Mother’s Helper / Daddy’s Helper
MOSES AND THE MAGICIANS
Scripture Reading: Exodus 7:1-8:19
God told Moses to return to Pharaoh. Moses argued that Pharaoh would not listen. God responded that He had made Moses as a god to Pharaoh and Aaron as Moses’ prophet. God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh all the words which God had commanded.
Again before Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron gave a sign of God’s greatness. Aaron threw down his rod and it became a serpent. Pharaoh’s magicians also threw down their rods, and they also became serpents, but they did not pick them up again, because Aaron’s rod swallowed all their rods. Pharaoh should have seen that God was stronger and greater than any earthly God. Yet he refused to release the Hebrews. Pharaoh found himself in deeper trouble each time he refused to free God’s people.
Early the next morning as Pharaoh was going out to the water, Moses met him and warned Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, or all the waters of Egypt would be turned to blood. When Pharaoh refused, Moses stretched his rod over the waters and they became blood. The fish died, the water, now blood, was unusable and the people started digging for water. Pharaoh’s magicians performed the same sign. They also could turn water to blood, but not back to water again. Only God could do that through Moses and Aaron.
Moses again urged Pharaoh to let the people go. He warned that failure to do so would mean that frogs would come into their houses, into their beds, ovens, and kneading troughs. Dramatically, the frogs appeared. Pharaoh’s magicians with their enchantments were able also to produce frogs, but only Jehovah could remove the frogs from the land.
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron unto him and asked them to rid Egypt of the frogs. He promised to let Israel go. Moses asked Pharaoh to set the time for the frogs to be gone. Pharaoh responded, “Against tomorrow.” The next day the frogs were destroyed from the houses, and remained “in the river only.”
Frogs in the houses, courts and fields died. The Egyptians gathered the dead frogs in heaps. The Bible says the “land stank.” Seeing the frogs were gone, Pharaoh went back on his word. He refused to let the people of Israel go to worship their God. For Pharaoh that was a big mistake. Greater troubles were to come upon him and his people.
Next God brought lice on the people of Egypt. Aaron smote the dust of the earth and it became lice. They covered man and beast. Just one or a few lice create a minor crisis, but to have all life covered with lice was more than anyone wanted to bear.
The magicians tried to duplicate God’s special signs as they had before. This time they failed. God allowed them to go only so far, and no further. The magicians told Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” He would not listen to them. He hardened his heart and refused to grant Moses’ request to let Israel go sacrifice to God. Pharaoh continued to get deeper and deeper into trouble.
Questions
1. What did God tell Moses to speak?
2. What was the first sign?
3. Why did the magicians not get their rods back?
4. What was the next sign?
5. What was the third sign?
6. Were the magicians able to remove this plague?
7. What happened in Egypt when the frogs were heaped up?
8. What was the fourth plague?
9. What did the magicians tell Pharaoh?
10. What kind of heart did Pharaoh have?
Drawing to Color
Observations for Parents and Children
1. Pharaoh suffered the consequences of his own folly. He reaped what he had sown. Galatians 6:7‑8 says the same principle applies today.
2. Stubbornness and rebellion against God is a futile exercise. It leads man to no good end. Submission to God leads to blessings untold, and eventually to home in heaven.
