Miracles are supernatural, but not a prove of truth

 Moses a witness to Pharaoh

Moses was chosen to represent God before Pharaoh. At the time, Pharaoh had no knowledge of the true God, he only understood the gods of Egypt. Consequently, he rejected any dealings with Yahweh, wondering Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him [Exodus 5:2]. In response, God elevated Moses’ role, by making him as god to Pharaoh so that he could speak and act with divine authority before Pharaoh.

So the Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet (Exodus 7:1).

This reveals that people often reject God not out of defiance alone, but out of ignorance. Pharaoh’s resistance was rooted in a lack of true knowledge of Yahweh.

 

 In the same way, believers today are called to represent God to a world that may not know Him. As the Apostle Paul teaches, believers are epistles to be read by all men [2 Corinthians 3:2–3]. Believers should be representatives of God’s character, messengers of His truth, and visible expressions of His love and grace. Just as Moses revealed God to Pharaoh, believers are called to make God known so that others may come to understand, trust, and love Him.

 

Harden Pharaoh’s heart

God does not harden a person’s heart against their will, rather, He confirms and strengthens the direction a person has already chosen. Human resistance precedes divine hardening.

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. 15 And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul (Psalm 106: 14,15).

Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, Pharaoh repeatedly rejected God’s command even after witnessing signs. His heart was already resistant.

 

God’s “hardening” can be understood as a confirmation of a person in their chosen path, withdrawing the restraining grace/ preventing grace / prevenient grace. Hence, allowing rebellion to reach its full consequence. This is the nature revealed to ungodliness and unrighteousness of men [Romans 1:24, 28]. Being given to the depraved nature and a debased mind as a results of persistent rejection.

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:3).

Whenever people rebel against God, God allows us to follow our desires, leading to debased mind and doing that which is not right [Romans 1:24, 28].

 

However, to the willing, God invites them to draw near and in response God draws near [James 4:8]. We see two parallel truths, on one hand, God is willing and responsive to those who seek Him. On the other hand, God allows and confirms the rebellion of those who reject Him. Therefore, God does not arbitrarily harden hearts, He hardens hearts that persistently resist Him, confirming people in the choices they have already made. People are not victims of divine hardening, they are participants in a process, repeated rejection of truth leads to spiritual insensitivity. Openness to God leads to greater revelation and intimacy.

 

Egypt Magicians

Counterfeit supernatural power exists, and the outcome is decisive and deceiving as only God’s power ultimately prevails. Deception is part of Satan’s strategy [2 Thessalonians 2:9–10]. There are lying wonders and false signs, they deceive those who refuse to love the truth. This shows that deception is not random, it finds ground in hearts already resistant to truth. Therefore, miracles prove that something is supernatural, but they do not prove that something is true.

For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods (Exodus 7:12).

Pharaoh saw real supernatural acts, yet he still rejected God. The issue was not lack of evidence, but lack of openness to truth. Pharaoh chose resistance, and deception reinforced that choice. Satan operates where truth is rejected, but human responsibility remains central. Therefore, discernment is essential, as not every supernatural act is from God. Truth matters more than signs, as a person can witness miracles and still be deceived. The disposition of the heart is the determining factor, those who love truth are guided, while those who reject it are misled.

 

Plagues

The ten plagues in Egypt, as recorded in the Book of Exodus (chapters 7–12), are often grouped into three thematic or structural sets, with the tenth plague (death of the firstborn) standing alone as the climax.

Affecting water and life/Nature and Environment- Living Beings/Demonstrating God’s Power over Creation

1. Water turned to blood – Nile and water sources

2. Frogs – Swarming from the Nile

3. Gnats or lice – From the dust of the earth - No warning for plague 3

 

Affecting land and animals/ Cosmic and Economic Judgment/Demonstrating God’s Power over Health and Wealth

4. Flies – Swarms throughout Egypt

5. Livestock disease – Cattle and livestock die

6. Boils – Afflicting humans and animals - No warning for plague 6

 

Cosmic and destructive events/Judgment on Life/Demonstrating God’s Power over the Heavens and Life

7. Hail and fire – Destroying crops and trees

8. Locusts – Consuming what remains

9. Darkness – Thick darkness over the land - No warning for plague 9

 

Final Plague (10): Death of the Firstborn

10. Death of all Egyptian firstborn – Ultimate judgment

The plagues exhibit progression in intensification, ultimately affirming God's sovereignty over nature, Egypt’s gods, and Pharaoh’s authority.

 

Plague One

God could have used natural mechanisms, such as siltation, algae bloom, or other environmental processes, to accomplish the plague. Yet regardless of the means, the event remains undeniably divine because of its timing, scope, and purpose. It occurred precisely at God’s command and served His redemptive agenda.

And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood (Exodus 7:20).

The miracle of turning all the waters into blood, demonstrates that, the act was intentional and commanded by God, it happened in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials, and it carried a message of divine authority. The plague was not just a judgment, it was a confrontation with Egypt’s belief system. Khnum – regarded as the guardian of the Nile, Hapi – believed to be the spirit and provider of the Nile’s life, and Osiris – associated with the Nile as a source of life.

 

The Nile was central to Egypt’s survival, economically, agriculturally, and spiritually. By turning it to blood, God struck at the heart of Egypt’s dependence. He exposed the powerlessness of their gods and demonstrated that what they worshipped was subject to Him. God does not merely perform miracles, He reveals His supremacy over every rival authority people trust in. Even if natural processes were involved, the precision of timing; at Moses’ command, the totality of impact, and the symbolic meaning. All point to divine orchestration rather than coincidence. This experience teaches us that, first, God confronts false sources of security, what people depend on apart from God will ultimately be shaken. Then, God speaks through both natural and supernatural means. Next, nature itself can become an instrument of divine judgment. Finally, public acts reveal divine authority. Additionally, false gods ultimately fail, what appears powerful cannot stand against the true God.

 

Magicians reaction

After the Nile was turned to blood, the magicians of Egypt attempted to replicate the miracle. Since the river itself was already affected, they likely dug for fresh water and then used their enchantments to imitate the sign.

Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said (Exodus 7:22).

However, a critical limitation is evident, first, they could imitate the plague, but they could not reverse it. Then, they could not provide relief or restore life. This reveals a profound spiritual truth. On one hand, God’s power is creative and restorative. On the other hand, Satan’s power is imitative and destructive. The magicians could only increase the problem, not solve it. Instead of helping Egypt access clean water, they reinforced the crisis.

 False power can mimic God’s works, but it cannot produce God’s outcomes. First, the magicians’ actions aligned with deception rather than deliverance. Then, their works strengthened Pharaoh’s illusion of control. Next, they offered no real solution to human suffering. Finally, the enemy does not bring true restoration; even when he displays power, it ultimately deepens bondage rather than relieving it.

George G, Ruheni, PhD.