How does Exodus 7:21 demonstrate God's power over creation and false gods? Verse Under Study “Exodus 7:21: ‘The fish in the Nile died, and the river reeked so badly that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.’ ” What Happens in This Verse God strikes Egypt’s life-source—its mighty Nile—turning the water to literal blood. Fish die, the river stinks, and Egypt’s people are left thirsty. God’s Mastery Over Creation • Instant, total change: ordinary water becomes blood—an act only the Creator can perform (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 24:1). • Ecological collapse: fish die and the river becomes undrinkable, showing God rules over every living thing (Job 12:15). • Nationwide scope: “blood throughout the land” underscores His limitless reach (Psalm 135:6). • Human helplessness: magicians mimic but cannot reverse the plague (Exodus 7:22); creation obeys its Maker, not men. Silencing Egypt’s False Gods • Hapi, the Nile deity—life-giver of Egypt—shown powerless when the river turns to death. • Khnum, guardian of the Nile’s source—unable to stop the plague from spreading. • Osiris, whose bloodstream myths tied him to the Nile—exposed as myth when real blood floods the nation. • Isaiah 42:8: “I am the LORD… I will not give My glory to another.” Exodus 7:21 fulfills that declaration. • Psalm 105:29 later cites this plague as lasting proof that “He turned their rivers to blood,” highlighting God’s unrivaled supremacy. Faith Lessons Today • The Lord still commands every molecule; nothing in creation lies outside His authority (Colossians 1:16-17). • Idols—ancient or modern—collapse when God reveals their emptiness. • The plague begins a series that leads to Israel’s freedom (Exodus 6:6); the same sovereign power secures our ultimate deliverance (Romans 8:31-32). |
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