Exodus 7:8-13
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a 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. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Even when the world can mimic the power of God, their facsimiles can't hold up. Forgeries always give themselves away. Some sooner than others, but all eventually. The snakes of Pharaoh's magicians were all Designed knock-offs and the real thing ate them for breakfast.
This is also what happened on Mars Hill. Paul preached the Word of the Lord and the prophets of philosophy brought their words. It looked like they were doing the same things or might even be evenly matched. Words against words and arguments against arguments. But the Word of God devoured the philosophies of men.
Acts 17:22-28
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.
Idol worship went to war with worship of the one, true God and the idols were thrown down and revealed for the deaf, dumb blocks of stone that they were. This is always what happens when the power of God meets the power of men.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
The weapons of righteousness are not like the weapons of the world. The main difference is the sword of the Lord actually works. It does what it sets out to do. It destroys demonic strongholds and it takes every thought captive.
Isaiah 54:15-17
No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”
No weapons the world can make can overthrow its Maker. No argument the world can produce can defeat the Word of God. This is the inheritance of the saints. The meek shall inherit the earth and their testimonies shall stand forever in the presence of the prostrate enemies of God.
Psalm 23:5
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
This is the pattern of God's people in dealing with worldly weapons. They are put down and beaten into plowshares for the purposes of planting the Word throughout the entire world.
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