What happens when the very thing you depend on most is taken away?
Key Verse:
“Thus says the LORD, ‘By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood.’” —Exodus 7:17 NASB
Background Context:
In Exodus 7:1–13, Moses and Aaron stand before Pharaoh and demonstrate God’s authority through the sign of the staff becoming a serpent. Though God’s power is clearly shown, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened.
Now in Exodus 7:14–25, the first plague begins. This marks the start of God’s direct judgment against Egypt and its gods, revealing His authority over what the Egyptians trusted most.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
Water Is Turned to Blood
14Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. 15“Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. 16“You shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.” 17‘Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18“The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”
20So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 21The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. 22But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. 23Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no concern even for this. 24So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. 25Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.
Reflection on Exodus 7:14–25:
God begins by stating clearly that Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. This is not new information—it is confirmation of what God had already said. Pharaoh’s resistance is not unexpected; it is part of the unfolding plan.
God then instructs Moses to meet Pharaoh by the Nile. This is significant.
The Nile was the lifeline of Egypt. It provided water, sustained crops, supported daily life, and was even associated with their gods. It was a source of security, provision, and identity.
God chooses to strike there first.
When Aaron stretches out the staff, the waters of the Nile turn to blood. Fish die, the river becomes foul, and the Egyptians cannot drink the water. What was once a source of life becomes a source of death.
This is not random. God is confronting what Egypt depends on.
This reveals an important truth: God often begins by exposing false sources of security.
What we trust apart from Him can be taken away—not out of cruelty, but to reveal that it was never meant to be our foundation.
Even in this moment, Pharaoh’s magicians replicate the sign to some degree. This continues the pattern we saw earlier—there are imitations of God’s power.
But imitation is not authority.
The magicians cannot reverse what God has done. They cannot restore the river. They can only mimic, not redeem.
Yet Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened.
Instead of responding to God, he turns away and returns to his house, unaffected. Meanwhile, the Egyptians are forced to dig around the Nile for water, struggling to survive the impact of what has happened.
This is another sobering truth.
It is possible to witness God’s power and still refuse to respond.
Pharaoh sees the evidence, but he does not humble himself.
This passage shows us that judgment is not only about punishment—it is also about revelation.
God is revealing:
- who He is
- what has false authority
- where true power belongs
And still, Pharaoh refuses to listen.
For us, this raises an important question:
What are we relying on for security?
Is it something temporary—something that could be taken away? Or is it rooted in God?
Because when God begins to move, anything not built on Him will not stand.
Application:
- Identify where you may be placing your security apart from God.
- Recognize that God may allow those things to be shaken to draw you back to Him.
- Do not be deceived by imitations of truth—test everything against God’s Word.
- Respond to God when He reveals Himself—do not harden your heart.
- Trust God as your true source of provision and security.
Closing Prayer:
Father, help me to recognize where I have placed my trust in things other than You. Reveal anything in my life that I rely on apart from Your provision. Give me a soft heart that responds to You, and not one that resists or turns away. Teach me to trust in You as my true source of life and security. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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