Miracles – Seeing Is Believing?

Posted on Posted in Audio Sermons 2013, November 2013, Sermon Notes, Prayer Meeting Tagged with , , ,

Hymns: RHC 333 Yesterday, Today, Forever 337 Never Give Up  339 When I Fear My Faith will Fail

Miracles – Seeing Is Believing?

(Exodus 7:7-14)

7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. 8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. Exodus 7:1-6, 7-14 (KJV)

OUTLINE

  • God’s Power Authenticated (v7-10)
  • Not Human Enchantments (v11-12)
  • Seeing is Not Necessarily Believing! (v13-14)

INTRODUCTION

What is a miracle? Biblically speaking, a miracle is extraordinary event or act caused directly by God, or by means of His power that goes beyond the laws of nature, and of human ability.[1]

The point in case is the Egyptian Pharaoh who witnessed the miracle that God wrought yet believed not for he feared not God. He thought himself so powerful with his court of magicians and having possessed a monarch’s absolute power, defied the Almighty God to his own destruction. Pharaoh in his defiance is a vivid portrayal of the stubbornness of sinful man lost in his pride refusing to acknowledge his Maker. Seeing the miracle did not lead to faith in God for the stiff-necked Pharaoh. Yet we read of the sovereign hand of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Is Pharaoh culpable for his decision in rejecting God? Yes. Yet we see God’s sovereign hand in the outcome. Do we need to see miracles to help us believe or should we just take God at His Word and believe? This is the crux of the matter. Yet we know that it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the faith to believe. We acknowledge the sovereign hand of God leading and guiding us to Him.

(1) God’s Power Authenticated (v7-10)

God’s purpose of redemption for mankind is to be accomplished. Israel is God’s national witness to an unbelieving world. The epoch of the Exodus is the first of three periods in Biblical history, the second during the time of Elijah and Elisha and the third during the days of Christ and His apostles, where prolific miracles were seen.

The first notable miracle happened when God appeared to Moses out of the burning bush, the combusting bush that is not consumed. Moses asked God how others would believe that a divine mandate has been given him. God gave him the first sign of the rod turning into a serpent to strengthen Moses’ faith that God is indeed with him. He is to demonstrate this sign to authenticate his divine calling and mandate. It strengthened Moses’ faith to help him along fulfilling the task God had set for him.

Moses is 80 years old and Aaron 83 when they confronted Pharaoh, the fullness of God’s time, wherein the exodus must begin. God had anticipated that Pharaoh would request for a miracle to show that Moses is indeed a true prophet of God. Moses needed an ambassador’s authentication. God had sent him but what is the proof?

The miracle that God gave to Moses to do will serve to authenticate that he was indeed sent by God.

Exodus 7:3-5 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Why should Pharaoh listen to him to free His people? This decision to free the Hebrew slaves is a grave matter to Egypt’s national administration for the Hebrew slaves has multiplied greatly and they fulfilled an important function as Pharaoh’s builders.

9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

God is instructing Moses here in verse 9. The word “miracle” is first used in Exodus 9:3 translated “wonders”, in Hebrew it’s the word “môp̱ēṯ”, meaning “wonder, as special display of God’s power” (BDB).

The divine nature of Moses’ and Aarons’ mission requires an extraordinary sign that is incontestable, undisputable, a supernatural proof to put to rest the doubt of any scoffer or scorner. God will use Moses’ rod to evoke this miracle.

10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

 The manifestation of God’s power humbles His servants to acknowledge His presence with them in fulfilling His purposes for their lives. Moses and Aaron themselves believed without a doubt that the power to turn the rod to serpent is of God.

Indeed, how great is the power of God! These miracles and others to follow are the doings of the Almighty. There is no escape for this conclusion.[2]

 

(2) Not Human Enchantment (v11-12)

11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

The miracle that God wrought through Aaron is not human enchantment. The word “enchantment” means “secret arts” or “witchcraft”. The Pharaoh challenged God’s authority by asking his wise men, sorcerers and magicians to do like wise. Indeed they are able by their evil powers to do likewise. These powers were not of God but of Satan, the devil.

12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

 But Aaron’s rod proved superior when it swallowed up their rods. It dealt a blow to Pharaoh’s ego.

In the Christian church today, counterfeit miracles abound. These are the human enchantments that are not of God. In the last century, there has been a proliferation of counterfeit miracles in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement, this faith healing movement that teaches the doctrine that when you believe, you will be healed of your sicknesses is an erroneous “health gospel”. This is a false teaching. When these false prophets who healed on stage are challenged to go to the hospital to work the miracles, they refused, they are exposed for their fraud.[3]

The word “sorcery” is derived from the word “to offer prayers”. These men were named Jannes and Jambres in 2 Tim. 3:8. Any perceived supernatural power came from Satan.[4]

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

 

(3) Seeing is Not Necessarily Believing (v13-14)

13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he will not give in to Moses’ and Aarons’ request to free the Hebrew slaves.

Is seeing believing? From this account in Exodus 7:7-14, we learn that physical sight of miracles may not lead to belief and conviction. Pharaoh is our example. In fact, the contrary happened.

God put the determination, conviction, strength in his heart not to believe, to grow stout, rigid, hard, with idea of perversity (BDB) – the Bible says, He hardened [ḥāzaq] Pharaoh’s heart (v13). A different word translated “hardened” is used in verse 3, “And I will harden [qāšāh] Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.” It means to be hardened, stiff-necked and stubborn. This word has the sense difficult, hard, cruel, severe and harsh, a determination for evil.

