Exodus 7:1 So Yahweh said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land."
"I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; not a god by nature, but made so; he was so by commission and office, clothed with power and authority from God to act under him in all things he should direct; not for ever, as angels are gods, but for a time; not in an ordinary way, as magistrates are gods, but in an extraordinary manner; and not to any other but to Pharaoh...
and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet; to declare the will of God revealed to him by Moses from the Lord; so that this seems to be more than to be the mouth and spokesman of Moses and interpreter and explainer of his words, or to be acting the part of an orator for him...” (Gill’s Exposition)
3 "And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”
"I will harden his heart.—The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart has been the subject of much controversy. It is ascribed to God in this place, and again in Exodus 7:3; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:1; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:8; to Pharaoh in Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32; and Exodus 9:34; to the action of the heart itself in Exodus 7:13; Exodus 7:22; Exodus 9:7; Exodus 9:35. It is conceivable that these may be simply three forms of speech, and that the actual operation was one and the same in every case… Pharaoh’s time of probation being past, and God using him as a mere means of showing forth His glory. There is nothing in this contrary to the general teaching of the Scriptures, or to the Divine Perfection.” (Elliott’s Commentary for English Readers)
"The idea of a long series of miracles is here, for the first time, distinctly introduced. Three signs had been given (Exodus 4:3-9); one further miracle had been mentioned (ib. 23). Now a multiplication of signs and wonders is promised. Compare Exodus 3:20, and Exodus 6:6, which, however, are not so explicit as the present passage.” (Pulpit Commentary)
6 Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as Yahweh commanded them, so they did. 7 And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
"Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them.—The reluctance and resistance of Moses from this time ceased. He subdued his own will to God’s, and gained the praise of being 'faithful as a servant in all his house' (Hebrews 3:5). Aaron’s obedience continued until Sinai was reached, but there failed before the frenzy of the people (Exodus 32:1-6)."(Elliott’s Commentary for English Readers)
Moses-- faithful as a servant in all his house-- the house of Levi-- "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." (Hebrews 3:1-6)
Exodus 7:8 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’” 10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11 But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
"THE FIRST SIGN, AND ITS FAILURE TO CONVINCE. Obeying the command given them (vers. 2, 9), Moses and Aaron went to the court a second time, and entering into the royal presence, probably repeated their demand - as from God - that the king would let the Children of Israel go (Exodus 6:11), when Pharaoh objected that they had no authority to speak to him in God's name, and required an evidence of their authority, either in the actual words of verse 9 ('Shew a miracle for you'), or in some equivalent ones. Aaron hereupon cast down on the ground the rod which Moses had brought from Midian, and it became a serpent (ver. 10). Possibly Pharaoh may have been prepared for this. He may have been told that this was one among the signs which had been done in the sight of the elders and people of Israel when the two brothers first came back from Midian (Exodus 4:30). If he knew of it, no doubt the ‘magicians' knew of it, and had prepared themselves. Pharaoh summoned them, as was natural, to his presence, and consulted them with respect to the portent, whereupon they too cast down the rods which they were carrying in their hands, and they 'became serpents…
… That magic was an object of much attention and study in Egypt is abundantly evident from 'The tale of Setnau’..., 'The Magic Papyrus’ … , and many other writings. It consisted, to a large extent, in charms, which were thought to have power over men and beasts, especially over reptiles. What amount of skill and power the Egyptian magicians possessed may perhaps be doubted. Many commentators believe them to have been in actual communication with the unseen world, and to have worked their wonders by the assistance of evil spirits. Others, who reject this explanation, believe that they themselves were in possession of certain supernatural gifts. But the commonest view at the present day regards them as simply persons who had a knowledge of many secrets of nature which were generally unknown, and who used this knowledge to impress men with a belief in their supernatural power. The words used to express ‘magicians' and ‘enchantments’ support this view. The magicians are called khakamim, 'wise men,' 'men educated in human and divine wisdom' (Keil and Delitzsch); mekashshephim, ‘charmers,' 'mutterers of magic words' (Gesenius); and khartummim, which is thought to mean either 'sacred scribes' or 'bearers of sacred words’...” [Pulpit Commentary]
I tend to believe that the miracles of these wise men and sorcerers were enabled by evil spirits. They were religious in nature. It is also said of the last days that that many false prophets would do signs and wonders that, if it were possible, they would even deceive the elect. But we know that this is not possible. "The demons are able to perform miracles!...The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:9)… For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. (Matthew 24:24)… They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:14)” Test the Spirits. Make sure that your power is of Yahweh. Stay in His Word.
