Jannes and Jambres!
From what source Paul learned the names of these men, we do not know. The tradition of the Jewish church maintains that they were sons of Balaam and that like him they were destroyed for their opposition to Moses and his messenger Aaron. The Holy Spirit, the author of scripture, wanted the names Jannes and Jambres recorded as an example for the church.
Their names mean he who opposes and he who causes rebellion!
Ministers of Satan they were. Satan is the original rebel and opposer of Christ and his church. Throughout the old and new dispensations, Satan continuously has raised up his ministers to oppose and to cause rebellion against the gospel of Christ. These two men stand as the representatives and spiritual fathers of all those throughout the history of the new dispensation who will arise to withstand the gospel of Christ.
These evil men and seducers were the leaders of Pharaoh’s magicians who withstood Moses. Moses’ message was that Israel was God’s Son and that Pharaoh must let him go. It was a message of grace and salvation and of the sovereignty of God. Over against that message Pharaoh demanded that Moses and Aaron show a sign for themselves; so Aaron cast his rod to the ground, and it became a serpent. Pharaoh called for Jannes and Jambres and their cohort of magicians and sorcerers, and they cast their rods on the ground, and the rods became serpents too. But Aaron’s serpent swallowed up all their serpents. And God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Likewise, when Moses turned the river of Egypt to blood, Pharaoh’s magicians turned water to blood. And when Moses brought up frogs upon the land, Jannes and Jambres also brought up frogs on the land.
Folly! With all their sorcery and magic, they only could increase the misery of Egypt, adding blood to blood and frogs to frogs! In the sovereignty of God, they were instruments of Satan so that God would harden Pharaoh’s heart in order that God might show his power in Pharaoh. Soon the impotence of these magicians became clear when they tried to mimic Moses’ work to cover the land of Egypt with lice. Then they had to admit that the lice were the finger of God.
Just as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do those false teachers who arise in the new dispensation resist the truth. They are men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith, evil men and seducers who wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
But they will proceed no further! They will have their work for a time. Many will fall prey to their deceptions and seductions according to the sovereign purpose of God. But evil men cannot hinder the victorious progress of the gospel of Christ. Their insane and foolish opposition to God and to his Christ will be made manifest to all—even to their followers—even as the folly of Jannes and Jambres was made evident in Egypt when all they could do was add to the misery of Egypt, and finally they were forced to admit that God was against them.
Then the minister of the gospel and the true church of Christ never must be surprised when they are opposed by such men. And they must know that those men in all their ineffectual opposition will never hinder the truth, but they must serve the truth.
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