $h't in those d'ys the n'+e o& (eho 'h w's so decl'red is bornewitness to by such ' scripture 's (oshu' 2: 8!11. -nd e en in our d'y) 3)500 ye'rs l'ter)the &'+e o& it h's not died 'w'y.

e +ust t'%e note o& erse 1#) &or in it we &ind 'n e'rly ex'+ple o& the principle th'twh't is done 'g'inst the people o& ,od is 'ccepted 's done 'g'inst ,od i+sel&. t c'+e+ost &ully to light when 'ul o& $'rsus w's 'rrested by) 'ul) 'ul) why persecutest thouord's well 's against i+) but en both c'ses their 'ttitude +'ni&ested in their tre't+ent o&

is people. n ex'lting hi+sel& 'g'inst the children o& sr'el h'r'oh w's ex'ltinghi+sel& 'g'inst ,od) 'nd thus hurrying on to his doo+.

erse 2" tells us th't in this se enth pl'gue the l'nd o& ,oshen w's 'g'in exe+pted. *utthere w's 'lso ' new &e'ture 's reg'rds the Egypti'ns in th't; w'rning being gi en) therew's 'n opportunity &or 'ny o& the co++on people) who reg'rded the word o& the >ord) tot'%e 'ction which would s' e the+ &ro+ the worst o& it. $he iolence o& the h'il stor+w's so gre't th't +'n or be'st exposed to it would die. $he crops were wrec%ed 'nd e entrees o& the &ield destroyed. erses 31 'nd 32 gi e explicit in&or+'tion) which shows usth't the ti+e o& ye'r +ust h' e been l'te =ebru'ry or e'rly


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the >ord) when the isit'tion ce'sed 's suddenly 's it beg'n. *oth in its onset 'nd in itscess'tion it pro ed itsel& to be 'n 'ct o& ,od.

ceptics h' e r'ised ' di&&iculty 's to c'ttle being sl'in by the h'il seeing they h'd beens+itten under the &i&th pl'gue. $hey o erloo% perh'ps th't the &i&th w's upon 'll which

is in the &ield 6Ex. : 37) so there +'y h' e been ' good nu+ber not in the &ield. -nd&urther the c'ttle o& the sr'elites were wholly untouched) 'nd there w's nothing to pre ent the Egypti'ns) in the two or three wee%s th't prob'bly el'psed between the &i&th'nd se enth pl'gues) sei9ing +'ny o& the+ &or their own use.

Inder this se enth pl'gue Egypt +ust h' e lost ne'rly 'll its glory 'nd h' e been broughtery low. ord todispl'y i+sel& 's the ,od o& Cudg+ent in such &'shion th't it would be re+e+bered inthe gener'tions to co+e. E en to our d'y this witness st'nds) 'nd it will yet bere+e+bered until the d'y o& gr'ce is succeeded by the epoch o& Cudg+ent. $hen ,od willde'l in is righteous Cudg+ent 'nd wr'th not with Egypt only but with the whole e'rth)'s is portr'yed in Fe el'tion "—11) 15) 1". @& th't co+ing d'y o& Cudg+ent the pl'gueso& Egypt were ' s+'ll s'+ple.

owe er) such is the longsu&&ering o& ,od th't ocusts were well recogni9ed 's ' serious pl'gue e en in those d'ys) 'nd the extr'se erity o& wh't w's co+ing w's pl'inly indic'ted) &or it would destroy 'll th't w's le&tin the l'nd. $he whe't 'nd rye esc'ped be&ore) but they would not esc'pe this.


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ser 'nts o& the %ing) 'nd they were so stirred 's to 'llow the+sel es 'n unusu'l &reedo+o& speech) seeing the h'r'ohs o& those ti+es were reg'rded 'l+ost 's deities. ord 61 or. 14: 3#7 'nd these 're not issued th't we +'ynegoti'te 'bout the+ or co+pro+ise) but th't we +'y obey.

h'r'oh 'tte+pted to negoti'te. e would per+it the +en to go 'nd s'cri&ice) but 'll therest should re+'in in his power. e %new enough o& hu+'n n'ture to be sure th't thiswould bring the +en b'c% under his 'uthority. h'r'oh w's ' tool o& the de il) who%nows ery well the pr'ctic'l wor%ing o& thou . . . 'nd thy house 6-cts 1": 317 'ndwished to turn it to his own 'd 'nt'ge. $he suggestion w's) >et e'ch +'n go) but let hi+le' e his house behind. *ut i& ,od w's to h' e 'ny) e would h' e ->>.

$his decl'r'tion +o ed h'r'oh to +ore dr'stic 'ction 'nd ord %new his he'rt) yet e listened to his ple' 'nd by ' strong west wind ere+o ed the locusts so co+pletely th't not one w's le&t. $he locusts were drowned in theFed e'. ?ot +'ny d'ys '&ter h'r'oh 'nd his hosts were drowned there too.

t now see+ed 's i& the he'rt o& h'r'oh h'd been so&tened) but it h'd not been so re'lly.irectly the in&liction w's re+o ed he re erted to his stubborn 'ttitude o& resist'nce. -s

predicted the >ord h'd h'rdened his he'rt. e pro ides us with the cl'ssic ex'+ple o& thesinner who de&ies ,od) but is Auite prep'red to 'dopt ' hu+ble 'ttitude) i& thereby he +'y' oid re'ping the punish+ent he deser es. e h' e to re+e+ber this word: e th'tco ereth his sins sh'll not prosper but whoso con&esseth 'nd &ors'%eth the+ sh'll h' e+ercy 6 ro . 28: 137. Inder ch'stise+ent h'r'oh did not +ind doing ' little bit o&con&essing) but he h'd no ide' o& forsaking his sel&!willed w'y. $he &'ir words he utteredin erses 1" 'nd 1# o& our ch'pter were +erely 'n e&&ort to ' oid &urther punish+ent.

o) 's we see in erse 21) the ninth pl'gue w's ushered in without 'ny w'rning beinggi en. -g'in


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winds th't do bring on Egypt gre't dust stor+s th't d'r%en the l'nd; the wind being l'denwith tiny p'rticles o& s'nd) it c'n be &elt. *ut on the other h'nd the expression +'y be '&igur'ti e one) in which the &eeling 'bout 'nd groping in dense d'r%ness is 'ttributed tothe d'r%ness itsel&.

ow it c'+e 'bout need not concern us. t w's so+ething supern'tur'l. t l'sted &or threed'ys. t w's so dense 'nd co+plete th't 'll 'cti ity stopped. E ery Egypti'n w's isol'ted&ro+ his &ellows in the +idst o& his ruined country) 'nd none o& the+ %new when) i& e erthe isit'tion would end. @& 'll the pl'gues this +ust h' e been the +ost terri&ying)

bec'use +ost +ysterious 'nd unprecedented. -nd 'll through the dre'd&ul three d'ys thechildren o& sr'el h'd light in their dwellings.

e c'nnot &'il to see here ' pictori'l represent'tion o& wh't we &ind l'id down in the ?ew$est'+ent. $'%e such ' p'ss'ge 's this: e th't lo eth his brother 'bideth in the light)'nd there is none occ'sion o& stu+bling in hi+. *ut he th't h'teth his brother is ind'r%ness) 'nd %noweth not whither he goeth) bec'use th't d'r%ness h'th blinded his eyes

61 (ohn 2: 10) 117. $he present!d'y +en o& the world) though re&ined 'nd educ'ted) 'swere the Egypti'ns in their d'y) 're in spiritu'l d'r%ness. @nly those who 're born o&,od) 'nd there&ore possess the di ine n'ture) 're 'biding in the light.

-t the end o& the three d'ys) the d'r%ness h' ing dep'rted) h'r'oh w's 'g'in re'dy to'tte+pt ' co+pro+ise. $his ti+e it w's) >et 'll +en) wo+en 'nd children) go) but your&loc%s 'nd herds +ust re+'in. *ut) 's ord. est'ted 'g'in the i ine ter+s) in the n'ture o& 'n ulti+'tu+) there sh'll not 'n hoo& bele&t behind. t w's the purpose o& ,od to t'%e is people) 'nd e ery single thing theyh'd) cle'n out o& Egypt.

,od s purpose &or us who belong to is church tod'y) is Cust the s'+e in principle. Egypttypi&ies the gre't world!syste+) h'r'oh typi&ies the god 'nd prince o& this world. $hechildren o& sr'el were to enCoy ' physic'l deli er'nce: in body 'nd in possessions theywere to be &ree. @urs is ' spiritu'l deli er'nce. e still li e on e'rth 'nd in the +idst o&the world!syste+) but it is the purpose o& ,od th't we be co+pletely deli ered &ro+ itsensl' ing power.

