In the excerpt quoted after this, it is amazing how the Bible shows that God talks to his prophets and representatives, in this world, and how they perform miracles in front of Pharaoh and his court. It would indicate to me that we are so secular, and devoid of divine presence in our lives, that we do not converse with or see spirits or divinities walking the earth among us, though they do, and we would see much more of them directly if we but believed and welcome them in.
The quote from The New American Bible: The Lord told Moses and Aaron, “If Pharaoh demands that you work a sign or wonder, you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will be changed into a snake.” Then Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it was changed into a snake. Pharaoh, in turn, summoned wise men and sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did likewise by their magic arts. Each one threw down his staff, and it was changed into a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. Pharaoh, however, was obstinate, and would not listen to them just as the Lord had foretold.
My response: Pharaoh makes demands of Moses and Aaron, supernatural signs of their power, and God commands them to give the demonstration. These prophets face demands and commands from opposing parties.
That Aaron and the magicians are able to convert staffs into snakes is a sign that miracles or magic are able to function in this world and overrule the laws of physics and reality. They also reveal that opposing spiritual forces, one good (the Lord) and one evil (the magicians and their pagan deities) are at work here.
Note the impressive symbolism of Yahweh’s power being greater than those of the pagan deities, as Aaron’s snake at the pagan snakes.
Pharaoh should be shocked and in awe of Yahweh’s demonstration of superior supernatural clout, but he remains unimpressed and unmoved. Evil people rebel against God and are sure they are right and invincible, and God foretold Pharaoh’s cruel obstinacy, and yet the Pharaoh wielded free will, at least in part, and this is one of the moral and metaphysical mysteries that we cannot solve: God exists, evil exists; God knows the future with a high degree of certainty, and yet we are free to choose as we will, but will receive divine justice in this world and the next for choices made.
Here is that same excerpt from the Holy Bible (KJV): And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed their rods.
And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
My response: note that there are two spiritual forces at work in the everyday world here; good miracles provided by Yahweh, and evil miracles to counter these from Egypt’s sorcerers.
Both forces vie for worldly power and control, and to woo humans to their cause. Both seem to provide evidence of a natural world obeying natural law, and yet, occasionally, supernatural law intercedes, for good and for evil, to override natural laws, so that good and evil miracles occur. There is so much going on here, and implicit in this simple, Old Testament narrative.
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