Magicians and Miracles

Why were the Egyptian magicians seemingly able to replicate the miracles that Moses performed?  There are a few possibilities.  It could be that they were dependent on demonic power.  Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that there is real demonic power that sits behind idolatry.   Alternatively, it may have been that they were tricksters, their miracles fake.  It has been suggested that they had a trick where they got real snakes to become rigid before releasing them.   Perhaps similar explanations lie behind the other replicated signs.  Finally, we might observe that God was sovereignly permitting these things to happen.

This is helpful because it enables us to think through how we assess situations.   How do we know if a particular movement is of God?  For example, the Bethel movement linked to the church in Redding, CA has caused much controversy in recent year. Some consider Bethel to be just a cult and a con-show.  Others argue that even if there are questions and issues, the presence of reported supernatural manifestations, healings, resurrections and deliverances must mean that God’s presence is there.

Now, it is possible that you have a church of fallible human beings but God is still at work there.   However, we must surely allow for the possibility that signs, if we don’t want to go so far as calling them demonic, might be fake.   It is worth remembering that the miracles remain uncorroborated, that natural explanations exist for phenomena such as glory clouds and that sadly some signs such as prophetic words given have been proven to be false. The jury is at best out.

So, how do we know if something is from the Lord.  Well Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 tells us to discern the spirits.  A false spirit points away from Jesus, dishonours him makes his name cursed.  The true Spirit reveals Jesus as Lord, honours and glorifies him.  That’s why when I did a deep dive into Bethel, I focused on what they believed and taught.  However, our focus should not be so much on assessing the latest spiritual fad but checking our own hearts and actions.