Exodus 7:6-13

October 29, 2014

God called Abraham out of Ur and made a covenant with him to bless all the nations of the
earth through him: he would be the father of many nations, and his seed would inherit and
possess what is called the Promised Land. He died without seeing that promise fulfilled but
went to the grave trusting that God is faithful and that one day his descendants would receive
it all. His son, grandson, and great-grandsons also died without having received, but they too
knew that that El Shaddai was trustworthy, and they quit this life in faith.

We know the story of Israel and how they ended up in Egypt during a severe worldwide
famine. At first they were welcomed and honored, but in time the Egyptians sought to control
their numbers and their activities by making them slaves for the nation. Four hundred years
passed and the people cried out to God for deliverance until he finally called Moses, a
descendant of Levi, to go and speak to Pharaoh and demand their freedom.

But Pharaoh wasnt impressed with Moses or with Moses God. He simply refused to let the
people go and asked, Who is Yahweh that I should obey him? (Ex. 5:2). In our last study we
saw that God intends to answer that question; hell reveal to Israel that Yahweh is their God
and Savior, and to Egypt that he is a mighty foe against them. He will supernaturally harden
Pharaoh's heart and the hearts of his servants so that theyll be unwilling to let Israel go even
after several devastating plagues. Each refusal will result in another catastrophe until ten
plagues have fully demonstrated that God puts a difference between the two peoples and
that hes able to save one and cripple the other.

This, of course, has enormous spiritual value when we learn in the New Testament that
Abrahams descendants arent necessarily the physical Jews but all who believe by faith
(Rom. 4:13; 9:6). Our struggle isnt against an earthly Pharaoh but against spiritual forces
and Satan himself (Eph. 6:12). Our bondage isnt one of physical captivity but to sin and death
(Heb. 2:15), and Jesus has preached the good news to all who hear by faith: if the Son has set
you free, you are free indeed! (Jn. 8:36).

So, as we read the account of Israels Exodus from Egypt were comforted in seeing what
Christ has done for us, and we glorify him as our God and Savior who delivers these promises
and overcomes our enemies with a mighty hand!

God sends Moses back to Pharaoh:

6
And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
7
And Moses was
fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto
Pharaoh.

Remember that we want to be careful about assigning subjective meaning to the things well
read here. Im not sure why God tells us about their ages, but two things stand out in my
mind: first, Acts 7:25 tells us that Moses knew he was Israels savior way back when he killed
the Egyptian taskmaster. Thats at least forty years before the Exodus actually begins, and it
must have seemed like a long time in between. God doesnt necessarily move on our
schedules, but you can bet that its all right on time.

Maybe even more to the point here is the fact that Moses is well past his prime when God
uses him for the task. He lived another 40 years after the Exodus, and he had plenty of
strength the day he died (Deut. 34:7), but imagine his abilities when he was only 40 years
old. How much more could he have done if God had used him while he was still connected
and powerful in Egypt (Acts 7:22)?

But thats exactly the point of the whole story, isnt it? No one could change Pharaohs mind
or help Israel except God. Its like when God promised Isaac to Abraham; he purposely waited
until Abraham was 100 years old just to prove that it was his own work. So now God waits
until Moses is 80 years old and a stranger to both the Egyptians and the Israelites, and then
he commands him to lead. This principle of using the weak is one we see carried into the
New Testament:

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble, are called:
27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound
the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty;
28
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29
That no flesh should glory in his
presence.
30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31
That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:26-31).

The point isnt to say that Christians are generally weak or stupid, but to show that Christ is
believed on by the helpless. Pharaoh's hard heart prevented him from trusting the word of
the Lord, but Israels only hope was to wait on God. We, likewise, see that were far inferior
to Satans power and that we have no hope of defeating sin or death, but of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption. Those who think they have no need of God or his righteousness are the wise,
noble, and mighty; they are rich and needless but fail to see their own impotence, and
therefore, refuse to abide in Christ. Their end is sudden destruction, and thats what we see
taught in the Exodus.

