Good morning!
Text: Exodus 5-8; Psalm 22:1-11
The Exodus story is familiar to most. The Israelites are numerous, and Pharaoh has enslaved them to keep them in line. The Lord raises up Moses, prophet and leader, who with his brother Aaron confronts Pharaoh. The Lord then visits a series of plagues upon Egypt, challenging Pharaoh’s will and also his religion. Scholars tell us that the plagues line up with specific Egyptian “gods” – made up deities who control different aspects of life and nature. We know from Scripture that these gods are in fact not gods (example- Jeremiah 2:11). That said, this story includes the account of magic that brings forth miracles. The court magicians are able to make the sorts of wonders appear that God does through Moses. For example, Exodus 8:7:
But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
For me on this day, this part of the story is a needed reminder that there are indeed dark spiritual forces at work. In the Exodus account, the workings of our great god prevail – He always does. But I needed the reminder of 1 Peter 5:8:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
We have victory in Jesus, but the dark enemy is real.
in Him, Mike