The LORD told Moses that he would be a god to Pharaoh, i.e. Moses would be a “mighty one” and the mighty deeds he would perform would, in due course, convince Pharaoh to let the people go. Pharaoh would not initially obey but the wonders which God would perform through Moses would result in compliance and then “the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them”. Once in the presence of Pharaoh, Moses performed two of the token wonders with which he was empowered, but the Egyptian magicians were able to perform similar acts. This had the effect of emboldening Pharaoh to harden his heart and refuse to let God’s people go. Moses, however, was soon to perform deeds which could only be done by God, and the magicians performances were revealed as trickery.
There were many false teachers and workers of pseudo-miracles in the first century, as now, and the apostle Paul, in warning against these, likened them to the magicians in Egypt: “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth” 2 Timothy 3:8.Waiting for response for 2 Timothy 3:8 His instruction, likewise, was that we should be guided solely by the scriptures: “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But... the holy scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 3:13-15Waiting for response for 2 Timothy 3:13-15
The judgments of God in Egypt were directed at the Egyptians’ gods in order to convince them to obey a power greater than their idols. They worshipped a multitude of things and creatures, including the sun and moon, animals, birds and insects, and even the river Nile. The first of ten plagues was brought upon the Nile, for which the Egyptians depended, with Moses turning the waters into blood. The magicians seemed able to achieve the same transformation, and so Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he refused to let God’s people go.
The miracles performed by the apostles were a foretaste of the powers of the age to come (Hebrews 6:5)Waiting for response for Hebrews 6:5 when Jesus will reign and God’s power will heal the nations. Firstly, however, God’s power will be exercised in judgment, as it was meted out to the Egyptians. The effect then was to make Pharaoh and the Egyptians bow to God’s will and let his people go. The effect of the same power in the hands of Jesus will be to bring the people of Israel out of all countries into the promised land and to bring all nations into submission to his righteous rule: “He (Jesus) shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. In his days shall the righteous flourish”. Psalm 72:2,4,7Waiting for response for Psalm 72:2,4,7