THE FINGER OF GOD

The phrase appears four times in Scripture, three in the Old Testament and once in the New. It represents the Lord's willingness to interject Himself in the affairs of men with a divine power that exposes His sovereignty.   

The first reference to the 'finger of God' came after the third plague was unleashed on Israel's captors ... And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. (Exodus 8:16)

When Pharaoh's magicians tried and failed to replicate that miracle, they proclaimed ... 'This is the finger of God'. (Exodus 8:19)

The second occasion was when the Lord issued the 'Ten Commandments' ... And He gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18) 

Moses later reaffirmed the account ... Then the Lord delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words which the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. (Deuteronomy 9:10)

The New Testament reference was in Jesus' own words. After setting a man free from an evil spirit, He challenged His accusers ... Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Luke 11:19-20)

Matthew's gospel used the word 'Spirit' in place of 'finger', but the meaning remains the same ... Christ performed miracles by the very same power that caused the lice to swarm and the writing to appear on the tablets of stone.

Consider this, pilgrim ... 

Our Creator (who could wipe out the earth with a single poke of that 'finger') chose instead to 'interject Himself in the affairs of men' another way ... For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Amazing.