Proof that God is the Lord, the God of Salvation, and the Only Living and True God

Exodus 7:14-25

L/W-Overview of the plagues against Pharaoh and Egypt—mainly the purpose behind them

God is the God of deliverance/redemption/salvation

God has authority over Pharaoh, false gods, idols, etc.

God used them to free His people

God used them to make a distinction b/t those who follow Him and those who don’t

And how these are picture of the cross

T/W-We discuss the 1st plague and how God would display and prove that He is the Lord, He God of Salvation, and He is the Only Living and True God

***(READ VERSES)***

God’s hand of judgment was set to fall on Pharaoh and the Egyptians—He had no choice!

Pharaoh and Egypt worshipped false gods (many of them) and idols;

Pharaoh and Egypt enslaved and mistreated people—entire races of people (the Nation of Israel)

Pharaoh and Egypt had continually/stubbornly refused and rejected God’s message and warning behind the message, “Let My people go!”

In man’s sinful nature—through sin-natured minds, through lies and deceits of the enemy and the world, man has

Created their own images of God—Who they think He is—What they think He’s about—and how they can, “get to Him.”

Created “gods” within his own heart/mind

Formed idols, both in the physical sense (wood, metal, stone) and within their hearts—with just about anything

Developed worship of the sun, moon, stars, and sky itself (signs of the Zodiac, or mediums/palm readers/fortune tellers, for example)

Created worship of self/the “god” of me/I)

All of these (and more) are man’s effort and striving to provide for themselves a means of destiny and deliverance (I once heard of a youth motivational speaker tell of bunch of students they were, “the author of their own story.”)

Forgotten the image they are created in and for, and exchanged it for sinful, fleshly, and worldly images and belief systems that place limits on God (see—if time allots—for enneagram discussion)

***In man living and walking in these ways, he has rejected/rebelled against the Lord and His message***

As we begin to walk through these verses today (and the other nine (9) plagues—a note of admonishment:

It’s easy and convenient to look at the state of Pharaoh and Egypt, even to look at the state of man as a whole, from the perspective of an “outsider,” from a mind that says, “Wow! Those in the Bible and those in the world were messed up,” or, “Look what “those” in the Bible or the world have given themselves over too.”

And while it may be true—it’s also a present and personal truth for each of us. One honest, self-examining look in the mirror—would most certainly reveal what each of us have or are, making idols out of— in our hearts/mind—what we worship other than the Lord—what things or thoughts (in the recesses of our hearts/minds) we are holding more valuable than God.

Thankfully we have the One True and Living God who, as He revealed Himself to Moses, has (1) revealed Himself to us—through His Word and His Son, (2) as He knew of Israel’s condition/need, He knows about our condition/need, (3) and as He sent Moses to deliver them, He has sent His Son to do something about it—through His death and resurrection,

This week—In God levying His judgment on Pharaoh and Egypt He was also establishing/proving that He

(1) Is the Lord

(2) Is the God of Salvation

(3) Is the Only Living and True God

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I. (v.14) The situation which led to judgment

Exodus 7:14 “So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.”

(CONTEXT)

Pharaoh’s hard heart against God

Pharaoh’s continued refusal to believe the message of God

Pharaoh’s defiant refusal to let the Israelites go free;

God had sent Moses 2x

The first as an appeal

The second as a warning

Pharaoh’s response (stiff-necked, obstinate, hard, and unyielding)—again, his

Flat refusal to repent

Flat refusal to free Israel and let them worship and serve God

It was this type of heart which brought God’s hand of judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt—the hard heart of the wayside soil

Mark 4:15 “And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

(CONNECTION—You and me)

As a believer

Our hearts still bear the tendency to grow calloused and hard—and in these times, God brings His chastisement—the conviction and correction of God; what do we need to know, as believers about God’s chastisement?

Hebrews 12:5-11 “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

God’s chastening of us, in dealing with our hard hearts at times:

Should not be despised or bring us discouragement

Proves that we are loved by Him

Proves that we belong to Him (“God deals with you as sons”)

May not be pleasant (rarely is), but it produces more of God’s righteousness in us—b/c in the chastening of God we are being trained by His righteousness

As an unbeliever

Hearts don’t just bear the tendency to grow calloused and hard towards God, they exist as hard and calloused towards God

Hearts that are not “chastened” or being “chastened” by the Lord, reveal

Hearts that don’t belong to Him

Hearts that are “illegitimate and not sons.”

The Word speaks an appeal and a warning:

Proverbs 28:14 “Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

Proverbs 29:1 “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Malachi 2:2 “If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name,” Says the Lord of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart.”

