The first plague on Egypt, as described in Exodus 7:14-21, demonstrated God's power by turning the Nile's waters to blood. Moses and Aaron, following God's command, struck the river, causing all its waters to become blood, killing fish, making the river stink, and rendering it undrinkable. This act brought death and suffering to Egypt, striking at their worship of Hapi, the Nile god, and desecrating sacred fish. It showed God's supremacy over Egypt's false gods, destroying the life-giving nature of the river they revered. Additionally, during the Passover in Exodus 12, God used blood to signify His unique, life-giving power, contrasting the devastation of the plague.

Playlist:

playlist Go to the Water, Turned to Blood (topic) playlist

Filter by Categories

The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Water Into Wine (Part One)

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

The first miracle Jesus Christ performs during His ministry is changing water into wine at a marriage feast in Cana. When comparing what Christ and Moses each did with water, the contrast between law and grace is evident. Moses changes water to blood, suggesting judgment, while Christ transforms water into wine, implying generosity and joy. This miracle demonstrates at the earliest possible time that Christ's ministry would be one of grace and truth, complementing and extending the Law and the Prophets.

The Plagues of Egypt

Sermonette by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The first plague on Egypt, as recounted in Exodus 7:14-21, was a powerful demonstration of God's might when He turned the waters of the Nile to blood. The LORD instructed Moses to confront Pharaoh by the river's bank, declaring that the waters would become blood, the fish would die, and the river would stink, rendering it undrinkable for the Egyptians. Moses and Aaron obeyed, and with the strike of the rod, all the waters in the river turned to blood throughout the land of Egypt, causing death and misery. This plague struck at the heart of Egypt's religion, targeting their god Hapi, the deity of the Nile, whom they worshipped as the giver of life. Through a hymn, the Egyptians praised Hapi for bringing peace and sustaining their land, but God transformed this revered source of life into a bringer of death and suffering. Additionally, this act profaned other sacred entities, as certain fish of the Nile, such as the lepidotus, oxyrhynchus, eel, and carpasensa, were considered holy by various cults. By this plague, God not only deprived the Egyptians of drinking water and their staple food of fish, but also forced them to endure a week without bathing, a significant blow to their cultural obsession with cleanliness. Thus, God demonstrated His supremacy over Egypt's false gods, hitting them where it hurt most and revealing their powerlessness before Him.

Purge Me With Hyssop

Article by Staff

During the repeated requests by Moses for Pharaoh to allow Israel to leave Egypt, Pharaoh continually refused, leading to nine plagues of cataclysmic consequences upon the nation. The economy of Egypt was in shambles, crops were ruined, and disease ran rampant. Since the third plague, God had made a clear distinction between the captive nation of Israel and the Egyptians, sparing the Israelites in Goshen much of the devastation that ruined the rest of Egypt. The Egyptians worshipped the Nile River as a god, and when God turned its waters to blood, the life-giving nature of the river was destroyed, along with the power that the Nile River god supposedly possessed. In this solemn Passover event of Exodus 12, God used blood of a different nature to represent the saving, life-giving power that only He, the almighty, eternal God, possessed.

The Four Cups of Wine

Sermonette by Clyde Finklea

Jewish tradition calls for four cups of wine on Passover based on God's 'I will' statements in Exodus 6:6-7, which apply to the Israel of God today.

The Two Witnesses (Part Six)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In the context of Revelation 11:6, the Two Witnesses are endowed with divine authority to perform significant miracles, one of which is the power over waters to turn them to blood. This act is a direct reference to the first plague brought upon Egypt by Moses, as recorded in Exodus 7:14-25. Through this miracle, the waters throughout Egypt, including streams, rivers, ponds, and pools, became blood, rendering them undrinkable, causing the fish to die, and making the river stink. This plague, lasting seven days, was a striking sign of defilement and death, contrasting with water's usual life-giving properties, and served to reveal the true God against the backdrop of Egyptian idolatry and obstinate rebellion. The turning of water to blood by the Two Witnesses signifies a judgment against a world far from God, highlighting humanity's spiritual state of defilement and the need for forgiveness. It underscores the severity of rebellion and the hardness of heart that resists God's will. As with the lack of rain, this miracle parallels the Old Testament patterns of divine judgment, emphasizing the Witnesses' role in warning the world of impending doom and the necessity of recognizing the true God during the end times.

The Two Witnesses (Part Seven)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The transformation of water into blood, as mentioned in Revelation 11:6, stands as a powerful plague linked to the ministry of Moses, who enacted this curse as the first plague upon Egypt. This act appears as a divine punishment for obstinate rebellion against God, symbolizing death and defilement. The imagery of blood carries a heavy connotation of guilt and sin, akin to the expression of having blood on one's hands, which signifies murder. As one of the significant plagues wielded by the two witnesses, turning water to blood underscores the prevalent idolatry and rebellion that will mark the era of their preaching, serving as a stark reminder of God's judgment upon such sins.