The almighty God called Moses at the backside of the desert and sent him on a mission to liberate His people from their captivity in Egypt.

After his meeting with God, Moses and his brother Aaron stood before Pharoah and relayed God's message to him.

Pharaoh grimaced and bluntly told God's servants that he won't let the Israelites go, besides he didn't have an idea who their God was.

What followed after another meeting with Pharoah were a series of miracles followed by a series of magic.

Aaron threw his rod on the floor and it became a serpent. Again, Pharoah grimaced and called for his magical acts.

Among others, two men called Jannes and Jambres came out and performed the same miraculous feat of Aaron. However Aaron's serpent had a tasty meal of the serpents of the magicians.

After seeing how his magicians duplicated Aaron's miracle, Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he defied the living God of Israel.

Jannes and Jambres continued to replicate the miracles of Moses and Aaron:

▪️They equally turned water into blood. (Exodus 7:22)

▪️They equally brought up frogs on the land. (Exodus 8:7)

However they failed to replicate the miracle of lice that was spread all over Egypt. (Exodus 8: 16-18)

These two infamous magicians were first described by the apostle Paul:

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
— 2 Timothy 3:8

Both of these men were highly versed in the secrets of the dark world of ancient Egypt. They obviously had pacts with demons which enabled them to perform magic.

Like the apostle Paul's description, Jannes and Jambres were hardened in their consciences and resisted the true God.

Satan is the prince of this world and he is the ultimate source of magical miracles:

For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles...
— Revelation 16:14

When Adam, the first man sinned, he forfeited his great supernatural power to the devil on a platter of gold. (Luke 4:6)

However the devil's supernatural power is critically limited to God's. (Job 1: 6-12, Luke 10:18-19) God's power is without limitations. (Luke 1:37)

What is magic? Magic is simply counterfeiting the power and miracles of God through diabolical means. (Acts 8: 9-11)

The devil specializes in counterfeiting God, he tried to be equal with God, but he couldn't. (Isaiah 14:14) So he imitates God, especially in the miraculous.

However as seen in the episode of Jannes and Jambres, the power of God will always by far exceed that of the kingdom of darkness.

What lessons we can learn from Jannes and Jambres?

1. Like Jannes and Jambres, many people still practice magic today in witchcraft, false religion and occultism.

2. Like Jannes and Jambres, many people today professionally use magic to deceive great multitudes from the true power of God.

3. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, there are many servants of the devil today who oppose God's anointed with magic.

However, Just the same way Jannes and Jambres were exposed, the true power of God will always expose magic as counterfeit and inferior.

From ancient times to present times, MAGIC has always been in existence in different forms and packages in the world. People practice magic in every sphere of the society.

POWER (by the Word of God) is therefore non-negotiable for the bona-fide child of God.

A powerless church is a great tragedy indeed.