lations and communications from the Divine Being, he was instructed in the worship of Jehovah. To this person, Abraham, was born a son, Isaac, who was led on in a similar course of Divine teachings; and after him, his son, Jacob. And now, the time had arrived for this single family to expand into a people. To Jacob were born no fewer than twelve sons: and after a time, through a course of providential circumstances, the patriarch with his children and grandchildren, seventy in all, were induced to leave the land of Canaan, in which they had hitherto dwelt, and go into Egypt; but with the Divine promise, that after growing there into a great nation, they or their descendants should one day be brought back again to inherit the land of their ancestors. Accordingly, after a period of about 215 years (how far-reaching are the Divine plans!) when this family had become a people of some three millions in number, an individual of the same nation, but who had been brought up apart from them, and carefully instructed and prepared for his office—Moses—was sent to be their deliverer from the tyranny of the Egyptians, and their guide out of Egypt. In accomplishing this object, a wondrous display of Divine and miraculous power was exhibited, as well for the purpose of convincing the Israelites that their deliverer was indeed the omnipotent Jehovah, as of compelling the Egyptians to let them go. Severe measures had to be taken, to make the latter yield. Plagues of various kinds were brought upon them, and the last and severest of all, the death of their first-born. Then, and not till then, they gave way, and consented at length to let the Israelites go; but even after that consent was given, they rose and pursued them, and
Page:God Manifest.djvu/381
