Chapter 8—Angels at the Time of the Exodus
The Birth of Moses
As time rolled on, [Joseph] the great man to whom Egypt owed
so much ... passed to the grave. And “there arose up a new king
over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” ... “And he said unto his people,
Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than
we.” .... Orders were issued ... to destroy the Hebrew male children
at their birth. Satan was the mover in this matter. He knew that a
deliverer was to be raised up among the Israelites; and by leading the
king to destroy their children he hoped to defeat the divine purpose....
While this decree was in full force, a son was born to Amram and
Jochebed.... The mother succeeded in concealing the child [Moses]
for three months. Then, finding that she could no longer keep him
safely, she prepared a little ark of rushes, making it watertight by
means of slime and pitch; and laying the babe therein, she placed it
among the flags at the river’s brink. She dared not remain to guard
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it, lest the child’s life and her own should be forfeited; but his sister,
Miriam, lingered near, ... anxiously watching to see what would
become of her little brother. And there were other watchers. The
mother’s earnest prayers had committed her child to the care of God;
and angels, unseen, hovered above his lowly resting place. Angels
directed Pharaoh’s daughter thither. Her curiosity was excited by the
little basket, and as she looked upon the beautiful child within, she read
the story at a glance. The tears of the babe awakened her compassion,
and ... she determined that he should be saved; she would adopt him
as her own.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 241-243
.
The elders of Israel were taught by angels that the time for their
deliverance was near, and that Moses was the man whom God would
employ to accomplish this work. Angels instructed Moses also that Je-
hovah had chosen him to break the bondage of his people. He, suppos-
ing that they were to obtain their freedom by force of arms, expected
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