1. Relate what we have already learned of the work of Pharaoh's magicians.
2. What have we learned that they could not do?
3. What was the second plague that was brought on the land of Egypt?
4. When plague was stayed, did Pharaoh keep this promise? "And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together upon heaps; and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said." (Exodus 8:12-15)
5. What was the next plague? "And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out your rod, and smite the dust of the land, 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 smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt." (Exodus 8:16-17)
6. Could the magicians repeat this miracle? "And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast." (Exodus 8:18)
7. What were they forced to acknowledge to Pharaoh? "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God." (Exodus 8:19)
8. In so saying, what did they virtually admit concerning their own work?
9. What does Paul say will be the character of men in the last days? "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3:1-4)
10. Among what people will this wickedness exist? "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Timothy 3:5)
11. What will this sort of people do? "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:6-7)
12. How will they resist the truth? "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." (2 Timothy 3:8)
13. What other prophecy have we of miracles to be wrought for the purpose of deceiving? "And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." (Revelation 13:13-14)
14. What did the Saviour say on this point? "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matthew 24:24)
15. By what agency are these lying miracles wrought? "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Revelation 16:14)
16. What name is given to those who in this age do the work which the ancient magicians and sorcerers did? Spiritualist mediums.
17. Is there now any indication that the deceptions of Spiritualism will find a place among those who profess godliness? See notes.
18. What does Paul say of those who shall resist the truth by their lying wonders? "But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." (2 Timothy 3:9)
19. How was the folly of Pharaoh's magicians made manifest? "And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not; so there were lice 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 hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said." (Exodus 8:18-19)
"And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians." (Exodus 9:10-11)
Notes:
In the month of September, 1885, Monsignor Capel, the celebrated Roman Catholic propagandist, delivered a lecture in San Francisco, concerning Spiritualism, of which the S. F. Chronicle, of September 7, gave a report, in which it was said: Monsignor Capel denied that he had expressed a disbelief in Spiritualism. He had simply left out of the category of possible supernatural manifestations all biological phenomena. Aside from these, Spiritualism was but a misrepresentation of Catholic teaching, and it had been in the world from the beginning.
He said, further, that to Catholics the spirit world was as clear as the light of a gas jet; that the dead were but disembodied spirits, with whom they were in daily communication, and to whom they prayed. Thus the great Roman Catholic Church is essentially at one with Spiritualism.
The Sunday School Times, of August 20, 1885, had a long editorial entitled, "What Our Dead Do for Us," in which the following occurred, among much more of the same nature: Much of the best work of the world is done through the present, personal influence of the dead. ... As a practical fact, and as a great spiritual truth, our dead do for us as constantly and as variously as they could do for us if they were still here in the flesh; and they do for us very much that they could not do unless they were dead.
The New York Christian Advocate, of September 8, 1887, contained an article on the death of Dr. Daniel Curry, and which was said: But he is not gone. We will not say "Good-bye" to him. We will keep him among us still. Reserve that seat in the front pew of the conference. Let the old place be kept sacred. He was not the man to leave his friends. In the thick of battle, in the time of danger or holy communion, in the solemn hour of crisis, he will be there. "Are they not ministering spirits?"
The Christian Union of November 3, 1887, contained a sermon preached by Dr. Henry M. Field (Presbyterian) at Cornell University, in which he said: Oh, may the dead ever be with us, walking by our side, taking us by the hand, smoothing the cares from the troubled brow, and pointing us upward to the regions of everlasting light and peace.
Many similar passages could be quoted from representatives of all denominations. The folly of Pharaoh's magicians was made manifest by their inability to counterfeit all the miracles which Moses performed. So, says Paul, it will be with the last-day wonder-workers. Satan, through his agents, as well as in person, will "show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matthew 24:24)
The miracles which in the past have been given as proof of the power of God, and the signs of the coming of the Lord, will be counterfeited. But they will be cut short in their deceptive career, by mighty wonders which will strike terror to their hearts.
The mountains and islands will be moved out of their places, (Revelation 6:14) the earth shall be turned "upside down," (Isaiah 24:1) the heavens shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together, (Isaiah 34:4; Revelation 6:14) and as the deceivers vainly seek for the rocks to hide them from the face of Him that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (Revelation 6:16) they will be forced to acknowledge that "this is the finger of God." (Exodus 8:19)--Signs of the Times, January 7, 1889--Exodus 8:12 to 9:11.
E. J. Waggoner