The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Harden” it comes from the Hebrew Word “chazaq” which means “to harden, to strengthen, to make firm.”
Egypt’s magicians can copy the first miracle, but they cannot undo what it starts. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Exodus 7.
God tells Moses that He has made him “a god to Pharaoh,” with Aaron as his prophet, and warns that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened so that God can multiply His signs and wonders in Egypt, ultimately so that “the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” The Hebrew word for this hardening is “chazaq,” meaning to strengthen or make firm, describing Pharaoh’s stubborn resistance growing more fixed with each refusal. Moses is eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three, when they finally confront Pharaoh directly.
As a first sign, Aaron casts down his rod before Pharaoh, and it becomes a serpent. Pharaoh’s own magicians duplicate this trick with their enchantments, but Aaron’s rod swallows up theirs, an early hint of where this contest is ultimately headed. Still, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, and he refuses to listen, exactly as God had said.
God then instructs Moses and Aaron to strike the water of the Nile with the rod in Pharaoh’s sight. The river turns to blood, the fish die, and the water becomes undrinkable throughout the land of Egypt. Even this first plague, the magicians manage to imitate on a smaller scale, giving Pharaoh an excuse to dismiss it and harden his heart once more. For seven full days, the river remains blood throughout the land.
The magicians could imitate small tricks, but they could never reverse or truly match what God was doing. Counterfeits can look convincing at first glance, yet they always run out of real power eventually. Pharaoh had every opportunity to recognize the difference, but chose hardness instead.
Visit Us At: www.youtube.com/@BibleLifeBasics
Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BibleLifeBasics