Snakes Alive! God Swallows the Opposition

Exodus 7:10

“Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake.”

Aaron’s staff was an impressive prop. He could throw it to the ground and it would transform into a slithering viper. Apparently the trick was not as unique as you might think. Magicians in Pharaoh’s court could do it too. So Moses and Aaron’s display of power got gazumped. The royal viziers did the same party trick. Snakes everywhere. (Apparently Pharaohs are OK with lots of snakes in the palace.)

But then, the unexpected happened. Aaron’s snake ate all the other snakes on the floor! Voila, the power of God. Very cool! Can I get a stick like this?

Wow … This story inspires me.

It exalts God. His mighty power overwhelms the enemy. The world is able to imitate great power, but it cannot win the final contest. God is in charge!

It humiliates worldly power. God overwhelms Pharaoh’s mob. Their symbols of royal power are eaten (alive) by a shepherd’s staff. Talk about humiliating.

It encourages me. God can defend me. I don’t stand against the enemy alone. When I obey him and do what he asks, his power is with me. The deliverance he offers may even surprise me. God's power is a wonderful blessing to those who love him!

But … It doesn’t impress Pharaoh (Ex 7:13, 8:19). At the end of chapter 7 the Hebrew people are still slaves. Moses has achieved nothing really and Pharaoh is still in charge.

Why is Pharaoh unimpressed? Probably because he thinks he has even more power. He can take Aaron’s staff by force. He can have Moses killed if he wants to. He is Pharaoh, the all powerful ruler, and he never sees it any other way. Raw power doesn’t impress him, nor does it ever change him.

I know people like this today. Confronted by God’s power they remain totally unimpressed. Raw power almost never converts anyone who is not looking for God.

So … This story challenges my view of power.

It spotlights the limits of raw power. Even when ten plagues have occurred and Pharaoh has lost his son, he does not stop fighting back. God’s power never softens him, it only hardens him. Locked in this epic power struggle, Pharaoh destroys his army and himself (14:28).

The same is true today for all who fight power with power. Parents and children; bosses and employees; unhappily married couples – they hurt each other more and more until one party in the struggle gets crushed. Raw power can swallow the opposition but it rarely mends a heart.

It challenges me to look deeper for God’s better strategy. Raw power escalates conflict. This is why Jesus says: “turn the other check”, “love your enemy” and “father forgive them”. It is in fact why Jesus lets himself be “led like a lamb to the slaughter”. Why he dies on a cross and why his followers are invited to take up their crosses also. (Matt. 5:39, 44; Lk. 23:34; Isa 53:7; Mk. 8:34)

It reminds me how it will all end. God will swallow up in judgment everything that opposes him. We are told that he waits so that others can repent, but the time will come when evil will be swallowed. This is God’s promise. (2 Peter 3:9-13)

Yes, it would be very cool to own the “baddest-stick” in town – to wield God’s power. But, power has limits. It can bring glory to God, humility to God’s opponents and encouragement to God’s followers; but raw power won’t change the hearts of people made by God and living in rebellion. Raw power can (and will) judge such rebellion, but it won’t save any rebels. That will require a very different approach – a great stick lifted up to hold a crucified Son. 

Jesus never says: "Here's a stick like Aaron's, go get'em Allan." What he says is: "Here's a cross like mine", go serve them." And in the end, I have access to more real power than Aaron and Moses dreamed.

Questions

• What have you learned about the benefits and limitations of power? 
• Have you ever been locked in an escalating power struggle? How did you (or will you) break free?

Epilogue

We are told a few times that God is responsible for hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Ex 4:21, 9:12). This is difficult to understand – I confess, I don’t really get it. But I do see power at work here. If God won’t back down because of his love for Israel, where does that leave Pharaoh? It leaves him needing to act against his nature. Imagine asking Pharaoh to turn the other cheek. It is not going to happen. So God’s unbending love for these people pushes Pharaoh deeper into his broken and hardened self. It is only when God acts in Jesus who lays down his life, that there is any real hope of salvation for all.