but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. “The superiority of the Israelites' God is clear in the superiority of Aaron's serpent over those of the Egyptian magicians (Exodus 7:12). The rod again represented regal authority and implied that Yahweh, not Pharaoh, was sovereign (cf. Exodus 4:2-5)… Aaron's miracle should have convinced Pharaoh of Yahweh's sovereignty, but he chose to harden his heart in unbelief and disobedience.” [Dr. Thomas Constable]
Jannes and Jambres— Josephus, and the other historians, as well as Paul- the New Testament Apostle to the Gentiles, recorded the names of the Egyptian magicians or diviners of Pharaoh's court. And I found this edifying commentary after my morning post:
"'We shall now consider, in the second place, the opposition of 'Jannes and Jambres,' the magicians of Egypt. We should not have known the names of these ancient opposers of the truth of God, had they not been recorded by the Holy Ghost, in connection with 'the perilous times' of which the Apostle Paul warns his son Timothy. It is important that the Christian reader should clearly understand the real nature of the opposition given to Moses by those magicians, and in order that he may have the subject fully before him, I shall quote the entire passage from St. Paul's Epistle to Timothy. It is one of deep and awful solemnity.
This know, also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all, as theirs also was.' (2 Timothy 3:1-9)
Now, it is peculiarly solemn to mark the nature of this resistance to the truth. The mode in which 'Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses' was simply by imitating, so far as they were able, whatever he did. We do not find that they attributed his actings to a false or evil energy, but rather that they sought to neutralise their power upon the conscience, by doing the same things. What Moses did they could do, so that, after all there was no great difference. One was as good as the other. A miracle is a miracle. If Moses wrought miracles to get the people out of Egypt, they could work miracles to keep them in; so where was the difference?
From all this we learn the solemn truth that the most Satanic resistance to God's testimony, in the world, is offered by those who, though they imitate the effects of the truth, have but 'the form of godliness,' and 'deny the power thereof.' Persons of this class can do the same things, adopt the same habits and forms, use the same phraseology, profess the same opinions as others. If the true Christian, constrained by the love of Christ, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, visits the sick, circulates the scriptures, distributes tracts, supports the gospel, engages in prayer, sings praise, preaches the gospel, the formalist can do every one of these things; and this, be it observed, is the special character of the resistance offered to the truth 'in the last days'— this is the spirit of 'Jannes and Jambres.' How needful to understand this! How important to remember that, 'as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do' those self-loving, world-seeking, pleasure-hunting professors, 'resist the truth!' They would not be without 'a form of godliness;' but, while adopting 'the form,' because it is customary, they hate 'the power,' because it involves self-denial. 'The power' of godliness involves the recognition of God's claims, the implanting of His kingdom in the heart, and the consequent exhibition thereof in the whole life and character; but the formalist knows nothing of this. 'The power' of godliness could never comport with any one of those hideous features set forth in the foregoing quotation; but 'the form,' while it covers them over, leaves them wholly unsubdued; and this the formalist likes. He does not want his lusts subdued, his pleasures interfered with, his passions curbed, his affections governed, his heart purified. He wants just as much religion as will enable him 'to make the best of both worlds.' He knows nothing of giving up the world that is, because of having; found 'the world to come.'
In marking the forms of Satan's opposition to the truth of God, we find that his method has ever been, first, to oppose it by open violence; and then, if that did not succeed, to corrupt it by producing a counterfeit. Hence, he first sought to slay Moses, (Exodus 2:15), and having failed to accomplish his purpose, he sought to imitate his works.
Thus, too, has it been in reference to the truth committed to the Church of God. Satan's early efforts showed themselves in connection with the wrath of the chief priests and elders, the judgement-seat, the prison, and the sword. But, in the passage just quoted from 2 Timothy, we find no reference to any such agency. Often violence has made way for the far more wily and dangerous instrumentality of a powerless form, an empty profession, a human counterfeit. The enemy, instead of appearing with the sword of persecution in his hand, walks about with the cloak of profession on his shoulders. He professes and imitates that which he once opposed and persecuted; and, by so doing, gains most appalling advantages, for the time being. The fearful forms of moral evil which, from age to age, have stained the page of human history, instead of being found only where we might naturally look for them, amid the dens and caves of human darkness, are to be found carefully arranged beneath the drapery of a cold, powerless, uninfluential profession; and this is one of Satan's grand masterpieces.
