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Text: Exodus 8:16-19
There are a couple of things that don’t happen between the second and third plagues. Moses does not go before Pharaoh before the third plague. Aaron simply brings forth lice from the dust of the earth. This appears to be the immediate response of the LORD to Pharaoh’s hardened heart from the removal of the frogs. This plague puts the magicians to shame since they can’t duplicate this plague. And the magicians said what we’ll use as our theme here, this is the finger of God.
God’s power opposed
- Let me begin at the end of these verses.
- The end result yet again is Pharaoh hardening his heart. This time without any question that this is the finger of God.
- What is stronger than the work of God? The pride of man. And this is why the proud have to fall. Because they won’t be turned or moved from their stubbornness.
God’s fingerprint
- What were they saying? Like a fingerprint uniquely belonging to a person, these magicians were saying this act is like God’s fingerprint. It is uniquely divine. No one else can do what has just been done. They couldn’t make life out of dust.
- There would be other times the finger of God would appear. In the writing of the law given to Moses, that was said to be the finger of God. Jesus said if I cast out devils with the finger of God then the kingdom of God has come unto you. Belshazzar who was the king of Babylon when it was overthrown saw the writing on the wall that was said to be done with what he thought was a man’s finger.
- Though the magicians attempted to duplicate this sign, they could not make life come out of the dust. The ability to give life is unique to God.
- He did it at creation. He will do it again at the resurrection when life will spring forth from the dust.
God’s vessels
- In this case, these heathen magicians are the ones to identify the work as the finger of God. The statement is the best description they could give of the miracle. It wasn’t a physical finger that did this, but it was certainly the power of God.
- Because of what was done, the magicians gave credit to God. Even though Moses and Aaron are the ones that did the miracle, it was clear that this was the power of God.
- This truly is the work of a Christian. I don’t mean sending plagues on people, but allowing the LORD to work through you in such a way that the people around you must give the glory to God.
- Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