$he unco+pro+ising st'nd which ord) he bro%e o&& 'll negoti'tion 't this point.@n ,od s p'rt the ulti+'tu+ h'd been presented: on his p'rt it h'd been reCected with 'thre't o& de'th to


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e prolong the 'gony in this w'yG hy did e not eli+in'te the preli+in'ries 'nd stri%ethe &in'l blow 't onceG

$he 'nswer surely is this: is w'ys 'nd Cudg+ents 're 'lw'ys right$ yet e so 'cts 's to!anifest their rightness be&ore is intelligent cre'tion. *eing o+niscient) e %new th't

'll nine pl'gues would not subdue the stubborn he'rt o& h'r'oh; but the 'ngelic princip'lities 'nd powers in he' enly pl'ces 're not o+niscient) nor 're +en upon e'rth.o by testing h'r'oh) 'nd gi ing sp'ce &or repent'nce 's pl'gue succeeded pl'gue with

incre'sing se erity) no one could rightly Auestion the &in'l stro%e when it c'+e. $he s'+ething +'y be s'id 's to the Cudg+ents o& se'ls) tru+pets 'nd i'ls o& the *oo% o&Fe el'tion) preceding the &in'l destruction o& the power o& the 'd ers'ries 't the glorious'ppe'ring o& hrist.

ord w's going to put 'di&&erence between the+ 'nd the Egypti'ns. $here w's no &und'+ent'l di&&erence

between the+; h'd there been it would not h' e been need&ul &or the >ord to put adifference. ere then we h' e &oresh'dowed the no di&&erence doctrine o& Fo+'ns 3:22) 23. $he sr'elites were sinners 's the Egypti'ns were) 'nd eAu'lly subCect to the de'thsentence) 'nd ,od is no respecter o& persons. ence i& ,od puts ' di&&erence) it +ust be


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done in ' righteous +'nner. e h' e to p'ss on to the next ch'pter to disco er how thedi&&erence w's to be put.

n Fo+'ns 3 the no di&&erence doctrine is &ollowed by erses 24!2") which re e'l therighteous b'sis o& the Custi&ic'tion o& the belie er) which puts ' di&&erence between hi+

'nd the unbelie er. hen we re'ch Exodus 12) 'nd re'd o& the blood o& the 'sso erl'+b) we &ind in type the b'sis o& the di&&erence th't is to be put between the Egypti'ns'nd sr'el.

n spe'%ing thus ord h'rdening his he'rt. is stubbornness howe er would only&urnish &urther occ'sion &or the +ultiplic'tion o& ,od s wonders in the l'nd o& Egypt.

Exodus 12: 1'

hen h'r'oh he'rd ord 'srecorded in Exodus 11 he w's listening to the oice o& ,od &or the l'st ti+e) thoughdoubtless he did not %now it. $he preli+in'ry Cudg+ents h'd run their course. $he ti+e&or t'l%ing w's o er. ecisi e 'ction w's now to st'rt. h'pter 12 begins with the >ordspe'%ing to


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t w's ' stringent condition th't the l'+bs selected were to be without ble+ish) 'nd thisw's not to be deter+ined in ' hurried w'y) since though chosen on the tenth d'y theywere not to be sl'in until the &ourteenth) 'nd hence their unble+ished st'te c're&ully'scert'ined. $he l'+b w's to be ' &'int &oresh'dowing o& our >ord (esus hrist) who

p'ssed through e ery possible test) thus displ'ying is per&ection be&ore e died. t is

worthy o& note th't though the &'ct is +'de Auite cle'r th't there were +'ny l'+bs) yet'&ter erse 3 the word is 'lw'ys in the singul'r. t is the l'+b) or your l'+b) or) it.o we h' e be&ore us the l'+b th't typi&ies) the >'+b o& ,od.

@n the &ourteenth d'y between the e enings the l'+b w's sl'in) 'nd its blood 'pplied tothe two side posts 'nd the lintel) outside the house where they dwelt) 'nd inside the houseits &lesh w's to be e'ten by the &'+ily. $he blood +'r%s on the door were the extern'lwitness th't de'th h'd 'lre'dy t'%en pl'ce within. $he e'ting o& the &lesh within the housetypi&ied the re'li9'tion 'nd 'ppropri'tion o& the de'th o& the l'+b by those who weresheltered by its blood.

$he w'y in which this w's to be done) 's recorded in erse 8 is ery signi&ic'nt. t w's to be ro'st with &ire) 'nd 'cco+p'nied with unle' ened bre'd 'nd bitter herbs. -ll threedet'ils 're i+port'nt.

=irst) ro'st with &ire) 'nd not sodden with w'ter. $o boil is to 'pply the he't indirectlythrough the +ediu+ o& w'ter. $o ro'st is to subCect the body o& the l'+b to the direct&ierceness o& the &l'+e) which is e er &igur'ti e o& the se'rching Cudg+ent o& ,od. & we're sheltered &ro+ Cudg+ent by the precious blood o& hrist we 're e er to digestinw'rdly 's 'pplying to oursel es) the &ierceness o& th't Cudg+ent) which e endured inorder to 'cco+plish our deli er'nce.

econd) the bre'd which they were to e't with it +ust be unle' ened. $his is not the &irst+ention in cripture o& unle' ened bre'd &or we h'd it +entioned in ,enesis 1 : 3)where it &or+ed p'rt o& the &ood o&&ered to 'nd 'ccepted by 'ngels; but consistentlyle' en is used 's ' &igure o& sin) 'nd its &er+enting properties +'%e it ' ery 'pt type. &we enCoy the bene&its th't re'ch us 's the result o& hrist be'ring the Cudg+ent o& oursins) then the sins &or which e died) 'nd the sin to which e died) 're not to becounten'nced by us. ow pl'inly the 'ntitype is seen in 1 orinthi'ns 5: #) 8.

$hird) the bitter herbs typi&y th't inw'rd wor% o& sel&!Cudg+ent) which +ust e er'cco+p'ny the bene&its we recei e. in 'nd its Cudg+ent) &ro+ which we 're deli ered is' ery bitter thing) 'nd it is the pl'n o& ,od th't we should be +'de to re'li9e it deeply.-nd let us once +ore e+ph'si9e th't e'ting i+plies)

an in#ard appropriation.>et us &urther notice th't the l'+b w's to be ro'sted whole— his he'd with his legs) 'ndwith the purten'nce thereo&. $here w's to be no +util'tion o& the c'rc'se 's it w'sexposed to the &ire. -nd &urther in the e'ting o& it no bone w's to be bro%en—see erse4" o& our ch'pter. $he &orce o& this we see when we re'd (ohn 1 : 3") - bone o& i+sh'll not be bro%en.


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?othing w's to be put to unholy use or le&t to so+e ch'nce h'ppening. E en 'bout thetype there w's ' s'credness th't w's to be obser ed.

-nd &urther 'g'in) they were to re'li9e th't these sole+n 'cts to be per&or+ed were notonly designed &or their s'&ety but 'lso h'd ' gre't end in iew. $hey were going to be

sheltered &ro+ the i+pending Cudg+ent in order th't they +ight be deli ered &ro+ thegrip o& h'r'oh 'nd &ro+ the bond'ge o& Egypt. ence they were to e't it in the +'nner prescribed in erse 11. $hey were not to e't it reclining) 's though it w's 'n ordin'ry+e'l) but st'nding with st'&& in h'nd) girded &or the Courney 'nd in h'ste) 's Cust 'bout todep'rt. $he i+port o& this we +ust ne er &orget. ,od h's sheltered us &ro+ is Cudg+entin order th't e +'y deli er us &ro+ 't'n 'nd &ro+ the world!syste+) o& which he is thegod 'nd prince) 'nd bring us to i+sel&. $his is pl'inly st'ted in ,'l'ti'ns 1: 4.

$he word p'sso er occurs &or the &irst ti+e in cripture 't the end o& erse 11. e 'retold th't the ebrew word thus tr'nsl'ted +e'ns to p'ss o er protecti ely) r'ther li%e '

bird stretching its wings o er its young) 'nd not +erely the neg'ti e ide' o& o+itting to

notice when it is ' Auestion o& Cudg+ent. @n th't &'te&ul night (eho 'h w's going to s+itethe &irstborn 'nd execute Cudg+ent 'g'inst 'll the gods o& Egypt) but) where er the to%eno& de'th w's seen on the house) o er it is wings o& protection should be spre'd 'nd the

pl'gue should not enter to destroy.

n this we +'y see 'nother delight&ul ,ospel type. n irtue o& the blood o& hrist the belie er is cle'r o& the Cudg+ent. *ut it is not +erely th't) righteousness h' ing beens'tis&ied) the belie er c'n be exe+pted &ro+ Cudg+ent when the stro%e &'lls upon theworld) but r'ther th't the ery righteousness o& ,od inste'd o& being ' s#ord to s!itehi+ h's beco+e ' shield to protect hi+. $his &'ct) when we re'lly l'y hold o& it) exerts '

ery est'blishing e&&ect upon our souls.

t is 'lso i+port'nt &or us to re+e+ber th't the blood o& the l'+b w's outside &or the eyeo& ,od. $he word w's) hen see the blood) will p'ss o er you. @nce the blood w'sthere) ,od would not &'il to see it. $hey h'd not to see the blood) but r'ther) %nowing itw's there) to rest content with the de&inite word o& ,od th't) since it w's there) e would

p'ss o er the+. $he blood w's &or the eye o& ,od: is word w's &or the e'rs 'nd he'rtso& those within.

erses 14!1#) cont'in &urther words o& the >ord) showing th't wh't e now w'sinstituting w's not so+ething to be obser ed on th't p'rticul'r night only) 'nd then to betre'ted 's h' ing ser ed its purpose 'nd to be dis+issed &ro+ their thoughts. t w's r'ther to be perpetu'ted 's ' ye'rly &e'st) so th't they +ight ne er &orget th't their lin%s withEgypt h'd been bro%en by ,od) in order th't they +ight be brought to i+sel& 's isown speci'l possession. $he 'sso er w's to be &ollowed by the &e'st o& unle' ened

bre'd) extending o er the next se en d'ys. t w's to be +'r%ed by the 'bsence o& le' en.t w's to begin 'nd end with 'n holy con oc'tion) in which no +'nner o& wor% w's to

be done. & no +'nner o& wor%) then e en the sort o& wor% which would h' e beenconsidered the +ost +eritorious w's excluded.


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$he word) +e+ori'l occurs in erse 14) 'nd this describes the be'ring o& the 'sso er&e'st '+ong the (ews. t gu'r'nteed the obCecti e re'lity o& the b'sis o& their deli er'nce&ro+ Egypt) 'nd %ept the+ in ye'rly re+e+br'nce o& it. $hey +'y o&ten h' e &'iled toobser e it properly) or e en obser e it 't 'll; but such w's its intention. $he obser 'nce o& the >ord s upper by the s'ints o& tod'y h's) '+ongst other things) ' si+il'r intention) 's

we see in the words o& the -postle— -s o&ten 's ye e't this bre'd) 'nd drin% this cup) yedo shew the >ord s de'th till e co+e 61 or. 11: 2"7. e 're to shew &orth) or+e+ori'li9e) is de'th) thus est'blishing its obCecti e re'lity &or 'll who h' e eyes tosee.