That man, as a fallen, corrupt creature, should love himself, be covetous, boastful, proud, and the like, is natural; but that he should be all these, beneath the fair covering of 'a form of godliness,' marks the special energy of Satan in his resistance to the truth in 'the last days.' That man should stand forth in the bold exhibition of those hideous vices, lusts, and passions, which are the necessary results of departure from the source of infinite holiness and purity, is only what might be expected, for man will be what he is to the end of the chapter. But on the other hand, when we find the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ connected with man's wickedness and deadly evil — when we find holy principles connected with unholy practices — when we find all the characteristics of Gentile corruption, referred to in the first chapter of Romans, associated with 'a form of godliness,' then, truly, we may say, these are the terrible features of 'the last days' — this is the resistance of 'Jannes and Jambres.'" [C. H. Mackintosh's Notes on the Pentateuch]
The First Plague: Waters Become Blood
Exodus 7:14 So Yahweh said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.
Stand by the riverbank to meet him... "The Nile was regarded as a god to whom worship and sacrifice were offered. The defilement of its waters, therefore, was a severe blow to the religious prejudices of the Egyptians. It was also a great calamity, as the Nile was the source of all the fertility of Egypt, and its fish were largely used for food, some kinds being regarded as sacre." (John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible) "In the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water—for the purpose of ablutions or devotions perhaps; for the Nile was an object of superstitious reverence, the patron deity of the country... and therefore, he was ordered to repair to its banks with the miracle-working rod, now to be raised, not in demonstration, but in judgment, if the refractory spirit of the king should still refuse consent to Israel's departure for their sacred rites.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)
16 And you shall say to him, ‘Yahweh God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear! 17 Thus says Yahweh: “By this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.”’”
"The Lord God of the Hebrews.—Heb., Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews. On the first application made to him by Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh had professed not to know who Jehovah was (Exodus 5:2). To prevent his again doing so, Moses is ordered to give both name and title...” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) and duty to Him. AND YOU SHALL SAY TO HIM, "'let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness;' the demand is once more renewed, before any punishment is inflicted for refusal, that the patience and forbearance of God might be the more visible, and his judgments appear the more righteous when inflicted, as well as Pharaoh be left more inexcusable.” (John Gill's Exposition)
"The plagues were penal; God sent them to punish Pharaoh for his refusal to obey God...." (Dr. Thomas Constable), as a sign to others [like Rahab in Joshua 2:11]– even in the end times of Revelation, at the end of this age.
These "plagues were all literal; there was nothing symbolic about them. Each plague pointed to a greater meaning than the event itself, but they really happened. This guides our understanding about the plagues in the Book of Revelation; there is no reason to see them as merely symbolic either…'The PLAGUES are described by cognate Hebrew words, all meaning ‘BLOW or STROKE.' (Cole) Each plague was as if God were to strike or beat a deity worshipped by the Egyptians….The Egyptian god Khnum was said to be the guardian of the Nile, and this showed he was unable to protect his territory. The god Hapi was said to be the spirit of the Nile, and was brought low by this plague. The great god Osiris was thought to have the Nile as his bloodstream; in this plague he truly bled. The Nile itself was worshipped as a god, and there are papyri recording hymns sung in praise of the river.” (David Guzik)
19 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’” 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, just as Yahweh commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as Yahweh had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. 25 And seven days passed after Yahweh had struck the river.
"At the annual rising of the Nile its waters frequently turn a dull red colour owing to the presence of mud, vegetable débris, and minute animalcules. This plague, therefore, like the following, may have ... [seemed to be] an aggravation of a natural phenomenon. It is to be observed, however, that whereas the natural discoloration of the water has no pernicious effect on the fish of the Nile, these all died under the plague." (John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible) But it was not a natural occurrence. It was a spiritual one pointing to the judgment of the destruction of God's creation at His Coming... along with the death of the unrepentant sinner- those who harden their hearts against the God of Israel.