And in verse 14, we see the progression of hardening by a third word that described Pharaoh’s hardened heart.

14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

Pharaoh’s heart is hardened [kāḇēḏ] meaning heavy, great, grievous as being oppressive and burdensome.[5] There is no relenting to his determination to resist God’s will. He gets stronger or heavier, weightier and weightier.

For Pharaoh, seeing does not mean yielding and submitting but seeing provokes rebellion in his heart this is the third word “hardened”.

When God called Moses to confront Pharaoh, Moses was reluctant because he knew the great “power” of Pharaoh, having himself been brought up in Pharaoh’s palace. He witnessed the greatness of the arms of flesh.

Remember in Exodus 4:1 “And Moses answered (the LORD) and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.” God gave Moses a notable miracle, that is without doubt, yet Pharaoh refused to acknowledge God.

God raised Pharaoh for the purpose that we might know that there is a God that is above the most powerful monarch on earth and all must submit to the Maker.[6]

For this reason, John 3:17-19 tells us, whosoever we are – the strongest to the weakest – we are to acknowledged the living God, our Maker.

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Another passage 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

May our hearts be not hardened like Pharaoh’s to reject God, refusing God’s revealed will but is insistent on doing evil! God is very fair, Pharaoh was given a chance to experience God’s power and know His will but he rejected. We have no reason to accuse God of being unjust.

From these passages of Scripture, God holds the lost responsible for their lost condition on the grounds that they have rejected His grace. “The reprobates are the authors of their own evil, and follow Satan as their leader.” (Calvin)[7]

It is to declare the sovereignty of God and the sovereignty of His will, that we listening today, might believe.

Israel’s suffering and Pharoah’s hardening show forth the riches of God’s glory.

Truly, as Buswell said, “The chargeable cause of the loss of the lost is in the lost.”

CONCLUSION

May we not be like Pharaoh, but submit ourselves to God and His sovereign will that we might be saved. May we not require any sign or miracle to believe but to take God at His Word, to believe what God says in His Word as Jesus said to Thomas in John 20:29-31 “…Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Amen.

 

[1] Adapted from “The Westminster Standards”, 58, Jeffrey Khoo

[2] A miracle is an event in nature, so extraordinary in itself and so coinciding with the prophecy or command of a religious teacher or leaders, as fully warrant the conviction, on the part of those who witness it, that God has wrought it with the design of certifying that this teacher or leader has been commissioned by Him. [Augustus H. Strong, Systematic Theology (Philadelphia: Judson, 1907), 118] taken from Charismatic Chaos by John MacArthur (Michigan: Zondervan, 1992)

[3] In fact, when the Old and New Testament were complete, God’s revelation was finished – Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” Through many signs and wonders, God authenticated this Book. Is there an ongoing need for miracles to substantiate God’s revelation? Does God do miracle on demand? And do the phenomena being hailed today as signs, wonders and healings bear any resemblance to the miracles performed by Christ and the apostles? The answer is no. Nothing in Scripture indicates that miracles were meant to be continuous in subsequent ages. And there is no command in the Bible to seek miracles. [Charismatic Chaos by John MacArthur (Michigan: Zondervan, 1992, 140-141) ]

[4] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary, Thomas Nelson, 2005, 91.

[5] Hardened (v3) qāšāh: A verb meaning to be hard; to be hardened, stiff-necked. It indicates that something is difficult, hard, cruel, severe, harsh, e.g., a difficult birth (Gen_35:16-17); harsh anger or wrath (Gen_49:7). It is one of the words used to describe a hardened heart (Exo_7:3; Exo_13:15); a resentful heart or attitude (Deu_15:18). It refers to a hardened spirit created by the Lord (Deu_2:30). In its passive sense, it indicates a person oppressed, crushed (Isa_8:21). It is used figuratively of making circumstances difficult for persons, making heavy yokes for them (1Ki_12:4). To harden or stiffen one’s neck means to become stubborn (2Ki_17:14; Jer_7:26; Jer_17:23; Jer_19:15).

Hardened (v13) – ḥāzaq: A verb meaning to be strong, to strengthen, to be courageous, to overpower. This verb is widely used to express the strength of various phenomena, such as the severity of famine (2Ki_25:3; Jer_52:6); the strength of humans to overpower each other: the condition of Pharaoh’s heart (Exo_7:13); David and Goliath (1Sa_17:50); Amnon and Tamar (2Sa_13:14); a battle situation (2Ch_8:3); Samson’s strength for his last superhuman performance (Jdg_16:28). This word occurs in the commonly known charge, “Be strong and of good courage!” (Jos_1:9). Moses urges Joshua (Deu_31:6-7) to be strong. The Lord also bids Joshua to be strong in taking the Promised Land (Deu_31:23; Jos_1:6-7, Jos_1:9), after which Joshua encourages the people in the same way (Jos_10:25).

Hardened (v14) – kāḇēḏ: An adjective describing something as heavy, great, grievous. It attributes the basic feature of heavy, weighty upon things. It takes on negative senses as well, for the heart can be hard, heavy (Exo_7:14). To be heavy means to be insensitive, dull. The heart of man may become excessively weighed with stubbornness and thus become “hardened” (Ex. 7:14, 9:7).

[6] Romans 9:17-18 “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.”

[7] Theology for Every Christian, Tow and Khoo, 296-297.