The Power of God in the Face of Opposition
From Bondage to Glory • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Call to Worship:
To the Chief Musician. On the Instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
Reading 1:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Reading 2:
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
Bible Passage:
Bible Passage:
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ ”
So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.
Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.
And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear!
Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.” ’ ”
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ ”
And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.
So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river.
And seven days passed after the Lord had struck the river.
Intro:
Intro:
AG: Today, we begin studying the plagues God sent to Egypt.
Exodus: Saved for God's Glory (Preaching the Word | PtW)
God sent the plagues to demonstrate the uniqueness of his omnipotence.
Philip Graham Ryken; R. Kent Hughes
TS: The narrative continues with Moses and Aaron sent again to Pharoah. In Exodus 7:8–25, God demonstrates His supreme authority through the plagues on Egypt, beginning with the Nile turning to blood. This passage highlights the confrontation between God's power and Pharaoh's obstinate hardness of heart, showcasing divine judgment and sovereignty.
Application: This sermon can help Christians understand that even in the face of seemingly overwhelming opposition, God is in control. It encourages believers to trust in God's power to intervene in difficult situations and emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands.
Big Idea: God's might is unmatched, and through faith, we can experience His power in our own struggles and uncertainties.
1. Challenge with God's Power
1. Challenge with God's Power
Sent to Pharoah 8-9
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ ”
Moses and Aaron are once again sent to tell Pharoah God’s message: “Let my people go”
God’s power challenges Earthly authorities as Moses and Aaron, armed with God’s word, confront Pharaoh.
God both forewarned and prepared them to be ready to show a miracle.
some proof that they represented God.
God knew that Pharaoh would seek some accreditation for their claim to represent God.
God had used the staff to convince Moses and Moses had copied it before Israel.
Now God had Moses and Aaron use it as a sign of authority before Pharaoh.
This time: rod become a snake.
Confronting Pharaoh 10-13
But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
This encounter shows that God’s power is not just for miracles but also a display of His ultimate authority against oppressive rulers.
Magic and sorcery played a major role in the pantheistic religion of Egypt.
Perhaps the magicians were fake.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
Its ancient documents record the activities of the magicians, one of the most prominent being the charming of serpents. These men were also styled “wise men” and “sorcerers,” i.e., the learned men of the day and the religious as well (the word for sorcery being derived from a word meaning “to offer prayers”).
Modern magicians are illusionists. They set up tricks
My magic chest gift for Christmas.
I learned some simple illusions and slight of hands. It is all in the gizmos and misdirection.
Perhaps they had some spiritual power
Any supernatural power would have been Satanic in origin.
Satan, the ultimate rebel led 1/3 of the spirits before God to rebel. They left their rightful place serving God and engaged in warfare against Yahweh and the ones who remained loyal with them.
They retained spiritual power and capabilities.
Either way: Aaron’s snake eating the others show supremacy and went well beyond the natural.
A snake wouldn’t have eaten that much naturally.
It was a clear visual representation of who was superior.
Application: Like Israel, believers today are called to trust in God’s supremacy even when opposed by formidable forces.
God is unchanging
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
He is still more powerful than ANYTHING or ANYONE we might face.
It encourages resilience in faith and obedience to God’s commands
Don’t harden your heart like Pharaoh!
Obey Him!
Christ as the ultimate savior has already defeated the greatest oppressor: sin.
2. Control of Creation
2. Control of Creation
So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.
Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.
And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear!
Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.” ’ ”
V. 15 Pharaoh habitually went to the river for washing or some religious rite in the morning.
3 times this would be the setting of confrontations with Moses. (1st, 4th, & 7th)
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
The first confrontation of the plague cycle took place on the banks of the Nile, the sacred waterway of the land, whose annual ebb and flow contributed strategically and vitally to the agricultural richness of Egypt. Hymns of thanksgiving were often sung for the blessings brought by the Nile, the country’s greatest, single economic resource.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ ”
And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not
heed them, as the Lord had said.
1st Plague: Water to blood.
Hebrew word is blood, not red coloring
Demonstrates:
God’s power over nature
This miraculous act signals God’s control over creation and His ability to intervene in the natural world for His purposes.
God’s power over their gods
First demonstration of God’s power of Egyptian gods.
Water turned to blood:
Hapi (Nile god) and Osiris (god of agriculture, whose "bloodstream" was the Nile).
Magicians can duplicate it.
They didn’t reverse it (which would have potentially shown “greater” power).
Instead, they added more blood in a duplication!
Application:
Nothing in our lives is beyond God’s transformative power.
Never forget that!
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Emphasize that as Christ demonstrated authority over creation through His miracles, believers today can have confidence in God's capability to change circumstances, call for repentance, and acknowledge His rightful lordship.
3. Consequence of Rebellion
3. Consequence of Rebellion
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.
So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river.
And seven days passed after the Lord had struck the river.
All surface water was affected
v. 24, they could dig down to the water table and get that water which apparently was unaffected.
This was probably the only “clean” water the magicians could have accessed and used.
God’s power is unmatched as seen when all of Egypt suffers from the plague, yet Pharaoh remains hard-hearted.
From his own stuborness and perhaps influenced by his own magicians, he refuses to yield.
God’s patience and justice is own display.
Patience: limited this to the waters and didn’t immediately wipe out all of Egypt
Justice: Egypt was experiencing the consequences of enslaving Israel and Pharoah’s rebellion against God’s command.
This lasted 7 days. The plagues were not rapid and uniterupted. There was time in between to both feel the effect and react.
Application: God is still just!
Judgment belongs to God
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Trust His justice instead of fighting for ourselves in the face of injustice.
Believers should rely on God’s timing and righteousness. Remind that through faith, they have access to Christ’s victory over sin and oppression, much like the Israelites eventually found liberation from Egypt.
God’s ultimate justice is met through Christ’s sacrifice
WE are rebels
We are lost and in sin without Him
He paid the price for us, the “just for the unjust” so that we can be forgiven and adopted as God’s children.
Conc
Conc
Challenge with GOD’s power
God equipped Moses and Aaron with His power to challenge Pharaoh and equips us to carry out His will.
Control of Creation
God is all powerful and can and does intervene on Earth.
Consequences
Egypt suffered the consequences of remaining in rebellion. We will too.
Challenge: Obey God and walk in His equipping.
