---
title: Exodus 7:1
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/exodus-7-1/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/exodus-7-1.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Exodus 7:1
testament: OT
section: Law
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Exodus 7:1

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.

## JW Usage

JWs cite this verse — "I have made you God to Pharaoh" — as evidence that the word "God" (elohim) can be applied to creatures in a representative sense. If Moses can be called "God" without being Jehovah, then Jesus can be called "God" (John 1:1, Isaiah 9:6) without being Jehovah. The "law of agency" argument follows: an agent acts with the full authority of the sender.

## Protestant Usage

The verse demonstrates that elohim can be used in a derivative, representative sense — but this actually sharpens the case for Christ's deity. Biblical agency has strict limits that Jesus consistently exceeds: no agent in Scripture is called by God's personal name, accepts worship, claims to be God, or is entrusted with spirits at death. Jesus does all four. Moses never accepted worship, never claimed "I am" as a divine self-designation, and never received prayer. Thomas says "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) and Jesus responds with affirmation, not correction. An agent always redirects worship and authority to God — Jesus never does. That is the difference between an ambassador and a king. The elohim category argument, properly applied, distinguishes Jesus from every other "god" figure in Scripture.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [What Christians Actually Believe — The Trinity Defined](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/trinity-definition.md) — One God, three persons — not three gods, not one person [Deity of Christ]
- [The Law of Agency Doesn't Work](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/law-of-agency.md) — Agents Are Never Called God [Deity of Christ]
- [Gods Who Die and God to Pharaoh Don't Parallel Jesus](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/psalm82-exodus71-gods-parallel.md) — Psalm 82:6-7 / Exodus 7:1 / John 10:34-36 [Deity of Christ]