8
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
9
When Pharaoh shall speak
unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod,
and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

The plagues arent starting just yet; first Moses will go to Pharaoh and attempt to prove that
the Hebrew God is with him. Aaron will throw his staff onto the ground and itll become a
serpent just as had happened earlier with the Israelites (Ex. 4:1-5, 31). Now, theres a
contrast here between them and Pharaoh because Israel believed when they saw the serpent,
but Pharaohs heart is hardened so that he refuses. This is one of the first places where we
see that God puts a difference between Egypt and Israel:

10
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had
commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and
it became a serpent.
11
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now
the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
12
For they
cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents:

When Pharaoh sees the miracle hes not impressed; he simply calls for his own magicians to
come and perform the same. Moses doesnt go out of his way to say that it was slight of hand,
and I dont think we should worry about it either. Maybe it was a trick or maybe God let them
actually turn a stick into a snake; the point is Pharaoh's pride and his refusal to heed the
word of God.

Picture him sitting on his throne expressionless as the snake writhes on the floor. Moses and
Aaron watch expectantly until he claps his hands and orders the magicians to do the same.
Several men throw their rods simultaneously and suddenly there are snakes everywhere.

I imagine Moses face falls a little, and Pharaohs lip curls. Hes not concerned about the
Hebrew Gods one little snake, but then something unexpected happens:

but Aarons rod swallowed up their rods.

This word for swallowed doesnt have to mean that the serpent literally ate the others. Its
certainly possible that he did, but this is the same word used in Genesis 41:7 where the bad
corn devoured the good corn in Pharaohs dream. The main point is the overwhelming
strength of Gods serpent against the snakes of the Egyptians. They were self-satisfied and
confident in their own abilities, but then this happened and shattered the whole illusion.
Sure, they can mimic his power, but in the end he triumphs.

Paul grasps this idea and teaches more on it in his letter to Timothy:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2
For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good,
4
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6
For of this
sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away
with divers lusts,
7
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8
Now as
Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds,
reprobate concerning the faith.
9
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be
manifest unto all men, as theirs also was (2 Tim. 3:1-9).

When Paul read this story in Exodus he saw how it applied to his own day and to ours. The
magicians worshiped gods, but they knew nothing of true righteousness. They could turn a
staff into a serpent, but they rejected the God of all power, and in the end they were proven
to be fools.

Thats the whole point, again, of the Exodus. Salvation is about Gods power. Moses was
doubtful and beyond his prime, and the magicians could duplicate his miracles, but it didnt
matter because Gods power far surpassed theirs!

13
And he hardened Pharaohs heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had
said.

Here you go; why didnt Pharaoh repent when he saw this miracle happen right in front of
him? If not now, why not after the first plague? Or the second? Or the fifth? Or the ninth? Why
not do the logical thing and drive them out of the land so that all these terrible things will
stop happening and at least save a little face? The Lord had hardened his heart.

There are people who take this lightly and say that its merely a response to Pharaohs
previous condition, but the point of the passage is to show Gods magnificent power. We
might think that to harden means to make Pharaoh simply unreceptive, but a more precise
interpretation is that God made him strong.
1
In other words, Pharaoh was of the opinion that
Yahweh was inferior to his Egyptian gods, and Yahweh strengthened that opinion in his
mind. He clung desperately to his idols until all of Egypt was decimated and his army was
lost into the Red Sea.


1
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2388&t=KJV
This is the other side of salvation. One side is for Israel, and it promises to deliver. The other
side is for Egypt and it promises to destroy. These parts are typified in the Exodus, and they
are as real and present now as they ever were. When Moses finally crossed the Red Sea and
finally understood the fulness of Gods power, he sang the song of chapter fifteen. When
history finally comes to its conclusion and were all standing around that throne, well too
sing a song of praise to the strength of our God:

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all
things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:11).

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and
kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with
white robes, and palms in their hands;
10
And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our
God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11
And all the angels stood round about
the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces,
and worshipped God,
12
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and
honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen (Rev. 7:9-12).

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia;
Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
2
For true and righteous
are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her
fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
3
And again they said,
Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
4
And the four and twenty elders and the four
beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
5
And a voice
came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both
small and great.
6
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many
waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth (Rev. 19:1-6).

Let us be comforted and rejoice in the strength of our Savior!

newgracebaptistchurch.wordpress.com