We have recently looked at the word אוֹת sign and the word פָּלָא wonders. Our word for today is closely related to these words as we are in chapter seven of Exodus. Let’s look. מוֹפֵת miracle, sign, wonder. It is used 36 times in the Old Testament. Most of these uses are all referring to what God did in delivering his people out of Egypt. Make no mistake about it God is making his power and his name known throughout the entire earth for all time. Deuteronomy 4:34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and וּבְמוֹפְתִ֜ים wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? Deuteronomy 6:22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and וּ֠מֹפְתִים wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. Deuteronomy 7:19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and וְהַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. Psalm 135:9 He sent his signs and וּ֭מֹפְתִים wonders into your midst, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. Jeremiah 32:20-21 You performed signs and וּמֹפְתִ֤ים wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and וּבְמוֹפְתִ֗ים wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror.
Why all the emphasis on God’s miracles surrounding the exodus from Egypt? Well because only God could free millions of people from the most powerful nation at that time on earth. Only the true living God could do such a thing. This sense of several marvelous events that could only be done by the supernatural work of God is how our word is used today in our chapter. Exodus 7:8-10 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a מוֹפֵ֑ת miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. As we will see Pharaoh is not convinced this is from God because his people can reproduce them. We will look at how they were able to do this when we look at our word secret arts tomorrow. But for today we will focus on miraculous activity that only God can do.
It should not surprise us then when the other amazing event in the Bible is also surrounded by the most miraculous events. We are talking about Jesus coming to earth in a miraculous way, preforming miracles, and rising from the dead. Both events the exodus from Egypt and the work of Jesus Christ are described with the same words salvation and redemption. Which we have looked at recently. What makes all of these miracles important is that they point to God being real and true which is why they are also referred to as signs. And when people experience them they are amazed and overwhelmed which is why miracles are also referred to as wonders. I’ll close with this great example of one Jesus miracles that had this effect on those with him. Mark 4:37-41 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