$he 'sso er &e'st w's ' +'tter o& ' &ew hours 't the +ost) where's the &e'st o&unle' ened bre'd co ered se en d'ys. $his h'd ' typic'l be'ring. $he 'sso er w's '

prophecy) 's well 's ' +e+ori'l co++e+or'ting ' p'st e ent. $he prophecy w's &ul&illedin the de'th o& hrist which) though o& etern'l i+port'nce) too% pl'ce within ' &ew hours.*ut the se en d'ys o& the unle' ened bre'd &e'st set &orth ' whole cycle o& ti+e) 'ssigni&ied in 1 orinthi'ns 5: 8. =or e'ch belie er tod'y it co ers the whole period o& his

li&e o& responsibility. -s long 's we 're in this world o& sin) we 're to %eep cle'r o& thele' en) 's those th't 're) de'd indeed unto sin) but 'li e unto ,od 6Fo+. ": 117.

n erses 21!24) we h' e the record o& how


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Inder this tre+endous 'nd unprecedented stro%e the resist'nce o& h'r'oh coll'psed) 'ndhe conceded 'll th't h'd been de+'nded by ord)though to 'll 'ppe'r'nce they were but ' l'rge collection o& liber'ted sl' es. $h't night o& their deli er'nce they were ne er to &orget. $h't it w's the sel&!s'+e d'y o& the i ine

purpose is 'g'in '&&ir+ed in erse 51.

e h' e) in the inter ening erses) &urther instructions &ro+ the >ord 's to theobser 'nce o& the 'sso er. t w's to be wh't we +'y c'll ' household &e'st) &or 'll


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outside sr'elite households were excluded &ro+ it. $he hired ser 'nt) who +ight 't shortnotice Auit his Cob) w's not reg'rded 's o& the household) where's the bond+'n) who h'dsold hi+sel& &or +oney) 'ccording to the regul'tions o& Exodus 21: 1!") w's considered's belonging to it) under one stringent condition) th't he w's circu+cised.

$his &e'st w's &or 'll sr'el 'nd none could excuse the+sel es &ro+ it. -ll were to Coin inthis obser 'nce which %ept 'li e the +e+ory o& the gre't deli er'nce &ro+ Egypt) while't the s'+e ti+e it h'd ' prophetic 'lue) 's pointing &orw'rd to the de'th o& hrist. $hisis 'pp'rent to us though in 'll prob'bility the children o& sr'el did not %now it. n thes'+e w'y the intention o& the >ord in instituting is supper is th't 'll is s'ints shouldobser e it; the +e+ori'l o& is de'th on the one h'nd) while pointing &orw'rd to isco+ing on the other.

*ut whether the n'ti e sr'elite or the ser 'nt bought with +oney or the str'nger) 'll +ust be circu+cised. $his outw'rd rite—' cutting 'round 'nd o&& o& +'n s &lesh— pointed onto th't which w's e&&ected in the de'th o& hrist) 's is shown in olossi'ns 2: 11. n this

erse the words o& the sins) h' e ery little +'nuscript 'uthority. t should re'd)putting o&& the body o& the &lesh) in the circu+cision o& the hrist 6?ew $r'ns.7 -shristi'ns we 're to recogni9e th't we h' e put o&& the &lesh in its tot'lity in the de'th o&hrist. e 're circu+cised in is circu+cision; th't is) is de'th.

$he rite w's one which only 'pplied to the +'les '+ong the people. $hey h'd to su&&erthe p'in 'nd incon enience o& it) the &e+'le w's reg'rded 's circu+cised in the +'le. nthis respect 'lso the type is ' &itting one) &or 'll the su&&ering ent'iled &ell upon hrist 'ndwe 're circu+cised in i+. ?ow th't the type h's been &ul&illed in is de'th) those whowould +erely en&orce the outw'rd rite 're dis+issed 's the concision) which +e'ns '+ere cutting down) ' lopping o&&) 'nd not ' co+plete re+o 'l. $he true circu+cision

tod'y 're those who worship ,od in the pirit) reCoice in hrist (esus 'nd h' e nocon&idence in the &lesh 's s'id in hilippi'ns 3: 2) 3. uch tre't the &lesh 's conde+ned)'nd hence 're not +erely trying to lop o&& its +ore obCection'ble h'bits.

Exodus 13 opens with 'nother ery i+port'nt +'tter. n the pre ious ch'pter the &irstbornh'd been sheltered by the blood o& the l'+b. $hey 're now &or+'lly cl'i+ed by ,od 's

belonging to i+. $hey 're e ites were t'%en in substitution &or the&irstborn to do th't ser ice. $his is the &irst +ention in cripture o& s'ncti&ic'tion 's'pplied to persons. $he pre ious use w's in ,enesis 2) when ,od s'ncti&ied) or set 'p'rt)the se enth d'y o& cre'tion. *oth scriptures help to show the si+ple +e'ning o&

s'ncti&ic'tion — to set 'p'rt &or ,od. t is bec'use we 're thus s'ncti&ied th't pr'ctic'ls'ncti&ic'tion is incu+bent upon us. e h' e not been sheltered &ro+ Cudg+ent by the

blood o& hrist to set us &ree to ple'se oursel es but to be &or i+.

erses 3!10 +'de cle'r to sr'el th't the &e'st o& Inle' ened *re'd w's not so+ething to be obser ed Cust 's they c'+e out o& Egypt) 'nd then to be dis+issed 's done with; t w's&or 'll ti+e) 's ' +e+ori'l o& the gre't deli er'nce. & we h'd only the record in the three


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,ospels o& the institution o& the >ord s upper) it +ight be thought th't the be'ring o& th'tdid not extend beyond the night in which e w's betr'yed. *ut the &ourth record) in 1

orinthi'ns 11) settles the point. t is to be obser ed) till e co+e. sr'el w's to %eepthis ordin'nce in his se'son &ro+ ye'r to ye'r. e obser e the >ord s upper &ro+ >ord s

'y to >ord s 'y.

erses 11!1") present 'nother co++'nd+ent to be obser ed in sr'el) 's ' &urtherre+inder o& how ,od deli ered the+ &ro+ Egypt. -ll the &irstborn in sr'el) whether o&+'n or be'st) were to be reg'rded 's the >ord s. $h't the &irstborn o& sr'el should belin%ed together with the &irstling o& ' don%ey is ' hu+bling thing) but thus it is in erse13. $he &irstborn o& +'n +ust be redee+ed. $he &irstling o& 'n 'ss +ight not be) 'nd inth't c'se it su&&ered de'th itsel&. & redee+ed) it w's by the de'th o& ' l'+b in its roo+'nd ste'd) Cust 's the &irstborn were redee+ed in Exodus 12. $hus 'g'in do we h' e

presented to us th't rede+ption is +'de e&&ecti e on ' substitution'ry b'sis.

=ro+ erse 1# we le'rn th't the hilistines were 'lre'dy settled in the co'st'l pl'in o&

'lestine) 'nd th't they were ' w'rli%e r'ce. ?ow &or the pilgri+ people o& ,od w'r isine it'ble) but ,od in is co+p'ssion did not +e'n sr'el to be &'ced with it within ' &ewd'ys o& their deli er'nce. ence wh't loo%ed li%e the short 'nd e'sy cut to 'n''n w's' oided 'nd the longer route by the Fed e' w's ordered o& ,od. $here w's there&ore 'good re'son &or the longer 'nd +ore di&&icult route) Cust 's there 're good re'sons &ordi&&icult p'ss'ges in the li es o& s'ints tod'y. $hough the +ore di&&icult ro'd h'd to bet'%en) they went under 'uthority. $r'nsl'tors) it 'ppe'rs h' e so+e di&&iculty 's to theex'ct +e'ning o& the word tr'nsl'ted h'rnessed) but in ' gener'l w'y it surely indic'testh't they went &orth in good order 's ' host 'nd not 's ' disorderly r'bble.

e see &ro+ erse 1 how obser 'nt


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$hus it turned out in the e ent. $he +o e they +'de) 's i inely directed) 'ppe'red tothe w'rli%e eye o& h'r'oh 's ' coloss'l +ilit'ry +ist'%e. $hey were ent'ngled in thel'nd) with the se' be&ore the+ 'nd the wilderness on either &l'n% t w's so 'pp'rent th't

h'r'oh could not resist the te+pt'tion to h' e his l'st re enge upon the+ o collectingthe ery &lower o& his &or+id'ble 'r+y) he pl'nted his &orces behind the+; the ob ious

thing to do &ro+ ' +ilit'ry st'ndpoint. $he children o& sr'el were now he++ed in byde'th on e ery side—de'th by drowning in &ront; de'th by wilderness st'r 'tion on theright h'nd 'nd on the le&t; de'th by the sword o& h'r'oh behind.

$his the people s'w Auite cle'rly $hey cried out to the >ord) which w's right. *ut they'lso cried out 'g'inst


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h'r'oh 'nd his host) 'nd th't in such sign'l &'shion 's to be re+e+bered through +'nygener'tions. e see in type th't ' w'y o& li&e w's to be +'de through the w'ters o& de'th.

erses 1 'nd 20 record wh't we +'y enture to c'll the decisi e +o e in thistre+endous dr'+'. $he -ngel o& ,od in the pill'r o& cloud re+o ed &ro+ the 'n o& the

sr'elites 'nd pl'nted i+sel& between the+ 'nd the pursuing Egypti'ns. $he -ngel w's'bout to w'l% with the+ through the w'ters o& de'th) but e would do so 's co eringtheir re'r with the cloud o& is presence. h'te er w's now 'bout to h'ppen) noEgypti'n would be 'ble to stri%e ' single sr'elite unless he could pierce through thecloud. *e&ore he could touch 'ny o& those who were esc'ping &ro+ sl' ery he wouldh' e to o erco+e ,od -l+ightyB

's not this +o e then the +ost decisi e o& the whole re+'r%'ble seriesG t h'ppilyillustr'tes the gre't word th't the -postle wrote in Fo+'ns 8: 31) h't sh'll we then s'yto these thingsG & ,od be &or us) who c'n be 'g'inst usG Hes) indeedB ho c'n beG >etus ne er lose the sense o& the security 'nd the triu+ph o& this wonder&ul &'ct.

