Exodus 7

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.
(Exo 7:11-13)

And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.
(Exo 7:22)

When I read these two verses today, it immediately made me think of another verse in the New Testament:

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(2Co 11:14)


Over and over again in the Bible Satan is referred to as the DECEIVER. Since tempting Eve in the garden he has been all about deception. One of the ways he does this is by counterfeiting the work of God, making himself look like an angel of light! Though Satan isn’t ALL-POWERFUL, he does have the ability to work “lying signs and wonders”. This is exactly what he does here.

Look at the affect that these false miracles had on Pharaoh… It made his heart harder, and he ignored the word of God.

Though it may be a little different, it reminds me of the false explanations the world has for life existing in the universe. Not miracles here, but lies of the devil being masqueraded as the truth. God tells us that He created the world and all that is in it for his glory. False science produces fabricated stories about a big explosion, life coming out of nothing, and no purpose other than “survival of the fittest”. When accepted, these lies have the same affect as the tricks of Pharaohs magicians; they make your heart hard, and result in you ignoring what God has said.

There are LOADS of people who try and explain away all of the miracles in the Bible, they try and say Moses crossed the REED sea (a small stream), That Jonah was a fairy tale, and that Daniel’s lions simply weren’t hungry. They use “Historical and Scientific” evidence to explain God away… But they cannot argue with a changed life.

We will see it in Exodus… The Egyptians couldn’t argue anymore when the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea and many of Egypt’s finest lay buried in a watery grave! When real redemption takes place, there is NO WAY to argue with it… the Devil can’t counterfeit a changed life! When Jesus changes a person’s life, the scoffers are silenced. Let’s see Pharaoh’s magicians take away the sin of the world and radical transform people. THEY CAN’T!!!