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Chapter 22
Moses
[This chapter is based on Exodus 1 to 4.]
THE people of Egypt, in order to supply themselves with food during the
famine, had sold to the crown their cattle and lands, and had finally
bound themselves to perpetual serfdom. Joseph wisely provided for their
release; he permitted them to become royal tenants, holding their lands
of the king, and paying an annual tribute of one fifth of the products
of their labor.
But the children of Jacob were not under the necessity of making such
conditions. On account of the service that Joseph had rendered the
Egyptian nation, they were not only granted a part of the country as a
home, but were exempted from taxation, and liberally supplied with food
during the continuance of the famine. The king publicly acknowledged
that it was through the merciful interposition of the God of Joseph that
Egypt enjoyed plenty while other nations were perishing from famine. He
saw, too, that Joseph's management had greatly enriched the kingdom, and
his gratitude surrounded the family of Jacob with royal favor.
But as time rolled on, the great man to whom Egypt owed so much, and the
generation blessed by his labors, passed to the grave. And "there arose
up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph." Not that he was
ignorant of Joseph's services to the nation, but he wished to make no
recognition of them, and, so far as possible, to bury them in oblivion.
"And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of
Israel are more and mightier than we: come on, let us deal wisely with
them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth
out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and
so get them up out of the land."
The Israelites had already become very numerous; they "were fruitful,
and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty;
and the land was filled with them." Under Joseph's fostering care, and
the favor of the king who was then ruling, they had spread rapidly over
the land. But they had kept themselves a distinct race, having nothing
in common with the Egyptians in customs or religion; and their
increasing numbers now excited the fears of the king and his people,
lest in case of war they should join themselves with the enemies of
Egypt. Yet policy forbade their banishment from the country. Many of
them were able and understanding workmen, and they added greatly to the
wealth of the nation; the king needed such laborers for the erection of
his magnificent palaces and temples. Accordingly he ranked them with the
Egyptians who had sold themselves with their possessions to the kingdom.
Soon taskmasters were set over them, and their slavery became complete.
"And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and
they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick,
and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein
they made them serve, was with rigor." "But the more they afflicted
them, the more they multiplied and grew."
The king and his counselors had hoped to subdue the Israelites with hard
labor, and thus decrease their numbers and crush out their independent
spirit. Failing to accomplish their purpose, they proceeded to more
cruel measures. Orders were issued to the women whose employment gave
them opportunity for executing the command, to destroy the Hebrew male
children at their birth. Satan was the mover in this matter. He knew
that a deliverer was to be raised up among the Israelites; and by
leading the king to destroy their children he hoped to defeat the divine
purpose. But the women feared God, and dared not execute the cruel
mandate. The Lord approved their course, and prospered them. The king,
angry at the failure of his design, made the command more urgent and
extensive. The whole nation was called upon to hunt out and slaughter
his helpless victims. "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every
son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye
shall save alive."
While this decree was in full force a son was born to Amram and Jochebed,
devout Israelites of the tribe of Levi. The babe was "a goodly child;"
and the parents, believing that the time of Israel's release was drawing
near, and that God would raise up a deliverer for His people, determined
that their little one should not be sacrificed. Faith in God
strengthened their hearts, "and they were not afraid of the king's
commandment." Hebrews 11:23.
The mother succeeded in concealing the child for three months. Then,
finding that she could no longer keep him safely, she prepared a little
ark of rushes, making it watertight by means of slime and pitch; and
laying the babe therein, she placed it among the flags at the river's
brink. She dared not remain to guard it, lest the child's life and her
own should be forfeited; but his sister, Miriam, lingered near,
apparently indifferent, but anxiously watching to see what would become
of her little brother. And there were other watchers. The mother's
earnest prayers had committed her child to the care of God; and angels,
unseen, hovered above his lowly resting place. Angels directed Pharaoh's
daughter thither. Her curiosity was excited by the little basket, and as
she looked upon the beautiful child within, she read the story at a
glance. The tears of the babe awakened her compassion, and her
sympathies went out to the unknown mother who had resorted to this means
to preserve the life of her precious little one. She determined that he
should be saved; she would adopt him as her own.
Miriam had been secretly noting every movement; perceiving that the
child was tenderly regarded, she ventured nearer, and at last said,
"Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may
nurse the child for thee?" And permission was given.
The sister hastened to her mother with the happy news, and without delay
returned with her to the presence of Pharaoh's daughter. "Take this chid
away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages," said the
princess.