Exodus 1&: 20—Exodus 1+: 2/

?ot only did the -ngel o& ,od in the cloud pl'nt i+sel& between sr'el 'nd their &oes) but e so ordered it th't) while to the Egypti'ns the cloud presented itsel& 's 'ni+penetr'ble &og o& d'r%ness) to sr'el it w's ' power&ul light. erses 21 'nd 22 tell us o&the di iding o& the se' by ' strong e'st wind) so th't there w's ' dry p'ss'ge 'cross) 'ndthere w's ' w'll o& w'ter on their right h'nd 'nd on their le&t.

?ow consider the situ'tion. *ehind the ery l'st o& the host w's the presence o& the-l+ighty li%e 'n i++ensely power&ul se'rchlight—not in their eyes to d'99le the+) butso pl'ced th't re&lected &ro+ the gl'ssy w'lls o& w'ter) it +ust h' e illu+ined 'll theirw'y. -ll th't night sr'el w'l%ed in the light) 'nd the &oe) in spite o& their swi&t ch'riots)w's stu+bling in the d'r%ness. -ll th't night too the -ngel o& ,od i+sel& w's w'l%ingthrough the se' o& de'th) 'nd the -ngel w's the represent'ti e o& (eho 'h) 's we see)co+p'ring erse 1 o& our ch'pter with Exodus 13: 21.

e +'y s'y there&ore th't not only did (eho 'h +'%e the w'y through the se') but ewent th't w'y i+sel&) 'nd sr'el went through in's+uch 's they 'ppropri'ted the w'yth't e h'd +'de. ere then we cle'rly h' e the second type o& the de'th o& hrist) th'tis &urnished in sr'el s history. $he &irst) o& course) w's &ound in the l'+b s'cri&iced onthe 'sso er night) but this c'rries us ' step &urther) since it typi&ies not only de'th butresurrection 'lso.

*e&ore we re'ch this point howe er we 're shown how the >ord 'cted not only for is people but against their &oes. =or +ost o& the night they were 'inly pushing &orw'rd intothe cloud o& d'r%ness) so th't they were well into the +idst o& the se'. n the +orningw'tch the >ord too% o&& their ch'riot wheels) which +ust h' e reduced the+ to ' cr'wl.$hen once +ore they re'li9ed th't the >ord w's &ighting 'g'inst the+. $hey would h' eretre'ted) but h'd lost the power to do so with 'ny speed. hen the +orning 'ppe'red


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ord w's not only deli ered &or our o&&ences; e w's'lso r'ised 'g'in &or our Custi&ic'tion. $his it is th't brings us into pe'ce with ,od) 's wesee 't the end o& Fo+'ns 4) 'nd beginning o& Fo+'ns 5. $he belie er is 's cle'r o& the

Cudg+ent o& his sins 's hrist) who once bore the+) now is.

hen sr'el stood on the &urther b'n% o& the se' 'nd s'w 'll their ene+ies de'd on theshore) their doubts 'nd &e'rs) 's to wh't h'r'oh 'nd the Egypti'ns +ight do) were o er.-s to th't) e ery Auestion w's settled to their pe'ce o& +ind—' pe'ce th't w's not theirsin Egypt) e en though they were sheltered &ro+ ,od s Cudg+ent by the blood o& the l'+b.

,od s wor% is e er +'r%ed by thoroughness. E ery soul o& sr'el w's triu+ph'ntly s' ed)'nd e ery Egypti'n w's de'd on the shore &or we re'd) there re+'ined not so +uch 'sone o& the+. 's e er 'n 'r+y) be&ore or since) been so co+pletely destroyedG e doubtit; the only possible 'ppro'ch to it being the c'se o& enn'cherib s 'r+y) recorded in 2Kings 1 : 35.

$hus the >ord s' ed sr'el th't d'y. e do not re'd o& sr'el being sa%ed 's long 'sthey were in Egypt) though they h'd been sheltered &ro+ Cudg+ent. Egypt typi&ied theworld 'nd h'r'oh typi&ied 't'n) the god 'nd prince o& the world. hen cle'n deli ered&ro+ these) sr'el w's s'id to be s' ed) 'nd si+il'rly in the ?ew $est'+ent s'l 'tion+e'ns not only th't we h' e been &orgi en 'nd Custi&ied) but 'lso deli ered &ro+ the'uthority o& 't'n 'nd &ro+ the world!syste+ th't he do+in'tes.

n 1 orinthi'ns 10: 1) 2) this p'ss'ge through the Fed e' is spo%en o& 's beingb'pti9ed unto


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$he l'st erse o& the ch'pter spe'%s o& 'll this 's th't gre't wor% which the >ord did.$he people s'w it 'nd they belie ed; yet their belie& spr'ng &ro+ sight) 'nd hence l'ter onit so e'sily e 'por'ted. t w's not the sort o& which the >ord (esus spo%e to $ho+'s)when e s'id) *lessed 're they th't h' e not seen) 'nd yet h' e belie ed 6(ohn 20: 2 7.$he &'ith th't springs &ro+ sight so l'rgely ch'r'cteri9ed sr'el 'll through their history)

'nd will do so 'g'in in the co+ing d'y) 's we see predicted in Jech'ri'h 12: 10. @urs isthe pri ilege to belie e in) 'nd lo e) the @ne who+ we h' e not seen.

Exodus 15 opens on the note o& triu+ph. & Exodus 12 is th't o& shelter &ro+ Cudg+ent)'nd ch'pter 13 th't o& sanctification to ,od) 'nd Exodus 14 th't o& sal%ation &ro+ the&oes) Exodus 15 is th't o& the song o& triu+ph. Fede+ption by power h'd been'cco+plished 'nd song w's the n'tur'l outco+e. $his is indeed the &irst +ention o&singing in cripture) &or ,enesis 31: 2# only +entions songs 's so+ething th't +ighth' e been) but did not t'%e pl'ce. $his &irst recorded song h's cert'in cle'rly de&ined&e'tures which we sh'll do well to notice.

=irst o& 'll) the song h'd one gre't the+e—the glory 'nd +ight o& (eho 'h their ,od) 'sdispl'yed in is 'cts o& power be&ore their eyes. t begins with i+) will sing unto the>ord) &or e h'th triu+phed gloriously. t ends with i+) $he >@F sh'll reign &ore er 'nd e er. $wel e ti+es in 'll does is s'cred ?'+e occur in the song. ord in song th't we pr'ise i+ in str'ins o& deepest Coy) when 's ' +'tter o& &'ct our

Coy is ery sh'llow; 'nd we h' e ne er!!%nown th't o& which we re'd in 1 eter 1: 8. (oyo& th't depth would reduce us to silence &or it is unspe'%'ble. e ' oid 'll

extr' 'g'nce when we celebr'te the gr'ce 'nd glory o& our >ord) &or here it is i+possibleto ex'gger'te.

econdly) though they did not sing 'bout the+sel es) they did 'ppropri'te &or the+sel esth't which the >ord h'd done. $hey owned i+ 's their strength 'nd s'l 'tion) in erse2; 's their >e'der) their Fedee+er 'nd their ,uide) in erse 13. -ll this e h'd pro ed

i+sel& to be. $hey th'n%&ully 'c%nowledged i+ in these things) 'nd pr'ised i+'ccordingly) con&essing i+ to be supre+e 'bo e 'll the gods o& Egypt th't they h'd%nown) +'r%ed 's e is by holiness 'nd by power&ul wonders.

$hirdly) th't this deli er'nce w's only the beginning) th't e h'd ' purpose in it) 'nd th'te would cert'inly c'rry it to &ruition) co+pleting wh't e h'd begun. $he &'ith o&


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beco+e rel'ti ely insigni&ic'nt. & ,od h's purposed it) the thing is 's good 's done.h't 'n est'blishing &'ct this isB

e c'nnot doubt th't in this song ord. $hus 'll sr'el w's 's one in 'scribing 'll the gloryto ,od.

*ut how gre't the ch'nge o& scene when we re'd the six erses th't close the ch'pter.sr'el h'd been redee+ed &ro+ the bond'ge o& Egypt 'nd now they t'%e their three d'ys

Courney into the wilderness) ' l'nd without n'tur'l resources o& w'ter or &ood. e 're toldth't they c'rried so+e &ood with the+ out o& Egypt) but w'ter Auic%ly bec'+e 'n urgentnecessity. $he typic'l signi&ic'nce o& this is pl'in. $o the uncon erted) who %now not

,od s rede+ption) the world is the scene o& their ple'sures 'nd the gr'ti&ic'tion o& theirn'tur'l desires) 'nd conseAuently it is 'nything but ' wilderness to the+. $o us) who h' e been redee+ed) it is ' wilderness &or it o&&ers nothing to ple'se or &eed the new n'tureth't now is ours.

-&ter the three d'ys w'ter w's &ound) but it w's bitter 'nd undrin%'ble. o the n'+e


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$he people were not prep'red &or this) 'nd &orgot the power 'nd goodness o& ,od. $heyonly s'w ord w's cruci&ied) 'nd) 's we %now) cursed is e eryone th't h'ngethon ' tree 6,'l. 3: 137. *ut 's th't ch'pter in ,'l'ti'ns proceeds to show) by be'ring thecurse on the tree the blessing is secured &or those who belie e. t is the tree o& the crosso& hrist th't turns bitterness into sweetness.

