Exodus 7:8 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.
The first time Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh everything seemed to go wrong. It took courage for them to go to Pharaoh again, but Moses simply obeyed God. In the midst of an unmistakable miracle, Satan provided Pharaoh with a reason to doubt – and Pharaoh seized on the doubt and hardened his heart. Miracles – or at least apparent miracles – are part of Satan’s arsenal. Paul later wrote on this theme: The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they may be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). These Egyptian magicians were intelligent, learned men; but they lacked the wisdom of God, as Paul observed concerning them in 2 Timothy 3:7-9: Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. (Guzik)
Unless they were misdoubted, it was not for them to produce their credentials. Hence they worked no miracle at their former interview. Now, however, the time was come when their credentials would be demanded, and an express command was given them to exhibit the first “sign.” What men dislike, because it opposes their pride and lusts, they will not be convinced of; but it is easy to cause them to believe things they wish to be true. God always sends with his word full proofs of its Divine authority; but when men are bent to disobey, and willing to object, he often permits a snare to be laid wherein they are entangled. The magicians were cheats, trying to copy the real miracles of Moses by secret sleights or jugglings, which to a small extent they succeeded in doing, so as to deceive the bystanders, but they were at length obliged to confess they could not any longer imitate the effects of Divine power. None assist more in the destruction of sinners, than such as resist the truth by amusing men with a counterfeit resemblance of it. (Henry)
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers, &c.—His object in calling them was to ascertain whether this doing of Aaron’s was really a work of divine power or merely a feat of magical art
2 Timothy 3:8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
Paul calls out the names of those who were called by Pharaoh to perform miracles in comparison to Moses and Aaron. I wonder what these men would say to us today. They have spent over 3,000 years in hell and torment. Would they say Believe in God, Satan is a liar, or Hell and torments for eternity is real? Would they say Keep your heart and mind pure, your eyes focused, and listen to things of God with a deep desire to honor and glorify Him? As much as I want to think this is what they would come to say, it is more probable that they would forever be cussing at God and things of God.
Things of this world, Satan, and our natural sinful desires will always try to distract us away from God, serving God, following God, obeying God, trusting God, relying on God, the Word of God, and things of God. Anyone one of the things of this world, Satan, and our natural sinful desires can water down the truth and impact of God’s Word in our lives. They can lead us toward apathy, stagnation, deadness, neglect, complacency, and indifference, and will leave us void, empty, and unsatisfied, unholy, ungodly, and convince us that we have the appearance of righteousness, but in reality – Deceived.
