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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Some of God’s actions cannot be mimicked. All of man’s actions, on the other hand, are capable of being repeated (or even bested) by others with time. Man, by definition, acts within the natural realm. God, on the other hand, is capable of acting within both the natural and the supernatural realms. That is why there is a class of actions that are truly miraculous in nature; they occur in the natural realm and simply cannot be accounted for by natural forces. Today’s message will point out the significance of this difference in our lives.
First, we will begin with an illustration of some miraculous acts of God placed in comparison with the natural powers of man. “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron, “Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.”’ And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’ But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had said.” (Exodus 8.16-19).
The hoard of lice that was brought upon Egypt was the third of ten plagues that God visited upon the captors of Israel. On two previous occasions, Pharaoh’s magicians were able to mimic God’s power by appearing to turn water to blood and by producing a multitude of frogs similar to those produced by God. However, when it came to this, the third plague, the magicians were stumped; they could not reproduce the same feat; it was an act which their sleight of hand could not mimic! It was, by their own admission, the finger of God.
Realizing that the human creature is extremely cunning and capable of foisting off almost any delusion, image what a hopelessly confusing situation if would be if God had not chosen to act supernaturally in the natural realm. How, apart from confirmation by supernatural means, would humanity have been able to separate that which God says from that which man says? Miracles, signs, and wonders were perfectly legitimate ways by which God could confirm that the message being delivered was from on High and not merely the product of man or man's imagination. And, that is exactly what He did. Consider the following text: “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2.2-4).
In contrast to the fake signs and wonders of today, God's confirming works left no doubt as to who had authored the message being delivered. Even God's enemies were forced to admit that the finger of God was behind such actions and the messages that they accompanied. Such was the case in the first century when the early disciples “...went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” (Mark 16.20). It was the quackery of false prophets that forced John to write, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4.1). Without the confirming power of miracles that accompanied the revelation of God's word, we could never know what God says versus what man says!
Questions:
1. What forced Pharaoh's magicians to throw in the towel?
2. How did Pharaoh react to God's actions and to the admission of the magicians that God was at work?
3. Why did John say that we are to “try the spirits?” What motive do you think was behind John's warning? If false prophets are in the world, whose word are we to accept as truth?
4. What is the difference between being cynical and being cautious? When it comes to spiritual truth and those who profess to deliver/speak it, is there just cause for caution? How about cynicism?
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