>et us +'%e up our +inds th't in our wilderness experiences we +ust o& necessity &ind+uch th't is bitter to us on ' n'tur'l b'sis. *ut 's we t'%e up the cross 'nd &ollow our>ord we sh'll &ind our circu+st'nces 're tr'ns&igured) 'nd wh't is bitter to the &lesh

beco+es sweetness to the spirit.

$his &irst wilderness experience w's ' l'nd+'r% in sr'el s history. $hey were tested 'nd&or the result we h' e to re'd erse 2". e +eet with th't o+inous f . $hey were notex'ctly put under the l'w 's yet) but ' cert'in +e'sure o& prob'tion w's est'blished 'nd,od s go ern+ent'l de'ling decl'red. $hey should be sp'red the dise'ses co++on inEgypt) if they obeyed. $heir obedience w's to be pr'ctic'l 'nd not no+in'l. $hey werenot only to he'r%en) 'nd gi e e'r) 'nd %eep) but 'lso to do wh't w's right in the

sight o& the >ord. e is s'tis&ied with nothing short o& re'lity.*ut though bitterness is &ound in the experiences o& the wilderness ,od in is +ercy

pro ides o'ses in it. t w's thus &or sr'el. 'ssing on &ro+


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l'+b w's sl'in. ++edi'tely they entered the wilderness o& in the +ur+urings o& the people bro%e out '&resh.

?ot w'ter but &ood w's now the urgent necessity. *y this ti+e doubtless 'll th't theycould h' e brought out o& Egypt h'd been consu+ed) 'nd in the wilderness there w's no

isible source o& supply. 'd to s'y) the people were w'l%ing by sight) 'nd though the+'r els o& both the p'sso er night 'nd the p'ss'ge o& the Fed e' h'd t'%en pl'ce withinthe +onth) the power o& their ,od w's co+pletely &orgotten. @nly the &lesh pots o& Egyptwere re+e+bered)

'nd they repro'ched ord 't once inter ened in+ercy) though by the bre'd &ro+ he' en there would be ' preli+in'ry testing to seewhether they would w'l% in is l'w when gi en or whether they +ould not. $his we see

in erse 4 t w's +'de ery pl'in to the+ howe er th't their co+pl'ints were re'llydirected 'g'inst ,od 'nd not 'g'inst is ser 'nts) 'nd th't ,od would t'%e up thech'llenge they h'd &lung down.

$his there&ore i++edi'tely too% pl'ce by the 'ppe'ring o& the glory o& the >ord in thecloud) when e spo%e to ord w's &ul&illed by 'n extr'ordin'ry &light o& Au'ils th't e ening in the&irst pl'ce. $his bird is %nown &or its +igr'tory h'bits 'nd being e'sy to c'pture) but the

i++ense nu+bers o& this &light settling on the c'+p g' e ' +ir'culous turn to theepisode. ?othing +ore is s'id here 's to the+) but when under the l'w this +ir'cle w'srepe'ted) it w's &ollowed by Cudg+ent) 's we see in ?u+bers 11: 31!34.

$hen) in the second pl'ce) there w's in the +orning the &'lling o& the +'nn' round 'boutthe host. $his w's ' +ir'cle not o& ' +o+ent but one th't continued 'll the wilderness

Courney. $he +ir'cle o& the Au'ils is de'lt with in p'rt o& one erse only) but 'll there+'inder o& tour ch'pter is occupied with det'ils o& the +'nn' in's+uch 's it is ' type&inding its &ul&il+ent in hrist) 's the wilderness &ood o& is s'ints. $he >ord s ownwords in (ohn " +'%e this +'ni&est. $he +'nn' w's the type) but e is the true bre'd&ro+ he' en. -g'in e s'id) '+ the li ing bre'd which c'+e down &ro+ he' en.

>et us notice ' &ew &e'tures th't 're +'r%ed in the type. =irst o& 'll the +'nn' &ell duringthe Auiet hours o& the night 'nd not '+idst the he't 'nd bustle o& the d'y. ilently 'ndunseen by the eyes o& +en it &ell) 'nd only re e'led itsel& lying on the dew when the+orning w's co+e. t is not +ere &'ncy when it is 'sserted th't we hristi'ns need ti+eso& retire+ent 'nd Auiet th't the spiritu'l +'nn' +'y descend upon our souls.


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econdly) in 'ppe'r'nce it w's ' s+'ll round thing) so s+'ll 's to be co+p'red to thetiny p'rticles o& ho'r &rost. *y co+ing down &ro+ he' en into


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$he Epistle to the ebrews) 's is well %nown) &urnishes us in se er'l pl'ces with det'ilsnot +entioned in the @ld $est'+ent. ere is one o& the+— the golden pot th't h'd+'nn' 6Exodus : 47. t w's deposited in the -r%) which w's +'de o& shitti+ woodo erl'id with gold) spe'%ing o& the eity 'nd u+'nity o& hrist. o si+il'rly) the+'nn' typi&ying the +'r ellous gr'ce 's +'ni&ested in is u+'nity) 's co+e down

&ro+ he' en) w's l'id up be&ore ,od in ' golden essel) which typi&ied is eity.

$he pro+ise to the o erco+er o& erg'+os) to e't o& the hidden +'nn' 6Fe . 2: 1#7)re&ers to this) 'nd indic'tes th't the re'lity typi&ied will endure &or e er. hen in our >ord(esus hrist the eity entered into u+'nity 'nd w's +'ni&ested be&ore the eyes o& +en)there w's such ' displ'y o& excellence 'nd be'uty 's sh'll be re+e+bered &or e er.$ested) 's it w's) by the +'lignity o& the 'd ers'ry 'nd the sin 'nd sorrow o& +'n) thesethings ser ed 's ' d'r% b'c%ground) throwing its brightness into relie&. t is indeed trueth't)

$he touch th't he'ls the bro%en he'rt

s ne er &elt 'bo e)

yet the re+e+br'nce o& the gr'cious 'nd power&ul touch) th't once did the he'ling) will be the worship&ul Coy o& s'ints through 'n etern'l d'y.

-nother +o e &orw'rd now too% pl'ce) 's we le'rn in the opening erse o& Exodus 1#.Fephidi+ w's re'ched) 'nd 'g'in there w's 'n e+ergency. -t


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would bring to p'ss the &lowing &orth o& the oly pirit. ?o 'd erse power c'n pre 'il'g'inst th't church which is built by the on o& the li ing ,od upon i+sel&) the Foc%)&ro+ who+ proceeds the oly pirit o& ,od.

*ut to return to our ch'pter) ord) in iting &ro+ is h'nd so+e dr'stic displ'y o& is +ight to showth't e w's '+ongst the+. $he &'ct th't e displ'yed is power in 'n 'ct o& +ercy) 'ndnot one o& Cudg+ent) did not 'lter the &'ct th't it w's ' te+pting. & there is one thingworse th'n unbelie& it is sel&!s'tis&ied presu+ption) such 's we &ind in ord replied to the third te+pt'tion

by s'ying) $hou sh'lt worship the >ord thy ,od) 'nd i+ only sh'lt thou ser e. sr'elh'd 40 ye'rs in the wilderness 'nd (esus 40 d'ys) but e re!trod their wilderness w'y)'nd where they &'tted e displ'yed is per&ection.

$he closing section o& Exodus 1# is occupied with the record o& the &irst &ighting in the people s history. -t the Fed e' they s'w the >ord &ighting on their beh'l&) 'nd they h'd but to enter upon the &ruits o& is ictory. ?ow -+'le% 'ppe'rs 'nd they h' e to 'r+the+sel es &or the b'ttle. -+'le% w's descended &ro+ Es'u) the +'n o& &leshly 'ppetite)

who &or ' +orsel o& +e't sold his birthright; 'nd so he beco+es ery 'ptly ' type o& theflesh.

?ow let us rec'pitul'te ' little. n type) sr'el h'd been sheltered &ro+ Cudg+ent by the blood o& the l'+b) 'nd redee+ed &ro+ the world 'nd 't'n 't the Fed e'. $hey h'd been+ir'culously &ed) 'nd now through the s+itten roc% the gushing w'ter) typic'l o& the

pirit) h'd been gi en. ++edi'tely '&ter -+'le%) typic'l o& the &lesh) 'ppe'rs. ow&itting 'll this isB e re'd th't) $he &lesh lusteth 'g'inst the pirit) 'nd the pirit 'g'instthe &lesh 6,'l. 5: 1#7) o it is not until 's belie ers we recei e the oly pirit th't thiscon&lict begins. n our uncon erted d'ys the &lesh reigned supre+e) 'nd its power in ourli es w's unch'llenged.


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till in this con&lict sr'el h'd to &ight) but under the le'dership o& (oshu') the +'n who 'tthe end o& the 40 ye'rs w's to be the c'pt'in who led the+ into 'lestine. $his is the &irstti+e we +eet with his n'+e) 'nd &ro+ this point onw'rds he is presented to us 's ' +'no& &'ith) 'nd conseAuently 's ' +'n o& con&lict in ' 'riety o& w'ys.

n this incident he is seen 'cting under the direction o& et us ne er &'ll into this sn're) but hu+bly 'c%nowledge th't the &lesh is

not only ' subtle but 'lso 'n i+pl'c'ble &oe within us) 'nd th't only 's we w'l% in thepirit will the ictory be ours.

Exodus 1,: 1—Exodus 20: 11

$he eighteenth ch'pter is so+ewh't p'renthetic'l in its n'ture) in's+uch 's it recounts 'nepisode in which


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re e'led his consciousness o& str'ngership in the world where he soCourned) 'nd thecutting o&& o& circu+cision w's ery 'ppropri'te in reg'rd to th't. ?ow the second son is+entioned) 'nd we p'ss &ro+ wh't is neg'ti e to wh't is positi e) since Elie9er signi&ies)


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wh't they 're) without 'ny i&. $hey 're not only ' roy'l priesthood) 'n holy n'tion)' peculi'r people) —three things 'l+ost identic'l with the three things o& Exodus—but

they 're ' &ourth thing) which does not 'ppe'r in Exodus. $hey 're ' chosen gener'tion)'nd th't +'de ' di&&erence o& i++ense i+port. $hey were ' new gener'tion o& ,od schoice—' born!'g'in people.

