Exodus 7:12
Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.
This is awesome. Almost like the depiction in a hollywood movie. The showdown is in Pharaoh’s court. He won’t let the Israelites go, so Moses tosses Aaron’s staff on the ground. Pharaoh calls his sorcerers in and their staffs become serpents also. I’m curious as to what was going through Moses’ mind. Uh oh, that didn’t go as planned. In this case, the Moses saw a cool end. God’s serpent gobbled up the other snakes. The world (and the devil) will produce counterfeits. Here are some examples: creation v. evolution, the bible v. other religious books, admiring & caring for creation v. over exalting & serving nature, sex in marriage v. sex in other contexts, healthy curiosity v. deviant curiosity, uplifting music v. depraved music, astronomy v. astrology, and on and on. God gave us much in this world and life for us to enjoy. Because of these, we should glorify God. Ps. 19:1 says, “The Heavens (stars, etc.) declare the glory of God.” So does all creation. I was petting my dog yesterday and I was thinking of how incredible he is: fun, affectionate, energetic,…God gave us dogs and pets for our enjoyment. Thanks God, for him. Just had a great meal of burgers and fries last night. He created all that. I’m grateful. The devil seeks to distract from God. All the counterfeits above were his design or from those who don’t include God in their world view. I recall the Beatles’ song, Imagine. “…and no religion too.” Many think God is the problem. The Beatles and millions of others do. There is a god shaped appetite in us. Unless we fill it with Christ, that yearning will seek a multitude of things for satisfaction. This is what idolatry is. Putting something in place of God. It’s ok to have interests and hobbies, but if God isn’t part of our lives, then these become idols. Even if God is in our lives, we can replace Him with something else. Lord, help us to keep You as our center. Thank You for the joy that You give us, as we put You first. Thank You also for the cool things in world that You gave us to enjoy. Help us to be responsible.