p. 4 | SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES by F. D. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 13, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 15.

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

By F. D. Starr

Exodus.

By F. D. Starr.

WHILE the account of creation is given us in Genesis, in the book of Exodus we have the story of redemption vividly portrayed in the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian servitude. 'What one nation in the earth is like Thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself?' 2 Sam. 7:23. 'Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed.' Ex. 15:13. So creation and redemption are closely associated in these early records.

The term 'Exodus' is from the Greek name, given this book in the Septuagint, and signifies a going out, referring to the departure of Israel from Egypt.

Some are inclined to look upon these early records as being of a fabulous or mythological nature; and while they allow for the New Testament the highest degree of accuracy and inspiration, yet they say the accounts of the books of Moses are not reliable. But it is interesting to notice that the events recorded in the Old Testament are so extensively mentioned and corroborated in the New.

Let us examine into this a little. In the first chapter of Genesis we find the account of the creation of all things in six days. Men may say that this is merely a Mosaic fable, but Paul, in Heb. 4:4, acknowledges the accuracy of the statement by referring to the fact that God rested from all His works on the seventh day; and if all was completed when the seventh day came, the work was all done in six days.

In Genesis 2 we have, among other things, the record of the creation of Adam before a woman was brought into existence. This account is rejected by those who advocate the teachings of evolution, but Paul confirms the account given by Moses. He says, in 1 Tim. 2:13, 'For Adam was first formed, then Eve.'

In Genesis 3 we have the record of the temptation of this same mother Eve by the serpent. This is by some unhesitatingly denounced as a myth. But if it were such, it would be just as much a New Testament myth as an Old Testament myth, for Paul says, 'The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty.' 2 Cor. 11:3.

So we might find, upon examination, something from nearly every chapter of Genesis acknowledged in the New Testament.

The same result is obtained if we examine the book of Exodus in this way. Chapter 1 tells of the conduct of the king 'which knew not Joseph.' Stephen tells us of the same incident. Acts 7:18.

In Exodus 2 we have an account of the early history of Moses, his being hid three months by his parents, his adoption by Pharaoh's daughter, his flight into the land of Midian, etc.

The same account is largely reproduced in Acts 7.

In Exodus 3 we find the interesting recital of the call of Moses to deliver Israel, the miracle of the burning bush, etc. That this is no fictitious account is seen by its being rehearsed also by Stephen, as found in Acts 7.

So we might go on from chapter to chapter in this inspired record with the same results.

The topics for study that are found in this interesting book of Exodus are far too numerous to mention in this article, but we will notice a few of them.

We read in Rev. 11:6 that it is in the power of God's two witnesses (the Old and New Testaments) to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. This fact is most clearly demonstrated in the ten plagues that fell upon Egypt, as recorded in Exodus, chapters seven to twelve. These plagues seem naturally to be grouped together in pairs. The first two, the blood and the frogs, both proceed from the water. The next two, the lice and the flies, are from the insect world. The third pair, murrain and boils, are diseases, one affecting beasts, the other affecting people. The fourth couple of plagues is destructive of vegetation, the hail destroying a large part of the crops, and the locusts taking what was left. While all these foregoing plagues affect man in a material or physical way, the last two must have caused intense mental anguish,—darkness and death—what a dread combination!

Darkness is an apt symbol of death. What a shadow of death it must have been when the wretched victims saw not one another for three days, and endured a darkness that might be felt! What gloomy meditations and forebodings must have come to their minds as they sat in that terrible unbroken night of more than three-score hours' duration!

Then to end the awful series of disasters came that sad day when every Egyptian home was a house of mourning—the beloved first-born a corpse.

In close connection with this day of just retribution to the Egyptians we have the Gospel of forgiveness and mercy in Israel's Passover experience. What devout or thinking son of Abraham could fail to see in this wonderful deliverance the final pardon and blotting out of sin, that is insured in the blood of Him who is our Passover, whose blood was typified by the crimson on the lintel and sideposts of their doors? 'Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?' Micah 7:18. It is because the Lord passes by, or passes over, our transgressions, by virtue of the blood so freely shed for us, that we are not cut off. The remnant of His people, living at the time of the close of probation, when Rev. 22:11 will be fulfilled, will have a thrilling experience in this matter.

In one respect the book of Exodus furnishes us the most noteworthy event in this world's history since the fall. All eyes may well be turned to Exodus 20, and the sublime event therein recorded, and listen to the voice that then shook the earth. That was the giving of the Ten Commandments, which are acknowledged to be the infallible rule of conduct for the whole race, and were spoken by the living God in the hearing of all His people. 'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.'

This book is full of themes of all-absorbing interest. The half has not been told, nor even referred to. The ratifying of the first covenant, the building of the earthly tabernacle (the type of the heavenly), Israel's apostasy in making the golden calf, Moses' long fast when receiving the tables of stone, etc., will richly repay the

student for the time spent in examining the book.

Who can afford to omit the book of Exodus from his course of reading and study?