How to Argue with God and Win (ask a magician)

Getting to know God is exciting. Some think that God is only good for arguing against. I think it would be worth our examination to see how the Egyptians got along:

GOD THRU MOSES	REASON	PHARAOH'S RESPONSE
You . . . shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go (7:2)	That the Egyptians will know that He is the LORD (7:5)	Hard heart (7:3, 13)
Go to Pharaoh . . . say, “Let my people go.” (7:16)	That the Egyptians will know that He is the LORD (7:17)	Hard heart (7:22)
Go to Pharaoh . . . say, “Let my people go.” (8:1)	That you (Egyptians) will know there is no one like the LORD (8:10)	Hard heart (8:15)
“This is the finger of God” (8:19)		Hard heart (8:19)
Go to Pharaoh . . . say, “Let my people go.” (8:20)		Go . . . Don’t go. Hard heart (8:32)
Go to Pharaoh . . . say, “Let my people go.” (9:1)		Hard heart (9:7)
Take soot and throw it in the sky in the sight of Pharaoh (9:8)		Hard heart (9:12)
I will send a plague (9:14)	That the Egyptians will know that He is the LORD (9:14)
I will stop the hail (9:29)	That the Egyptians will know that He is the LORD (9:29)	Hard heart (9:34)
I harden Pharaoh’s heart (10:1)	That Israel will know that He is the LORD (10:2)	So your children will know how I made a mockery of the Egyptians (10:2)

I’m not so sure that arguing with God is a good thing.

How did the Egyptians take all that "getting to know" God?

Moses and Aaron did the staff into the serpent thing and the wise men and sorcerers of Egypt did the same (7:10—the Egyptians just didn’t get their sticks back).

Moses and Aaron used the staff to turn water to blood and the Egyptians did the same (7:17-22—like the Egyptians were helping, right?)

Moses and Aaron delivered word the LORD would smite the land with frogs and the magicians did the same (8:1-7. I think they either 1) liked helping add to the plagues; or 2) had no choice but to seemingly add to the plagues—when you are overrun, what can you do?)

Moses and Aaron said the frogs would leave by crying out to God and the magicians . . . were piling up dead frogs, maybe (8:8-15)?

Moses and Aaron were used to bring gnats and the magicians tried (they really tried, bless their hearts) and could not (8:16-18).

Moses and Aaron were used to tell Pharaoh insects would be added and the magician were . . . (8:20-24)

Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh the Egyptian livestock would die . . . where are the magicians? (9:1-7)

Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh the Egyptians would break out into boils and the magicians could not stand before Moses and Aaron because of the boils (9:8-12).

Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh that hail would destroy anything not brought inside with hail and “the one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD made his servants [magicians?] and his livestock flee into the houses . . .” (9:18ff)

Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh that locusts would come and destroy all that hail did not “And Pharaoh’s servants [magicians?] said to him, ‘How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?” (10:5ff)

So, how can you argue with God and win? Ask the magicians . . .