Exodus 7

Exodus 7 marks the beginning of God's direct interventions through Moses and Aaron to liberate the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Pharaoh’s hardened heart is a focal point, and through a series of miraculous signs, God demonstrates His supreme power over Egypt and its gods. This chapter sets the stage for the ten plagues by showing Pharaoh's initial resistance and how God will work through Moses and Aaron to bring about the deliverance of His people.

Exodus 7:1-3 (NKJV)
1 So the Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
2 You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh to 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.

God tells Moses that He will make him "as God" to Pharaoh, meaning Moses would act as God's representative, displaying divine authority through the miracles and judgments. Aaron would serve as Moses' spokesman or "prophet," delivering the messages to Pharaoh.

When it says that God will harden Pharaoh's heart, it does not mean that God actively takes away Pharaoh’s ability to choose or forces him into rebellion. Rather, God removes His working through the Holy Spirit, no longer convicting Pharaoh’s heart. Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, Pharaoh is left to his own sinful nature and pride, which leads him to harden his heart and resist God’s commands. Pharaoh’s rebellious actions are a reflection of his own desires and tendencies to defy authority.

This allowance of Pharaoh’s hardening serves a greater purpose, as God states that He will "multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt." By permitting Pharaoh to act on his own stubbornness, God is able to display His power through the plagues, making it evident to all that He is the true God, not only to Egypt but to the surrounding nations and to Israel.

Exodus 7:4-5 (NKJV)
4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My 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 am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

God makes it clear that Pharaoh’s refusal to listen is part of His plan to display His power through judgments on Egypt. The "armies" and "people" of Israel will be brought out by God's strong hand. These judgments will not only secure Israel’s release but also serve as a revelation to the Egyptians, showing them that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is the true Lord, above all their gods and powers.

Exodus 7:6-7 (NKJV)
6 Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as the Lord commanded them, so they did.
7 And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Despite their advanced age, Moses and Aaron are obedient to God’s call and undertake the daunting task of confronting Pharaoh. This detail highlights their faithfulness and commitment to God's mission, as well as the significant role that older individuals can play in God's plans. Their obedience sets the tone for what will unfold as they follow God's instructions without hesitation.

Exodus 7:8-10 (NKJV)
8 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’”
10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

God anticipates Pharaoh’s demand for a miraculous sign and gives Moses and Aaron specific instructions. The rod-turned-serpent is the first demonstration of divine power, a symbol of God's authority over Egypt. Moses and Aaron’s obedience is again highlighted, as they follow God's command precisely. The use of a serpent may have significant meaning, given Egypt's veneration of snakes as symbols of power, further displaying God’s supremacy over Egyptian deities.

Exodus 7:11-13 (NKJV)
11 But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
12 For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
13 And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

Pharaoh’s magicians replicate the miracle by turning their rods into serpents, possibly through dark arts or sleight of hand, attempting to undermine God's authority. However, Aaron’s rod-turned-serpent swallows up their serpents, symbolizing God’s superior power over any false gods or magic. Despite this, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, fulfilling God’s earlier warning that Pharaoh would not be easily swayed. This moment foreshadows the escalating confrontations between God's power and Pharaoh's stubbornness.

Exodus 7:14-16 (NKJV)
14 So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.
15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.
16 And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear!’

God instructs Moses to confront Pharaoh early in the morning by the river, likely the Nile. The rod is again emphasized as a symbol of God’s authority. Moses is to deliver the message that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, demands the release of His people so they may serve Him. This emphasizes God's ownership over Israel and His demand for their freedom to worship Him. Pharaoh’s continued refusal sets the stage for the plagues.

Exodus 7:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
18 And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.”

God warns Pharaoh of the first plague: the Nile River, the lifeblood of Egypt, will be turned to blood. This sign is meant to show Pharaoh that God is the true Lord. The Nile was central to Egypt's economy, life, and religious beliefs, and by turning it to blood, God strikes at the heart of Egypt's prosperity and religious symbolism. The death of the fish and the stench serve as tangible signs of God's power and the beginning of Egypt's judgment.

Exodus 7:19-21 (NKJV)
19 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’”
20 And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck 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 The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

God extends the scope of the plague beyond the Nile to include all bodies of water in Egypt. The transformation of water into blood is total, affecting every water source, even in containers. This widespread impact cripples Egypt's water supply, and the death of the fish further intensifies the devastation. Moses and Aaron faithfully carry out God's instructions, and the miracle happens in front of Pharaoh and his officials, leaving no doubt that this is a divine act of judgment.

Exodus 7:22-23 (NKJV)
22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.

Despite the severe consequences of the first plague, Pharaoh’s magicians replicate the miracle to some extent, possibly through deception or dark arts. This reinforces Pharaoh’s hardened heart, as he is convinced that his magicians can match God’s power. He remains unmoved and retreats into his palace, indifferent to the suffering of his people. God had predicted Pharaoh’s stubbornness, showing that human pride can blind even in the face of clear signs of divine intervention.

Exodus 7:24-25 (NKJV)
24 So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river.
25 And seven days passed after the Lord had struck the river.

With their main water source turned to blood, the Egyptians are forced to dig around the Nile in desperate attempts to find drinkable water. This shows the severity of the plague and its impact on everyday life. Yet, despite this distress, Pharaoh remains unmoved. Seven days pass, indicating that this plague lasted a week, giving the Egyptians time to experience the full extent of their suffering while also demonstrating God’s patience and giving Pharaoh time to repent.