Sermon on Exodus 7:1–24

 Prayer: Father! You made Moses, who was slow of speech, into a skilled speaker—thank You! The very Pharaoh from whom Moses once fled in fear, You appointed him to stand before as a god—praise be to You. Just as You orchestrated such glorious arrangements in the life of one who considered himself unworthy, we too—though weak and unworthy—have gathered here today. We pray in Jesus’ name: reveal Your power in our lives. Amen.

In the land of Egypt, the Israelites were called Hebrews. The foreigners—Egyptians—used this name to refer to them. Moses and Aaron were now sent to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. And God spoke to Moses saying, "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet." Whatever God commanded, Moses was to speak to Pharaoh through Aaron.

God continued:

1.      "I will stretch out My hand,"

2.     "I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,"

3.     "I will multiply My signs and wonders,"

4.     "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord."

Moses and Aaron obeyed and performed the signs:

1.      The rod turned into a serpent,

2.     The water turned into blood.

Even the Egyptian magicians imitated some of these wonders. But the purpose behind God’s miracles was clear:

“Pharaoh must know that I am God. The Egyptians must know. The Israelites must know.”

Until now, Pharaoh and the Egyptians had only spoken of the God of the Hebrews. That’s why God made a public declaration through these acts:

“I am not just the God of the Hebrews—I am the God of all.”

He declared this plainly to Moses. Previously, the Egyptians thought no one was as powerful as Pharaoh. But now, all people—Egyptians, Israelites, and the nations—must come to know that God is Almighty.

Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart and God’s Gracious Purpose – Exodus 7

1. Pharaoh already had his own gods and understood only the things related to them. Therefore, Moses had to explain the things of the true God to him. That is why God made Moses as a god to Pharaoh. Likewise, when we share the Word of God with unbelievers, in a certain sense, we become like gods in their sight—representatives of divine truth.
2. Pharaoh did not believe after seeing the first two miracles; he neither accepted nor submitted. So God hardened his heart. Pharaoh himself first began to harden his heart slightly. In response, God further confirmed that hardness. This reveals a spiritual principle: if our heart begins to soften even a little, God will make it even softer. If we begin to bear fruit, God will cause even more fruit to come forth. But as Pharaoh saw more of God’s wonders, he became more stubborn.

A fitting example: when water is poured on clay soil, it hardens. God's judgment was first offered to Pharaoh as an act of grace. The ten plagues were a complete revelation of grace—there was no need for an eleventh. Similarly, Jesus told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” This instruction to Judas and the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart follow the same divine logic: God already knows the full plan.

In the Old Testament, Moses is the mediator; in the New Testament, Christ is the Mediator.

Moses brought the Law, which is strict and condemning. Christ brought Grace, which is gentle and saving.

Moses turned water into blood—a sign of judgment and severity.

Jesus turned water into wine—a symbol of grace and joy.

Grace is pleasant and flavorful like wine; the Law is fearsome like blood—difficult even to look at. Grace refreshes and flows abundantly, while the Law confronts and convicts. As Paul said, “Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Certainly not!”

Moses represents the standard of Law. Christ represents the standard of Grace.
God told Moses to proclaim all that He said to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Likewise, we must also share the whole counsel of God, from beginning to end.

On Satan’s Imitation of Divine Works

1. Whatever God does, Satan tries to replicate.
2. Whatever God’s servants do, Satan’s agents attempt to imitate.
   The miracles involving the rod, the blood, and the serpents illustrate this.

God’s servants threw down the rod—that is their act of obedience. The rod turning into a serpent—that is God’s act of power.

Yet, the magicians of Egypt were also able to imitate the sign—throwing their rods, and they too became serpents. Based on this, it may appear as though Satan too is a creator. But here lies the truth: Satan is not the Creator of good—he is the creator of sin.

God did not create sin. Satan originated sin and its consequences—sickness, death, and hell. His intent is always to disrupt God’s work and draw people away from truth.

Even though the Egyptian magicians performed similar signs, their intention was evil. There was nothing wrong with the visible act, but the motive was corrupted. Moses’ serpent swallowed the serpents of the magicians—revealing that truth consumes deception.

This shows us that the problem does not lie in the object, but in the intention.
For example, Satan tempted Jesus by saying, “Turn these stones into bread.” There was nothing wrong with bread or stones, but the motive was evil.

Christianity is the only revealed faith—rooted in divine revelation. God’s power is supreme, and in Exodus 7, we clearly see this truth. This chapter is a chapter of contrast and meaning. God’s plan is to save mankind and destroy Satan. But Satan’s plan is to weaken God’s work and elevate his own.

Satan imitates God's work, but his imitation will face judgment. Therefore, our eyes must always remain fixed on God.

Blessing: May the Bridegroom grant you the blessedness of discerning God’s intentions and participating in His divine work. Amen.