The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Exodus 8:6-7,
"So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt."
Some of the signs the Lord used through Moses to compel Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to leave were duplicated by Pharaoh's court magicians. Aaron brought frogs by stretching out his hand over "the waters of Egypt" (actually the Lord did when Aaron did what the Lord told him to do.) In 7:22 we read that Pharaoh's magicians duplicated the plague of blood, and in 7:11-12 these magicians also duplicated what Aaron had done when he threw his staff down and it turned into a snake.
What is going on here? Does magic really work? Can people duplicate the miracles of God through "magic arts"? We are told these magicians performed their miracles "by their secret arts." 7:11; 7:22; 8:7. However, when they could not duplicate the plague of gnats, they claimed, "This is the finger of God", 8:19. Finally we read, "The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians." Exodus 9:11.
"So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt."
Some of the signs the Lord used through Moses to compel Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to leave were duplicated by Pharaoh's court magicians. Aaron brought frogs by stretching out his hand over "the waters of Egypt" (actually the Lord did when Aaron did what the Lord told him to do.) In 7:22 we read that Pharaoh's magicians duplicated the plague of blood, and in 7:11-12 these magicians also duplicated what Aaron had done when he threw his staff down and it turned into a snake.
What is going on here? Does magic really work? Can people duplicate the miracles of God through "magic arts"? We are told these magicians performed their miracles "by their secret arts." 7:11; 7:22; 8:7. However, when they could not duplicate the plague of gnats, they claimed, "This is the finger of God", 8:19. Finally we read, "The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians." Exodus 9:11.
Recall the Lord told Moses that he would harden Pharaoh's heart for his own purposes when he sent Moses to Pharaoh to request the Israelites be let go. It is my belief that the "secret arts" of these magicians had nothing to do with their ability to perform the miracles Moses and Aaron performed by the power of God. Rather, the Lord enabled these magicians to perform these miracles as they sought to perform them through their secret arts. It was to help accomplish what the Lord intended: harden Pharaoh's heart against the Israelites. If Pharaoh, through is magicians, could duplicate the miraculous performed by God's people, then why should he be intimidated by them?
I notice that when time came for the plague of gnats, Pharaoh no longer needed the support of his court magicians for his heart to remain hard. It was now fully fixed and so these magicians were no longer able to do what they had been doing in the prior plagues. The Lord no longer needed to use these magicians to insure Pharaoh's heart to be hardened and so no longer enabled these magicians.
It is an example of the Lord using wicked people to bring about the outcomes he desires. Just as the Lord brought about the occupation of Israel by idolatrous nations in the book of Judges, just as he destroyed the northern ten tribes of Israel through Assyria, just as he had his Son betrayed by Judas Iscariot, the Lord uses wicked people to his own ends. Amazing to think about.
I could certainly be wrong here. This is just my perspective (and I'm not going to fall on my sword to defend it). Regardless, the account of Moses and Aaron's confrontation with Pharaoh is an astonishing, exciting, and breath-taking event that took place almost three and a half millenia ago.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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