Exodus 7: 8-13: “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 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. 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. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.”
When the Lord Jesus Christ was living as a man the people of His day asked Him for a sign and he said “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it” (Luke 11: 29) Pharaoh was similar to those people of that day. He was not just willing to believe the evidence of God’s presence in the world, he was full of unbelief and had already shown that by enslaving Joseph’s descendants. However, the Lord was prepared to show a sign, even though Pharaoh was evil the Lord was (and still is) gracious and He was willing to give Pharaoh a sign and an opportunity to the know the Lord as the Lord. The ancient Egyptians believed that they were protected by a snake goddess. This snake was the guardian of the Pharaoh so it was appropriate for the Lord to show Pharaoh that He was in control of the god which protected Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to use their evil tricks to make snakes as well but the Lord’s miraculous snake ate all the other snakes and then returned to dead wood. Pharaoh was given an opportunity to see that nothing could protect Him from the Lord, he could either accept the Lord’s grace and mercy or become as dead as Aaron’s rod.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
No comments:
Post a Comment