The Finger of God
Exodus 7:11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the
Egyptians magicians also did the same things by their secret arts:
Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake, but Aaron’s
staff swallowed up their staffs.
8:19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But
Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord
had said.
I am sure when the Lord sent Moses back to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let his people go and that he would do miracles, that surely Pharaoh would listen and let the Hebrews go. But growing up in Pharaoh’s palace, he probably heard or maybe even saw Pharaoh’s magicians do amazing acts of magic. And it was more than just a slide of hand where someone pulls a coin out of our ear. The magicians could do miracles very much like what God was doing through Moses. We see that they too could make their staff’s become live snakes. The magicians turned water into blood, and they made frogs come out of the Nile. Im sure that Pharaoh and even the Hebrews felt that Moses had learned acts of magic as his magicians had, and the God of Moses wasn’t the one that really was behind Moses’ miracles. We even see later how the Hebrews blamed Moses for their deliverance showing that they believed it was Moses and not God actually doing the miracles. Miracles - supernatural happenings have fascinated people down through time. Whether it is slide of hand or something unexplainable people are drawn into it. To do it and become obsessed with it can be very dangerous. Many people laugh at it being real, and even most Christians see no harm in it. The surprising thing is it can be real, and demonic powers make them possible!
Deut 18:10-18 says, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God.”
Rev 21:8 says, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Rev 22:14,15 says, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexual immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
In Matt 24:24 Jesus tells us what to look for before his return to earth, and here he says, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible.” God is still alive and he does miracles and brings forth signs to help and bless Christians all over the world. And because of this there is a great following and fascination with Christian pastors and evangelists that have the gift of signs, wonders and miracles. This is certainly not a bad thing, If Jesus is the one that is given the credit and glorified in the doing the miracle! This is why the Holy Spirit gives people these gifts to do them. The problem is that even Christian pastors and laity still have a free will and can misuse God’s gifts. This is a sin and is very dangerous for those following their ministry, because soon the people can stop following Jesus and start following the minister. This is very dangerous. When the political leader called by the name of the Antichrist comes on the scene, he will also have a partner in his sin that is spiritual and is called the false prophet. He will even be able to call down fire from the sky. (Rev 13:13) This will of course entice many people to believe that this prophet is truly a man that represents God. Many will follow him and his teachings and he in turn will encourage them to support the political leader that the Bible calls the Antichrist.
So what are we to do? I John 4:1 tells us to test the spirits. Without knowing God’s word, the nature and will of God this can be very hard to do, because false prophets do and say anything that make our itching ears want to hear. In fact II Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear, They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
If what the preachers, teachers or prophets are not saying what is in agreement with the Bible, and they are not continually pointing people to Jesus rather than themselves, or taking the credit for the miracles for themselves, then we need to run from their ministry and leadership no matter how badly we need a miracle in our life! The real litmus test or bottom line is where is Jesus in their ministry and in our life. If we find ourselves giving the credit and glory to someone or something other than Jesus, we are headed in the wrong direction and at the end of that road is Satan and eternity in hell.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, in these last days there are so many wolves in sheep's clothing that are dangerously tempting us to turn our eyes from you and onto other things. Please help us to be wise and not fall into Satan’s traps. Please keep us in your loving arms and looking into your loving eyes! It is in your name we ask this.
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