2. The Training of Moses. (Born B. C. 1571.) There was another element of preparation. No common man could have wrought the great work of liberation, of legislation, and of training which Israel needed. Notice, 1.) Moses was an Israelite in birth, of the consecrated tribe of Levi (Exod. 2. 1, 2). 2.) But he was educated in the palace, and in the highest culture, as a prince in Egypt (Exod. 2. 10). If he had been doomed to a slave's life he could never have accomplished his mission. 3.) At full age Moses made choice of his people, because they were the people of God (Heb. 11. 24-26). 4.) Then came the training of forty years in the desert, giving him knowledge of the land, experience of hardships, and maturity of thought. 5.) Lastly, there was the call of God (Exod. 3. 2), with its revelation of God's name and power, imparting strength for his work.
3. The Ten Plagues. There was a special significance in these plagues, for each was a blow at some form of idol-worship among the Egyptians. They were: 1.) The river turned to blood (Exod. 7. 20, 21). 2.) Frogs (Exod. 8. 6). 3.) Lice (Exod. 8. 17). 4.) Flies, probably including beetles and other winged pests (Exod. 8. 24). 5.) Murrain, or pestilence among domestic animals (Exod. 9. 3, 4). 6.) Boils (Exod. 9. 10). 7.) Hail (Exod. 9. 23). 8.) Locusts (Exod. 10. 14, 15). 9.) Darkness (Exod. 10. 22, 23). 10.) Death of the first-born (Exod. 12. 29).
4. The Passover. (Exod. 12. 21-28.) This service represented three ideas. 1.) It was the spring-tide festival. 2.) It commemorated the sudden departure from Egypt, when there was not even time to "raise the bread" before leaving (Exod. 12. 34-39). 3.) It was an impressive prophecy of Christ, the slain Lamb of God (Exod. 12. 21, 22).
5. The Exodus. (B. C. 1491.) (Exod. 12. 40, 41.) The word means "going out." This was the birthday of a nation, the hour when the Israelites rose from being merely a mass of men to become a people.
II. THE WILDERNESS OF THE WANDERING. Let the student note carefully upon a good map the following locations, and then draw a map containing them:
1. Draw the coast-lines and note three Seas. 1.) The "great sea," or Mediterranean (Josh. 1. 4). 2.) The Red Sea (Exod. 13. 18), (Gulfs of Suez and Akaba). 3.) The Dead Sea.
2. Draw the mountain ranges, and note five Deserts. 1.) The Desert of Shur (Exod. 15. 22), between Goshen and Canaan. 2.) The Desert of Paran, in the center of the Sinaitic triangle (Num. 10. 12). This is the wilderness in which thirty-eight of the forty years were passed (Deut. 1. 19). 3.) The Desert of E'ham (Num. 33. 8), on the shore of the Gulf of Suez. 4.) The Desert of Sin, near Mount Sinai (Exod. 16. 1). 5.) The Desert of Zin, the desolate valley between the Gulf of Akaba and the Dead Sea, now called the Arabah (Num. 13. 21).
3. Locate also the five Lands of this region. 1.) Goshen, the land of the sojourn (Exod. 9. 26). 2.) Midian, the land of Moses's shepherd life (Exod. 2. 15), on both sides of the Gulf of Akaba. 3.) Edom, the land of Esau's descendants, south of the Dead Sea (Num. 21. 4). 4.) Moab, the land of Lot's descendants, east of the Dead Sea (Num. 21. 13). 5.) Canaan, the land of promise (Gen. 12. 7).
4. Fix also the location of three Mountains. 1.) Mount Sinai, where the law was given (Exod. 19. 20). 2.) Mount Hor, where Aaron died (Num. 20. 23-28). 3.) Mount Nebo (Pisgah), where Moses died (Deut. 34. 1).