"The magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: Digging in wells, the magicians of Egypt found fresh water to replicate the LORD's plague upon the Nile. The magicians turned fresh well water into blood...The magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: Bible scholars warmly debate if this was a magician's trick or if these enchantments were miracles from Satan's hand. The evidence seems to lean in favor of them being miracles from Satan's hand. If the magicians of Egypt really wanted to do a miracle, they should have turned the bloody river clean again. They didn't because it seems that Satan cannot perform a constructive, cleansing miracle. He can bring supernatural destruction, but not goodness. All they did was make more bloody water! 'Alleviation of human suffering is no part of the programme of the devil or his agents. That can only come from Jehovah, through the believing cry of his servants.' [Meyer] (David Guzik)
The First Plague: Waters Become Blood
Exodus 7:14 So Yahweh said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.
Stand by the riverbank to meet him... "The Nile was regarded as a god to whom worship and sacrifice were offered. The defilement of its waters, therefore, was a severe blow to the religious prejudices of the Egyptians. It was also a great calamity, as the Nile was the source of all the fertility of Egypt, and its fish were largely used for food, some kinds being regarded as sacre." (John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible) "In the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water—for the purpose of ablutions or devotions perhaps; for the Nile was an object of superstitious reverence, the patron deity of the country... and therefore, he was ordered to repair to its banks with the miracle-working rod, now to be raised, not in demonstration, but in judgment, if the refractory spirit of the king should still refuse consent to Israel's departure for their sacred rites.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)
16 And you shall say to him, ‘Yahweh God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear! 17 Thus says Yahweh: “By this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.”’”
"Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews. On the first application made to him by Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh had professed not to know who Jehovah was (Exodus 5:2). To prevent his again doing so, Moses is ordered to give both name and title...” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) and duty to Him. AND YOU SHALL SAY TO HIM, "'let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness' [by sacrifice to Him]; the demand is once more renewed, before any punishment is inflicted for refusal, that the patience and forbearance of God might be the more visible, and his judgments appear the more righteous when inflicted, as well as Pharaoh be left more inexcusable.” (John Gill's Exposition)
"The plagues were penal; God sent them to punish Pharaoh for his refusal to obey God...." (Dr. Thomas Constable), as a sign to others [like Rahab in Joshua 2:11]– even in the end times of Revelation, at the end of this age. [MOREOVER] These "plagues were all literal; there was nothing symbolic about them. Each plague pointed to a greater meaning than the event itself, but they really happened. This guides our understanding about the plagues in the Book of Revelation; there is no reason to see them as merely symbolic either…'The PLAGUES are described by cognate Hebrew words, all meaning ‘BLOW or STROKE.' (Cole).” (David Guzik)
19 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’” 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, just as Yahweh commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as Yahweh had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. 25 And seven days passed after Yahweh had struck the river.
"At the annual rising of the Nile its waters frequently turn a dull red colour owing to the presence of mud, vegetable débris, and minute animalcules. This plague, therefore, like the following, may have ... [seemed to be] an aggravation of a natural phenomenon. It is to be observed, however, that whereas the natural discoloration of the water has no pernicious effect on the fish of the Nile, these all died under the plague." (John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible) But it was not a natural occurrence. It was a spiritual one pointing to the judgment of the destruction of God's creation at His Coming(Malachi 3:1-5; 1 Peter 3:11), along with the death of the unrepentant sinner- those who harden their hearts against the God of Israel.
"The magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: Digging in wells, the magicians of Egypt found fresh water to replicate the LORD's plague upon the Nile. The magicians turned fresh well water into blood...The magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: Bible scholars warmly debate if this was a magician's trick or if these enchantments were miracles from Satan's hand. The evidence seems to lean in favor of them being miracles from Satan's hand. If the magicians of Egypt really wanted to do a miracle, they should have turned the bloody river clean again. They didn't because it seems that Satan cannot perform a constructive, cleansing miracle. He can bring supernatural destruction, but not goodness. All they did was make more bloody water! 'Alleviation of human suffering is no part of the programme of the devil or his agents. That can only come from Jehovah, through the believing cry of his servants.' [Meyer] (David Guzik)