Holy Bible Online 
The 10 Plagues of Egypt were terrible events of judgment and demonstration of God's power and sovereignty. The story of these catastrophes is recorded in the book of Exodus, chapters 7 to 12. Pharaoh resisted freeing the people of Israel, who had been enslaved in Egypt for over 400 years. God displayed His power by humbling the Egyptian king and all his false gods with 10 plagues.
After the last plague, Pharaoh gave up resisting God and allowed the people to leave Egypt. The 10 plagues were not only a lesson for the Egyptians; there are many important lessons that we can also learn.
You can also read this content in Spanish: Las 10 plagas de Egipto en orden: su signicado y lecciones de Dios
1. Plagues of Egypt: Waters Turned into Blood
God manifested His purpose to free His people from Egypt. Moses and his brother Aaron spoke to Pharaoh, but he, with a hardened heart, did not allow Israel to leave. Then all the water in Egypt - rivers, lakes, canals, and even water stored in containers - turned into blood. The fish died, and no one could drink from the river's water (Exodus 7:14-25).
The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt - over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs - and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone. Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.
- Exodus 7:19-21
What we learn: Life Comes from God
The Nile River was the lifeblood of Egypt. There was no other source of water for drinking and irrigating the land. Everyone depended on it to live. When God turned the river's water into blood, it was a fatal blow to the life of Egypt. Moreover, it demonstrated the superiority of the Lord over the Egyptian deities of fertility (god Hapi - Nile and certain species of fish). God showed that He is the true source of all life.
2. Plague of Frogs
The second plague was another demonstration of God's authority over all of nature. Pharaoh refused to free the people of Israel, so Egypt suffered from an overwhelming number of frogs. The frogs invaded the land and became uncontrollable! They left their natural habitat and entered the houses of the Egyptians, being everywhere (Exodus 8:1-15).
If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole country. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’” So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 8:2, 5-6
What we learn: Nature Obeys God
The order of nature was changed by God's purpose. The Lord showed that He is superior to all creation. God is the one who maintains order in nature, and He has the power to control what happens. Egypt saw the animal they idolized being used as an instrument to torment them (the frog was another Egyptian idol - the goddess Heqet, associated with the Nile - symbols of fertility).
3. Plague of Lice
This plague arose from the dust of the ground. God commanded Aaron to strike the ground with his staff, and the dust of the land of Egypt turned into lice. This plague infested both people and animals. This time, the Egyptian magicians could not replicate this miracle and admitted: "This is the finger of God."
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.” They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.
- Exodus 8:16-17
What we learn: Other Religions Have Limited Power
With the plague of lice, even Pharaoh's magicians had to acknowledge the impotence of their occult religions. They could not imitate God's miracles with their magic and enchantments. God is all-powerful! He is greater than any other force in this world.
4. Plague of Flies
Because of Pharaoh's hardened heart, God sent the fourth plague: swarms of flies. When God sent the flies, He made a distinction between the Egyptians and the Hebrews. In the lands of Egypt, everyone was plagued by flies, but in the land of the Israelites, there were none (Exodus 8:20-32).
If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them. And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.
- Exodus 8:21, 24
What we learn: God Cares for His People
God marks a difference between His people and those who do not trust or obey Him. Despite difficulties, the Lord provides deliverance to those who are His. Those who love God and follow Him are under His protection. He protects and delivers the righteous from the punishment of the wicked.
5. Pestilence on the Animals
After Pharaoh refused to free the people of Israel once again, God announced another judgment against the Egyptians: the death of their livestock.
In society at that time, livestock were an essential source of raw materials for work, the foundation of trade, and an important source of food. In one day, God destroyed all the livestock of the Egyptians! (Exodus 9:1-7).
If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back,the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field - on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats.(...) And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.
- Exodus 9:2-3, 6
What we learn: Wealth is Not Security
The financial security and sources of profit for the Egyptians were devastated in an instant. They idolized gods associated with the prosperity of their livestock. Material possessions, like false gods, can disappear very quickly. We should not place our trust in them or make money our god. Only God is our sustenance and security!
6. Plague of Boils
Moses and Aaron were sent by God to Pharaoh, who remained stubborn, refusing to let the people worship the Lord. God commanded Moses to throw a handful of ashes into the air, and that fine dust caused painful boils to break out on the skin of both people and animals.
The Lord demonstrated His power and authority over the life and health of all (Exodus 9:8-12).
It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.” So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals.
- Exodus 9:9-10
What we learn: Health Depends on God
"At least I have my health" - many people say this when disaster strikes. But health is not a guarantee! God sent plagues upon the Egyptians. Do not rely on your own strength or vitality; even that is temporary. Our health depends on the will of God.
7. Hailstorm
There is no one like the Lord! Despite all these signs, the king of Egypt continued to exalt himself, subjugating God’s people to slavery. This time, God sent a storm of hail and thunder like never seen before. God also warned the Egyptians to bring in their workers and livestock from the fields to spare them (Exodus 9:13-35).
Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt - on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.”
- Exodus 9:18, 22
What we learn: There is Safety for Those Who Obey
Before sending the hailstorm, God warned them. Those who believed brought in their livestock and servants and were saved. But all who did not heed the warning saw their property destroyed. God delivers those who obey Him and do His will. Those who disregard God’s warnings bring about their own destruction.
8. Plague of Locusts
Pharaoh, so obstinate, refused to submit to God's authority. He even thought about making a concession by letting only the men go to worship the Lord. But God has the final word. He commanded, and a swarm of locusts like never seen before gathered over all the land of Egypt. They devastated every herb and tree that had survived (Exodus 10:1-20).
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.
(...) And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.”
- Exodus 10:3-4, 12
What we learn: Sustenance Comes from God
The plague of locusts destroyed all the food that had remained from the other plagues. The Egyptians would go hungry. God is the owner of all the earth; He sustains the world with food and provides other essential needs. The Lord has the power to take away and to give. God sustains those who believe in Him, providing what is necessary for life.
9. Plague of Darkness
This time, there was a lack of light: there was total darkness. Something taken for granted by all in the land vanished from the territory of Egypt. When darkness fell upon Egypt, no one could do anything for three days. Everything came to a halt. The darkness overtook all the Egyptians due to their disobedience and stubbornness (Exodus 10:21-29).
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt - darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
- Exodus 10:21-23
What we learn: Everything We Do Depends on God
God is sovereign over all our lives, all our actions, everything we do. Once again, the false Egyptian gods (the sun god - Amon Ra, Aton, and Horus) were humiliated before the power of the Creator God. The creatures of the entire universe, like the sun, moon, and stars, are subject to God's authority. He is the light for those who love Him, but those who reject Him live in darkness.
10. Plague on the Firstborn
The last plague was the death of all the firstborn. Of the ten plagues, this was the worst judgment executed upon Egypt, as it brought death to every household. Not only were possessions, sustenance, and well-being affected, but the very life and lineage of families would perish.
There was a distinction between God's people and the Egyptian people: the firstborn of both people and animals died among the Egyptians, but the Israelites were saved by the Lord (Exodus 11:1-10 and Exodus 12:1-33).
Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt - worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.
At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.
- Exodus 11:5-6, 12:29-30
What we learn: God Saves
God provided salvation for the families of the Hebrews: a lamb would die in place of the firstborn of each family. The blood of the lamb on the door would be the sign for the angel of death to pass over. In the same way, death and condemnation come upon all, but God sent Jesus to die in our place. Whoever has Jesus has salvation.
It is up to each person to decide whether to accept the deliverance offered by God through His Son or not. Jesus saves from the worst plague of all time: eternal death.
You could also read: