安息日下午 7月19日
记忆经文：
“法老的心刚硬，不肯容以色列人去，正如耶和华借摩西所说的。”——出埃及记 9:35，和合本
“And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.” KJV — Exodus 9:35
上帝再次对摩西发出神圣的信息：“你进去对埃及王法老说，要他容以色列人离开他的地。” 摩西因灰心而回答说：“看哪，以色列人尚且不听我，法老怎肯听我呢？” 神吩咐他带着亚伦一同去到法老面前，再次要求“容以色列人离开他的地。”
摩西得知法老不会屈服，直到上帝降下对埃及的审判，并以他能力的显著彰显带领以色列人出来。在每次灾难降下前，摩西都要说明灾难的性质与后果，使法老有机会选择是否避免。每一次拒绝惩罚，都会带来更严重的灾难，直到法老那骄傲的心被降服，并承认天地的创造主是真神永生的上帝。主让埃及人看到他们伟人智慧的虚空，他们神明的无力，面对耶和华的命令时毫无作为。上帝要惩罚埃及人的偶像崇拜，使他们不再夸耀那些愚昧神明所带来的“祝福”。上帝要荣耀自己的名，使万国听闻他大能的作为而战兢，也使他的子民回转离弃偶像，纯洁地敬拜他。
“Again the divine message came to Moses, “Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.” In discouragement he replied, “Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me?” He was told to take Aaron with him and go before Pharaoh, and again demand “that he send the children of Israel out of his land.” PP 260.3
“He was informed that the monarch would not yield until God should visit judgments upon Egypt and bring out Israel by the signal manifestation of His power. Before the infliction of each plague, Moses was to describe its nature and effects, that the king might save himself from it if he chose. Every punishment rejected would be followed by one more severe, until his proud heart would be humbled, and he would acknowledge the Maker of heaven and earth as the true and living God. The Lord would give the Egyptians an opportunity to see how vain was the wisdom of their mighty men, how feeble the power of their gods, when opposed to the commands of Jehovah. He would punish the people of Egypt for their idolatry and silence their boasting of the blessings received from their senseless deities. God would glorify His own name, that other nations might hear of His power and tremble at His mighty acts, and that His people might be led to turn from their idolatry and render Him pure worship.” PP 263.1
星期日，7月20日
上帝对抗众神
请阅读出埃及记 7:8–15。 在这场希伯来人之神与埃及众神的第一次对抗中，我们可以学到什么？
Read Exodus 7:8–15. What lessons are here in this first confrontation between the God of the Hebrews and the gods of Egypt?
法老要求看神迹，以证明他们确实奉神差遣。摩西和亚伦事先已得神指示，若被要求行神迹，该如何回应。于是亚伦将杖丢在法老面前，杖就变成了蛇。法老召来“术士和行法术的”，他们也各人丢下自己的杖，变成了蛇，但亚伦的杖吞了他们的杖。法老因而更加刚硬，自信他的术士和摩西、亚伦一样有能力；他指责上主的仆人为骗子，决心不听从他们。然而，尽管他轻视上帝的信息，却被神的能力所约束，无法加害他们。
这不是摩西和亚伦凭着自己的能力所行的奇事，而是出于上帝的手。那些神迹和奇事是为了让法老相信，“自有永有者”差遣了摩西，也让他知道自己有责任释放以色列人，使他们可以敬拜永生的神。术士们也行了一些神迹和奇事；他们不只是靠着自己的技巧，而是靠着他们的神——撒但的能力，来模仿耶和华的作为。
术士并没有真的让他们的杖变成蛇；而是靠着魔术，并得大骗子撒但的帮助，使其看起来像是真的变了。撒但无力使杖变为活蛇。虽然他拥有堕落天使的智慧和能力，但他无法创造生命，这只属于上帝。然而，撒但尽其所能制造了一个仿冒品。在人看来，那些杖仿佛变成了蛇。法老和朝臣都信以为真。它们的外观与摩西所变的蛇并无差别。即便上帝让真正的蛇吞了那些假蛇，法老仍不认为这是出于上帝的大能，只当作是更高明的魔法所致。
“The king demanded a miracle, in evidence of their divine commission. Moses and Aaron had been directed how to act in case such a demand should be made, and Aaron now took the rod and cast it down before Pharaoh. It became a serpent. The monarch sent for his “wise men and the sorcerers,” who “cast down every man his rod and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.” Then the king, more determined than before, declared his magicians equal in power with Moses and Aaron; he denounced the servants of the Lord as impostors, and felt himself secure in resisting their demands. Yet while he despised their message, he was restrained by divine power from doing them harm. PP 263.2
