Peter Barnes : Exodus 7 (NO AUDIO)
(20 January 2019)
SERMON NOTES :THE FIRST SKIRMISHES (Exodus 7)
So far Moses has been telling God: ‘I can’t’; while God has been telling Moses: ‘I will.’ Exodus 7 – the first contest and the first plague.
1. Moses’ word is God’s word.
– 7:1-2. This book is God’s book. A woman once confronted Bertrand Russell: ‘Lord Russell, what will you say when you stand in front of the throne of God on judgment day?’ Russell replied: ‘I will say: “I’m terribly sorry, but you didn’t give us enough evidence.”’
– Russell did not believe the Bible, mainly because the seventh commandment forbids adultery. When Moses speaks, God speaks. Compare Exodus 9:16 and Romans 9:17.
– Jer.1:1, 4; Ezek. 1:3; Hos.1:1; Joel 1:1. This means there can be only one right response to the Bible – Ex.7:6-7.
2. Miracles are almost signs of God’s being at work.
– 7:3-13. The cobra was one of the symbols associated with the Pharaohs. Aaron’s staff swallowed up the Egyptian staffs – 7:11-12. There is enough proof there – 7:8-9. Pharaoh has no excuse (7:13).
– Matt.11:2-6; John 10:25-26; 14:10-11.
– 7:14-25. Egyptians sang hymns to the river Nile: Hail to thee, Oh Nile,/ That issues from the earth/ And comes to keep Egypt alive!
The river god, Hapi, and was portrayed as a bearded man with female breasts and a large stomach, probably to signify fertility. But God turns the river of life into the river of death.
3. There is a supernatural evil.
– 7:11-12, 22. This warns us that there is a supernatural evil – Acts 8:9-10; 13:6-10; 9:19; 2 Thess.2:9. Jesus warns us – Matt.24:24. Most claims by gurus are hoaxes but there are Satanic miracles.