Romans 1:20-21 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;”

The Word also speaks a promise/assurance:

Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

THIS BRINGS US TO THE NEXT POINT—GOD’S WORD

II. (v.15-16) The Declaration of God’s Word

Exodus 7:15-16 “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. 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!”

(CONTEXT)

God told Moses to intercept Pharaoh in the morning when he went out to the bank of the Nile River. Why was Pharaoh going to the Nile?

To bathe?

To take a walk?

To see if the Nile was rising—was it flood season?

To have morning devotions with false gods (i.e., the Nile River—the god Hapi or Nilus)—the Nile was worshipped in Egypt? (Most likely the focus of Pharaoh’s intentions)

Moses was to take the rod (staff) with him

The rod was a symbol of God’s power and authority

Moses was to proclaim God’s Word—God’s will--“Let My people go—free them to serve and worship God

God’s will is for no people to be oppressed—for no one to be enslaved; but in particular

God objects to the oppression of His people---those who truly believe and follow after Him

This was the very thing God was after in sending Moses—the freedom and liberty of His people—the Nation of Israel

Moses was to charge Pharaoh with refusing to listen and heed God’s Word, His demand—for his rejection and rebellion of God

(CONNECTION—You and me)

God’s Word serves as the means:

To intercept Satan’s mission to destroy his hold over man—to destroy Satan’s mission to see man destroyed; yet personally,

To intercept us in our sin; when we’ve gone astray; when we’ve given ourselves over to idolatry, false worship; and a wordly image

The truth of God’s Word carries God’s power and authority within it:

Whether you like it or not, or accept it or not—God’s Word WILL confront you with your sin, your idolatry, and the “gods” in you life; whether they be:

Self

Wealth and Prosperity

Work

Fame

Addiction

Relationships

Recognition

Materialism

All of man’s sin, all of our idolatry, the “gods” we fashion, can be whittled down to three areas (look at 1 John 2.:15-16)

1 John 2:15-16 “"...the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life...”

There’s a connection here with Moses being sent with a purpose to Pharaoh (walk through this with me):

Hebrews 1:1-2— “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;”

In v.1 we see that:

God spoke through the prophets (who include Moses) to speak to Israel and others (including Pharaoh) about their wandering, idolatrous hearts

God in sending Moses, sent Him:

To intercept Pharaoh’s mission to enslave and oppress Israel, and also

To intercept him in his sin and idolatry

God in sending the prophets, judges, etc., sent them to

Warn Israel about their idolatry and adultery against God

Warn Israel about the coming judgment if they didn’t repent

Warn the enemies of Israel that God would enact His judgment on them—for oppressing Israel (His people)

God, in sending, “the prophets,” was also giving Israel and the people of the O/T the promise of hope, deliverance, and redemption—that one day He would send the Messiah to conquer and overcome their greatest enemy and dwell in their hearts

Jeremiah 31:31-34 ““Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.””

In v.2 we see this fulfilled in/through Jesus Christ

God sent His Son

God’s Son, Jesus Christ is God, the very Word of God, the Word of God in the flesh, and the, “express image of God.” (Look at what Scripture teaches and reminds us of):

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Hebrews 1:2-3 “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

God, in a very real sense then, sent Jesus not only

To intercept Satan and his intention to see God’s creation destroyed by sin, but

To intercept you in your sin/idolatry/rebellion, and not only that, but to

To intercept/confront you with the Savior, to direct you to Jesus, to you may have the way out: This is the very purpose of the Word:

2 Timothy 3:14-15 “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

To fulfill what was promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34;

2 Corinthians 6:16 “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.””

God’s desire is that you would surrender and lay down ALL the idols in your life, so that, “He might dwell in you and among you, to be Your God and for you to belong to Him.”

God’s Word (Jesus Christ) proclaims the message, “Let My people go!” to Satan and sin and fulfills this message through His death and resurrection

Sadly, there is all kinds of evil and oppression in the world; there’s oppression of/from:

Addiction (drugs/alcohol/pornography/food)

Broken homes/marriages/relationships

Emotions:

Fear/worry/anxieties/stress

Anger/bitterness/resentment

From loss

Other people:

Wayward/lost spouse

Extended family

Boss/Co-worker

One people group to another (racism, segregation, etc.)