“It was the hand of God, and no human influence or power possessed by Moses and Aaron, that wrought the miracles which they showed before Pharaoh. Those signs and wonders were designed to convince Pharaoh that the great “I AM” had sent Moses, and that it was the duty of the king to let Israel go, that they might serve the living God. The magicians also showed signs and wonders; for they wrought not by their own skill alone, but by the power of their god, Satan, who assisted them in counterfeiting the work of Jehovah. PP 264.1
“The magicians did not really cause their rods to become serpents; but by magic, aided by the great deceiver, they were able to produce this appearance. It was beyond the power of Satan to change the rods to living serpents. The prince of evil, though possessing all the wisdom and might of an angel fallen, has not power to create, or to give life; this is the prerogative of God alone. But all that was in Satan's power to do, he did; he produced a counterfeit. To human sight the rods were changed to serpents. Such they were believed to be by Pharaoh and his court. There was nothing in their appearance to distinguish them from the serpent produced by Moses. Though the Lord caused the real serpent to swallow up the spurious ones, yet even this was regarded by Pharaoh, not as a work of God's power, but as the result of a kind of magic superior to that of his servants.” PP 264.2
星期一，7月21日
是谁使法老的心刚硬？
请阅读出埃及记 7:3, 13, 14, 22。我们该如何理解这些经文？
Read Exodus 7:3, 13, 14, 22. How do we understand these texts?
上帝曾关于法老说：“我要使他的心刚硬，使他不容百姓去。”（出埃及记 4:21）这并非指上帝动用了超自然的力量去硬化法老的心。上帝向法老显明了最明显的神圣权能，但这位君王却顽固地拒绝光照。每一次他拒绝神无限大能的显现，都让他在悖逆的路上越走越远。他一开始拒绝第一个神迹所播下的悖逆种子最终结出果实。当他继续一意孤行，从一个顽梗的阶段走向另一个，他的心就越发刚硬，直到最后，他亲眼目睹长子的冰冷尸体。
上帝借着祂的仆人对人说话，发出劝告和警告，并责备罪恶。祂给每个人机会，在错误形成习惯之前纠正它。但若人拒绝受纠正，神的能力就不会介入来逆转他自己行为带来的后果。此人会觉得再次犯同样的错更容易。他正在让自己的心对圣灵的感动变得刚硬。当他再次拒绝光照时，即使更强大的感召也无法在他心中留下持久印记。
“耶和华对摩西说：‘你回埃及时，要将我所赐你的一切奇事行在法老面前，我却要使他的心刚硬，他必不容百姓去。’”意思是，法老若拒绝这些全能的彰显，将使他更加刚硬、更加悖逆。通过不断抵抗神的能力，他的心将越来越顽固。但上帝会掌管法老心刚硬的情况，使法老的拒绝最终成为荣耀神名的机会，在埃及人和以色列人面前彰显祂的名。
法老想为自己抗拒神的命令找借口，因此他寻找理由不理会上帝借摩西所行的神迹。撒但正好满足了他的要求。魔法师们所行的事让埃及人相信摩西和亚伦不过是术士，他们的信息不值得尊重，不是来自更高的神明。因此撒但的仿冒达到了目的，使埃及人更加大胆悖逆，也让法老的心更刚硬，不受感动。撒但还想动摇摩西和亚伦对其使命神圣性的信心，好让他手下的工具得胜。他不愿以色列人从奴役中得释放去侍奉永生的上帝。
“God had declared concerning Pharaoh, “I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.” Exodus 4:21. There was no exercise of supernatural power to harden the heart of the king. God gave to Pharaoh the most striking evidence of divine power, but the monarch stubbornly refused to heed the light. Every display of infinite power rejected by him, rendered him the more determined in his rebellion. The seeds of rebellion that he sowed when he rejected the first miracle, produced their harvest. As he continued to venture on in his own course, going from one degree of stubbornness to another, his heart became more and more hardened, until he was called to look upon the cold, dead faces of the first-born. PP 268.1
“God speaks to men through His servants, giving cautions and warnings, and rebuking sin. He gives to each an opportunity to correct his errors before they become fixed in the character; but if one refuses to be corrected, divine power does not interpose to counteract the tendency of his own action. He finds it more easy to repeat the same course. He is hardening the heart against the influence of the Holy Spirit. A further rejection of light places him where a far stronger influence will be ineffectual to make an abiding impression.” PP 268.2