God had heard the mother's prayers; her faith had been rewarded. It was
with deep gratitude that she entered upon her now safe and happy task.
She faithfully improved her opportunity to educate her child for God.
She felt confident that he had been preserved for some great work, and
she knew that he must soon be given up to his royal mother, to be
surrounded with influences that would tend to lead him away from God.
All this rendered her more diligent and careful in his instruction than
in that of her other children. She endeavored to imbue his mind with the
fear of God and the love of truth and justice, and earnestly prayed that
he might be preserved from every corrupting influence. She showed him
the folly and sin of idolatry, and early taught him to bow down and pray
to the living God, who alone could hear him and help him in every
emergency.
She kept the boy as long as she could, but was obliged to give him up
when he was about twelve years old. From his humble cabin home he was
taken to the royal palace, to the daughter of Pharaoh, "and he became
her son." Yet even here he did not lose the impressions received in
childhood. The lessons learned at his mother's side could not be
forgotten. They were a shield from the pride, the infidelity, and the
vice that flourished amid the splendor of the court.
How far-reaching in its results was the influence of that one Hebrew
woman, and she an exile and a slave! The whole future life of Moses, the
great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to
the importance of the work of the Christian mother. There is no other
work that can equal this. To a very great extent the mother holds in her
own hands the destiny of her children. She is dealing with developing
minds and characters, working not alone for time, but for eternity. She
is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good or
for evil. She has not to paint a form of beauty upon canvas or to chisel
it from marble, but to impress upon a human soul the image of the
divine. Especially during their early years the responsibility rests
upon her of forming the character of her children. The impressions now
made upon their developing minds will remain with them all through life.
Parents should direct the instruction and training of their children
while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. They are
placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs to the throne of an
earthly empire, but as kings unto God, to reign through unending ages.
Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be
tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of
the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the
ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish
feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed
the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness, owe the
principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a
praying, Christian mother.
At the court of Pharaoh, Moses received the highest civil and military
training. The monarch had determined to make his adopted grandson his
successor on the throne, and the youth was educated for his high
station. "And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and
was mighty in words and in deeds." Acts 7:22. His ability as a military
leader made him a favorite with the armies of Egypt, and he was
generally regarded as a remarkable character. Satan had been defeated in
his purpose. The very decree condemning the Hebrew children to death had
been overruled by God for the training and education of the future
leader of His people.
The elders of Israel were taught by angels that the time for their
deliverance was near, and that Moses was the man whom God would employ
to accomplish this work. Angels instructed Moses also that Jehovah had
chosen him to break the bondage of His people. He, supposing that they
were to obtain their freedom by force of arms, expected to lead the
Hebrew host against the armies of Egypt, and having this in view, he
guarded his affections, lest in his attachment to his foster mother or
to Pharaoh he would not be free to do the will of God.
By the laws of Egypt all who occupied the throne of the Pharaohs must
become members of the priestly caste; and Moses, as the heir apparent,
was to be initiated into the mysteries of the national religion. This
duty was committed to the priests. But while he was an ardent and
untiring student, he could not be induced to participate in the worship
of the gods. He was threatened with the loss of the crown, and warned
that he would be disowned by the princess should he persist in his
adherence to the Hebrew faith. But he was unshaken in his determination
to render homage to none save the one God, the Maker of heaven and
earth. He reasoned with priests and worshipers, showing the folly of
their superstitious veneration of senseless objects. None could refute
his arguments or change his purpose, yet for the time his firmness was
tolerated on account of his high position and the favor with which he
was regarded by both the king and the people.
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Hebrews
11:24-26. Moses was fitted to take pre-eminence among the great of the
earth, to shine in the courts of its most glorious kingdom, and to sway
the scepter of its power. His intellectual greatness distinguishes him
above the great men of all ages. As historian, poet, philosopher,
general of armies, and legislator, he stands without a peer. Yet with
the world before him, he had the moral strength to refuse the flattering
prospects of wealth and greatness and fame, "choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin
for a season."
Moses had been instructed in regard to the final reward to be given to
the humble and obedient servants of God, and worldly gain sank to its
proper insignificance in comparison. The magnificent palace of Pharaoh
and the monarch's throne were held out as an inducement to Moses; but he
knew that the sinful pleasures that make men forget God were in its
lordly courts. He looked beyond the gorgeous palace, beyond a monarch's
crown, to the high honors that will be bestowed on the saints of the
Most High in a kingdom untainted by sin. He saw by faith an imperishable
crown that the King of heaven would place on the brow of the overcomer.