-s ' result o& this) gr'ce h'd set the+ in ' new 'nd wonder&ul position) 'nd being thisthey were to show &orth the pr'ises o& the @ne who h'd c'lled the+ into it. n Exodus) the

position o& pri ilege be&ore ,od w's only to be theirs i& their conduct +erited it—i& theyobeyed. -nd) 's we see in other criptures) they h'd to obey in e erything 'nd 'll theti+e. ence the position w's &or&eited. $hey ne er h'd it) 'nd on th't b'sis they ne erwill. >'w c'n only s'y) o 'nd li e) where's gr'ce s'ys) >i e 'nd do.

$his leg'l propos'l w's l'id by


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c'+e to


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n the &irst three co++'nd+ents ,od de+'nded th't is rights 's re'tor) 'nd theirFedee+er &ro+ bond'ge) should be respected. e 'lone is ,od) so they were in the &irst

pl'ce to recogni9e no other god.

n the second pl'ce they were to +'%e no 'tte+pt to h' e 'n i+'ge or +'teri'l

represent'tion o& 'ny unseen power. ,od is in he' en 'bo e) 'nd 'nything purportingto be 'n i+'ge o& i+ is &orbidden. o e is the &ul&illing o& the l'w) 's we %now ery well.

n the third pl'ce the n'+e o& the >ord is s'&egu'rded. $hough (eho 'h i+sel& w'sunseen) is ?'+e h'd been +'ni&ested) 'nd is supre+e pl'ce in their +idst would soon

be disreg'rded i& is ?'+e were to be used in 'n unworthy w'y.

t is re+'r%'ble th't the co++'nd+ents gi en with the obCect o& 'sserting 'nds'&egu'rding the glory 'nd the rights o& ,od should be three) 'nd this long be&ore there'lity o& the three ersons in the ,odhe'd w's brought to light. e c'nnot but see in thesecond the cle'ring 'w'y o& 'll th't would be c'lcul'ted to con&use the issue when our

blessed >ord (esus 'ppe'red 's the i+'ge o& the in isible ,od 6 ol. 1: 157. n i+) 'ndin i+ 'lone) is &ound the true 'nd per&ect represent'tion o& 'll th't ,od is.

i+il'rly it is re+'r%'ble th't when the oly pirit—who is not inc'rn'te) but in isible —w's sent &orth e w's sent by the ='ther in the n'+e o& the on 6see) (ohn 14: 2"7.$h't n'+e h's to be s'&egu'rded) 'nd it is &urther to be noted th't it is bl'sphe+y 'g'instthe oly pirit) who h's co+e in th't n'+e) which is the unp'rdon'ble sin.

$he &ourth co++'nd+ent concerns the due obser 'nce o& the s'bb'th d'y) which w's to be the sign o& the co en'nt which w's Cust being est'blished. $he &irst threeco++'nd+ents l'y down +'n s duty in reg'rd to ,od; the l'st six his duty in reg'rd tohis &ellows. *etween these two di isions st'nds the sign o& the co en'nt) &or it o&necessity drew ' cle'r line o& de+'rc'tion between sr'el) who 's ,od s people were to

obser e this wee%ly d'y o& co+plete rest) 'nd the rest o& the n'tions) who did not obser eit.

$he ,entile n'tions h'd by this ti+e lost 'll %nowledge o& the true ,od 'nd o& is wor%in cre'tion. sr'el 'lone h'd the %nowledge o& this 'nd o& the &'ct th't ,od h'd rested onthe se enth d'y. n the l'w ,od w's en&orcing is cre'tori'l rights o er +'n) 'nd by

'bb'th obser 'nce sr'el w's to h' e is cre'tori'l wor% in const'nt re+e+br'nce.


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e hristi'ns 're not under the l'w but under gr'ce. $he 'bb'th) 's the sign o& the l'wco en'nt) h's there&ore lost its signi&ic'nce &or us) 's we see in such ' cripture 's

olossi'ns 2: 1". ?e ertheless there c'n be no doubt th't ' rest o& one d'y in e ery se enis the wise 'nd bene&icent intention o& ,od &or +'n. $he resurrection o& hrist is the se'lo& our &'ith) 'nd hence the &irst d'y o& the wee%) on which e rose &ro+ the de'd) bec'+e

the d'y th't hristi'ns h' e &ro+ the ery beginning de oted to is worship 'nd ser ice)'nd it h's beco+e the d'y on which we ce'se &ro+ our ordin'ry toil. sr'el s wee%wor%ed up to the d'y o& rest. $he hristi'n s wee% st'rts &ro+ the d'y o& rest) b'sed uponthe resurrection o& hrist.

$he world 'round us h's turned it into ' d'y o& '+use+ent) sport 'nd sin. >et us t'%egood c're to use it 'right &or the glory o& ,od 'nd our own blessing.

Exodus 20: 12—Exodus 22: 1

e now h' e to consider the six co++'nd+ents th't 're concerned with +'n s duty inreg'rd to his &ellows. in h's not only estr'nged +'n &ro+ ,od) so th't the rights o& the

re'tor h' e to be s'&egu'rded) but utterly disorg'ni9ed society) so th't &und'+ent'lhu+'n rights h' e to be +'int'ined. @nly the &irst co++'nd+ent o& the six is o& '

positi e n'ture. $he l'st &i e 're o& ' neg'ti e sort— $hou sh'lt not.

$he honouring o& both &'ther 'nd +other is the one positi e co++'nd. n ,od s orderingo& hu+'n society the &'+ily is the &und'+ent'l unit) 'nd o& th't unit the &'ther 'nd+other 're the responsible he'ds) 'nd to be recogni9ed 'nd honoured 's such. & they 'renot so honoured r'pid disintegr'tion sets in) 'nd 'll the rel'tions o& li&e 're 'd ersely'&&ected. roo& o& this st'res us in the &'ce tod'y.


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in hrist h's not nulli&ied wh't h's been est'blished 's to go ern+ent in the e'rth.-uthori9ed go ern+ent t'%es its course) but +urder is strictly &orbidden.

$he se enth co++'nd+ent s'&egu'rds the purity o& hu+'n li&e. -dultery here h's thewidest sense) co ering wh't 're considered to be lesser &or+s o& this sin between the

sexes. $he history o& peoples shows those who h' e widely pr'ctised this e il h' edegr'ded the+sel es both physic'lly 'nd +ent'lly) 'nd out o& it spring ' host o& other ills.

$he eighth co++'nd+ent en&orces the rights o& person'l property. $here w's so+e+e'sure o& co++un'l li&e '+ongst the children o& sr'el) 'nd in the ?ew $est'+ent were'd o& ' brie& period o& hristi'n co++unis+) when +'ny sold properties) 'nd in(erus'le+ they h'd 'll things in co++on. *ut e en then the rights o& pri 'te propertywere not set 'side) &or eter s'id to -n'ni's) hile it re+'ined) w's it not thine ownG'nd '&ter it w's sold) w's it not in thine own powerG 6-cts 5: 47. Hes) it belonged to-n'ni's) 'nd no one h'd the right to gr'b it 'w'y &ro+ hi+. $he l'w &orb'de ste'ling)'nd when tod'y 'nyone is con erted the word is) >et hi+ th't stole ste'l no +ore 6Eph.

4: 287.

$he ninth s'&egu'rds truth 'g'inst +'n s sin&ul propensity to distort it into positi e lying.- +'n +'y lie 's to 'l+ost 'nything) but wh't is speci'lly prohibited is his tendency tolie 't the expense o& his neighbour. $he de il) we %now) is the &'ther o& lies) but since+'n &ell under his!in&luence he h's beco+e ' ery 'pt pupil in th't direction. n thisworld lies h' e beco+e one o& the +ost potent &orces o& e il. e +'y note th't while%illing 'nd ste'ling 're two o& the co++onest 'nd worst &or+s o& iolence) 'dultery 'ndlying 're two o& the co++onest 'nd worse worst &or+s o& corruption. -ll &our 're +ostdestructi e o& hu+'n h'ppiness. hen they 'nish in the +illenni'l 'ge the world will

beco+e ' p'r'dise.

*ut o& 'll the co++'nd+ents the tenth is the one th't +ost surely brings con iction 'nd 'sense o& the de'th sentence into the soul) i& it be honestly &'ced. e &ind the -postle 'uls'ying) h'd not %nown lust) except the l'w h'd s'id) $hou sh'lt not co et 6Fo+. #: #7;'nd he goes on to s'y) hen the co++'nd+ent c'+e) sin re i ed) 'nd died. e 'll%now th't &'llen hu+'n n'ture is such) th't the &'ct o& 'nything being prohibited stirs up 'desire &or th't ery thing. Luite possibly) be&ore the prohibition re'ched us) the thing w'snot e en in our +ind; but) re'ching us) the thing w's presented to our +ind) 'nd 't oncethe co etous desire w's there) 'nd we re'li9ed we were de'd +en in the sight o& the l'w.

n the tenth co++'nd+ent) then) ,od legisl'ted 'g'inst not only e il things but 'g'instthe desire &or e il things) 'nd this +'%es it so de'th!de'ling &or the 'w'%ened conscience.

t w's in %eeping with this th't the >ord (esus re+o ed the weight o& the l'w 'g'inst both+urder 'nd 'dultery &ro+ the 'ct to the desire 'nd i+pulse th't pro+pts the 'ct) when eg' e is er+on on the


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hen the rich young ruler 'ppro'ched the >ord with his Auestion 's to etern'l li&e) (esustested hi+ with &i e out o& the ten co++'nd+ents. e did not cite the &irst &our) de'lingwith wh't is due to ,od) nor did e +ention the tenth. $he young +'n could s'y he h'd%ept the &i e th't the >ord +entioned. ?o doubt he h'd) i& only the prohibited 'cts werein Auestion. 'd he been tested on the b'sis o& the tenth) he would h' e been hopelessly

conde+ned.

erses 18!21 gi e us the i++edi'te re'ction o& the people to the gi ing o& the l'w. $wicewe get the words) '&'r o&&. $hey h'd not yet h'd ti+e to co++it 'ny bre'ch o& wh'tw's enCoined) but they were conscious 't once th't dist'nce h'd super ened betweenthe+sel es 'nd ,od. =urther) they begged et not ,odspe'% with us) lest we die. o these two things—dist'nce 'nd de'th—l'id their &e'r uponthe+. $o the ,'l'ti'ns it w's written) -s +'ny 's 're o& the wor%s o& the l'w 're underthe curse 6,'l. 3: 107. 'ul did not s'y) -s +'ny 's h' e bro%en the l'w. uch 're o&course under the curse. *ut +'n being wh't he is) it is su&&icient &or hi+ to be) o& thewor%s o& the l'w) th't is) st'nding be&ore ,od on th't b'sis) to be under the curse. $h't is

Cust wh't we see in the p'ss'ge be&ore us.