“‘And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand; but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.’ That is, the display of almighty power before Pharaoh, being rejected by him, would make him harder and more firm in his rebellion. His hardness of heart would increase by a continual resistance of the power of God. But he would overrule the hardness of Pharaoh's heart, so that his refusing to let Israel go, would magnify his name before the Egyptians and before his people also.” 3SG 194.2
“Pharaoh desired to justify his stubbornness in resisting the divine command, and hence he was seeking some pretext for disregarding the miracles that God had wrought through Moses. Satan gave him just what he wanted. By the work that he wrought through the magicians he made it appear to the Egyptians that Moses and Aaron were only magicians and sorcerers, and that the message they brought could not claim respect as coming from a superior being. Thus Satan's counterfeit accomplished its purpose of emboldening the Egyptians in their rebellion and causing Pharaoh to harden his heart against conviction. Satan hoped also to shake the faith of Moses and Aaron in the divine origin of their mission, that his instruments might prevail. He was unwilling that the children of Israel should be released from bondage to serve the living God. PP 264.3
星期二，7月22日
前三灾
请阅读出埃及记 7:14–8:19。这些灾难中发生了什么？
Read Exodus 7:14–8:19. What happened in these plagues?
摩西和亚伦奉命在第二天早晨前往河边，法老习惯在那里进行礼拜。由于尼罗河的泛滥为埃及带来食物和财富，因此他们将河流视为神明。法老每日前往膜拜。两位兄弟再次向他传达上帝的信息，然后伸杖击打河水。神圣的河流变为血，鱼死了，河水发臭。家中的水，储存在水池里的水也都变成了血。但“埃及的术士用他们的邪术也行了这件事”，于是“法老转身回宫，对这事也不放在心上”。这灾难持续了七天，却没有产生效果。
随后，杖再次伸向水面，青蛙从河里爬出，遍布全国。它们涌入民居，占据卧室，甚至进入烤炉和揉面盆中。埃及人视青蛙为神圣之物，不敢杀害；但这些黏糊糊的害虫变得令人无法忍受。甚至连法老宫殿都被侵扰，法老迫不及待地希望这些青蛙被除去。术士们虽然也能招来青蛙，却无法使其消失。法老因此略感谦卑，召见摩西和亚伦，说：“求耶和华使这些青蛙离开我和我的百姓，我就容百姓去献祭给耶和华。”摩西在提醒他先前的狂妄之后，请他自己定下祈祷除灾的时间。他选定第二天，暗自希望青蛙会在此之前自行消失，从而不需屈服于以色列的神。结果直到约定之时，灾难才结束，全国的青蛙全都死去，腐烂的尸体污染了空气。
耶和华本可以立刻让这些青蛙化为尘土，但祂没有这么做，免得埃及王和百姓以为这也是像术士一样的魔法。青蛙死后被堆成一堆堆。对于法老和全埃及而言，这是无法否认的证据，表明这不是人力或魔术，而是来自天上的神的审判。
“法老见灾情暂缓，就使他心刚硬。”在上帝的命令下，亚伦伸手，埃及遍地的尘土变为虱子。法老召来术士试图复制此神迹，但他们无法做到。于是上帝的作为显明远胜撒但的能力。术士也承认：“这是神的手指所行的。”但法老仍无动于衷。
“Moses and Aaron were directed to visit the riverside next morning, where the king was accustomed to repair. The overflowing of the Nile being the source of food and wealth for all Egypt, the river was worshiped as a god, and the monarch came thither daily to pay his devotions. Here the two brothers again repeated the message to him, and then they stretched out the rod and smote upon the water. The sacred stream ran blood, the fish died, and the river became offensive to the smell. The water in the houses, the supply preserved in cisterns, was likewise changed to blood. But “the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments,” and “Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.” For seven days the plague continued, but without effect. PP 265.1
“Again the rod was stretched out over the waters, and frogs came up from the river and spread over the land. They overran the houses, took possession of the bed chambers, and even the ovens and kneading troughs. The frog was regarded as sacred by the Egyptians, and they would not destroy it; but the slimy pests had now become intolerable. They swarmed even in the palace of the Pharaohs, and the king was impatient to have them removed. The magicians had appeared to produce frogs, but they could not remove them. Upon seeing this, Pharaoh was somewhat humbled. He sent for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the