Plague of Blood

Welcome back to Time in the Word. I am excited because today, we get into the thick of the showdown between God and Pharaoh. If you missed last week’s devotional, you can catch that here. Today we tackle the Plague of Blood.

I will be presenting the plagues in a different format than I usually do. Hopefully, this format will make it easier to process the information. It will also allow me to pack as much information and insights as possible. As I write this, I envision someone madly scribbling out their thoughts on a chalkboard with arrows and directions on how to follow my thoughts. Thank you for hanging in there all these weeks. It took a while to get to this point.

Grab a pen and paper. Open your Bible to Exodus 7:14-25, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Exodus+7%3A14-25&version=NIV. Barnes has a great free pdf to go along with our study. You can download that pdf chart here. Going forward, our devotional study will begin with:

• supporting scripture
• plague and its synopsis
• gods/goddesses of Egypt God attacks
• interesting notes and insights

Plague Number One: BLOOD

Scripture: Exodus 7:14-25

God has given Moses and Aaron instructions to meet Pharaoh at the Nile. As I’ve stated in the past devotionals, the Nile was an important part of Egyptian life. Egyptians believed that the gods blessed them through the water of the Nile. The Nile River provided life-giving water to the Egyptians for fishing, crops (during the six months it rose, it brought beautiful silt with nutrients for growing crops, left behind as it receded), and mud for making homes for their growing civilization.

Why was Pharaoh at the Nile so early in the morning? That is a good question. Biblical scholars have suggested that:

1. Pharaoh was there to check the depth of the Nile
2. He was there to take a bath- nobility bathed in public
3. It was time to go to the bathroom, and he wanted to conceal his humanity- Pharaoh was thought of as a god

Whatever the reason for the Nile visit, Moses and Aaron met Pharaoh there to confront him once again. God has instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh he must let the Israelites go, and Aaron is to hold out the staff over the streams, ponds, canals and reservoirs, and God would strike the water, and the water would turn blood. This act also included water in wooden or stone jugs.

The result would be the death of fish, the water would stink, and the Egyptians would not be able to drink the water. Because the Nile had turned to blood, the Egyptians had to dig next to the Nile to find drinkable water. The land of Goshen possibly experienced this plague as well.

Moses and Aaron did as God said. The Nile and all water turned instantly turned to blood, dead fish rose to top of the Nile, and the smell was awful. Egyptians could not drink the water.

Pharaoh’s magicians performed their ‘secret arts’, and they were able to reproduce the turning of water into blood. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. And he blew off Moses and Aaron. Seven days passed after the Nile turned to blood.

Egyptian god or goddesses the plague confronted– Barnes Bible Chart pdf

Khnum– Guardian of the Nile river’s source, https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Victoria

Hapi– Spirit of the Nile

Osiris– The Nile thought to be his bloodstream

Interesting notes and insights

• Moses and Aaron showed obedience. They said and did just as God instructed.
• Though the magicians duplicated the plague, they had to use ‘secret arts’ to perform them- Luciferian, satanic.
• Did this plague occur in Goshen as well? This is questionable, as the Bible does not DIRECTLY speak of it affecting Goshen, where the Israelites live. Many scholars feel that the first three plagues did affect Israel as a tool to chasten them for assimilating to Egyptian life and worship of their gods.
• Documented, historical reference of the plague/plagues in the Ipuwer Papyrus.
• God provided the Egyptians with clean water to live. They had to dig next to the Nile, as they could not draw directly from the Nile.
• God was letting all the Egyptians and the Israelites know he was the TRUE God.
• We should pay attention and seek God when we see signs and wonders. The spiritual realm exists. DO NOT DOUBT IT!
• Do not doubt God’s working in your life through various means.
• Doubt, hardening your heart and refusing to listen lead you away from the true God.

As we think about the first plague, do you see God performing signs in wonders in your life, your work life, and the world around you? Have you asked yourself what these things may mean? Are you seeking God for wisdom and discernment?

Till next time. Thank you for joining me here in Time in the Word.