Water and Blood

Lest the inhabitants on the earth think it some kind of fluke or random act of nature, the third plague drives the point home. In the second plague, the sea was contaminated. Here, the same happens to all bodies of freshwater; they turn to blood as well. As “the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river” (Exodus 7:21) under Egypt’s first plague, so will the water supply on the Earth stop short.

Researchers posit that, given a catastrophic situation, at the bare minimum, a human being weighing about 154 pounds needs to drink at least 32 ounces of water per day in order to survive. In normal conditions, that same person would typically drink nearly four times that amount! In 1979, 18-year-old prisoner Andreas Mihavecz survived for 18 days while drinking only scant condensation from the cell walls.

Will it be similar for those living on earth during the last plagues? It’s an interesting interaction here with the water and the blood, both of which are mentioned at Christ’s death: “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34). Blood is a symbol of redemption: “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28), Jesus said.

Water symbolizes cleansing from sin: “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:25, 26). In short, blood and water together point to salvation in Jesus Christ.

The tragedy lies in that those with the mark of the beast will have denied the blood and water of Christ; they will have rejected life. Christ died so that we all could live; blood and water were the affirmations of His death. As such, the third plague is an affirmation of death, the blood and water of condemnation and destruction. The third plague is merely part of the results of their decision, made over and over again against God and His free gift of salvation.

Savior of the world, I praise You for redeeming me with Your own blood and ask that the water of Your word cleanse me from all sin.

For Further Study: Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 10:22; 1 John 5:6–8

Key Bible Texts

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. (Revelation 16:4 KJV)