Lord, that He may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.” After reminding the king of his former boasting, they requested him to appoint a time when they should pray for the removal of the plague. He set the next day, secretly hoping that in the interval the frogs might disappear of themselves, and thus save him from the bitter humiliation of submitting to the God of Israel. The plague, however, continued till the time specified, when throughout all Egypt the frogs died, but their putrid bodies, which remained, polluted the atmosphere. PP 265.2
“The Lord could have caused them to return to dust in a moment; but He did not do this lest after their removal the king and his people should pronounce it the result of sorcery or enchantment, like the work of the magicians. The frogs died, and were then gathered together in heaps. Here the king and all Egypt had evidence which their vain philosophy could not gainsay, that this work was not accomplished by magic, but was a judgment from the God of heaven. PP 266.1
“‘When Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart.’ At the command of God, Aaron stretched out his hand, and the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh called upon the magicians to do the same, but they could not. The work of God was thus shown to be superior to that of Satan. The magicians themselves acknowledged, ‘This is the finger of God.’ But the king was still unmoved.” PP 266.2
星期三，7月23日
苍蝇、牲畜与疮
请阅读出埃及记 8:20–9:12。这段经文告诉我们：即使上帝的能力和荣耀有多么显赫，人仍然有自由可以选择拒绝祂。
Read Exodus 8:20–9:12. What does this account teach about however great may be the manifestations of God’s power and glory, humanity still has freedom to reject Him?
劝告和警告都无效，于是又有一个审判临到。这次灾难发生的时间被事先预告，好让人们无法将其归为偶然。苍蝇飞进房屋，遍布地面，致使“遍地因苍蝇大大败坏”。这些苍蝇体型大而有毒，叮咬人畜非常疼痛。正如预言所说，这场灾难并未波及歌珊地。
法老这次答应让以色列人在埃及境内献祭，但他们拒绝接受这种条件。摩西说：“这不合适；我们若在埃及人面前献他们所憎恶的祭物，他们岂不拿石头打我们吗？”以色列人要献的祭牲是埃及人所敬奉的动物，连误杀这些动物都是死罪。他们若在埃及献祭，势必冒犯主人。摩西再次提出要到旷野行走三日。法老勉强答应，并恳求摩西为他祈求解除灾情。他们答应代求，但警告他不可再行诡诈。虽然灾难停止了，但法老因一贯的悖逆，心仍刚硬，不肯放人。
更可怕的灾难接踵而来——埃及田间的牲畜遭瘟疫。包括神圣的动物和耕作所用的牛、羊、马、骆驼和驴都死了。摩西事先明言希伯来人的牲畜不会受灾。法老派人去查看，发现“以色列人的牲畜连一只都没有死”。然而法老仍旧固执不改。
摩西接着奉命从炉灰中取灰，当着法老的面向天撒去。这一举动极具象征意义。四百年前，上帝曾以冒烟的炉与火把的异象向亚伯拉罕预示其后裔将受压迫。祂宣告将审判那些欺压以色列人的人，并使祂的百姓大有财物地出来。以色列人在埃及长期受苦，就如身处火炉之中。摩西的行动是对他们的安慰，说明神记念祂的约，释放的日子近了。
炉灰洒向天空后，细微的灰尘洒遍埃及全地，凡落之处，都会使人和牲畜长出“起泡的疮”。一直以来鼓励法老抗拒的祭司与术士，如今自己也受到了这极其可怕而痛苦的灾难。他们曾自夸有能力，如今却变得羞辱不堪，无法再与以色列的神抗衡。全埃及都意识到，那些无法连自己都保护的术士，是靠不住的。
“Appeal and warning were ineffectual, and another judgment was inflicted. The time of its occurrence was foretold, that it might not be said to have come by chance. Flies filled the houses and swarmed upon the ground, so that “the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.” These flies were large and venomous, and their bite was extremely painful to man and beast. As had been foretold, this visitation did not extend to the land of Goshen. PP 266.3
“Pharaoh now offered the Israelites permission to sacrifice in Egypt, but they refused to accept such conditions. “It is not meet,” said Moses; “lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?” The animals which the Hebrews would be required to sacrifice were among those regarded as sacred by the Egyptians; and such was the reverence in which these creatures were held, that to slay one, even accidentally, was a crime punishable with death. It would be impossible for the Hebrews to worship in Egypt without giving offense to their masters. Moses again proposed to go three days’ journey into the wilderness. The monarch consented, and begged the servants of God to entreat that the plague might be removed. They promised to do this, but warned him against dealing deceitfully with them. The plague was stayed, but the king's heart had become hardened by persistent rebellion, and he still refused to yield. PP 266.4
