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The Story of Redemption
people are wicked.” He begged of Moses to be his intercessor with
God, that the terrific thunder and lightning might cease.
The Lord next sent the dreadful plague of the locusts. The
king chose to receive the plagues rather than to submit to God.
Without remorse he saw his whole kingdom under the miracle of
these dreadful judgments. The Lord then sent darkness upon Egypt.
The people were not merely deprived of light, but the atmosphere
was very oppressive, so that breathing was difficult; yet the Hebrews
had a pure atmosphere and light in their dwellings.
One more dreadful plague God brought upon Egypt, more severe
than any before it. It was the king and the idolatrous priests who
opposed to the last the request of Moses. The people desired that
the Hebrews should be permitted to leave Egypt. Moses related
to Pharaoh and to the people of Egypt, also to the Israelites, the
nature and effect of the last plague. On that night, so terrible to the
Egyptians and so glorious to the people of God, was the solemn
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ordinance of the passover instituted.
It was very hard for the Egyptian king and a proud and idolatrous
people to yield to the requirements of the God of heaven. Very slow
was the king of Egypt to yield. While under most grievous affliction
he would yield a little; but when the affliction was removed, he
would take back all he had granted. Thus, plague after plague was
brought upon Egypt, and he yielded no more than he was compelled
to by the dreadful visitations of God’s wrath. The king even persisted
in his rebellion after Egypt had been ruined.
Moses and Aaron related to Pharaoh the nature and effect of each
plague which should follow his refusal to let Israel go. Every time he
saw these plagues come exactly as he was told they would come; yet
he would not yield. First, he would only grant them permission to
sacrifice to God in the land of Egypt; then, after Egypt had suffered
by God’s wrath, he granted that the men alone should go. After
Egypt had been nearly destroyed by the plague of the locusts, then
he granted that their children and their wives might go also, but
would not let their cattle go. Moses then told the king that the angel
of God would slay their first-born.
Every plague had come a little closer and more severe, and
this was to be more dreadful than any before it. But the proud
king was exceedingly angry, and humbled not himself. And when