EXODUS LESSON 12


     We will begin this lesson in Exodus 7:1 "And the LORD said unto
Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother
shall be thy prophet."

     We see an unusual statement here. God was not annoyed with Moses
and his lack of faith in his ability to do enough to get Pharaoh to
let them go. God encouraged Moses, by telling him that Pharaoh would
believe he was a god. Moses would be allowed of God to do such 
fantastic miracles in the sight of Pharaoh. At some point Pharaoh 
would e would realize he was no match with Moses' God. Moses was a 
little bit in awe of Pharaoh, because of his worldly power, but now 
God had reassured
Moses that through the power of the Spirit, Pharaoh can't win. Aaron
would be Moses' spokesman. Moses would receive the message from God, and
Aaron would speak it to Pharaoh in the presence of Moses. We will see
this very thing in verse 2.

     Exodus 7:2 "Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron
thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of
Israel out of his land."

     We can easily see the chain of command here. God commanded Moses,
Moses gives the message to Aaron, and Aaron spoke to the Pharaoh.
Every message and every miracle done would be to cause Pharaoh to let
the children of Israel go.

     Exodus 7:3 "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my
signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt."

     In a previous lesson, we discussed why God would harden Pharaoh's
heart. I personally believe that these ten plagues had to come, so that
God could show these Egyptians that their gods were false gods, and were 
no match for the real God. "Ten" has to do with world government. God was
dealing against the world system here, and that is why we will see ten
plagues. The ten plagues that come would each be in direct attack of
one of Egypt's false gods.

     Exodus 7:4 "But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may
lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, [and] my people
the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments."

     You see, this could not be done quietly and unnoticed. This was to be
done in judgement and by force to discredit the worldly ways of the
Egyptians. This force of God was to show not only Egypt, but all of the
surrounding countries, the power of Almighty God (JEHOVAH). Pharaoh was
allowed to set his will against God, to show the overwhelming power of
God.

     Exodus 7:5 "And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD,
when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children
of Israel from among them."

     Here again, this was a show of power so great that it discredited
all the false gods of Egypt, and all the false gods forever. The Lord
is a translation here of JEHOVAH.  This is JEHOVAH the Lord. He
proclaimed by this, that He is the only God who truly exists.

     Exodus 7:6 "And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them,
so did they."

     Here, we see that there was no more doubt, or regret, on Moses' and
Aaron's part. From this moment on, they; never wavered. The power of God
had come and done away with all their fears.

     Exodus 7:7 "And Moses [was] fourscore years old, and Aaron
fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh."

     Here we see two brothers, 80 and 83 years old, who had been
called into service of the Lord. You ministers take note. You are
never too old to carry the truth to a dying world.

     Exodus 7:8  "And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying,"

     Exodus 7:9 "When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a
miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and
cast [it] before Pharaoh, [and] it shall become a serpent."

     God had paved the way for this interview with Pharaoh. When Moses
and Aaron said that they were from the only true God, it would be
necessary to prove it. Pharaoh was used to magicians, who had power
from Satan, doing miracles and wonders; so it was not unlikely that
Pharaoh would check out Moses and Aaron by the miracles they performed.
Miracles, many times, speak much louder than words for a man of God.
Jesus, Himself, said in John 14:11 "Believe me that I [am] in the
Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works'
sake."

     You see, most people believed Jesus because of the miracles He
did. It must be correct to believe miracles, or else Jesus would not
tell them to believe for that reason. The disciples performed miracles
in Jesus' name. Men and women of God, who God has endowed with Power,
even now can pray in Jesus' name and have a miracle. So miracles are,
many times, signs from God, that He is with the person the miracle comes
through. God had already demonstrated the miracle of the rod turning
to a serpent in the wilderness. Moses knew this miracle would work, so
God told them to use this miracle first. Moses and Aaron did no
miracle the first time they saw Pharaoh, because he didn't ask for
one; but this time he would ask.

     Exodus 7:10  "And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they
did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before
Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent."

     God was good for His word. When Aaron cast the rod down, it truly
became a serpent. Now, we will see the power of evil against good.

     Exodus 7:11 "Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the
sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner
with their enchantments."

     We see here, that Pharaoh had called in the representatives of
their false gods. Satan, himself, furnishes the power for these false
gods. No one denies that Satan has power, as we see here, when the
magicians throw their rods down. Note these wise men, above, are not
wise in the ways of God. but were worldly wise. There are many
sorcerers and magicians in our world today, and they still have power;
but their power is from Satan.

     Exodus 7:12 "For they cast down every man his rod, and they
became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods."

     You see here, that these false gods truly did have power, but
notice also, that their power was no match for God. There was more than
one of these serpents from Satan, but it just took the one serpent
from God to swallow up all these other serpents. One thing that we,
Christians, must always remember, in fact, two things. Satan has
worldly power, but the most important thing to remember is that God
has much more power than Satan, We read in I John 4:4 "Ye are of God,
little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is
in you, than he that is in the world." I John 4:5 "They are of the
world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."
I John 4:6 "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is
not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the
spirit of error." You see, in all of this, that truly Satan has power
in this world, but God's power is greater in this world than Satan's;
and God's power is not limited to this earth, but is the greatest
power in the universe. One other thing that we need to see in this,
God defeats the enemy at the enemy's level. Pharaoh trapped himself in
all of this, when he asked Moses for a miracle. Here was the first battle
between Pharaoh's false gods and the one true God, and God won.









                         Exodus 12 Questions


1.  What had God made Moses to Pharaoh in verse 1?
2.  Aaron shall be thy ________.
3.  What was God trying to do in telling Moses this?
4.  When Moses did these fantastic miracles in front of Pharaoh, what
    will Pharaoh finally do?
5.  Why was Moses a little bit in awe of Pharaoh?
6.  In V-2 when God speaks to Moses, who speaks to Pharaoh?
7.  Why would the miracles be done?
8.  Who hardens Pharaoh's heart in V-3?
9.  What was the purpose of this, and the miracles, and wonders God would
    do through Moses and Aaron?
10. How many plagues would there be?
11. Why that number?
12. How would God bring them out?
13. Why was this to be done openly and by force?
14. Pharaoh was allowed to set his will against God for what purpose?
15. In verse 5, the word translated "Lord" is what?
16. In this name. God was proclaiming what?
17. When did Moses decide to do just as God has commanded, and not
    fear any more?
18. How old was Moses, when he spoke to Pharaoh?
19. How old was Aaron?
20. What would be the signal from Pharaoh to Moses that it was time to
    turn the rod into a serpent?
21. Where was Aaron to cast the rod?
22. Where did Pharaoh's magicians receive their power from?
23. What speaks louder than words, sometimes?
24. In St. John 14:11. Jesus said believe Him for what?
25. Miracles, are, many times, _____________ from God that He is with a
    person.
26. When was the first time Moses turned the rod to a serpent?
27. Who actually cast the rod before Pharaoh?
28. What did the magicians do in response?
29. What happened to the magicians' serpents?
30. What does this show us about God and Satan?
31. In First John chapter 4, we read "... greater is he that is in
    you, than He _______ ________ ______ ______ ______.".
32. In this first battle between the real God and Pharaoh's false gods
    who won?