Hope in God Alone
Exodus 7:20-21: "Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up his staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt."
Here, we move into round two of the showdown between Moses and the God of the Hebrews versus Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. The Nile was worshipped as a god in Egypt. It was often referred to as the lifeblood of Egypt. How ironic that the waters of the Nile truly became blood, yet no life was found in them. The fish died and the Egyptian people were not able to drink any of the water. The water stank and became repulsive to them.
The magicians were summoned to do the same trick by Pharaoh. They were able to turn some water into blood, but there is no indication that they could turn the blood back into water. Instead, the blood remained for seven days. There was no life, no water, and no relief from the incessant smell that permeated the land.
Once again, the Lord demonstrated his power over one of the gods of Egypt. The God of the Hebrews alone has power over the waters. He provides the waters to give life, and just as he gives life, he can take life away. The very source of life for the Egyptian people was contaminated; likewise, the objects of their worship were contaminated. Their hope in the god of the Nile proved to be futile.
Round two goes to Moses and his God.
Reflection:
Do you ever put your hope in things, people, or gods of this world? What does the Lord want you to know about your source of hope today?
Here, we move into round two of the showdown between Moses and the God of the Hebrews versus Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. The Nile was worshipped as a god in Egypt. It was often referred to as the lifeblood of Egypt. How ironic that the waters of the Nile truly became blood, yet no life was found in them. The fish died and the Egyptian people were not able to drink any of the water. The water stank and became repulsive to them.
The magicians were summoned to do the same trick by Pharaoh. They were able to turn some water into blood, but there is no indication that they could turn the blood back into water. Instead, the blood remained for seven days. There was no life, no water, and no relief from the incessant smell that permeated the land.
Once again, the Lord demonstrated his power over one of the gods of Egypt. The God of the Hebrews alone has power over the waters. He provides the waters to give life, and just as he gives life, he can take life away. The very source of life for the Egyptian people was contaminated; likewise, the objects of their worship were contaminated. Their hope in the god of the Nile proved to be futile.
Round two goes to Moses and his God.
Reflection:
Do you ever put your hope in things, people, or gods of this world? What does the Lord want you to know about your source of hope today?
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