This faith led him to turn away from the lordly ones of earth and join
the humble, poor, despised nation that had chosen to obey God rather
than to serve sin.
Moses remained at court until he was forty years of age. His thoughts
often turned upon the abject condition of his people, and he visited his
brethren in their servitude, and encouraged them with the assurance that
God would work for their deliverance. Often, stung to resentment by the
sight of injustice and oppression, he burned to avenge their wrongs. One
day, while thus abroad, seeing an Egyptian smiting an Israelite, he
sprang forward and slew the Egyptian. Except the Israelite, there had
been no witness to the deed, and Moses immediately buried the body in
the sand. He had now shown himself ready to maintain the cause of his
people, and he hoped to see them rise to recover their liberty. "He
supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand
would deliver them; but they understood not." Acts 7:25. They were not
yet prepared for freedom. On the following day Moses saw two Hebrews
striving together, one of them evidently at fault. Moses reproved the
offender, who at once retaliated upon the reprover, denying his right to
interfere, and basely accusing him of crime: "Who made thee a prince and
a judge over us?" he said. "Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst
the Egyptian?"
The whole matter was quickly made known to the Egyptians, and, greatly
exaggerated, soon reached the ears of Pharaoh. It was represented to the
king that this act meant much; that Moses designed to lead his people
against the Egyptians, to overthrow the government, and to seat himself
upon the throne; and that there could be no security for the kingdom
while he lived. It was at once determined by the monarch that he should
die; but, becoming aware of his danger, he made his escape and fled
toward Arabia.
The Lord directed his course, and he found a home with Jethro, the
priest and prince of Midian, who was also a worshiper of God. After a
time Moses married one of the daughters of Jethro; and here, in the
service of his father-in-law, as keeper of his flocks, he remained forty
years.
In slaying the Egyptian, Moses had fallen into the same error so often
committed by his fathers, of taking into their own hands the work that
God had promised to do. It was not God's will to deliver His people by
warfare, as Moses thought, but by His own mighty power, that the glory
might be ascribed to Him alone. Yet even this rash act was overruled by
God to accomplish His purposes. Moses was not prepared for his great
work. He had yet to learn the same lesson of faith that Abraham and
Jacob had been taught--not to rely upon human strength or wisdom, but
upon the power of God for the fulfillment of His promises. And there
were other lessons that, amid the solitude of the mountains, Moses was
to receive. In the school of self-denial and hardship he was to learn
patience, to temper his passions. Before he could govern wisely, he must
be trained to obey. His own heart must be fully in harmony with God
before he could teach the knowledge of His will to Israel. By his own
experience he must be prepared to exercise a fatherly care over all who
needed his help.
Man would have dispensed with that long period of toil and obscurity,
deeming it a great loss of time. But Infinite Wisdom called him who was
to become the leader of his people to spend forty years in the humble
work of a shepherd. The habits of caretaking, of self-forgetfulness and
tender solicitude for his flock, thus developed, would prepare him to
become the compassionate, longsuffering shepherd of Israel. No advantage
that human training or culture could bestow, could be a substitute for
this experience.
Moses had been learning much that he must unlearn. The influences that
had surrounded him in Egypt--the love of his foster mother, his own high
position as the king's grandson, the dissipation on every hand, the
refinement, the subtlety, and the mysticism of a false religion, the
splendor of idolatrous worship, the solemn grandeur of architecture and
sculpture--all had left deep impressions upon his developing mind and
had molded, to some extent, his habits and character. Time, change of
surroundings, and communion with God could remove these impressions. It
would require on the part of Moses himself a struggle as for life to
renounce error and accept truth, but God would be his helper when the
conflict should be too severe for human strength.
In all who have been chosen to accomplish a work for God the human
element is seen. Yet they have not been men of stereotyped habits and
character, who were satisfied to remain in that condition. They
earnestly desired to obtain wisdom from God and to learn to work for
Him. Says the apostle, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be
given him." James 1:5. But God will not impart to men divine light while
they are content to remain in darkness. In order to receive God's help,
man must realize his weakness and deficiency; he must apply his own mind
to the great change to be wrought in himself; he must be aroused to
earnest and persevering prayer and effort. Wrong habits and customs must
be shaken off; and it is only by determined endeavor to correct these
errors and to conform to right principles that the victory can be
gained. Many never attain to the position that they might occupy,
because they wait for God to do for them that which He has given them
power to do for themselves. All who are fitted for usefulness must be
trained by the severest mental and moral discipline, and God will assist
them by uniting divine power with human effort.
