Jannes and Jambres

Jannes and Jambres A. Paul wrote of two men who withstood Moses: Jannes and Jambres. 2TI 3:8. 1. Both names are of Egyptian origin. Jannes means “he vexed” and Jambres means “foamy healer.” 2. These were the magicians who challenged Aaron and Moses with rival but false miracles to discredit their message from God which had profound implications for the Egyptian government. EXO 7:11, 22; 8:7. 3. The revealing of their names by inspiration was reserved to Paul. a. Our N.T. excels the O.T. in every way: it is directly from the Source. HEB 1:1-2. b. Jesus knew more about Abraham than Moses. JOH 8:56. B. The sham religious creeps of the last days (vs. 5-7) would resist the truth of Christ even as Jannes and Jambres resisted the truth of Moses. v. 8. 1. The last days began in apostolic times. HEB 1:2. 2. The era of the Spirit (N.T. times) would have magicians and false-miracles to withstand the ministry of truth. ACT 8:9-10; 13:8; MAT 24:24. 3. Such would be done even in the name of the Lord by reprobate professors. MAT 7:22-23. C. Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses by imitation, as Satan strives to imitate God. ISA 14:14. 1. Satan’s ministers ape Christ’s ministers. 2CO 11:13-15. 2. Satan’s ministers perform imitative miracles to deceive men who are predisposed to such deception. 2TH 2:8-10; REV 13:14; 16:13-14. 3. Jannes’ and Jambres’ works aped those of Moses and Aaron. a. On the surface, there appeared to be no difference, and this is a snare. b. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Satan’s agents do not prosecute their warfare with obviously stupid and glaring mistakes. D. The power to perform miracles contrary to nature is an alluring thing: it is a taste of deity. 1. Christ’s disciples were awed by their given power. LUK 10:17-19. 2. Election into the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world (REV 13:8; REV 17:8) trumps any miracle since the foundation of the world. LUK 10:20. 3. The greatest miracle of all is that any sinner should be saved: “...With men it is impossible, but not with God...” (MAR 10:23-27). 4. Everything required to save a sinner from his sins requires the miraculous power of God: the raising of Christ from the grave, the regeneration of the inward man, the resurrection and transformation of the body at Christ’s return. Nobody but Jesus has that kind of power. JOH 10:17-18; 5:21, 25-29. 5. Don’t be surprised if Satan’s agent pulls off some kind of imitation resurrection from death to advance his antichrist. REV 13:3-4. E. Men who (especially knowingly) resist the truth show that their minds are corrupt. 1TI 6:3-5. 1. A corrupt mind is one that has been beguiled by Satan. 2CO 11:3. 2. This is by subtilty (cleverness, dexterity, craft) and it works because it sounds good. ROM 16:17-18. F. Miracle-oriented truth-resisters are “...reprobate concerning the faith” (v. 8). 1. reprobate: Rejected or condemned as worthless, inferior, or impure. 2. Such men are of no value concerning the faith regardless of how many miracles they perform or how effective their ministries appear to be. 3. The worth of a ministry is not to be tested by the miracle-power once given to the apostles, but by “...the FAITH which was once delivered unto the saints.” JUDE 1:3, 20. G. God will ultimately manifest the folly of all corrupt deceivers as He manifested the folly of the magicians of Egypt. 2TI 3:9. Jannes and Jambres 11-29-23 Page 1 of 2 1. folly: The quality or state of being foolish or deficient in understanding; want of good sense, weakness or derangement of mind; also, unwise conduct. 2. Jannes and Jambres reached a point where they could no longer duplicate the miracles of Moses. EXO 8:16-19; 9:10-11. a. By the time of the plague of boils, these who had withstood Moses (2TI 3:8) “...could not stand before Moses because of the boils...” (EXO 9:11). b. The miracles the magicians performed did not reverse the judgment of God, but only increased it. Satan and his agents cannot undo God's judgment but they can certainly make things worse. 3. Satan's deceptive program is doomed to destruction as it was in Egypt. EXO 15:1-19; 2TH 2:8; REV 19:19-20; 20:10; ROM 16:20. Jannes and Jambres 11-29-23 Page 2 of 2