Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Finger of God

Anthropomorphisms are ways of speaking about God using language we know and understand. So we attribute to God the features of people like us. We talk of God's hands and feet.

I've been reading Exodus, and been noticing such a happening there. Moses has appeared on the scene in Egypt, demanding freedom for the children of Israel. Yet, just as God warned, Pharaoh hardens his heart and says no. So the plagues begin. The river Nile is turned to blood, which the Egyptian magicians copy (which was exactly what Egypt needed - even more blood!). Same with the frogs.

But then Moses does something the wise men couldn't copy. God sends gnats on the land. 'The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.' (Exodus 8:18-19).

The finger of God. The same description Jesus uses of his own work. 'But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.' (Luke 11:20).

Do we see the finger of God at work? Imagine how much power God has in one finger! It was by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm that He brought Israel out of Egypt (Psalm 136:12). How great is our God!

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