So what is the deal with the snakes in Exodus?

Then there's Thulsa Doom and his glorious "poison snake arrow" ... remember from the 1982 movie Conan The Barbarian? Well, in this equally truthful tale, our wonderful actor, James Earl Jones, turns a snake into an arrow and miraculously shoots it about a thousand yards, in the dark, and hits Conan's feisty love interest (Valeria) who is madly riding away on horseback.

Magic, miracles, snakes, death....whatever.

@"Ok…So Aaron cast down his rod and God turned it into a snake. Then The Pharaoh’s Wise men and sorcerers cast down theirs and they turned into snakes…

So if Aaron’s God turned his rod into a snake did the wise men’s God turned their rods into snakes? Or did they have magic that turned them into snakes? It is presented as though the miracle was repeated with out Aaron’s God. What does that mean? Their gods are real? Or that magic is real? I know the implication is that because Aaron’s snake ate the others that Aaron’s god was more powerful, but what about the other gods?

I am an Atheist but I would like to know what you think about this.

Just what you said:

To show God is more Powerful.

Yes, they used 'magic,' as if they THOUGHT "Moses" used it as well.

But God showed Pharoah something better than magic.

Because Pharoah was already 'hardheaded," God harden his heart more so GOD would show HIS POWER TO PHAROAH.

THE END RESULT WAS TO LET THE PEOPLE GO.

The Bible teaches that there is a kind of power available outside of God's power--the dark side, if you will. Satan and his followers have demonstrated power--often in the names of various gods. So it is possible that that Pharaoh's men actually turned the rods into snakes. It is also possible that it was some kind of trick or foolery.

On an aside, the Egyptians associated snakes with the settling of a dispute. For example, if you dreamed about a snake, it was taken to mean something about who was going to win the dispute. The Egyptians understood the point of the one snake eating the other to mean power, yes, but also that the God of Moses was going to win this dispute.

Each of the 10 plagues was used as a challenge to a specific god that the Egyptians worshiped. Challenged and defeated.

There is only God and Satan. God has the power to turn a rod into a snake; so does Satan. In calling on their gods, they called Satan, and he went ahead and did what they wanted. Of course, Satan can't even compare to God's power; a physical example God showed being the fact that his snake ate Satan's snake.

I'm glad you're asking questions

You're correct in believing that Aaron's snake eating the other snakes was a show that God's power was greater.

The magicians practiced exactly what their name implies: magic. There's no indication that any other "gods" were involved.

We are not justified in regarding miracles as infallible testimony of Divine power and authority, for powers of the baser sort work wonders, to the deceiving of many. The magicians of Egypt were able to imitate in small measure the miracles of Moses. [See Exodus 7: 8-25, 8:1-7] John the Revelator told of evil powers deceiving men by what seemed to be supernatural achievements, and he saw unclean spirits, whom he knew to be "the spirits of devils working miracles." (See Rev.13:13-14, and 16:13-14) And the Savior Himself by this solemn warning armed the disciples against deception: "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matt. 24:24)

I think Aaron had God, and the "wise men" had magic. And since God>magic, Aaron's snake beat the "wise mens'" snakes