“So, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake…They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.” Exodus 7:10; Exodus 8:17-18
Recently, at a yard sale, I spotted a name-brand purse on the table. I looked inside, scanning its contents. I read the tag to see how to wash it and double-check to make sure it was an authentic bag. Many people knock off this same brand, so it would be easy to purchase a purse that looked like an authentic bag that was only a cheaper imitation of the real thing. Because I noticed a leather tag sewn into the inside of the bag, stating it was a brand-name bag, I purchased it, trusting it was the real thing. I went home and googled what would make an authentic bag and, sure enough, it had all the markings. However, I have bought other bags in the past that looked like the real thing but, in the end, were not authentic.
All throughout history, the world has dealt with psychics, mediums, and other people who communicate with the dead. Many people dismiss this as being fake or inauthentic. However, this passage in Exodus tells us these people really did perform and interact with the spirit world. They made people believe they were communicating with God, when the reality was they were communicating with demonic spirits that mimicked what God could do. But in the end, God, in his sovereignty, demonstrated he is the one true God by being able to plague the people with gnats that, when the people with the secret arts tried, could not imitate.
In today's world, psychics and mediums abound in the media. Many go on talk shows, communicating with people whom they say have crossed over or have a specific message for a grieving loved one. This is to bring comfort and peace to the loved one who is grieving their loss. However, since Scripture is clear that once someone has crossed over into heaven, they cannot communicate with loved ones. Readers of this passage understand that these people who were performing secret arts were communicating with demonic spirits. These demonic spirits were mimicking the actions of God but could not compare to the original. Just like the other purses I had purchased in the past, they were merely fake imitations of the original.
Christians can fall prey to being fake imitations, too. They can say and do all the right things. They read their Bible, attend church, and pray. But in the end, the deciding factor of whether they are truly known by God is the intimate relationship they have with him. Unfortunately, many Christians fake their relationship with God. They say and do all the right things. But in their hearts, they do not know him.
Jesus wants to know his children. He beckons all of us to have an intimate relationship with him. This begins with the confession of sin and making sure our souls are as free from sinful behaviors as possible. Sinful behaviors come out of willful disobedience, which stems from a tainted mind and a poisoned heart. An intimate relationship helps renew a person's mind, wipes the slate clean, extracts the poison out of the heart, and fills it with love and the exhibition of the fruit of the Spirit.
Father, help us to know you better. Convict us when we are becoming fake imitations of Christians who have a genuine relationship with you. Allow our lives to be genuine, authentic representations of an authentic relationship with you. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/yavorskiy
Originally published Monday, 29 April 2024.
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