Systems of this world

Governments

Political systems

Bearing

A false identity (worldly)

A false worth/value system

Religiousness

Legalism

Self-sustainment

Your past

Sin(s)

Former lifestyles

Result of this:

All of this is evil, b/c it holds man down, shackles and binds them, entraps them, and enslaves them

God’s response

God’s will is that no one person is held under ANY form of oppression and slavery—especially those who belong to Him

Through His Word—from Genesis to Revelation—there exists a single red thread—a red thread that directs us to Jesus Christ

The centrality of the gospel (1) either points to the promise (which is seen through the lens of the O/T) or points to the accomplishment (which is seen through the lens of the N/T): That through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—the roar of “Let My people go!” is heard:

For the lost:—

It’s a promise that God is bigger/mightier/stronger than

Any oppression you’ve been living under

Any idol you’ve been clinging to, to bring you deliverance

It’s a message which proclaims the lies of oppression/bondage are wrong and the truth of God’s Word—the truth of Jesus washed them all away

For the believer:—it’s a promise/reminder that who you once were, you left at the altar!”;

You are no longer bound to those things

You have been freed by Christ—liberated from having been held under the oppression of your past, your sin, etc.

III.(v.17) The Purpose of Judgment: Proof that God is the Lord, the God of Salvation, redemption, and deliverance; the only living and true God

Exodus 7:17 “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.”

(Context)

Pharaoh’s belief system:

Pharaoh not only worshipped false gods, Pharaoh himself was considered a god—holding supreme power over the land

Pharaoh even thought himself as a god—the molder and maker of Egypt and it’s people

Pharaoh lived in a way/belief/manner that said,

“I can determine my own fate and the fate of the people.”

“I can determine the lives, comfort, welfare, and destiny of myself and my people.”

Pharaoh lived in the declaration of Exodus 5:2;

“Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.””

God’s response (v.17)

God was going to help Pharaoh to know the Lord, just Who He was (is)

Pharaoh was to learn that neither he nor any other idol were true “gods.”

Pharaoh’s “gods,” including himself, were nothing in the face of God Himself, nothing but mere creations of Pharaoh and his imagination

In God’s plague on the waters, He was going to prove

That He alone is the Lord—the God of redemption—the ONLY God who can truly save and deliver man (be mindful: the idols and false images and those things which Pharaoh and Egypt worshipped, in their minds, held the keys to their “deliverance”)

(CONNECTION—You and Me)

Man’s belief system today is not as different/foreign/distant from Pharaoh’s as one might think. So many people, in the idolatry they live in, the false things they worship, carry a belief system that ultimately says:

“I can fill the role of God myself.”

“I can mold and shape my own destiny.”

“I can blaze my own path—write my own story.”

“I can determine my fate/destiny/deliverance myself.”

“I can set my own future and success.”

(ENNEAGRAM? IF TIME)

If your thoughts and life are similar to these (or just one)—in that you are walking in them, please know this:

These “belief systems” are systems of deceit

The cross says these things are wrong—they are lies-do not believe a single word of them

Whatever idols, false images, or false gods man (our you) are holding onto today--no matter how they (you are) justify them or how they (or you are) excuse their existence in their (your) live— serve as the means by which you seek satisfaction and deliverance—but these things will 100% leave you empty/broken/still in need of deliverance; BUT

Whatever idols, false images, or false worship that is consuming your life, they are nothing in the face of God, and they come to nothing at the foot of the cross!

IV. (v. 17-19) Warning and Pronouncement of Judgment

Exodus 7:17-19 “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. 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.” ’  “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.’ ””

(CONTEXT)-Note the description of the judgment here:

What’s to happen:

The Nile waters were to be turned to blood, polluted and unusable

The fish would die and the water would stink and not be fit to drink

The reach of the judgment was to include ALL waters of Egypt; streams, canals, ponds, reservoirs—even “buckets of wood and pitchers of stone”

Was it real?

Some say it was a natural disaster, which caused the water to “look like blood”

Some say God actually turned the water to blood (this is my understanding); follow Scripture

The plague started and ended as soon as Aaron stretched out his hand and Moses cried out in obedience

The water that was already drawn was turned to blood

What does it all mean?

Whatever happened—was done at God’s command/bidding

Whatever happened—caused fish to die, the water to stink, and the water to be unusable

Whatever happened—caused the water to be contaminated

What did it mean to/for Pharaoh?

Pharaoh was given warning after warning, but he continued to harden his heart and reject God’s message

(CONNECTION)

Go back to Hebrews 1:2 “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;”

“…last days...”—refers to what is called the “last dispensation”

There is no other message or messenger that is to come

Jesus Christ—God’s very own Son—the very Word of God Himself—is the totality of God’s message to us

As Pharaoh was given opportunity and opportunity and faced God’s judgment for his hard heart and rejection, so to does man today

Man has been an opportunity to respond to the message of the gospel—yet there WILL come a time when Jesus Christ will come again and those who have hardened their hearts and rejected/pushed off/ignored the message of the cross—will face judgment

(This isn’t a fear or “scare” tactic—it’s a Biblical reality)

V. (v.20-21) Judgment arrives

Exodus 7:20-21 “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. 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.”

