12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
Can you imagine what Moses and Aaron felt at that moment? Aaron throws down the staff and it turns into a snake. Pretty impressive, isn’t it! Their chests are full and their heads held high. And then the magicians do the same thing. Deflated, they sulk away. The Lord had not warned them that their rod was not unique. This is not going to be as easy as they thought. Pharaoh was going to need more than this. Moses and Aaron were going to need more as well. Pharaoh’s heart was not hard enough to accomplish God’s purpose. I am sure Moses and Aaron went away feeling defeated. What they thought was going to work failed miserably. Remember, the Lord had only shown Moses and Aaron the rod-to-snake trick. But the Lord’s abilities are much greater than that of a mere magician. Moses’ rod really was a rod to begin with. The magician’s rods were really snakes, a particular kind of snake that stiffens when you grab it by the tail. Moses’ snake eats up all their snakes. The Lord’s power is greater than that of Egypt. But it would take more than one demonstration of that superiority to convince Pharaoh to listen to the Lord. He is after all the ruler of the greatest nation on the earth at that time. And he didn’t get there by being humble. His family rose to power through the use and misuse of power. He knows how to play power politics. But the Lord is from a totally different level than he is. God is the king over all the earth, all the universe. The Lord has only begun to use His resources to accomplish His purposes. It is much better to be on the Lord’s side than to be on the receiving end of His wrath. Even when you feel defeated when following the Lord’s instructions, don’t give up. The game is not over. Give the Lord a chance to show His power.
The Arnold Journey 