ndowment thus given to Moses made him "as a god" to Pharaoh.

We must not take this to mean only that he had a prophet or spokesman,
or that he was made formidable, but that the peculiar nature of his
prowess would be felt. It was not his own strength. The supernatural
would become visible in him. He who boasted "I know not Jehovah" would
come to crouch before Him in His agent, and humble himself to the man
whom once he contemptuously ordered back to his burdens, with the abject
prayer, "Forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat
Jehovah your God that He may take away from me this death only."

Now, every consecrated power may bear witness to the Lord: it is
possible to do all to the glory of God. Not that every separate action
will be ascribed to a preternatural source, but the sum total of the
effect produced by a holy life will be sacred. He who said, "I have made
thee a god unto Pharaoh," says of all believers, "I in them, and Thou,
Father, in Me, that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me."

CHAPTER VII.

_THE HARDENING OF PHARAOH'S HEART._

vii. 3-13.

When Moses received his commission, at the bush, words were spoken which
are now repeated with more emphasis, and which have to be considered
carefully. For probably no statement of Scripture has excited fiercer
criticism, more exultation of enemies and perplexity of friends, than
that the Lord said, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he shall not let
the people go," and that in consequence of this Divine act Pharaoh
sinned and suffered. Just because the words are startling, it is unjust
to quote them without careful examination of the context, both in the
prediction and the fulfilment. When all is weighed, compared, and
harmonised, it will at last be possible to draw a just conclusion. And
although it may happen long before then, that the objector will charge
us with special pleading, yet he will be the special pleader himself, if
he seeks to hurry us, by prejudice or passion, to give a verdict which
is based upon less than all the evidence, patiently weighed.

Let us in the first place find out how soon this dreadful process began;
when was it that God fulfilled His threat, and hardened, in any sense
whatever, the heart of Pharaoh? Did He step in at the beginning, and
render the unhappy king incapable of weighing the remonstrances which He
then performed the cruel mockery of addressing to him? Were these as
insincere and futile as