This conflict took place in the morning by the brink of the river Nile (7:15). Two other conflicts also took place early in the morning (8:20; 9:13). Pharaoh may have gone down to the river to relax and to enjoy a time of pleasantness and ease. But his relaxation was disturbed by the presence of Moses and Aaron. God had charged them to confront Pharaoh again with His demand. God’s intention was to let Pharaoh know that this was no time to relax. Rather, it was time for the nature of life in Egypt to be exposed. Pharaoh had to see that life in Egypt was not a life of rest and enjoyment, but a life of blood. There are times today also that we need to go to the place where the worldly people have their pleasure to expose to them the fact that all their worldly entertainments and pleasures issue in death.
Moses and Aaron repeated the same demand they had made before: “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness” (7:16). This time God’s demand was backed up by the first plague.
On behalf of Jehovah, Moses and Aaron were to say to Pharaoh, “In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah: Behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood” (7:17, Heb.). Because God is Jehovah, whatever He says comes to pass. Jehovah had said, “Let My people go.” Although Pharaoh may resist this word, he will eventually be subdued and know that God is Jehovah.
According to verse 19, Aaron was to take the rod and stretch out his hand “upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt.” Aaron did so, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the water was turned into blood, even the water in vessels of wood and of stone. Because the waters of the Nile were turned to blood, the fish in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river (v. 21). The Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink. It may have been that the water became blood as soon as they found it.
The first plague gives a thorough indication that the life of Egypt, that is, the life of the world, issues in nothing but death. It does not matter where the water of the world is, in a river, pond, or vessel, the issue is death. This plague was the beginning of the punishment and destruction of Egyptian life. In this way God began to destroy the life of worldly enjoyment. If we realize the significance of this plague, we shall know that under the wrath of God’s judgment the life of the world issues in death.
Many of us have experienced this. While we were indulging in some form of worldly pleasure, the water suddenly became blood. This was both a punishment and an exposure. Through that exposure we saw that worldly entertainments and amusements are not the real pleasures, but are pleasures that issue in death. In the eyes of God, the waters of Egypt are not waters at all; they are blood. By causing the water of the world to turn into blood, God exposes the true nature of worldly pleasure. He unveils the fact that the people in the world are drinking blood. According to Revelation 16, near the end of the great tribulation God will once again change the water of the world into blood. This blood represents death, the issue of a life of sin.
We have pointed out that the first plague, which lasted seven days (7:25), exposed Egyptian life. If the Egyptians had repented, this exposure would not have been a punishment to them. But because they did not repent, it became a form of punishment. The principle is the same in the preaching of the gospel today. If sinners receive the word of the gospel, this word will simply expose them. But if they will not receive it, it will be to them a word of judgment. The Lord Jesus Himself indicated that those who do not receive His word will be judged by the very word they reject (John 12:48).
The first plague reveals that God is merciful and wise. In this plague He did not kill the Egyptians. He simply turned the water into blood in order to warn them and expose them. He did nothing here to hurt them directly. If Pharaoh had accepted this exposure, it would have been a mercy to him. But because he rejected it, it became judgment instead. God is not unkind in His dealings with people. On the contrary, He is wise and very merciful. Therefore, in the punishment of the first plague there was a merciful warning.
The purpose of the first plague was to make the Egyptians know that their worldly supply and enjoyment issued in death. The death signified by the blood unveiled the nature and significance of life in the world.
Once again, the magicians of Egypt were able to do the same thing with their enchantments as Moses and Aaron had done with the rod. However, although they could bring the blood in, they were not able to get rid of it. Today the philosophers of the world can expose that life in the world is actually death, but they do not have the means to take away the death. Only the gospel can do this.
The issue of the third conflict was that for the second time the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart was exposed. Once again he did not hearken to Moses and Aaron. Verse 23 says, “And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.” Because Pharaoh was stubborn, he had no heart for God’s demand. This made it necessary for the second plague to come upon the Egyptians.