Slithering snakes on the palace floor — what was going on? What is the Lord showing us in this passage?

Here we see the fight between God and Satan. God was about to rescue his people from slavery in Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land. But when God is busy with his people, Satan always tries his hardest to stop God. And that’s what we see happening in this passage as well.

Pharaoh demanded that Moses and Aaron produce a miracle to show that they were from God. They had to prove themselves. So, they did exactly what God had told them to do. Aaron threw his staff onto the ground and it became a serpent or snake. But then Satan got busy as well and he made Pharaoh and his magicians do the same. Their staffs also became snakes. Satan always wants to make himself look as powerful as God. By doing this he wants us to think that God isn’t that great and caring after all, and so Satan is trying to convince people to follow him instead.

Satan is still busy today trying to convince you to follow him. Sometimes we can easily see how Satan is trying to work. Maybe you hear someone blaspheme, or you see world leaders who think that they rule their countries instead of acknowledging that they are under God. At other times Satan can be very sly in how he tries to trick us. Maybe he makes you doubt if God is real or if you are really God’s child. This is also Satan at work.

Satan goes around trying to make you follow him, but you must never worry that Satan is stronger than God and that he can take you away from God. You are God’s child and God will not let you go.

Here in Pharaoh’s palace God also showed his power over Satan. In a few quick gulps, Aaron’s snake swallowed up the snakes of Pharaoh’s men. God’s kingdom always wins over Satan’s kingdom. And so you may know that God will always hold onto you.

Reflection with your child:

Why did Aaron’s snake swallow up the snake of the magicians?

Source: Meditation by Rev. R. Vermeulen