Each and every sign which God performed through Moses and Aaron was because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness when he felt he was invincible based on his economic and military powers. The signs and wonders by Moses and Aaron are very instructive for our spiritual growth and security.
Aaron’s rod turned into snake – Exodus 7:10 -12
The rod symbolized God’s security as the shepherd of Israel. The single rod showed God was the only divine security as well as the only way. The snake stood for evil or chaos but later a symbol of life or fertility in their mythology. Aaron’s snake swallowed the snakes of Pharaoh’s magicians. It symbolized that (a) God was greater than all combined evil powers, (b) their procreation was due for extinction and (c) the wisdom and strength of man was inferior and cannot contend with God.
Life has to tow only God’s way. God is greater than all we have combined. Any spiritual backbone and security other than Christ Jesus is laughable as it is inferior before God. Job 39: 35 says shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He, who argues with God, let him answer it. Right from inception sounded a caution to Pharaoh by this act that Pharaoh’s evil regime faced an imminent end. However, to the Israelites it showed a beginning of a greater freshness of economic and spiritual life under God’s single protection. Will we obey God’s requests in our lives or oppose the same and face the consequences?
1st Plague: Water bodies turned into blood – Exodus 7: 17-22
Water in Egypt symbolized life or the assurance of life or its new beginning. It also stood for cleansing and purity. The bloody water bodies thus symbolized the destruction of life in Egypt. This was personal to each and every domestic and public life to show God’s anger and rejection. God had considered Pharaoh’s land as impure or decorated which required cleansing.
We cannot live without God who is life and the giver or source of life. Upon rejecting God, we will lose our beauty, transparency and purity in life. We will starve with spiritual hunger and nourishment if we reject God through Christ Jesus. Anytime we disobey God, we entrap ourselves into God’s curtailment of blessings for curses and calamities. 1 Corinthians 1: 30-1 say He (God) is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; therefore as it is written, let him who boasts, boast of the Lord. Is God our source of life through Christ Jesus?
2nd Plague: Swarm of frogs – Exodus 8: 5-6
Frogs stood for creative power or good luck which was identified with one of the Egyptian gods. However, this belief became demystified during the plague to mean symbols of unclean spirits and a nuisance or a menace when the gods of Egypt were unable to save them. Their amphibious nature also stood for dual character or disloyalty. God meant notice to Egypt that Pharaoh could not be trusted and they should not trust him either by his words. Do we give heed to what God reveals to us in advance?
Frogs also represented change and liberation. God was in effect cautioning Egypt that it was time for a change and must be resisted but Pharaoh stubbornly refused. The change however came with a heavy price. No one can obstruct, resist or change God’s plan. Blessing which the world calls good luck comes from God by grace and not luck. The source of our pride could fail us but Jesus never fails. What is our source of pride or joy? In whom do we believe, minor gods or Christ Jesus who is our eternal hope?
Change is eminent, constant and will not end. Jesus said Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33 that heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Therefore Proverbs 3:5-6 say trust in the Lord always with thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Hebrews 13: 5 says I will never fail you nor forsake you. We must not forsake Christ Jesus because he will not forsake us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, lead us to appreciate the Father as Lord God Almighty, the invincible and only wise God, and whose acts or powers cannot be replicated or contested. Quench our thirst for disobedience and stubbornness. Heal us of our dual-characters. Save and preserve us in your mercy for we pray, Amen!!
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