Exodus 7:6-12

6 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”

10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 

Acts 16:16-19

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.

Matthew 24:24

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

The purpose of the signs and wonders that these false prophets perform is to deceive.

2 Thessalonians 2:9

The coming of the lawless one  will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,

The enemy is looking to deceive you into thinking what you need can be found outside of Christ.

What does God think about turning to these counterfeits and substitutes?

Exodus 22:18

Do not allow a sorcerous to live.

Malachi 3:5

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me…

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

2 Chronicles 33:6

He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

What happens when the enemy’s power comes face to face with God’s power?

Exodus 7:12

…Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 

Exodus 8:18-19

18 But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.

Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, 19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”

Exodus 12:12

The miracles and plagues were also God’s way of judging the gods of Egypt and proving them false and futile. “Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord”

1. Water Turned to Blood (Ex. 7:14–24)

• Targeted gods:

• Hapi – god of the Nile, fertility, and life.

• Khnum – guardian of the Nile.

• Osiris – Nile was considered his bloodstream.

• The Nile, Egypt’s life-source and idol, was under Yahweh’s control.

2. Frogs (Ex. 8:1–15)

• Targeted gods:

• Heqet (Heket) – goddess of fertility and childbirth, depicted with a frog’s head.

• What was worshiped as a symbol of life became a plague of death and stench.

3. Gnats (or Lice, Ex. 8:16–19)

• Targeted gods:

• Geb – god of the earth.

• The dust of the earth (which Egyptians associated with Geb) produced swarming pests, showing Yahweh’s power over creation.

4. Flies (Ex. 8:20–32)

• Targeted gods:

• Possibly Uatchit (a fly god) or gods linked to swarming insects.

5. Livestock Die (Ex. 9:1–7)

• Targeted gods:

• Apis – the bull god, symbol of strength and fertility.

• Hathor – cow goddess of love and protection.

• Mnevis – sacred bull of Heliopolis.

6. Boils (Ex. 9:8–12)

• Targeted gods:

• Sekhmet – goddess of healing.

• Serapis & Imhotep – gods of medicine.

7. Hail (Ex. 9:13–35)

• Targeted gods:

• Nut – sky goddess.

• Shu – god of air.

• Tefnut – goddess of moisture.

8. Locusts (Ex. 10:1–20)

• Targeted gods:

• Seth – protector of crops.

• Neper – god of grain.

9. Darkness (Ex. 10:21–29)

• Targeted gods:

• Ra – sun god, Egypt’s chief deity.

• Horus – sky god.

• The “greatest” god of Egypt was humiliated; Yahweh blotted out the sun.

10. Death of the Firstborn (Ex. 11–12)

• Targeted gods:

• Pharaoh himself, considered the son of Ra, a god on earth.

• Isis & Hathor – protectors of children.

The day will come when every god, everything we’ve trusted in apart from Jesus, will be exposed as false and powerless to save.

1 Corinthians 15:54

…the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

You can harden your heart like Pharaoh, or change your allegiance.

Exodus 7:13

Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

Exodus 12:37-38

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 

:::RESPONSE:::

If you’ve turned to counterfeits, repent. Turn from them, ask for forgiveness and turn to God.

The invitation is to believe in Jesus.

Trust in Jesus to guide you.

Trust in Jesus to protect you.

Trust in Jesus to provide for you.

Trust in Jesus to save you.

Trust in Jesus to give you the life and peace and joy you’re longing for.