Pharaoh's Magicians

[Utah]

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. Exodus 7

This Scripture has always been difficult for me to embrace without reservation. How were mere mortals able to create life? Scripture states that all life is created through Jesus so how could Pharaoh's homeboys create life unless God's hand was directly involved?

Comments?

 

[Jon4TheCross]

Evil knows that faith and trust work both ways...to an extent. Obviously they were not allowed to copy at a certain point if you keep reading.

 

[Utah]

You're right, we see that their abilities were limited, yet they created life.

 

[kedge]

how could Pharaoh's homeboys create life unless God's hand was directly involved?

Comments?

What do you mean create life?, where does it say that?.

 

[MarcR]

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. Exodus 7

This Scripture has always been difficult for me to embrace without reservation. How were mere mortals able to create life? Scripture states that all life is created through Jesus so how could Pharaoh's homeboys create life unless God's hand was directly involved?

Comments?

We know:

1) that through God's intervention, Aaron's rod was perceived as a snake [whether or not it actually became one].

2)that through Satan's intervention, the magicians' rods were percieved as snakes [whether or not they actually became snakes] (we can't know, but it might be that demons inhabited the magicians rods and manifested themselves as snakes.)

3) whatever actually happened: God's manifestation of a snake in Aaron's rod was more powerful than Satan's manifestation of snakes in the magicians rods.

 

[BibleReader]

I recently read Exodus and my take away is Satan is good at counterfeiting the things God does

 

[Least]

Hey Utah,

What the magicians did were just illusions. They weren't able to counterfeit the actual acts that God carried out as the signs increased, just the minimal things.

It kinda reminds me of this:

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2 Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

So knowing the schemes used throughout the word in different accounts, that show us a bit about how the enemy works is important, and hopefully and prayerfully, that will help us avoid that deception. I think the example of the wonders in Egypt, the account in the Garden of Eden and the wilderness temptation are all valuable for just that reason.

 

[Willie-T]

You're right, we see that their abilities were limited, yet they created life.

Scientists are already opening the laboratory door to creating a facsimile of "life". You don't think that Satan would not have enabled men working for him to do the same?

Miracles from both The Light and The Dark have long been known... BUT if done by evil, the credit will never be given to Jehovah.

 

[Utah]

What do you mean create life?, where does it say that?.

Exodus 7.12

 

[Utah]

Thank you everyone for what you've shared so far; it settles well with my spirit.

 

[kedge]

I recently read Exodus and my take away is Satan is good at counterfeiting the things God does

Yeah that's a possibility, also they used magicians, and pharaoh was obstinate, thought himself a living god and actually believed the egyptians god were effective, that's why the 10 plagues were relevant to the false gods of egypt. If you look at the goddess anuket she was supposed to be the goddess of the nile, she protected it but God showed stubborn pharaoh that his gods/goddesses were ineffectual, all the plagues God sent to pharaoh were to prove those egyptian gods false.

 

[Jeff_56]

miracles today, all over the world. and immeasurable sin.(beyond belief/ unrelenting)

Revelation 19:19-21Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
19 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to do battle with the rider of the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was taken captive, and with it the false prophet who, in its presence, had done the miracles which he had used to deceive those who had received the mark of the beast and those who had worshipped his image. The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword that goes out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
-=--------------------------------------------------
Revelation 19:19-21Amplified Bible (AMP)
19 Then I saw the beast and the rulers and leaders of the earth with their troops mustered to go into battle and make war against Him Who is mounted on the horse and against His troops.
20 And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword that issues from the mouth of Him Who is mounted on the horse, and all the birds fed ravenously and glutted themselves with their flesh.
Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
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Revelation 9:20-21Amplified Bible (AMP)
20 And the rest of humanity who were not killed by these plagues even then did not repent of [the worship of] the works of their [own] hands, so as to cease paying homage to the demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor move.
21 And they did not repent of their murders or their practice of magic (sorceries) or their sexual vice or their thefts.
Cross references:
1. Revelation 9:20 : Ps. 115:4-7; 135:15-17; Isa. 17:8.
Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
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[h=1]Revelation 9:20-21Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
[/h] [SUP]20 [/SUP]The rest of mankind, those who were not killed by these plagues, even then did not turn from what they had made with their own hands — they did not stop worshipping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.[SUP][a][/SUP] [SUP]21 [/SUP]Nor did they turn from their murdering, their involvement with the occult and with drugs, their sexual immorality or their stealing.

[h=4]Footnotes: (a) Revelation 9:20 Psalms 115:4–7; 135:15–17; Daniel 5:23
[/h]

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

 

[jb]

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. Exodus 7

This Scripture has always been difficult for me to embrace without reservation. How were mere mortals able to create life? Scripture states that all life is created through Jesus so how could Pharaoh's homeboys create life unless God's hand was directly involved?

Comments?

Quite simply the Egyptian occultists were linking up with Satan and the powers of darkness and were using their evil power to create those different life forms...

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

This Scripture has always been difficult for me to embrace without reservation. How were mere mortals able to create life? Scripture states that all life is created through Jesus so how could Pharaoh's homeboys create life unless God's hand was directly involved?

Comments?

I think John Gill handles it best.

Gill: Exodus 7:12

That is, they seemed to be so, as Josephus expresses it, but not really, in which he is followed by many; though some think that the devil assisted in this affair, and in an instant, as soon as the rods were cast down, removed them and put real serpents in their room

:I think that the most likely explanation, though BibleReader makes a good point, too, in that Satan can mimic, just not equal, the power of God.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. Exodus 7

This Scripture has always been difficult for me to embrace without reservation. How were mere mortals able to create life? Scripture states that all life is created through Jesus so how could Pharaoh's homeboys create life unless God's hand was directly involved?

Comments?

Did they really create life, or was it just an illusion that they created life? Ask yourself how Magicians today work all the many wonders they do in the "eyes of men"......or should I say "lying wonders".

 

[dcontroversal]

WELL a couple of things.....

1. The beast and the false prophet will be empowered by Satan and have the ability to work miracles, signs and wonders....evidently God, when creating Lucifer/Satan gave him some power and ability to do such things....

2. It is no wonder that the workers of the serpent could turn their sticks into serpents...

To add.....Why did the devil dispute about the dead body of Moses.....end of the age the beast takes a deadly head wound, drops and stands again...seems Satan has some abilities in this area as well...