frog reflection 300Each year during Passover, as we read through the history of the Exodus, we recount the ten plagues that were visited upon Egypt. During a recent study through the book of Revelation, we noticed an interesting repetition of the same types of plagues mentioned there as well. We thought the parallels were fascinating and worth documenting.

The plagues of the Exodus recall the events as the Most High revealed Himself as the G-d of Israel. As it is written:

"When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." (Exodus 7:4-5)

 

For a more detailed review of the Exodus plagues, themselves, see our article on The Plagues of the Exodus.


An Interesting Preliminary Observation

  • Exodus 1:1 begins with the 1534th verse of Scripture
  • Revelation 1:1 begins with the 30674th verse of Scripture
  • There are 29,140 verses of Scripture between these two
  • Square in the middle of those verses is this, the 14,570th verse

 

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. (Psalm 43:1)

 

Centered between the plagues of the Exodus and the plagues of Revelation is a supplication to G-d to send out his Truth and Light (Yeshua) that we might be brought into His dwelling place.

May He graciously grant our petition.

 

Until then, let's begin with the first plague: blood.

 

Plague #1: Blood

FIRST PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-BLOODExodus passage:

So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. (Exodus 7:20)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9)

These [two witnesses] have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. (Revelation 11:6)

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died. Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, "Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it. (Revelation 16:3-6)


Plague #2: Frogs

SECOND PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-FROGSExodus passage:

So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. (Exodus 8:6)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of G-d, the Almighty. (Revelation 16:13-14)

 

Plague #3: Lice

THIRD PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-LICEExodus passage:

And they did so: for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth: and lice came upon man and upon beast: all the dust of the earth was lice throughout all the land of Egypt.1 (Exodus 8:17 Geneva)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

We have not, as yet, been able to find a plague in Revelation related to gnats, lice, mosquitos, or other similar insects.

 

Plague #4: Swarms

FOURTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-SWARMSExodus passage:

For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell. (Exodus 8:21)


Rather than "swarms of flies" some translations view this as "swarms of beasts" as noted in the Plagues of the Exodus article.


Similar plagues in Revelation:

I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:8)

 

Plague #5: Pestilence

FIFTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-PESTILENCEExodus passage:

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the G-d of the Hebrews, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them, behold, the hand of the LORD will come with a very severe pestilence on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks. (Exodus 9:1-3)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:8)

 

Plague #6: Boils

SIXTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-BOILSExodus passage:

So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils breaking out with sores on man and beast. (Exodus 9:10)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:2)

 

Plague #7: Hail and Fire

SEVENTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-HAIL AND FIREExodus passage:

Now the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and on beast and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt." Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very severe, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. (Exodus 9:22-24)

 

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7)

 

Plague #8: Locusts

EIGHTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-LOCUSTSExodus passage:

For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They will also eat the rest of what has escaped-- what is left to you from the hail--and they will eat every tree which sprouts for you out of the field. (Exodus 10:4-5)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. (Revelation 9:3-4)

 

The only place in the Greek Scriptures outside of Revelation where the Greek word for "locust" (akris) is used is in describing that Yochanan (John the Baptist) ate locusts and wild honey.

 

Plague #9: Darkness

NINTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-DARKNESSExodus passage:

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt." (Exodus 10:21)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the G-d of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10-11)

 

Plague #10: Death of the Firstborn

TENTH PLAGUE OF THE EXODUS-DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORNExodus passage:

Moses said, "Thus says the LORD, 'About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. (Exodus 11:4-5)

 

Similar plagues in Revelation:

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him [Yeshua] who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21)

 

Summary

PlagueExodusRevelationAdditional notes

#1- Blood

Ex 7:20 Rev 8:8-9, 11:6, 16:3-6 Joel 2:30-31 speaks of a wonder involving blood that is future to Joel's time
#2- Frogs Ex 8:6 Rev 16:13-14 "the frog" in Exodus 8:6 is singular
#3- Lice Ex 8:17 ???  
#4- Swarms
(flies or wild beasts?)
Ex 8:21 Rev 6:8 (wild beasts)  
#5- Pestilence Ex 9:1-5 Rev 6:8 (pestilence)  
#6- Boils Ex 9:10 Rev 16:1-2
(malignant sores)
 
#7- Hail Ex 9:22-24 Rev 8:7 Job 38:22-23 "storehouses of the hail" speak of a plague future to Job's time. Was this the Exodus or the events of Revelation?
#8- Locusts Ex 10:1-6 Rev 9:3-4  
#9- Darkness Ex 10:21-22 Rev 8:12, 16:10  
#10- Death of the Firstborn Ex 11:4-5 Rev 19:19-21
(death of the armies)
 

 

 

Footnotes

1. 1587 Geneva Bible (spelling of lice adjusted from 'lyce') [back]

Torah Portion

unknown

 

 

or view this week's triennial cycle reading.

Today is

Yom Chamishi, 18 Adar II, 5784

Thursday, March 28, 2024

 

Learn more about this date in history.