For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. — Exodus 7:12
When Aaron’s rod became a serpent before Pharaoh, the king immediately responded by summoning his own wise men, sorcerers, and magicians. Egypt was widely known for its learning and mystical traditions, and Pharaoh turned to these men as representatives of Egypt’s religious and occult power. Through their enchantments they were able to imitate the miracle, casting down their rods so that they appeared to become serpents. Scripture later identifies two of these magicians as Jannes and Jambres (2 Timothy 3:8), men who resisted the truth of God. Whether their act was a form of deception or the result of demonic power, the imitation served Pharaoh’s purpose. Rather than acknowledging the authority of the God of Israel, he allowed this imitation to reinforce his resistance.
When Aaron’s rod became a serpent before Pharaoh, the king immediately responded by summoning his own wise men, sorcerers, and magicians. Egypt was widely known for its learning and mystical traditions, and Pharaoh turned to these men as representatives of Egypt’s religious and occult power. Through their enchantments they were able to imitate the miracle, casting down their rods so that they appeared to become serpents. Scripture later identifies two of these magicians as Jannes and Jambres (2 Timothy 3:8), men who resisted the truth of God. Whether their act was a form of deception or the result of demonic power, the imitation served Pharaoh’s purpose. Rather than acknowledging the authority of the God of Israel, he allowed this imitation to reinforce his resistance.