Exodus 7-8

March 18th, 2025
by Eric Archer

But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers—the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.

Exodus 7:11

Required Reading

Exodus 7-8

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Devotional

Something interesting happens here for the first time in scripture.

In Exodus 7, we see that Moses goes before Pharaoh and, empowered by God, performs a miracle. Yet instead of being in awe of Moses' God, Pharaoh calls in his wise men and sorcerers.

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers—the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices. Exodus 7:10-11

This brings up a biblical truth that is necessary to understand:

Evil practices and spirits can produce results.

It is impossible to believe in the power of God and not also believe in the power of all that is evil, dark and demonic. As Christians, we must acknowledge that common practices like witchcraft, new age, crystals and even other religions can oftentimes produce the results that we seek.

And this is crucial to understand because we live in a world where a defense of our faith is not always a battle of belief versus unbelief. But oftentimes, as it was in Exodus, it's a battle of God versus gods. And in that case, the question is why serve the God of the Bible?

I'm sure we'll explore this conversation more over the course of the year but today I want to focus on one truth that Exodus 7 shows us. Let's read the very next verse after Pharaoh's wise men perform the same miracle.

Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. Exodus 7:12

Do you see what happened there? We'll see this happen throughout the Old Testament of scripture but God makes something very clear to all of us in this verse. By having Aaron's staff swallow the staff of the wise men, He essentially says, "Your power is no match for mine."

And that's what I want us to reflect on today. Our God is mighty and there isn't a force in the universe who is a match for Him. Not Satan or his demons. Not any other idol or god. Not you or me. No one is as powerful as I AM that I AM.

Reflection Questions

What was your initial reaction to the story of Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh's magicians? How does this account challenge or affirm your understanding of spiritual power?
The devotional mentions that "Evil practices and spirits can produce results." How does this statement impact your view of other spiritual practices or religions?
In what ways have you seen or experienced the battle of "God versus gods" in your own life or in society?
How does the image of Aaron's staff swallowing the magicians' staffs speak to you about God's supreme power?
Why do you think it's important for Christians to acknowledge the existence of evil spiritual forces while maintaining faith in God's ultimate authority?

Practical Application

Reflection Exercise: Spend a few minutes silently reflecting on areas in your life where you may be relying on powers or influences other than God. Write these down and pray over them.
Scripture Memory: Memorize a verse that affirms God's supreme power, such as Jeremiah 32:27 or Psalm 147:5.
Spiritual Inventory: Throughout the week, pay attention to cultural messages or practices that may compete with your faith in God. Journal about these observations.
Prayer Challenge: Commit to praying daily this week, specifically acknowledging God's unmatched power in various aspects of your life.
Share Your Story: In our chat share an experience where you witnessed God's power prevailing over other influences or challenges.

Closing Prayer: End your reflection by thanking God for His supreme power and asking for strength to trust in Him above all else.

Go Deeper

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