What a terrifying task God asked of Moses! We should not blame him for wavering as he told God that Pharaoh would not listen to him! His brother Aaron was designated to support him in going to Pharaoh to demand the Israelites’ release. We read that “God hardens Pharaoh’s heart” meaning that God’s demands caused Pharaoh’s attitude to harden. The miracles of the staff becoming a serpent, and the Nile and other waters becoming blood did not impress Pharaoh, and his attitude became even harder.
Moses and Aaron were obedient to God in delivering His messages and now we read that the time had come for Pharaoh to experience God’s strength and majesty in the performing of certain miraculous signs proving the mighty power God. Why was it that God took this approach in dealing with Pharaoh? God’s purpose was to bring Pharaoh to the point where he was willing to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Furthermore, God was exposing the futility of the Egyptian gods to the Israelites, as well as to the Egyptians. The Egyptians worshipped 80 different deities, but as we shall see these deities could do nothing to rescue the land or the people from the judgements which God sent. According to Ezekiel 20 vv 1-9 certain Israelites were even worshipping some of the Egyptian gods themselves and took them along when they eventually left Egypt! The snake or serpent was a “special creature” in Egyptian religion, the cobra being a symbol of immortality! These three “sign” miracles – the staff turning into the serpent, the water turning to blood and the invasion of frogs, were all mimicked by Pharaoh’s magicians! They probably achieved that by sleight of hand!
Here is a lesson for everyone, that Satan can use anyone to perform “lying wonders” – see 2 Thessalonians 2 vv 9-10. The water turning into blood was the first of the Ten Plagues God sent on Egypt. The frogs and gnats came next followed by flies, death of livestock and boils! What a terrible time to live through – can you imagine all those rotting frogs everywhere? Resisting God Almighty never does anyone any good as we see from this vivid account. Hard-hearted people are those, like Pharaoh, who see evidence of God’s hand, but refuse to accept His Word. In 2 Timothy 3 vv 1-9 the apostle Paul refers to the Egyptian magicians, saying that in the last days Satan will attack God’s truth and God’s people by imitating the works of God!
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Dear Father God, I pray for those who have resisted you, asking that your Holy Spirit will invade their lives and they will acknowledge you as Saviour and Lord. For the glory of Jesus, Amen.