The Ten Plagues of Egypt

Moses went before the great Pharaoh of Egypt with his brother Aaron and said, "Let my people go." But Pharaoh's heart was hard as stone. He refused again and again. So God sent ten powerful plagues upon Egypt to show Pharaoh — and all the world — that He alone is God.

The Nile turned to blood. Frogs swarmed everywhere. Lice, then swarms of flies, then disease on the livestock, then painful boils on people's skin. Hail hammered the land, then locusts devoured the crops, then three days of complete darkness fell over Egypt. Each time, Moses warned Pharaoh in advance, giving him the chance to repent. Each time, Pharaoh refused.

Finally, the tenth and most terrible plague came: the death of every firstborn in Egypt who was not protected by the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. That night, the Israelites painted lamb's blood on their doors, and the angel of death passed over them. This is the Passover. In the morning, Egypt wept — and Pharaoh finally said, "Go." The Coptic Church sees the Passover lamb as a symbol of Jesus, the Lamb of God, whose blood covers us and saves us from death.