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?either w's the 'lt'r to be pl'ced in 'n ele 'ted position 'nd 'ppro'ched by steps) 's w'sthe custo+ 'pp'rently with the 'lt'rs o& the he'then. e +'y gi e this ' present!d'y'pplic'tion i& we point out th't in the s'cri&ice o& hrist ,od h's co+e down to us) so th'twe 're not to 'tte+pt to cli+b up to i+. hen +en ende' our to do this) they onlyexpose their own n'%edness in ' spiritu'l sense.

- peculi'r &or+ o& bond!ser ice w's per+itted '+ongst the children o& sr'el) det'ils o&which we h' e in the e'rly erses o& Exodus 21. -n ebrew +ight pl'ce hi+sel& undersuch ' bond &or six ye'rs) but in the se enth he w's to go out &ree; 'nd i& he c'+e under itwith ' wi&e) she went out &ree with hi+. &) on the other h'nd) he obt'ined his wi&ethrough his +'ster) 'nd children were gi en) co+plic'tions ensued 's we &ind in erses 4!". n these co+plic'tions we &ind ' re+'r%'ble type.

& the bond+'n should decl're th't &or lo e o& +'ster) wi&e 'nd children he will not goout &ree) s'ying this pl'inly 'nd distinctly) then his +'ster sh'll t'%e hi+ be&ore the

Cudges) 'nd to the door—nor+'lly the pl'ce o& exit—'nd there shed ' &ew drops o& his

blood by piercing his e'r 'g'inst the door or door post. $hen hence&orw'rd he should be 'ser 'nt in perpetuity. uch w's the &irst o& the Cudg+ents under the l'w.

e c'nnot but wonder i& e er ' ebrew ser 'nt did s'y) lo e +y +'ster) +y wi&e) 'nd+y children) thus pl'cing his +'ster be&ore wi&e 'nd children. e c'n only s'y th't the+'ster would h' e to be ' +ost wonder&ul person to g'in such ' pl'ce o& 'scend'ncy. *utwhen our blessed >ord too% the ser 'nt s pl'ce) e c'+e pri+'rily to do the will o& ,odin de otion to is glory) 'nd second'rily to est'blish ' rel'tionship with redee+ed +enth't nothing will be 'llowed to bre'%. $he -ntitype o& this we see in (ohn 13: 1 'nd 14:31.

n th't ,ospel) while the eity o& our >ord is &ully st'ted) the pl'ce e too% o& subCection'nd dependence is +'de ery +'ni&est. -t the close o& the discourse in the Ipperh'+ber the >ord went &orth to ,ethse+'ne 'nd ,olgoth' th't the world +ight %now

th't e lo ed the ='ther. $he E 'ngelist h'd pre iously told us th't h' ing lo ed isown in the world e lo ed the+ to the end. is decl'r'tion o& lo e to the ='ther) who+

e c'+e to ser e 'nd o& lo e to those th't e brought into rel'tionship to i+sel&) couldnot h' e been +ore pl'inly +'de.

is lo e led i+ into de'th. n the type we h' e only ' &'int type o& this) but the spot o& blood on the door post) where the e'r w's bored) does le'd our thoughts to the trueshedding o& blood) when our ' iour w's h'nged on the tree.

erses #!11 de'l with the c'se o& the wo+'n who beco+es ' bondser 'nt. -s the we'%er p'rty she +ight beco+e the icti+ o& wrong&ul tre't+ent) so her rights 're cle'rlyde&ined. e +'y re+'r% th't under the l'w things were per+itted th't would not betoler'ted by hristi'ns tod'y. $h't this w's so is shown by the >ord s own wordsrecorded in


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'ny w'y or 't 'ny ti+e &ell short o& it) c'+e under the sentence o& de'th. $he +'xi+u+o& 'll ,od s thoughts 'nd desires 're re'li9ed 'nd set &orth in hrist.

=ro+ erse 12 to erse 2#) we get Cudg+ents in reg'rd to 'cts o& iolence) beginning withthe di&&erenti'tion between +'nsl'ughter 'nd +urder. =or the &or+er ' pl'ce o& re&uge is

pro+ised. >'ter we &ind how '+ply this pro+ise w's &ul&illed) &or no less th'n six citieso& re&uge were 'ppointed.

@n the other h'nd) we notice th't the se erity o& ,od is displ'yed in the l'w. $he de'thsentence is pronounced 'g'inst sins th't tod'y 're not 'ccounted worthy o& the c'pit'lsentence— erses 15) 1" 'nd 1#) &or inst'nce—though we +ust re+e+ber th't the w'geso& sin—o& 'll sin —is de'th. $he sentence o& erse 1# is one th't our >ord Auoted in


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destroy the 'ssur'nce th't would en'ble the+ to obey. -s ' +'tter o& &'ct sr'el did notobey this l'w) 's is inti+'ted in 2 hronicles 3": 21.

$he third section— erses 14!1 —gi es in brie& &or+ regul'tions 's to the three gre't&e'sts o& the ye'r. $hey were to be obser ed) 'nd in the+ 'll the +'les were to 'ppe'r

be&ore ,od. hen euterono+y 1": 1" is re'ched we le'rn th't they were to 'ppe'r inthe pl'ce th't the >ord would choose; so the pl'ce 's well 's the ti+es w's settled by ,od'nd not by the+. *rie& det'ils 're 'lso gi en 's to the +'nner o& their o&&erings—le' enutterly excluded 'nd the &'t tre'ted 's wholly belonging to ,od) 'nd 'll &irst&ruits o& theirl'nd duly rendered up.

$he closing sentence o& erse 1 is cert'inly re+'r%'ble. @ne +'y wonder why it co+esin here) 'nd why repe'ted in euterono+y 14: 21. ord (esus

hrist. n our ch'pter there&ore we belie e th't the -ngel is to be identi&ied with i+.

ence &ull obedience to i+ in 'll things w's essenti'l i& they were to experience the power o& ,od 'cting on their beh'l&.

@bedience to i+ would ensure th't none o& the n'tions then in the l'nd would be 'ble tost'nd be&ore the+) but would be utterly dispossessed. $hey were to be +ost c're&ul not totouch their idol'tries but co+pletely to destroy the+. $hen they would be blessed withhe'lth 'nd plenty; th't is) with &ulness o& e'rthly good.

*ut in 'll this ,od would so 'ct 's not to cre'te ' 'cuu+. e would dri e out thesen'tions) by little 'nd little) Cust 's the sr'elites incre'sed in nu+ber 'nd were 'ble to&ill up the l'nd. @ne c'n see the wisdo+ o& this) 'nd 'lso note th't ,od 'cts '&ter this&'shion in is de'lings with our souls. e h' e to grow in gr'ce) 'nd 's we do we enterinto the &ulness o& the blessing th't is ours in hrist) 'nd the old things 're dispossessedin our he'rts 'nd li es. ence we progress spiritu'lly by little 'nd little.

hile thus the process went on by st'ges there w's the d'nger e er present o& sr'el being ent'ngled in the 'ncient idol'tries o& the l'nd. $hey 're once +ore w'rned 's tothis) 'nd we +ust 'ccept the w'rning &or oursel es. eeing th't we h' e within us the&lesh with 'll its e il tendencies) we c'nnot but &eel the pull o& the world 'nd its sin&ul


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'ttr'ctions. ence we too continu'lly need the word) Keep yoursel es &ro+ idols 61(ohn 5: 217.

n the closing erse o& Exodus 1 we re'd how


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+'ni&est'tion o& ,od. e note th't no 'tte+pt to describe i+ is +'de. e 're only toldth't wh't w's bene'th is &eet h'd the 'ppe'r'nce o& p' ed) or tr'nsp'rent s'pphire'nd the cle'rness o& he' en. $o this extent they s'w ,od) 'nd were su&&icientlysust'ined in their spirits to e't 'nd drin% be&ore i+.

t is notice'ble th't o& the sons o& -'ron only ?'d'b 'nd -bihu 're +entioned. $he twowho died under Cudg+ent) 'l+ost 's soon 's they were consecr'ted 's priests) h'd noexcuse &or their sin. $hey &ell in spite o& this gre't pri ilege; where's Ele'9'r 'nd

th'+'r) who c'rried on 's priests) did not 'pp'rently h' e this uniAue experience. t iso&ten the w'y th't &'ilure is +ost pronounced in those who 're +ost highly pri ileged.

