So, we're in Exodus 7:8-13, and I've titled this section, "You Can't Outpower God."
Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Prove yourselves by working a miracle,' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.'" So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Anyone who says there's no humor in Scripture hasn't read this passage--it is a bit hysterical. Moses and Aaron are told by God to prove themselves to Pharaoh. This demonstration is meant to show Pharaoh the power that he is contending with, greater than the power Moses and Aaron would normally have. It's meant to persuade Pharaoh that he's not just dealing with two Israelite men in their eighties, but with the power of a much, much greater divine authority.
So God gave them a miracle display. Aaron is to throw his staff down, and it becomes a snake. Now, that's pretty amazing. You and I would have been blown away. But it doesn't amaze Pharaoh at all. He immediately calls in his sorcerers and magicians, and they do the same thing. They throw down their staff, and they also become snakes.
Now, I want to take a little bit of a side here. We should never underestimate the power of evil. Paul reminds us, in Ephesians 6, that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood" with these words, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." There is real powerful evil, and we should remember that one of the enemy's evil seductive tricks is to imitate the power of God in order to diminish God in our eyes. But no one has the power that God has. No one can outpower the one whose power is literally infinite.
So in a rather hilarious demonstration of his power, the snake from Aaron's staff quickly eats all the snakes of the Egyptian sorcerers. It is really kind of funny. Again, this is meant to send a message to Pharaoh that he is messing with a power that he can never defeat. But Pharaoh had hardened his heart just as God said would happen. This again is here to remind us that God is in charge. God knew exactly how Pharaoh would respond before Pharaoh had responded that way. And this interchange, this snaky moment, and the hardness of Pharaoh's heart, and the imitation of the miracle is all part of this plan, and things are happening exactly as part of God's plan.
Two things we should take away from this moment: First, we should never underestimate the dramatic power of evil. There are dark forces in our world, but we should not live in fear of that power because God's power is greater. You can't outpower God. And the second thing, you can trust that your Lord knows what He's doing. Even if you look around and it doesn't seem like it, you can trust that he has the power to complete his plan and the authority to bring everything he has promised to fruition. You just can't outpower God!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. Even though your stated theology might communicate that God is all powerful, how often do you live as if God is truly infinitely powerful in your life? When have you seen God work in powerful ways that you can remind yourself of when you're tempted not to trust his power?
2. In what ways have you seen the enemy's seductive tricks imitate the power of God in order to diminish the Lord? How have the tricks of the enemy blinded you to the goodness, love, care, and sovereignty of God?
3. How have you succumbed to the fear of dark forces in our world that have led you to doubt the greater power of God?
4. When was the last time you genuinely wondered, "Does God know what he's doing?" What were the specific circumstances around you asking that question? Regardless of how things turned out, what did God teach you through that time in your life? What is currently preventing you from trusting that God has the power to complete his plan and authority to bring everything he has promised to fruition?
5. What does the cross of Christ teach us about God's power?
For Younger Children:
1. Do you sometimes wonder how powerful God is? What might make you doubt the power of God? In what ways do you think we can trust in God's power?
2. Why is God more powerful than the devil? Even though we need to take the devil seriously, why don't we need to be afraid of his limited power?
3. What do you think the cross of Christ teaches us about God's power?
For Older Children:
1. What kinds of things have happened in your life that have caused you to question the power of God? Is that something you are currently struggling with? If so, how can I help you with that struggle?
2. Why will Satan's power never overshadow the power of God? How can we know this for sure?
3. What does the cross of Christ teach us about God's power?
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