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Christian Network The Sermons of the Revd Leon Ben Ezra Contact Leon Exodus 7.8-13


As with the rest of the Bible, there are many perspectives that we might
apply to our text. We could look at Pharaoh’s rebellion in the face of a
miracle. We could look at this text as the beginning of the conflict that
will develop over the next chapters and see the significance of Aaron’s
snake swallowing up the others. We could even look at the developing
obedience and confidence of Moses. But I’d like to look at our text from a
different perspective, a perspective that starts with a question. The
question that I would like to ask of the text is simple, but I think – and
hope – that it will raise some further questions for you to ponder. My
question is this. How did they do it? How did Moses and Aaron, and the
Egyptian wise men change their staffs into snakes? Let’s start with this
question and let’s see what the Spirit has to say.

Let’s take Moses and Aaron first. How did they do it? The answer isn’t
difficult. God did it. Yahweh took a dead piece of wood and changed it into
a living serpent. No one here is surprised at this. But let’s pursue this a
bit. Could He do this sort of thing again? Well, obviously, He could – and
did. The Scriptures are filled with events where Yahweh does something like
this. In just a few chapters we’ll see Moses part the Red Sea. Later, Elijah
called down fire from heaven. And Jesus raised the dead. Clearly, Yahweh can
do and has done this sort of thing throughout the pages of Scripture. Again,
this isn’t news to any of you. But what if I ask, ‘Could He do this sort of
thing today?’ How would you answer that? I think that the answer is clear.
Of course He can. Has He somehow changed? Is the power that He once had now
gone? Obviously not.

Now, I went through all of that to get to this point. I want to remind you
that we live in a supernatural universe, a universe where God, the Creator,
has done – and still does – amazing things. I want to stress this because
you are hammered day in and day out with lies that deny this – or at least
simply assume that such things could not happen. Time and again, you are
presented with earthbound explanations of this life and earthbound
expectations for this life. We live in a time and a place that insists that
earthbound science can explain everything. There are no acts of God that go
beyond science. It’s just not possible – or so they tell us. Everything that
happens has some scientific, that is earthbound, explanation. And the few
things that don’t fit the mold simply call us either to a faith that science
will at some future point explain it or to a mysticism that starts with
tossing your brains out the window. The presupposition of our day is that a
Christian supernaturalism is simply not possible. And if truth be told, we
tend to believe it.

My goal, here, is not some intellectual cultural analysis. This has
practical effects in your lives that you need to see. The Scriptures warn
us, ‘Quench not the Spirit’. One way in which we do quench Him is by not
expecting Him to do anything unexpected, anything amazing, anything that isn
’t earthbound – or at least mindlessly mystical. Consider your prayers. Do
you pray for the amazing? Do you call upon God to do the supernatural? Or
are your prayers limited to the sorts of things that can be easily explained
in some earthbound way or explained away in some mystical way? We live in a
supernatural universe. We are not limited by what is earthbound. Our Creator
still does amazing things. How does this fact show in your life? How are you
doing at consciously rejection the lies of our world and embracing the
truth? How are you doing at protecting your children from these lies and
conveying this truth to them?

We’re not done with our text. We’ve answered the first part of our question.
‘How did Moses and Aaron change their staff into a snake?’ Now we’re ready
to answer the second part. ‘How did the Egyptian wise men change their
staffs into snakes?’ You’d be surprised at how some scholarly types have
answered this. Limited to earthbound, scientific answers they have talked
about the wise men’s sleight of hand or cataleptic snakes that just looked
like staffs. Again, the answer is clear. Remember, we live in a supernatural
universe. The only possible answer is that Satan did it. He has power to do
amazing things that science cannot explain. And so, we see that we not only
live in a supernatural universe, but it is also a universe in which there is
much evil. And it’s not just some vague kind of evil that just hovers. No,
it is personal kind of evil. The evil of this universe has a face and a
name, Satan.

Consider some things. What happened to Job? Was his sickness due to germs
and the like? More than likely. But is that the whole answer? For someone
who is earthbound, it is. But you know that it’s not. ‘So Satan went out
from the presence of Yahweh and struck Job with loathsome sores from the
sole of his foot to the crown of his head.’ [Job 2:7] Judas betrayed Jesus
for the thirty pieces of silver. But was his greed the whole reason?
Absolutely not. What does it say? ‘Then Satan entered into Judas called
Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.’ [Luke 22:3] Satan did the
same sort of thing in the book of Acts. ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your
heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…?’[Acts 5:3] And then there’s this question.
Why are you tempted? Is it just a matter of having that sweet tooth that
craves too much or that losing your temper is such an established habit?
Remember what happened to Jesus when He was tempted. ‘And the tempter came
and said to him, "If you are the Son of God…"’ [Matthew 4:3] And why did the
Egyptian wise men oppose Moses? Did they know that they were tools of Satan?
No. But they were nonetheless. There is evil in this universe and it has a
name.

And so, the Scriptures warn us. ‘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 the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly places.’ [Ephesians 6:12] ‘Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your
adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to
devour.’ [1 Peter 5:8] You hear these warnings and want to take them to
heart. But how? The earthbound person will think in terms of tricks and
techniques. ‘I’ll have an accountability partner who will check up on me’,
or ‘I’ll memorize Scripture verses so that when the tempter comes my way I
can bring them to mind.’ What are these but sociological or psychological
methods – a bit of earthbound science – to deal with what is a supernatural
problem. The saint who understands that we live in a supernatural universe,
that is, in a universe ruled by a God who still does amazing things,
responds differently. ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging
war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the
flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.’ [2 Corinthians 10:3-4]
The solution to our problem has to do with divine power, supernatural power.
The solution to our problem has to do with Jesus.

Listen to something Jesus said on the night before He was murdered. ‘Simon,
Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like
wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you
have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’ [Luke 22:31-32] Satan is after
Peter. What chance does Peter have against this fallen angel who has been
developing his evil skills for millennia? So, what is Peter’s hope? Jesus is
Peter’s hope. Jesus must battle against our ancient foe. He alone can defeat
him. And He does do battle on Peter’s behalf. But notice what Jesus has done
in this battle. He has prayed. As our High Priest, He appeals to the
supernatural power of the Father. And note what He prays for. He has prayed
for Peter’s faith. On Peter’s side the key weapon is faith, faith to believe
the Gospel in all its fullness – in all of its supernatural fullness. Then
consider the fruit of all of this. ‘… strengthen your brothers.’ Peter has a
role to play in the wellbeing of the other apostles as they also contend
with the evil one.

This is an outline of spiritual battle. Put yourself into it. If you would
be safe, you need to look to Jesus. Cry out to Him as the Savior, but not
only your Savior from sin but also as your Savior from Satan. Moses didn’t
confront the evil before him confident in himself. He went into battle
empowered by Jesus who had commissioned him. Your key weapon is not your
knowledge or your skill or any other such thing. Your key weapon is faith,
believing more and more of the Gospel, and doing that better and better.
Thus, Peter writes, ‘Resist him [the devil], firm in your faith…’ [1 Peter
5:9] Nurture your faith, protect it. Strive to build it up. Then, there is
the last part. You have a role to play in the wellbeing of, at least, the
rest of the people in this room. Out of your growing experience of the grace
of Christ as you wrestle with the evil powers of this age, you are to
strengthen the others. In this way we conquer together. There is no
conquering alone, individually. We meet Satan together, and we will defeat
him together – by the amazing power that Jesus provides.

There is much more to be said. I know that I have left many things
incomplete. But what I have told you is more than enough for you to ponder
and pray about. And as you do, watch and see the amazing, and supernatural,
things that Jesus will do.

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