Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 7:22 (New Living Translation)

22 But again the magicians of Egypt used their magic, and they, too, turned water into blood. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had predicted.

This is part of the (hi)story of Moses’ negotiations with Pharaoh and the attempts to have the descendants of Israel leave captivity in Egypt. As we know, the deaths of the firstborn caused Pharaoh to send the people away. Several times during this (hi)story, including this verse, we read of the magicians of Egypt and their acts of magic.

This is in black and white in the Bible. There were magicians, and the magicians performed magic. They turned sticks into snakes and water into blood among other acts of magic.

We have “magicians” or “illusionists” with us today. They pull a rabbit out of a hat or saw someone in two only to put them back together again. Wow! How did they do that? What was the trick? We know there is a trick, and some of us (me) want to know the trick.

Old Testament? These weren’t tricks. These were acts of magic.

Explanation? Don’t ask me because I don’t know.

Admission? They were magicians and they performed supernatural acts—magic.