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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3
would preserve the lives of his chosen servants, even if he should have
to slay the king of Egypt.
As Moses had witnessed the wonderful works of God, his faith
had grown strong, and his confidence had become unshaken, while
God had been fitting him and qualifying him by manifestations of his
power to stand at the head of the armies of Israel, and as a shepherd of
his people, lead them from Egypt. He was elevated above fear by his
firm trust in God, which led him to say to the king, “Our cattle shall
go with us. There shall not a hoof be left behind.” This firm courage
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in the presence of the king annoyed his haughty pride, and he uttered
the threat of killing the servants of God. He did not realize in his
blindness that he was not contending only against Moses and Aaron,
but against the mighty Jehovah, the Maker of the heavens and of the
earth. Moses had obtained the favor of the people. He was regarded as
a very wonderful man, and the king would not dare to harm him.
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more
upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go hence.
When he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence alto-
gether. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow
of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and
jewels of gold.”
Notwithstanding Moses had been forbidden to come again into the
presence of Pharaoh, for in the day he should see his face he should
die, yet he had one more message from God for the rebellious king,
and he firmly walked into his presence, and stood fearlessly before
him to declare to him the word of the Lord.
“And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go
out into the midst of Egypt. And all the first-born in the land of Egypt
shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne,
even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill, and
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all the first-born of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all
the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any
more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move
his tongue, against man or beast, that ye may know how that the Lord
doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these
thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto
me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee; and after
that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.”