“A more terrible stroke followed—murrain upon all the Egyptian cattle that were in the field. Both the sacred animals and the beasts of burden—kine and oxen and sheep, horses and camels and asses—were destroyed. It had been distinctly stated that the Hebrews were to be exempt; and Pharaoh, on sending messengers to the home of the Israelites, proved the truth of this declaration of Moses. “Of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.” Still the king was obstinate. PP 267.1
“Moses was next directed to take ashes of the furnace, and “sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.” This act was deeply significant. Four hundred years before, God had shown to Abraham the future oppression of His people, under the figure of a smoking furnace and a burning lamp. He had declared that He would visit judgments upon their oppressors, and would bring forth the captives with great substance. In Egypt, Israel had long languished in the furnace of affliction. This act of Moses was an assurance to them that God was mindful of His covenant, and that the time for their deliverance had come. PP 267.2
“As the ashes were sprinkled toward heaven, the fine particles spread over all the land of Egypt, and wherever they settled, produced boils “breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.” The priests and magicians had hitherto encouraged Pharaoh in his stubbornness, but now a judgment had come that reached even them. Smitten with a loathsome and painful disease, their vaunted power only making them contemptible, they were no longer able to contend against the God of Israel. The whole nation was made to see the folly of trusting in the magicians, when they were not able to protect even their own persons.” PP 267.3
星期四，7月24日
冰雹、蝗虫与黑暗
请阅读出埃及记 9:13–10:29。这些灾难在使法老改变心意方面取得了什么效果？
Read Exodus 9:13–10:29. How successful are these plagues in getting Pharaoh to change his mind?
接着，上帝警告法老将降下冰雹灾，并说：“现在你要打发人把你的牲畜和你在田间一切所有的收聚到家里；凡在田里不收回家的，无论是人是牲畜，冰雹必降在他们身上，他们就必死。”埃及很少下雨或冰雹，这种预言中的暴风是前所未有的。这消息迅速传开，凡相信耶和华话的人都赶紧把牲畜收进屋里；那些藐视神警告的，就把牲畜留在田里。这一切彰显了神在审判中的怜悯，也显明了谁因见证神的能力而开始敬畏神。
风暴如预言那样降临——雷轰、冰雹、火参杂其中，“极其猛烈，自从埃及成国以来，遍地没有这样的。”冰雹击打田间的一切，无论是人是牲畜；所有植物被打毁，树木被折断。毁灭与荒凉随着灭命天使的脚步而来。只有歌珊地得以幸免。这一切证明：地是活神掌管的，大自然的元素听从祂的命令，惟有顺从祂才有安全。
全埃及因神严厉的审判而战栗。法老急忙召摩西和亚伦来，说：“这一次我有罪了；耶和华是公义的，我和我的百姓是邪恶的。求耶和华（够了），不要再有雷轰与冰雹，我就容你们去，不再留你们。”摩西答应：“我一出城，就要向耶和华举手祈求；雷必止住，冰雹也不再有，使你知道地是属耶和华的。但我知道你和你的臣仆尚未敬畏耶和华神。”
摩西又伸杖向埃及地吹来东风，带来了蝗虫。“蝗虫极多，这等蝗虫以前没有，以后也必没有。”蝗虫遮天蔽日，使地一片黑暗，吃尽所有绿色植物。法老急召先知来，说：“我得罪了耶和华你们的神，也得罪了你们。现在求你饶恕我这一次的罪，求耶和华你们的神，使我脱离这一次的死亡。”摩西为他祈求后，西风将蝗虫吹向红海。然而法老仍旧顽梗不改。
突然之间，一片黑暗降临在埃及地，黑得伸手不见五指，仿佛是“摸得着的黑暗”。不仅失去了光明，连空气都沉重得令人难以呼吸。“他们彼此不能相见，三日之久，没有人能从原处动弹；惟有以色列人家中都有亮光。”埃及人敬拜太阳和月亮，此刻这黑暗临到，不但击打了百姓，也击打了他们的神。这场审判虽然可怕，却表明神的怜悯，祂不愿毁灭人，而是给人反思和悔改的时间，预备迎接最后且最严重的灾难。
“A plague of hail was next threatened upon Pharaoh, with the warning, “Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.” Rain or hail was unusual in Egypt, and such a storm as was foretold had never been witnessed. The report spread rapidly, and all who believed the word of the Lord gathered in their cattle, while those who despised the warning left them in the field. Thus in the midst of judgment the mercy of God was displayed, the people were tested, and it was shown how many had been led to fear God by the manifestation of His power. PP 269.2