Shut in by the bulwarks of the mountains, Moses was alone with God. The
magnificent temples of Egypt no longer impressed his mind with their
superstition and falsehood. In the solemn grandeur of the everlasting
hills he beheld the majesty of the Most High, and in contrast realized
how powerless and insignificant were the gods of Egypt. Everywhere the
Creator's name was written. Moses seemed to stand in His presence and to
be over-shadowed by His power. Here his pride and self-sufficiency were
swept away. In the stern simplicity of his wilderness life, the results
of the ease and luxury of Egypt disappeared. Moses became patient,
reverent, and humble, "very meek, above all the men which were upon the
face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3), yet strong in faith in the mighty God
of Jacob.
As the years rolled on, and he wandered with his flocks in solitary
places, pondering upon the oppressed condition of his people, he
recounted the dealings of God with his fathers and the promises that
were the heritage of the chosen nation, and his prayers for Israel
ascended by day and by night. Heavenly angels shed their light around
him. Here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote the book
of Genesis. The long years spent amid the desert solitudes were rich in
blessing, not alone to Moses and his people, but to the world in all
succeeding ages.
"And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died:
and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they
cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God
heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and
God had respect unto them." The time for Israel's deliverance had come.
But God's purpose was to be accomplished in a manner to pour contempt on
human pride. The deliverer was to go forth as a humble shepherd, with
only a rod in his hand; but God would make that rod the symbol of His
power. Leading his flocks one day near Horeb, "the mountain of God,"
Moses saw a bush in flames, branches, foliage, and trunk, all burning,
yet seeming not to be consumed. He drew near to view the wonderful
sight, when a voice from out of the flame called him by name. With
trembling lips he answered, "Here am I." He was warned not to approach
irreverently: "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place
whereon thou standest is holy ground. . . . I am the God of thy father,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." It was He
who, as the Angel of the covenant, had revealed Himself to the fathers
in ages past. "And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon
God."
Humility and reverence should characterize the deportment of all who
come into the presence of God. In the name of Jesus we may come before
Him with confidence, but we must not approach Him with the boldness of
presumption, as though He were on a level with ourselves. There are
those who address the great and all-powerful and holy God, who dwelleth
in light unapproachable, as they would address an equal, or even an
inferior. There are those who conduct themselves in His house as they
would not presume to do in the audience chamber of an earthly ruler.
These should remember that they are in His sight whom seraphim adore,
before whom angels veil their faces. God is greatly to be reverenced;
all who truly realize His presence will bow in humility before Him, and,
like Jacob beholding the vision of God, they will cry out, "How dreadful
is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the
gate of heaven."
As Moses waited in reverent awe before God the words continued: "I have
surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have
heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their
sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a
large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. . . . Come now
therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring
forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt."
Amazed and terrified at the command, Moses drew back, saying, "Who am I,
that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the
children of Israel out of Egypt?" The reply was, "Certainly I will be
with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee:
When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God
upon this mountain."
Moses thought of the difficulties to be encountered, of the blindness,
ignorance, and unbelief of his people, many of whom were almost
destitute of a knowledge of God. "Behold," he said, "when I come unto
the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers
hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? what
shall I say unto them?" The answer was--
"I Am That I Am." "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am
hath sent me unto you."
Moses was commanded first to assemble the elders of Israel, the most
noble and righteous among them, who had long grieved because of their
bondage, and to declare to them a message from God, with a promise of
deliverance. Then he was to go with the elders before the king, and say
to him--
"The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we
beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may
sacrifice to the Lord our God."
Moses was forewarned that Pharaoh would resist the appeal to let Israel
go. Yet the courage of God's servant must not fail; for the Lord would
make this the occasion to manifest His power before the Egyptians and
before His people. "And I will stretch out My hand, and smite Egypt with
all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he
will let you go."