$hen


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$he &irst nine erses show th't when ' s'nctu'ry w's to be constructed) th't ,od +ightdwell in the +idst o& sr'el the people were pri ileged to &urnish the +'teri'ls o& which itw's to be +'de. $he ?ew $est'+ent contr'st to this is &ound in Ephesi'ns 2: 22. eo&ten obser e) when re'ding the Epistle to the ebrews) th't there is ' strong contr'st

between the sh'dow 'rid the subst'nce. o it is here. $he s'ints tod'y 're) so to spe'% the

+'teri'l out o& which ,od s present h'bit'tion is constructed. e 're th't by re'son o& theAuic%ening wor% o& ,od in us 6see Eph. 2: 17) 'nd it is &'r +ore wonder&ul th'n Cust bringing gold) sil er) precious stones 'nd other things.

erse e+ph'si9es the i+port'nce o& obser ing the word o& the >ord. ,od i+sel&&urnished the p'ttern o& the t'bern'cle 'nd 'll its det'ils. $he business o&


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until ' per+'nent resting pl'ce w's &ound &or it in the te+ple which olo+on built) whenthe st' es were dr'wn out) 's we le'rn in 1 Kings 8: 8. >'stly) e iticus 24.-ll the essels connected with it were to be o& pure gold.

erses 31!3 ) gi e us det'ils 's to the c'ndlestic%) or l'+pst'nd o& pure gold) 'nd here weh' e ery cle'rly ' type o& the pirit o& ,od. $here were to be three br'nches on either


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side o& the centr'l ste+; se en l'+ps in 'll) 'nd these pro ided 'll the light th't w'snecess'ry in the holy pl'ce. $he t'ble with its shewbre'd were only isible in the lightth't the l'+pst'nd shed. n th't light the priests went 'bout their d'ily ser ice. $he

br'nches were so constructed th't both &lowers 'nd &ruit were to be seen) 'nd thoughthere were six br'nches they were to be o& one piece with the centr'l ste+— one be'ten

wor% o& pure gold.

e c'n see here 'n indic'tion in type o& the truth 'nnounced in 1 orinthi'ns 2: 10!1".$he things o& ,od 're not to be 'pprehended by 'ny powers which 're resident inoursel es) but only by the pirit o& ,od. ?o other light th'n is illu+in'tes ,od s holy

pl'ce 'nd things.

n the se en l'+ps) which yet were but one l'+pst'nd) we see ' &oresh'dowing o& th't present'tion o& the pirit o& ,od which we &ind l'ter in the *ible) when we re'd o& the>'+b h' ing the se en pirits o& ,od. ith this we +'y connect s'i'h 11: 2) wherewe re'd o& the pirit o& ,od—li%e the centr'l ste+—but connected in det'il with the

three couplets) o& wisdo+ 'nd underst'nding) o& counsel 'nd +ight) o& %nowledge'nd o& the &e'r o& the >ord. n Fe el'tion 1: 4) the se en pirits 're be&ore is throne)'s typic'lly the l'+ps 're &ound in our ch'pter. n Fe el'tion 5: ") they 're) sent &orthinto 'll the e'rth) 's prep'ring &or the wor% o& Cudg+ent) 'bout to be directed by the>'+b. t is +'de 'bund'ntly cle'r in the ?ew $est'+ent th't the pirit o& ,od is one) yetin the &ulness o& is power there is ' se en&old co+pleteness.

$he ch'pter closes with 'n 'd+onition to


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which w's only isible to the priests within to th't which +et the eyes o& the peoplewithout.

*e&ore considering the det'ils gi en to us) we +ust 's% this Auestion— h't is the typic'lsigni&ic'nce o& the t'bern'cle 's ' wholeG -nd we +ust 'tte+pt to 'nswer it.

$he Epistle to the ebrews +'%es it pl'in th't it w's the p'tterns o& things in thehe' ens 6 : 237; th't hrist is) 'n igh riest o& good things to co+e) by ' gre'ter 'nd+ore per&ect t'bern'cle) not +'de with h'nds 6 : 117; th't there is) the true t'bern'cle)which the >ord pitched) 'nd not +'n 68: 27. onseAuently we +ust reg'rd it in the &irst

pl'ce 's ' type o& ,od s +ighty uni erse. $he people were on the e'rth) 'nd they h'd tost'nd without. *etween the door o& the court 'nd the door o& the t'bern'cle stood the 'lt'r o& burnt o&&ering) 's we le'rn in the next ch'pter. $his typi&ied the &irst he' en; 'nd intothe &irst he' en the >ord (esus w's li&ted up to die.

$he holy pl'ce) where stood the t'ble 'nd the l'+pst'nd) w's ' type o& the second

he' en. $he holiest) where the 'r%) the +ercy se't 'nd the cherubi+s were pl'ced)typi&ied the third he' en) the i++edi'te presence o& ,od) where the only light w's theglory cloud. -'ron w's the +inister o& the t'bern'cle: hrist is the ord +ight be di ided into di&&erent p'rts—&or inst'nce) the d'ys o&

is in&'ncy) o& is childhood) o& the e'rly) hidden ye'rs o& is +'nhood) o& is b'ptis+)


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o& is te+pt'tion in the wilderness) o& is public +inistry) o& is su&&erings 'nd de'th— but 'll w's o& ' piece) coupled together by the i ine 'nd he' enly &ulness th't dwelt in

i+.

@n these be'uti&ul curt'ins were l'id curt'ins o& go't s h'ir. $hey 're c'lled the

co ering) or tent) o& the t'bern'cle. o e idently the ten inner curt'ins wereconsidered the t'bern'cle proper. $his tent w's ' si9e l'rger) &or e'ch curt'in w's twocubits longer) 'nd though o& the s'+e width—&our cubits—there were ele en o& these) soth't in the &ront one could be doubled o er. $he go't s h'ir curt'ins there&ore +'de 'co+plete co ering.

?ow curt'ins o& go't s h'ir would be rough 'nd un'ttr'cti e in 'ppe'r'nce co+p'red withthose o& &ine twined linen bene'th. $hey would typi&y there&ore th't holy sep'r'teness&ro+ the w'ys o& sin&ul +en) e en when our >ord recei ed sinners 'nd 'te with the+) 'ndth't brought i+ into se ere con&lict with the h'risees 'nd scribes. e 're re+indedth't truth 's well 's gr'ce c'+e by (esus hrist.

& the be'uti&ul curt'ins o& &ine twined linen &or+ed the t'bern'cle) 'nd the go'ts h'ircurt'ins &or+ed the tent) we l'stly h' e in erse 14 two co erings th't were to be pl'cedo er 'll. =irst) one o& r'+s s%ins dyed red. n Exodus 2 we &ind repe'ted se er'l ti+esthe words) r'+ o& consecr'tion. $wo r'+s were sl'in in the consecr'tion o& the priests.

ence here we +'y see ' type o& hrist &illing up the &ull +e'sure o& is consecr'tion to,od in de'th itsel&. is be'uti&ul li&e) so &ully +'int'ined in holy sep'r'tion to ,od) w'so&&ered s'cri&ici'lly to ,od) 'nd this &illed up the +e'sure o& is de otion.

econd) there w's the rough outer co ering o& b'dgers s%ins. $his protected 'll th't l'y bene'th &ro+ 'ny de&ile+ent. $here w's in our >ord th't which w's wholly repellent o&

'll e il. *ut this stirred up the 'nt'gonis+ o& the world) 'nd it expl'ins why the propheth'd to 'nnounce th't) hen we sh'll see i+) there is no be'uty th't we should desirei+ 6 s'. 53: 27.

erses 15!30) gi e us the det'ils o& the bo'rds 'nd b'rs which &or+ed the &r'+ewor% o&the t'bern'cle) 'nd on which 'll the curt'ins rested. ere) we thin%) we h' e ' type o& thes'ints) who 're &itly &r'+ed together) 'nd who 're 'n h'bit'tion o& ,od) 's we see 'tthe end o& Ephesi'ns 2) though there it is the te+ple r'ther th'n the t'bern'cle th't isre&erred to.

E'ch bo'rd h'd two tenons) which &itted into soc%ets o& sil er. $hus they were en'bled to

st'nd upright. il er) 's we presently &ind) w's the +et'l used in the rede+ption +oney)'nd it is only on the ground o& rede+ption th't the s'int c'n st'nd upright in the presenceo& ,od. *ut e en so) without the b'rs there would only h' e been ' collection o& sep'r'te

bo'rds st'nding upright in the wilderness.

t w's the b'rs th't br'ced together the indi idu'l bo'rds into one structure. $here were&i e b'rs) 'nd the +iddle one w's to stretch &ro+ end to end. $h't +iddle b'r it w's th't


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speci'lly i+p'rted ' unity to the structure. $od'y there 're +ore things th'n one th't bindthe s'ints together) but the one supre+e bond is &ound in the indwelling pirit o& ,od.

>'stly) we notice) th't 'll the bo'rds 'nd b'rs were co ered with gold) 'nd the ringsthrough which the b'rs were inserted were 'lso o& gold. $h't which w's to ch'r'cteri9e

the 'r% w's 'lso to ch'r'cteri9e these. $he s'ints 're by no +e'ns di ine) but 's ,od swor%+'nship) cre'ted in hrist (esus 6Eph. 2: 107) they be'r hrist s ch'r'cter. $here is' &ul&il+ent o& the pr'yer o& et the be'uty o& the >ord our ,od be upon us 6 s.

0: 1#7.

>et us ne er ce'se to pr'ise ,od th't this is so.

Exodus 2 : 1—Exodus 2-: 2,


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occ'sion o& his consecr'tion. ='ilure h' ing super ened with his two elder sons) he h'dhence&orw'rd to 'ppe'r be&ore ,od cl'd in only the linen co't 'nd breeches. $heg'r+ents &or glory 'nd be'uty h'd to be l'id 'side 's ' +e+ori'l o& wh't +ight h' e

been. n ebrews 2: # we re'd o& (esus) who is our igh riest) being crowned withglory 'nd honour. is g'r+ents o& glory 'nd be'uty 're ne er l'id 'side) since e is '

riest &or e er. h't ' contr'stB

$he speci'l g'r+ents th't were to be +'de &or -'ron 're speci&ied in erse 4) 'nd'ccording to erse 3 supern'tur'l wisdo+ w's gi en to the wor%ers) who h'd

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