The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
Exodus 7:20-25 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. 21 And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile. 25 Seven full days passed after the Lord had struck the Nile.
Moses and Aaron are ordered to go to Pharaoh, and require the dismissing of the people of Israel, but they are told before hand that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, and would refuse to let them go.
The sequence of events
1. Moses strikes the Nile;
2. The water turns to blood;
3. The fish die;
4. The Nile stinks;
5. The Egyptians can’t drink water from the Nile.
God purposes to reveal His sovereignty to the Egyptians
v. 24 says, "And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile". The implication is that the Nile was full of water—not blood
Several scientific explanations have been offered to account for the Nile’s vivid red colour. Some suggested the miracle was due to an infestation of toxic red algae. We don't know if it was blood or a plague but this algae invasion or any other cause occurred when Moses struck the water with his staff; that is, at a precise time and place to affect God’s purpose.
The river of blood was symbolic of death for Egypt
After the water turned to blood, "the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water," according to the Bible, Exodus 7:21.
Jesus first miracle
The turning of water into blood was the first of the public miracles that Moses did in Egypt (Exodus 7:20), and the water into wine was the first of the public miracles that Jesus did in the world (John 2:11).
The turning of water to blood culminated in the firstborn in Egypt being delivered to death, while turning the water into wine culminated in the life of the Firstborn being delivered from death.
The signs that God gave to Egypt in the Old Testament were plagues, destruction, and death, and the signs that Jesus did in the world in the New Testament were healings, blessings, and life.
When Moses changed the water into blood, we are told that all the fish in the river died. When Jesus initiated the new covenant, the catch of the fish are made alive in the net of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:19).
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