February 12th, 2026 by Pastor Ed in devotional
God sent Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh to again demand that he release the children of Israel. God gave Pharaoh another chance to obey before any discipline was inflicted, clearly displaying His patience and mercy. Pharaoh was left without excuse. He couldn’t say, “But I didn’t understand.” All of this was leading to the release of the children of Abraham, but God was also concerned with every person in Egypt. Each of the 10 plagues God brought against Egypt was aimed at one of their false gods. God was displaying through these plagues that there was no other God but Him.
The first plague was directed at the Nile, as God turned the water into blood. Several Egyptian gods are associated with the Nile: Khnum, Hapi, and Osiris. The Egyptians took great pride in these gods since they thought of them as sources of life. God instructed Moses to confront Pharaoh “when he goes out to the water,” which was probably a daily act of worship to the water gods. The Jewish Targum of Jonathan says Pharaoh did this “to observe divinations upon the water, as a magician.” Through the plagues, God was showing Pharaoh and his people that all of their idolatrous gods were powerless before Him.
The chapter ends with the Egyptians digging beside the Nile River, trying to find fresh water to drink. They were desperately searching for life-giving water once their normal source became undrinkable. It is interesting that they did not go to Moses or God Almighty but still tried to use the old source. Sadly, many people who are trying to find life keep going back to dig in old places that only bring death. As Jesus said 1400 years later to the woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Jesus’ words were designed to lift her level of thinking from that of material, physical need to spiritual truth, which is what God was trying to reveal to the Egyptians through the plagues. God still gives spiritual truth to any who will humbly come to Him and ask.
“LORD, You are the source of life. Help us to stay away from the old water that doesn’t satisfy today.”
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Exodus 7 KJV
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. 2Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I amthe LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
8 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
10 ¶ And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart ishardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. 17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which arein the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
19 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine 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, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels ofstone. 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORDcommanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. 25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
