Since God is invisible, what is meant by "the finger of God" at Exodus 8:19 ?

Question

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” -Ex 8:19

Answer 1

Something I have found fascinating is the fact that in Luke 11:20, we read again of the "finger of God." Note this from the KJV:
"But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you."

Now take note of Jesus words as recorded by Matthew in Chapter 12 of the book bearing his name, in verse 28:
"But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you."

So Jesus uses the "finger of God" and the "spirit of God" interchangeably.

Hmmm.... I wonder, could it possible that God's spirit, metaphorically referred to as his finger, thus indicating a power or force, if that spirit could be God's Active Force?

Answer 2

Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God:

They knew that it was the True God of all Power and Glory that had performed this work. I believe that the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) is the part of the Godhead that is performing the work.

Exodus 8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. 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.

Luke 11:20 - But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Answer 3

This is the finger of God - That is, The power and skill of God are here evident. Probably before this the magicians supposed Moses and Aaron to be conjurers, like themselves; but now they are convinced that no man could do these miracles which these holy men did, unless God were with him. God permits evil spirits to manifest themselves in a certain way, that men may see that there is a spiritual world, and be on their guard against seduction. He at the same time shows that all these agents are under his control, that men may have confidence in his goodness and power.

Answer 4

The magician was expressing his belief that God was at work and it was not a magician's trick. Since he knew all the slight of hand gimmicks magicians do he knew it was real. To express that it described it as "the finger of God" rather than the illusions of man.

Just as we use phrases to express ideas, so did the ancients. I'm sure they'd have a tough time understanding what you meant when you said someone was "out in left field". They'd probably wonder which field you were talking about.

Answer 5

Luke 11:20 by God's finger I expel the demons.

Jesus gave credit to God's spirit, power, for the miracles.

Isaiah 48:13 Moreover, my own HAND laid the foundation of the earth, and my own right hand extended out the heavens. I am calling to them, that they may keep standing together.

2Cor.3:17 Now, YHWH/Jehovah is the Spirit and where the spirit of YHWH is there is freedom.

Answer 6

The Lord did this. God's hand is on this act. By the finger of God or by God's hands this is done. In other words this is not a magician's trick.

Answer 7

In this context they are saying that the hand of God is at work, and this is only what the finger can do, imagine what the whole hand can do, and they were frightened.
Secondly God has appeared to others in the Bible, Abraham walked and talked with God, Zepphorah the wife of Moses stopped God from killing Moses, seeing him about to kill him.
So God can be visible if he wishes, only the text you have selected it is not literal, it is figuratively speaking.
Good question and God bless you always.

Answer 8

It meant the force of God was upon Pharaoh, to touch Pharaohs life, and so he would understand that there is a God up there who controls. Like if we say about somebody "he got him" we mean that he touched or pinched him in some way.

Answer 9

God is not really invisible. We as humans just cannot fathom the magnificence of Him. He appears to us in different forms so that we can handle pieces of Him at a time. The burning bush talked to Moses, of course Christ was God in human form, and to answer the Exodus question there are a few ways of looking at this. It could be that they were saying that is just a small amount of God's power or they could have simply meant this is the work of God.

