Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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This is the finger of God (Ex 8:19); that is, "This check and restraint put upon us must needs be from a divine power." Note,
1. God has the devil in a chain, and limits him both as a deceiver and as a destroyer; hitherto he shall come, but no further. The devil's agents when God permitted them, could do great things; but when he laid an embargo upon them, though but with his finger, they could do nothing. The magicians' inability, in this less instance, showed whence they had their ability in the former instances which seemed greater, and that they had no power against Moses but what was given them from above.
2. Sooner or later God will extort, even from his enemies, an acknowledgment of his own sovereignty and over-ruling power. It is certain they must all (as we say) knock under at last, as Julian the apostate did, when his dying lips confessed, Thou hast overcome me, O thou Galilean! God will not only be too hard for all opposers, but will force them to own it.
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God:
and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
How Pharaoh, notwithstanding this, was made more and more obstinate (Ex 8:19); even those that had deceived him now said enough to undeceive him, and yet he grew more and more obstinate. Even the miracles and the judgments were to him a savour of death unto death. Note, Those that are not made better by God's word and providences are commonly made worse by them.