HOFC Sermon Archive: The Exodus – Part 12 The Plague of Blood

The Exodus – Part 12

The Plague of Blood

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

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SERMON TIMELINE

· The Book of Genesis

· The Book of Exodus

· Introduction

· Israelite’s Oppression

· The Birth of Moses

· Moses Flees to Midian

· Moses and the Burning Bush

· Signs for Moses

· Moses Returns to Egypt

· Moses Speaks to Pharaoh

· God Promises Deliverance

· God Speaks of the Israelites

· The First Miracle

o The Plague of Blood

INTRODUCTION

Over the last few weeks, we have looked at Moses beginning his mission for God.

This calling on Moses will make him one of the most remembered people from scripture. What he accomplishes is amazing, and truly shows, not only that God was with Moses, but that God is a mighty and powerful God.

I would not want the Mighty Hand of God falling upon me, especially as it did the King of Egypt.

After gathering his brother Aaron in Egypt, they confronted the Pharaoh in his court, demanding he release God’s people.

This only angered Pharaoh, who made the Hebrews burden even greater and their suffering increase. Because of this, the Israelite overseers pleaded with Pharaoh to lift the ban on supplies so that they could meet the brick quota. Pharaoh denied their request, which both angered and caused fear on the Israelite overseers.

The Overseers confronted Moses and Aaron, cursed them and blamed them for Pharaoh’s wrath, and feared Pharaoh may even kill them.

Moses returned to God asking why to which God promised that He would save the Israelites as He said and reminded Moses that He had said Pharaoh would not agree to release the Israelites, and that God’ mighty hand would have to fall upon Pharaoh.

At this point, God instructs Moses and Aaron to return to Pharaoh and give him the sign of the staff turning to a viper.

Though Pharaohs illusionists mimicked this miracle of God, God’s viper ate the magicians’ snakes because an illusion is no match for the real power of God almighty.

Remember, the miracle of the staff turning to a viper is not one of the ten plagues, but what I believe was the notice of conviction and the coming punishments for disobedience to God.

Today we will see the first of the 10 plagues, the plague of blood.

SCRIPTURE READING

Exodus 7:14-24

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. 16 Then say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened. 17 This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’”

19 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels[a] of wood and stone.”

20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.

22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. 23 Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.”

TODAY’S MESSAGE

I. PHARAOH’S HEART IS UNYIELDING

a. Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go

i. We see here that “Pharaoh’s heart” was unyielding

ii. And he refused to let the Israelites go

iii. What we do not read is, God made Pharaoh’s heart this way

b. Go to Pharaoh and confront him on the bank of the Nile

i. Say to Pharaoh, “the Lord, the God of the Hebrews has sent me to say to you, let my people go so they may worship me in the wilderness.

ii. But you have not listened.

c. Therefore

i. THEREFORE

ii. By this YOU will know that I AM THE LORD

iii. With the staff I will strike the waters of the Nile and it will be changed to blood.

II. TAKE THE STAFF AND STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND OVER WATERS

a. Tell Aaron to take the staff that turned into a viper

i. Take the staff in your hand

ii. The same staff that turned into a viper

iii. The staff itself had no power, but was “empowered” by God

iv. It was the conduit to perform the commands of God through the obedience of Moses and Aaron

b. Stretch out your hand over

i. The waters of Egypt

ii. Over the streams

iii. Over the Canals

iv. Over the Ponds

v. Over the Reservoirs

vi. And they will turn to blood

c. Blood will be everywhere

i. Even in vessels of wood and stone

ii. Some translations say, “on idols”, however the Young’s Literal translation says “vessels” of wood and stone.

iii. These would most likely be containers of water, water which came from the Nile.

III. PHARAOH’S HEART BECAME HARD

a. Moses and Aaron DID as the Lord commanded

i. The power of God would be released, and God’s Word fulfilled as commanded AFTER Moses and Aaron obeyed the instruction.

ii. Remember, God gives a command, a reward/punishment for the command, and one’s obedience or disobedience releases what God’s Word said.

iii. In this case

1. The Lord said to tell Pharaoh WHY this was happening

2. The Lord tells what to do with the staff, explaining what will happen

3. Moses and Aaron obey, and it is as God said

b. However, the illusionists imitated God’s plague

i. Again, although they are referred to as “wise-men, Magi, Magicians, Sorcerers” who use their “secret arts”, this does not mean it was actual magic or satanic powers.

ii. Satanic powers are real, though limited

iii. I believe they were illusionists and did a trick to “mimic” what Moses and Aaron did

iv. Satan, the father of lies, uses tricks, illusions, mimicry, to confuse, confound and manipulate people to do his bidding.

c. And Pharaoh’s heart became hard

i. Once Pharaoh witnessed his illusionists perform a trick which mimicked Moses and Aaron, the scripture states, “and Pharaoh’s heart became hard.”

ii. Again, notice, it does not say God hardened his heart, rather, it became hard.

iii. I had said in the beginning of this that God does eventually harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he cannot turn back, because once he witnessed the power of God, any sane man would.

1. God did not remove Pharaoh’s free will, we read many times Pharaoh’s abusive power and tormenting of God’s people, and though signs were shown to Pharaoh, God, knowing ALL, knew Pharaoh would not listen or obey God, so

2. Once Pharaoh reached the point where he was judged by God, and the punishment would be carried out, it was then God hardened Pharaoh’s heart because he had been judged and could NOT repent while punishment was being doled out.

iv. We are told in the New Testament that God “raised Pharaoh up” for this very purpose. Meaning, God allowed this specific Pharaoh to climb to power for this very reason, that he was evil and would not let God’s people go.

v. Why? So, God could show the world His power and all would know that He is Lord.

vi. We see Pharaoh did not take this to heart and returned to his palace.

vii. The Egyptians then had to dig near the Nile for water that they would drink.

CONCLUSION

When I hear people say things like, we are a Christian nation, or God bless America, it makes me think of things like Egypt, Babylon, Rome, etc.…

A true Christian nation would not do many of the things this nation does.

God will not “bless” America when we are a wicked and vile nation who will not turn away from sin and abomination but promote it, publish it, teach it, protect it.

God uses “world powers” for example of His might so that the world will listen to His Word.

Egypt fell, Babylon fell, Rome fell, all those who have exalted themselves will fall to God’s mighty hand to show the He alone is Lord of all.

Only the one who humbles themselves will be lifted up.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people (droughts, famine, plagues)

14 if my people, who are called by my name (Christians / Christ Followers), will

humble themselves

and pray

and seek my face

and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

This also means, if we DO NOT humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways

Then God WILL NOT hear from heaven, WILL NOT forgive our sins, WILL NOT heal our land.

NEXT WEEK

The Lord commands Moses and Aaron to call a plague of frogs.

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