Answer 10

Maybe your answer is in here... where the quote came from



OBIIT MDCCCXXXIII.
Strong Son of God, immortal Love,
1. I held it truth, with him who sings
2. Old Yew, which graspest at the stones
3. O Sorrow, cruel fellowship,
4. To Sleep I give my powers away;
5. I sometimes hold it half a sin
6. One writes, that ‘Other friends remain,’
7. Dark house, by which once more I stand
8. A happy lover who has come
9. Fair ship, that from the Italian shore
10. I hear the noise about thy keel;
11. Calm is the morn without a sound,
12. Lo, as a dove when up she springs
13. Tears of the widower, when he sees
14. If one should bring me this report,
15. To-night the winds begin to rise
16. What words are these have fall’n from me?
17. Thou comest, much wept for: such a breeze
18. ’Tis well; ’tis something; we may stand
19. The Danube to the Severn gave
20. The lesser griefs that may be said,
21. I sing to him that rests below,
22. The path by which we twain did go,
23. Now, sometimes in my sorrow shut,
24. And was the day of my delight
25. I know that this was Life,–the track
26. Still onward winds the dreary way;
27. I envy not in any moods
28. The time draws near the birth of Christ:
29. With such compelling cause to grieve
30. With trembling fingers did we weave
31. When Lazarus left his charnel-cave,
32. Her eyes are homes of silent prayer,
33. O thou that after toil and storm
34. My own dim life should teach me this,
35. Yet if some voice that man could trust
36. Tho’ truths in manhood darkly join,
37. Urania speaks with darken’d brow:
38. With weary steps I loiter on,
39. Old warder of these buried bones,
40. Could we forget the widow’d hour
41. The spirit ere our fatal loss
42. I vex my heart with fancies dim:
43. If Sleep and Death be truly one,
44. How fares it with the happy dead?
45. The baby new to earth and sky,
46. We ranging down this lower track,
47. That each, who seems a separate whole,
48. If these brief lays, of Sorrow born,
49. From art, from nature, from the schools,
50. Be near me when my light is low,
51. Do we indeed desire the dead
52. I cannot love thee as I ought,
53. How many a father have I seen,
54. Oh yet we trust that somehow good
55. The wish, that of the living whole
56. ‘So careful of the type?’ but no.
57. Peace; come away: the song of woe
58. In those sad words I took farewell:
59. O Sorrow, wilt thou live with me
60. He past; a soul of nobler tone:
61. If, in thy second state sublime,
62. Tho’ if an eye that’s downward cast
63. Yet pity for a horse o’er-driven,
64. Dost thou look back on what hath been,
65. Sweet soul, do with me as thou wilt;
66. You thought my heart too far diseased;
67. When on my bed the moonlight falls,
68. When in the down I sink my head,
69. I dream’d there would be Spring no more,
70. I cannot see the features right,
71. Sleep, kinsman thou to death and trance
72. Risest thou thus, dim dawn, again,
73. So many worlds, so much to do,
74. As sometimes in a dead man’s face,
75. I leave thy praises unexpress’d
76. Take wings of fancy, and ascend,
77. What hope is here for modern rhyme
78. Again at Christmas did we weave
79. ‘More than my brothers are to me,’–
80. If any vague desire should rise,
81. Could I have said while he was here,
82. I wage not any feud with Death
83. Dip down upon the northern shore,
84. When I contemplate all alone
85. This truth came borne with bier and pall,
86. Sweet after showers, ambrosial air,
87. I past beside the reverend walls
88. Wild bird, whose warble, liquid sweet,
89. Witch-elms that counterchange the floor
90. He tasted love with half his mind,
91. When rosy plumelets tuft the larch,
92. If any vision should reveal
93. I shall not see thee. Dare I say
94. How pure at heart and sound in head,
95. By night we linger’d on the lawn,
96. You say, but with no touch of scorn,
97. My love has talk’d with rocks and trees;
98. You leave us: you will see the Rhine,
99. Risest thou thus, dim dawn, again,
100. I climb the hill: from end to end
101. Unwatch’d, the garden bough shall sway,
102. We leave the well-beloved place
103. On that last night before we went
104. The time draws near the birth of Christ;
105. To-night ungather’d let us leave
106. Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
107. It is the day when he was born,
108. I will not shut me from my kind,
109. Heart-affluence in discursive talk
110. Thy converse drew us with delight,
111. The churl in spirit, up or down
112. High wisdom holds my wisdom less,
113. ’Tis held that sorrow makes us wise;
114. Who loves not Knowledge? Who shall rail
115. Now fades the last long streak of snow,
116. Is it, then, regret for buried time
117. O days and hours, your work is this
118. Contemplate all this work of Time,
119. Doors, where my heart was used to beat
120. I trust I have not wasted breath:
121. Sad Hesper o’er the buried sun
122. Oh, wast thou with me, dearest, then,
123. There rolls the deep where grew the tree.
124. That which we dare invoke to bless;
125. Whatever I have said or sung,
126. Love is and was my Lord and King,
127. And all is well, tho’ faith and form
128. The love that rose on stronger wings,
129. Dear friend, far off, my lost desire,
130. Thy voice is on the rolling air;
131. O living will that shalt endure
O true and tried, so well and long,

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