This Is the Finger of God
Exodus 8:18-19: "The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.' But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said."
Each plague the Lord sent upon Egypt directly challenged the power of their gods. Geb, the god of earth, was considered to have power over the dust of the earth. Accordingly, the Lord had Aaron strike the dust of the earth, making that dust become gnats to cover the land of Egypt. Scripture says that gnats covered both man and beast.
When the Egyptian magicians tried to emulate this miracle, they were sorely disappointed. Unable to create gnats from dust, they admitted defeat: "This is the finger of God." There are limits to the magicians, the work of Satan, and the powers of darkness. In recognizing what they could not do, the magicians were able to see what only the God of the Hebrews could do.
The following plagues will not even require the staff of Aaron but will be spoken into existence by the words of Moses. Moses speaks the fourth plague upon Egypt with an onslaught of flies. Swarms of flies surrounded the people, filled their homes, and covered the land. The flies were a direct attack to the Egyptian god, Khepri, who was known to have the head of a fly and was worshipped as the god of creation.
The Egyptian gods, Geb and Khepri, were powerless against the works of the Lord. The magicians saw their limitations and acknowledged the work of the Lord. On the other hand, Pharaoh remained unimpressed and unmoved. His heart was hard towards the Lord and the request of Moses to take the people out of Egypt to worship this omnipotent God.
Reflection:
Where do you see the Lord's intervention in the world today? How do you see the hearts of people today hardened and softened by the work of the Lord?
Each plague the Lord sent upon Egypt directly challenged the power of their gods. Geb, the god of earth, was considered to have power over the dust of the earth. Accordingly, the Lord had Aaron strike the dust of the earth, making that dust become gnats to cover the land of Egypt. Scripture says that gnats covered both man and beast.
When the Egyptian magicians tried to emulate this miracle, they were sorely disappointed. Unable to create gnats from dust, they admitted defeat: "This is the finger of God." There are limits to the magicians, the work of Satan, and the powers of darkness. In recognizing what they could not do, the magicians were able to see what only the God of the Hebrews could do.
The following plagues will not even require the staff of Aaron but will be spoken into existence by the words of Moses. Moses speaks the fourth plague upon Egypt with an onslaught of flies. Swarms of flies surrounded the people, filled their homes, and covered the land. The flies were a direct attack to the Egyptian god, Khepri, who was known to have the head of a fly and was worshipped as the god of creation.
The Egyptian gods, Geb and Khepri, were powerless against the works of the Lord. The magicians saw their limitations and acknowledged the work of the Lord. On the other hand, Pharaoh remained unimpressed and unmoved. His heart was hard towards the Lord and the request of Moses to take the people out of Egypt to worship this omnipotent God.
Reflection:
Where do you see the Lord's intervention in the world today? How do you see the hearts of people today hardened and softened by the work of the Lord?
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