Exodus 7:11-13

Read Exodus 7:11-13 

Helpful Background Information: 

• In our primary preaching passage this week, one of the important things Paul tells Timothy is that he shouldn’t be surprised if he experiences resistance in his ministry. According to Paul, there have always been those who choose to oppose God’s truth by deceiving the people it was intended for. As an example, he points back to two men named Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses in a very deceptive and crafty way (2 Tim. 3:8). 

• For most of us, Jannes and Jambres aren’t names that immediately come to mind when we think back to the story of Exodus. A big reason for that is because they aren’t actually named in the story that Paul is referencing. While Exodus 7:11 does tell us that certain Egyptian magicians opposed Moses before Pharaoh, they are not directly named in the story. 

• Instead, the names Paul references in 2 Timothy 3:8 can be traced back to the oral and literary tradition of Judaism. Paul references these guys in a very general sense to link the present adversaries of Timothy to the adversaries of Moses. Timothy doesn’t need to be rattled by the resistance he faces because truth and time will go hand-in-hand. Just as Jannes and Jambres ended up looking like fools in the end for opposing Moses, so too will those who oppose the gospel that Timothy preaches (2 Timothy 3:9). 
  

Reflection Questions: 

• Paul tells Timothy not to be surprised by resistance to God's truth. How does knowing that opposition is normal change the way you respond when your faith is challenged?

• Those who opposed Moses eventually looked foolish, and those who oppose Christ will ultimately be judged by Him. How does the promised return of Jesus give you confidence when evil seems to have the upper hand?

• The gospel has faced opposition in every generation and yet it still continues to spread. What does the endurance of the gospel across generations teach you about God's reliability?