Direction was also given concerning the provision they were to make for
the journey. The Lord declared, "It shall come to pass, that, when ye
go, ye shall not go empty: but every woman shall borrow of her neighbor,
and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of
gold, and raiment." The Egyptians had been enriched by the labor
unjustly exacted from the Israelites, and as the latter were to start on
the journey to their new home, it was right for them to claim the reward
of their years of toil. They were to ask for articles of value, such as
could be easily transported, and God would give them favor in the sight
of the Egyptians. The mighty miracles wrought for their deliverance
would strike terror to the oppressors, so that the requests of the
bondmen would be granted.
Moses saw before him difficulties that seemed insurmountable. What proof
could he give his people that God had indeed sent him? "Behold," he
said, "they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they
will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee." Evidence that appealed
to his own senses was now given. He was told to cast his rod upon the
ground. As he did so, "it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before
it." He was commanded to seize it, and in his hand it became a rod. He
was bidden to put his hand into his bosom. He obeyed, and "when he took
it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow." Being told to put it
again into his bosom, he found on withdrawing it that it had become like
the other. By these signs the Lord assured Moses that His own people, as
well as Pharaoh, should be convinced that One mightier than the king of
Egypt was manifest among them.
But the servant of God was still overwhelmed by the thought of the
strange and wonderful work before him. In his distress and fear he now
pleaded as an excuse a lack of ready speech: "O my Lord, I am not
eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy
servant; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." He had been so
long away from the Egyptians that he had not so clear knowledge and
ready use of their language as when he was among them.
The Lord said unto him, "Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the
dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?" To
this was added another assurance of divine aid: "Now therefore go, and I
will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." But Moses
still entreated that a more competent person be selected. These excuses
at first proceeded from humility and diffidence; but after the Lord had
promised to remove all difficulties, and to give him final success, then
any further shrinking back and complaining of his unfitness showed
distrust of God. It implied a fear that God was unable to qualify him
for the great work to which He had called him, or that He had made a
mistake in the selection of the man.
Moses was now directed to Aaron, his elder brother, who, having been in
daily use of the language of the Egyptians, was able to speak it
perfectly. He was told that Aaron was coming to meet him. The next words
from the Lord were an unqualified command:
"Thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be
with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he
shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of
God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do
signs." He could make no further resistance, for all ground for excuse
was removed.
The divine command given to Moses found him self-distrustful, slow of
speech, and timid. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his incapacity to
be a mouthpiece for God to Israel. But having once accepted the work, he
entered upon it with his whole heart, putting all his trust in the Lord.
The greatness of his mission called into exercise the best powers of his
mind. God blessed his ready obedience, and he became eloquent, hopeful,
self-possessed, and well fitted for the greatest work ever given to man.
This is an example of what God does to strengthen the character of those
who trust Him fully and give themselves unreservedly to His commands.
A man will gain power and efficiency as he accepts the responsibilities
that God places upon him, and with his whole soul seeks to qualify
himself to bear them aright. However humble his position or limited his
ability, that man will attain true greatness who, trusting to divine
strength, seeks to perform his work with fidelity. Had Moses relied upon
his own strength and wisdom, and eagerly accepted the great charge, he
would have evinced his entire unfitness for such a work. The fact that a
man feels his weakness is at least some evidence that he realizes the
magnitude of the work appointed him, and that he will make God his
counselor and his strength.
Moses returned to his father-in-law and expressed his desire to visit
his brethren in Egypt. Jethro's consent was given, with his blessing,
"Go in peace." With his wife and children, Moses set forth on the
journey. He had not dared to make known the object of his mission, lest
they should not be allowed to accompany him. Before reaching Egypt,
however, he himself thought it best for their own safety to send them
back to the home in Midian.
A secret dread of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, whose anger had been
kindled against him forty years before, had rendered Moses still more
reluctant to return to Egypt; but after he had set out to obey the
divine command, the Lord revealed to him that his enemies were dead.
On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning
of the Lord's displeasure. An angel appeared to him in a threatening
manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No explanation was
given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God's
requirements; yielding to the persuasion of his wife, he had neglected
to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. He had
failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled
to the blessings of God's covenant with Israel; and such a neglect on
the part of their chosen leader could not but lessen the force of the
divine precepts upon the people. Zipporah, fearing that her husband
would be slain, performed the rite herself, and the angel then permitted
Moses to pursue his journey. In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be
placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only
through the protection of holy angels. But while living in neglect of a
known duty, he would not be secure; for he could not be shielded by the
angels of God.
In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous
will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there
will be no security for the transgressor of God's law. Angels cannot
then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.
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