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Intro- Last week we introduced a few things that I want to discuss a little bit further before we get into the next portion of the book of Exodus.
We dealt with two topics that raised some questions, that I’m going to do my best to answer and then we will move on.
How did the magicians do some of the same things that God did through Moses?
Generally speaking we try to put things in a neat little package.
If something confuses us or unsettles us, we try not to talk about it.
However, this is dangerous in Bible study.
We need to recognize that there is a real spiritual realm
In this text, Elisha’s servant was unaware of the spirits that surrounded him and gave them power to defeat the enemy
In this passage an angel of the Lord appeared to Daniel.
He informed Daniel that he wanted to come to him sooner but he was delayed because a spirit delayed him.
All these passages point to one undeniable fact, there is a real spiritual realm consisting of good and evil.
In the NT we read of a woman who had a demon that gave her powers to see into the future.
- Demon possessed man, had incredible strength.
informs us that those who sacrifice to idols were participating with demons.
Let’s recap
Spirits, both good and evil are real
Spirits had the ability to protect God’s army’s
Evil spirits granted people with incredible strength and “powers”
Those who worshipped idols were participants with demons.
Those in Egypt were steeped in idolatry.
Therefore, they were participants with demons.
I submit that they were able to perform some of the signs because they had the power of demons.
However, it quickly became evident that the power of the demons was no match for God.
Does God take away free will?
Several passages state that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, while several say that Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
One thing is clear.
God had a purpose for Pharaoh.
His purpose was to glorify God and that God’s name would be proclaimed in all the world.
If Pharaoh would have submitted to God.
News would have spread through all the world that the most powerful man on earth submitted to the God of his slaves.
If he refused to submit, and God overwhelmed him with plagues, until he was defeated that would (and was) spread all through the world.
/ Meaning, Pharaoh was going to glorify God regardless of his choice, but he did have a choice.
Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?
Yes.
Indirectly.
I want you to think about butter....
If you set butter out on a concrete sidewalk in the middle of the summer and the sun is shining bright what happens to the butter?
It melts.
What if you mixed up some mud and put it on the same sidewalk what would happen?
It hardens.
The same sun that melts the butter, hardens the mud.
It isn’t the fault of the sun, the result lies in the substance.
On the day of Pentecost Jews were cut to their heart with the truth, they repented.
others did not.
The same message can have different effects.
The fifth plague that God sent was the death of livestock.
This plague is similar to the flies in that it did not effect the livestock owned by the Israelites.
Pharaoh’s heart remained hard and he refused to let them go.
The sixth plague was boils.
The seventh plague was hail
It wasn’t just hail, but it was also fire falling out of heaven.
Pharaoh said he would let them go, but once again, he did not.
Here Pharaoh seems to consider letting them go, but only some of them.
It is important to notice that God is never ok with partial obedience.
The eighth plague was locusts
What a surprise, Pharaoh again, refuses to let them go.
The ninth plague was darkness
This is one of the most incredible of the plagues.
It was so dark, they couldn’t see each other.
That just stayed still for three days, yet the land of goshen, where the Israelites were, still had light.
Yet again, Pharaoh tries to partially commit.
When Moses pressed him further, he hardened his heart, one final time before letting them go.
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