Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Joseph received an education that, with the fear of God, prepared
him for his position as prime minister of the nation. His influence
was felt throughout the land, and the knowledge of God was spread
far and wide. The idolatrous priests were filled with alarm. Inspired
by Satan's hostility toward the God of heaven, they set themselves to
quench the light.
After Moses fled from Egypt, idolatry seemed to conquer. Year
by year the hopes of the Israelites grew fainter. Both king and
people mocked the God of Israel. This spirit grew until it was fully
developed in the Pharaoh whom Moses confronted. When the
Hebrew leader came before the king with a message from "the Lord
God of Israel," it was not ignorance of the true God, but defiance of
His power, that prompted the answer, "Who is the Lord, that I
should obey His voice ...? I do not know the Lord." From first to
last, Pharaoh's opposition resulted from hatred and defiance.
In the days of Joseph, Egypt had been a safe place for Israel.
God had been honored in the kindness shown His people, and now
the long-suffering One, full of compassion, gave each judgment
time to do its work. The Egyptians had evidence of the power of
Jehovah, and all who were willing could submit to God and escape
His judgments. The stubbornness of the king resulted in spreading
the knowledge of God and bringing many Egyptians to give
themselves to His service.
The extreme idolatry of the Egyptians and their cruelty during
the later part of the Hebrew stay there should have inspired the
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