Exodus 7:22-25 "And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river."
It is amazing to see God work! He had just turned all the water in the land of Egypt to blood. All the fish had died, and there was a great stink in the land. The LORD did this in the presence of Pharaoh and his servants. He used Moses and Aaron as the instruments of His will.
In their arrogance, Pharaoh’s magicians used their enchantments (tricks) to make it appear that they, too, could turn water to blood. As a child, I heard the expression “cut off your nose to spite your face” used many times. This is exactly what God caused the Egyptians to do. What would have truly been remarkable is if they could have caused the blood to be turned back to water. Instead of being able to make their condition better, they appeared to add to the problem.
As God had said he would, He hardened Pharaoh’s heart again. Although we might be tempted to think that Pharaoh was rebelling against Moses and Aaron, his hardness of heart was really against God. The language here suggests that Pharaoh returned to his house with a haughty spirit. Seeing what his magicians had done, he did not set his heart to consider the might of the God of the Hebrews.
The children of Israel had been made to labor under impossible circumstances. Here, God caused the Egyptians to know something about fruitless labor. For seven days, they went out and digged around the river looking for water they could drink. The scriptures do not indicate that they found drinkable water, only that they labored to do so. I am convinced that the LORD who turned the water in their home to blood was perfectly capable of causing any new wells they might have dug to yield only the same until the time was fulfilled.
Dear ones, may we be blessed to truly consider the works of God in our hearts. Do not be deceived by the “magicians” who mock the work of God with works of their own. They are too blind to see that they only make their condition worse. Know that God does not leave “workarounds” where His judgement is concerned. The counsel of the LORD stands, and He makes the counsel of men to fail (Psalms 33:10-11)!