(CONTEXT)

Moses and Aaron obeyed God—they lifted up the rod and struck the waters of the Nile—in the presence of Pharaoh and his servants

God’s judgment was immediate (water to blood, fish died, water stunk, etc)

The judgment was frightening

Imagine what the Egyptians would have seen and thought b/c of all of this?

Imagine how the Egyptian economy was effected, or was threatened by this (fishing industry, farming industry, food and water supply, day-to-day life interrupted)

The judgment was righteous and just

Egyptians were brutal/savage/hard-hearted

Egyptians rejected God as the Creator and as the only true living God

Egyptians lived a life of idolatry, sin, indulgence, and the giving themselves over to an abased mind

God was executing the just measure of punishment for their sins/evil

The judgment achieved God’s purpose

The Egyptians

Worshipped the Nile

Prayed to the Nile

Thought of the Nile was under the control of Hopi of Nilus

The impact on the Egyptians:

Their god was not as powerful as the God of Moses

They were stricken with fright and fear

(CONNECTION)

God’s judgment always serves it’s purpose

God will always judge sin—He will always act according to His nature as a the Just Judge

As believers we will face the judgment seat of Christ (Bema Seat)

How did we honor Him in the new life we’ve been given?

How did we use this new life we’ve been given?

As unbelievers, there will be the Great White Throne Judgment

Judgment of sin/rebellion/rejection of Jesus Christ

VI.(v.22-25) Response to God’s Judgment

Exodus 7:22-25 “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. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this. So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. And seven days passed after the Lord had struck the river.”

(CONTEXT)

False messengers (magicians) imitated the miracle

v.22 indicates the magicians used “secret arts” to change some of the water into what appeared to be blood

v.24 indicates the magicians most likely got their fresh water from where the Egyptians dug for water (wells)

Questions then arise from this:

Did they indeed turn fresh water into blood? Did they use enchantments, some “chant” or “dance?” Did they throw some chemical in the water to change the color?

Did God allow Satan to imitate the same miracle through false messengers/magicians?

Answer: Scripture does not say how they duplicated it. But what does Scripture teach us about Satan and his false messengers?

They are especially strong in areas of deception

They are clever and skillful

They plan carefully and are successful in carrying out their plans

Since Adam and Eve, Satan has deceived mankind and led them away from God—and at large he’s been successful

Answer in this context of what we are talking about? How do we know the magical feat “performed” was deceitful?

If the magicians possessed real godly power, they would have turned the bloody waters back into pure water—this would have been the true miracle—not to mention far more helpful and beneficial to Egypt

Pharaoh’s heart grew even harder

He retuned to the palace and refused to heed the judgment

He had an excuse now—to not heed the judgment—the secret arts and magical arts of his magicians

He hardened his heart even more

He was even more determined not to heed the judgment

He was even more determined to let Israel go

People dug wells for water

In having to dig for fresh water all throughout the land, the people were reaping the results of their sin and evil—their idolatry and enslavement of Israel

***WORSHIP TEAM***

(CONNECTION)

We must learn from this judgment—we must take heed and allow God to examine our hearts

We must, in allowing God to examine our hearts—repent and turn away from our idols, from our evil ways, and sin(s)

We must come to believe in one thing—on One Person

1 Corinthians 2:1-2

Philippians 1:18

We must—count the cost and count all things as rubbish (or dung)

Philippians 2:8-11

The enemy lies to you—about the image you are created in and for; about what and Who deliverance comes from; that your past and the oppression you living under has no answer.; that you cannot are not capable of being loved

The idols you give yourself over too; the things of this world you worship, the false images you think can/will satisfy you, only serve to bind you and blind you.

But the truth found in the message of the cross says:

You were created in the image of Almighty God and for the purposed for a relationship of worship of Him

The worldly things you are chasing to find your image/worth/value are lies/deceit and can NEVER satisfy your soul

You do not have to be bound and blinded in these things

The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims:

The blood of Jesus says you are loved and worth it to God

If you will believe on only the cross—the lies/deceit/idols/images you’ve been living in—will be drug into the light of God’s truth and will be bound to leave.

What are the idols in your life, you are using to satisfy and fill you?

What is being worshipped in your life, that’s not Christ?

What are you making into “gods” in your life, that are taking the place of Christ and lying to you?

God’s message and Messenger has been sent to you, what will your response be:

As the believer who needs strength and encouragement?

As the believer who’s fighting the good fight of faith?

As the one who is in desperate need of a Savior?