l for
this degree, the degree of "goodness." And one day it may be written
of us as it was written of Barnabas, "He was a good man."

VIII

THE INQUEST--PHARAOH

_Exodus 14:30 and 9:16_

In Exodus 14:19 we read these words: "And Israel saw the Egyptians dead
upon the seashore." It is rather a ghastly and grewsome sight. There
they lie, the soldiers of the once proud army of Egypt. They are in
all sorts of positions, these dead men. Some have their heads pillowed
peacefully upon their arms as if in sleep. Others have their hard
faces half buried in the sand. Others still lie prone upon their backs
with bits of seaweed in their hair and their sightless eyes staring in
terror at nothing.

They are very much alike, these corpses. But here is one that is
different. Look at the rich costume in which it is dressed. Look at
its bejewelled fingers. There is no crown upon its brow. There is no
sceptre in that nerveless hand. Yet it is easy to guess that this
corpse, this "pocket that death has turned inside out and emptied" was
once a king. Yes, this is the body of Pharaoh, the one time ruler of
Egypt. But here he lies to-day among the meanest of his soldiers. He
is sprawled in unkingly fashion upon his face as if the sea had spit
him out in sheer nausea and disgust.

And now comes the big question that we want to consider. How came this
famous Egyptian here? He was once a king, you remember. He was ruler
over the proudest nation in the world. And here we find him dead. He
died away from home. He died a violent death. Let us hold an inquest
over him for a moment and see how he came to die. He did not leave
Egypt and march into the Red Sea for that purpose. He never intended
that life should end thus. Nor is he here because his enemy Israel has
proven stronger than himself. What is the cause? And the question is
answered by the voice of God. We read it in Exodus 9:16, "For this
cause have I raised thee up that I might show forth my power in thee."

Will you notice what this strange text says. Without the least
equivocation it says that God raised this man Pharaoh up that He might
show forth His power in him. And that purpose He accomplished. This
ghastly piece of royal rottenness has not been thrown upon this shore
by the hand of man. As we look at him we see in him a monument of the
power of God. And strange to say, he is not a monument of God's power
to save and to keep and to uti