The third plague in Exodus, where God turns the dust of Egypt into life, demonstrating His supreme power over the gods worshipped by the Egyptians. This plague, specifically targeting the Egyptian god Seb who was associated with the fertile Nile dust, reveals the limitations of Satanic power, as the Egyptian magicians, unlike in previous plagues, could not replicate this miracle. Their confession, "This is the finger of God," highlights that only the true Creator can bring forth life from dust, a power far exceeding that of any evil spirit. The sermon concludes by emphasizing God's sole authority as the creator of all life and urging listeners to honor Him.
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Beloved radio, friends, we greet you in the ever-precious and the altogether lovely name of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is your Bible teacher of the air speaking, J.W. Bramhall, giving you a hearty welcome and an earnest invitation to the study of God's precious and holy word. We are studying in the book of Exodus, the early chapters of that great book, where our consideration and theme is the world in the light of the Book of Exodus. Some may wonder why we should choose such a subject, but there is a New Testament scripture giving us authority to believe.
In First Corinthians ten and verse eleven, these things that were written aforetime were written for our learning. upon whom the ends of the ages have come. My beloved radio friend, you and I are nearing the end of the age, as according to the word of God, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is at hand. In relation to the world in which we live, when he comes, he will visit the world for its ungodliness, for the gods that it worships, with judgment. The plagues that we are studying in the book of Exodus very similarly extend to us a deep truth regarding those coming judgments upon the world.
But remind us what God sees as being the true character of the world in which we live, which is under the dominion of Satan and in the tyranny of sins bondage. We now come today to the third plague that we read of in the book of Exodus chapter eight. We would read from verses sixteen through nineteen and recognize the visitation of God's judgment upon the gods of Egypt and upon the empire of Egypt long ago. Here were the words saying, And the Lord sent unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become life throughout all the land of Egypt.
And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became life in man and in beast. And all the dust of the land became life throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth life, but they could not. So there were life upon man and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearken not unto them, as the Lord had said.
May God add his blessing by his spirit to the reading and the hearing of his word, and very humbly but very dependent upon the Lord, we pray that he will increase our knowledge of the truth that is contained in these words we have read. We once again would refer to the fact that there were many gods which the Egyptians worship. And in Egyptian pantheism, which means they were worshippers of all that nature possessed, whether in the heavenly bodies or whether upon the earth. In the midst of Egyptian pantheism and worship, the black soil of the Nile Basin, the delta of the River Nile, was especially held sacred by the Egyptians.
For from that dusty soil at the occasion of the year, there sprang from it life, or even said to be Nats. The Egyptians worship a God whom they call Seb, S-E-B, making an image of a man with the emblem of life-giving power, represented by a bird upon his head. That God Seb was worshipped as the Creator. or a Creator, the very Father of the gods, one of many created gods, worshipped in Egypt.
Now we must remember that God in Exodus chapter twelve declares, Against all the gods of Egypt, will I execute judgment. And though we know the judgments that came in the great plagues poured out upon the land of Egypt and the realm of Egypt, were against Pharaoh, were against his people. Yet behind the judgment was a divine power that was being thrust upon the gods which they worshipped. We would again repeat the contest of which we are reading and studying between Moses and Aaron and the children of Israel, opposed to Pharaoh and all the host of the Egyptians, behind that literal material and contest that was visible, there was an invisible contest.
For God was battling against the hosts of Satan and evil spirits. On one hand, God, on the other hand, Satan and all of his power. So when God's judgment fell upon Egypt, and upon this occasion the dust of Egypt, it was not just the delta of the Nile, but it was upon the gods of Egypt they were worshipping. And the particular God called Seb. Now in that season of the year when the dust of the delta was apparent, irritating insects appeared throughout all the land.
Now this judgment increases by the supernatural power of God the appearance of these insects, whether they were called life or whether they were called gnats. It was a judgment of God, but may we note particularly as we come to this third plague, may I be very faithful to declare Plague number one, when the water was turned into blood. Plague number two, when God, by his mighty power, manifested the plague of frogs. Those plagues were imitated by the Egyptian magicians.
We do not minimize the fact, which the word of God substantiates. Satan has supernatural power. and under the supernatural power of Satan and evil spirits, we verily believe that the magic of Egypt and the powers of the Egyptians were such that they were able to imitate the first two plagues that we have considered, and that the story in the book of Exodus confirms. Now we realize, as we look at verse eighteen in particular, The magicians attempted to imitate this great magical thing, the manifestation of producing gnats or life.
But we read in verse eighteen, they could not. And there was life upon both man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt. The failure of Egyptian power and science is indicated. The wise men confessed they were baffled and unable to reproduce this same miracle. They said to Pharaoh, This is the finger of God. Now there is written in the New Testament the revelation of the names of some of the magicians in Egypt, the leading ones without question of doubt.
In II Timothy chapter three, verses eight and nine, Paul declares the limitation of those magicians in the land of Egypt long ago, when writing to Timothy. He names the magicians in the court of Pharaoh as being Janis and Jambres, and declares they were able to go so far in imitating the power and the miracles of God but no further. Now let us recognize the divine principle revealed in the Word of God. We believe that the power of the Egyptian magicians was satanic.
They worshipped gods that certainly indicated they were worshippers of evil spirits and demons. But the satanic power which they worshipped was limited in its manifestation. And we would indicate from that fact, Satan is powerful. Satan is a supernatural being. The wicked and evil spirits that are behind all the work and efforts of Satan. They are limited. They do not possess.
the great power of God. The magicians in Egypt said rightly, To Pharaoh, this is the finger of God. Now let's consider that. They confess that none but a greater being than they worship could ever bring life out of dust. And the finger of God is greater. than all the powers of the magicians, as well as the powers of Satan and his hosts. God alone is the creator of life. Let me re-emphasize that.
It is a subject in the word of God that is expressly emphasized. God alone is the creator of all life. Name any animate body, whether of angelic hosts, whether of human beings, whether of animal life, whether of bird life, whether of vegetation life, name everything that is life, God is the creator of life alone. Who but God could bring life and create it out of nothing? And here in this miracle, created out of dust.
Before closing, let me state, the plague of life, may I remind you, the life-covered men and beasts alike. It must have been quite an itchy time, as God multiplied the life in the land of Egypt, and gave the Egyptians a taste of the gods, of demons which they worshipped. My friend, let us remember, we faced the finger of God in this miracle, and made you and I honor that creator, the creator of all life.
Father, we pray, speak to the hearts of all that thou art the great creator of life above, for we ask him in Jesus' name amen.