“The storm came as predicted—thunder and hail, and fire mingled with it, “very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.” Ruin and desolation marked the path of the destroying angel. The land of Goshen alone was spared. It was demonstrated to the Egyptians that the earth is under the control of the living God, that the elements obey His voice, and that the only safety is in obedience to Him. PP 269.3
“All Egypt trembled before the awful outpouring of divine judgment. Pharaoh hastily sent for the two brothers, and cried out, “I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Entreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.” The answer was, ‘As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God.’” PP 270.1
“Moses now stretched forth his rod over the land, and an east wind blew, and brought locusts. “Very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.” They filled the sky till the land was darkened, and devoured every green thing remaining. Pharaoh sent for the prophets in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” They did so, and a strong west wind carried away the locusts toward the Red Sea. Still the king persisted in his stubborn resolution.” PP 271.5
“Suddenly a darkness settled upon the land, so thick and black that it seemed a “darkness which may be felt.” Not only were the people deprived of light, but the atmosphere was very oppressive, so that breathing was difficult. “They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.” The sun and moon were objects of worship to the Egyptians; in this mysterious darkness the people and their gods alike were smitten by the power that had undertaken the cause of the bondmen. [See Appendix, note 2.] Yet fearful as it was, this judgment is an evidence of God's compassion and His unwillingness to destroy. He would give the people time for reflection and repentance before bringing upon them the last and most terrible of the plagues.” PP 272.1
星期五，7月25日
更深的思考
法老终于因惧怕而作出更进一步的让步。黑暗的第三天结束时，他召见摩西，同意百姓离去，但前提是要留下牛群羊群。“一蹄也不可留下，”那位坚定的希伯来人答道，“我们不知道用什么来事奉耶和华，直到我们到了那里。”这时，法老怒火中烧，无法自控：“离开我吧！你要小心，不要再见我的面；因为你再见我面之日，你就必死！”
摩西回答：“你说得对，我必不再见你的面。”
“摩西在埃及地，在法老的臣仆和百姓眼中，极其伟大。”埃及人对摩西充满敬畏。法老不敢加害于他，因为百姓知道唯有摩西能使灾难止息。他们希望以色列人能尽快离开埃及。是法老和祭司们一直在抵挡摩西的要求。
“Fear at last wrung from Pharaoh a further concession. At the end of the third day of darkness he summoned Moses, and consented to the departure of the people, provided the flocks and herds were permitted to remain. “There shall not an hoof be left behind,” replied the resolute Hebrew. “We know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.” The king's anger burst forth beyond control. “Get thee from me,” he cried, “take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.” PP 272.2
“The answer was, “Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.” PP 272.3
“‘The man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.’ Moses was regarded with awe by the Egyptians. The king dared not harm him, for the people looked upon him as alone possessing power to remove the plagues. They desired that the Israelites might be permitted to leave Egypt. It was the king and the priests that opposed to the last the demands of Moses.” PP 272.4