Exodus 7:1 – 13 “The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron must declare it to Pharaoh so that he will let the Israelites go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I will multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and by mighty acts of judgment I will bring the divisions of My people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt. And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh. The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh tells you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a serpent. ”
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts. Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs. Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.”
Moses and Aaron are back at Pharaoh’s court with a message from God. This time God has instructed them to perform a miracle, even though God is already warning them that Pharaoh is not going to listen. But God is promising to multiply sings and wonders in the land of Egypt. Why signs and wonders if Pharaoh isn’t going to listen?
There are actually three different audiences involved here: Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the Israelites, and Moses and Aaron themselves. These signs and wonders are important for each group. God wants to impress on everyone involved that He is the One True Living God. Unlike the multiple demons that the Egyptians are worshiping, God is the real Ruler of the universe.
1. The signs and wonders are going to come in an escalating fashion so that by the end of them, Pharaoh and the Egyptians will literally drive the Israelites out of Egypt.
2. At the beginning of this story, the Israelites have only a dim view of who God is, how big and how powerful He is, and how much He can do. They need to have their faith built up.
3. Moses and Aaron are going to have to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Just like the other Israelites, Moses and Aaron really need to learn about God.
Moses and Aaron deliver their message, and Pharaoh demands a miracle. Somehow the Egyptian magicians are able to turn their rods into snakes through their magic and the power of evil. But Aaron’s rod that has become a snake swallows up the other snakes, indicating that Aaron’s God is bigger than that of the magicians. Pharaoh is probably impressed, but he isn’t impressed enough to release the Israelites.
APPLICATION: Once more, we must realize that even fulfilling God’s perfect will for your life does not mean that others will be impressed or that they will pay attention to your message. It’s very interesting that God starts out with a very simple message and a very simple miracle. Could Pharaoh have listened and agreed? Of course! Pharaoh had free will and could make decisions. But God already knew that Pharaoh was going to harden his heart.
In spiritual growth and the walk of faith there are no shortcuts. We have to start by believing for very simple things before we can believe for something bigger. Today is St. Patrick’s Day. Patrick was a brave believer who challenged the forces of darkness and brought the light of the Gospel to Ireland. But in the beginning, Patrick had to move slowly and learn what God wanted him to do before he could go forward. Eventually, Patrick did many miracles; however, it took time to reach that point.
Do you feel that you have taken a stand for righteousness but nobody is listening? Go back and ask God. If you are saying what God wants you to say, sooner or later, God will open ears and hearts. But there is nothing instant in the life of faith.
PRAYER: ST. PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
[Note that people sometimes pray a shorter version of this prayer just with these 15 lines about Christ above. The conclusion follows below.]
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
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