Angels at the Time of the Exodus
65
to lead the Hebrew host against the armies of Egypt.—
Patriarchs and
Prophets, 245
.
Moses remained at court until he was forty years of age.... One day
while thus abroad, seeing an Egyptian smiting an Israelite, he sprung
forward, and slew the Egyptian ... and immediately buried the body in
the sand.... [Moses] made his escape and fled toward Arabia.... After a
time, Moses married one of the daughters of Jethro; and here, in the
service of his father-in-law, as keeper of his flocks, he remained forty
years.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 246, 247
.
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Moses in Midian
Could his [Moses’] eyes have been opened, he would have seen
the messengers of God, pure, holy angels, bending lovingly over him,
shedding their light around him.—
The Signs of the Times, February
19, 1880
.
While engaged in his round of duties he [Moses] saw a bush,
branches, foliage, and trunk, all burning, yet not consumed. He drew
near to view the wonderful sight, when a voice addressed him from
out of the flame. It was the voice of God. It was He who, as the angel
of the covenant, had revealed Himself to the fathers in ages past. The
frame of Moses quivered, he was thrilled with terror as the Lord called
him by name. With trembling lips he answered, “Here am I.” He was
warned not to approach his Creator with undue familiarity: “Put off
thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground.” “And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon
God.”—
The Signs of the Times, February 26, 1880
.
With his wife and children, Moses set forth on the journey [to
Egypt].... On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and
terrible warning of the Lord’s displeasure. An angel appeared to him
in a threatening manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No
explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded
one of God’s requirements; yielding to the persuasion of his wife, he
had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest
son. He had failed to comply with the condition by which his child
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could be entitled to the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel....
Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be slain, performed the rite
herself, and the angel then permitted Moses to pursue his journey. In