Words like these destroyed the hopes of many of the Israelites. The case appeared to them very much as the Egyptians had represented. It was true that they were slaves, and must endure whatever their cruel taskmasters might choose to inflict. Their children had been hunted and slain, and their own lives were a burden. Yet they were worshiping the God of heaven. If Jehovah were indeed above all gods, surely He would not thus leave them in bondage to idolaters. But those who were true to God understood that it was because of Israel's departure from Him--because of their disposition to marry with heathen nations, thus being led into idolatry--that the Lord had permitted them to become bondmen; and they confidently assured their brethren that He would soon break the yoke of the oppressor. The Hebrews had expected to obtain their freedom without any special trial of their faith or any real suffering or hardship. But they were not yet prepared for deliverance. They had little faith in God, and were unwilling patiently to endure their afflictions until He should see fit to work for them. Many were content to remain in bondage rather than meet the difficulties attending removal to a strange land; and the habits of some had become so much like those of the Egyptians that they preferred to dwell in Egypt. Therefore the Lord did not deliver them by the first manifestation of His power before Pharaoh. He overruled events more fully to develop the tyrannical spirit of the Egyptian king and also to reveal Himself to His people. Beholding His justice, His power, and His love, they would choose to leave Egypt and give themselves to His service. The task of Moses would have been much less difficult had not many of the Israelites become so corrupted that they were unwilling to leave Egypt.


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Ægyptens plager

Den slags ord slog håbet ned hos mange af israelitterne. For dem så det næsten ud, som om ægypterne havde ret. Det var sandt, at de var slaver og måtte finde sig i alt, hvad deres grusomme fogeder fandt for godt at påtvinge dem. Deres børn var blevet efterstræbt og slået ihjel, og livet var en byrde for dem selv. Trods alt dette tilbad de Himmelens Gud. Hvis Herren virkelig stod over alle guder, ville han afgjort ikke lade dem blive ved at leve i trældom hos afgudsdyrkere. Men de, der var tro mod Gud, var klar over, at det var på grund af Israels afvigelse fra Herren på grund af deres tilbøjelighed til at gifte sig med hedningerne og den dermed følgende afgudsdyrkelse at Gud havde tilladt, at de blev trælle, og de forsikrede med overbevisning deres brødre om, at han snart ville bryde deres åg. Hebræerne havde ventet at få deres frihed uden nogen særlig trosprøve og uden nogen egentlig lidelse eller modgang. Men de var endnu ikke rede til at blive befriet. De havde kun ringe tro på Gud og var uvillige til at udholde deres prøvelser med tålmodighed, indtil han skønnede, at tiden var inde til at hjælpe dem. Mange ville hellere blive i trældommen end udsætte sig for de vanskeligheder, der var forbundet med at rejse til et fremmed land, og nogles vaner lignede ægypternes så meget, at de foretrak at blive i Ægypten. Derfor befriede Herren dem ikke, da han første gang åbenbarede sin magt over for Farao. Han holdt begivenhederne under kontrol for at give den ægyptiske konges tyranniske ånd tid til at komme til fuld udvikling og for at få lejlighed til at åbenbare sig for sit folk. Når de så hans retfærdighed, magt og kærlighed, ville de selv ønske at forlade Ægypten og tjene ham. Moses' gerning ville have været mindre vanskelig, hvis der ikke var så mange af israelitterne, der var blevet så fordærvede, at de var uvillige til at forlade Ægypten.

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