Starting All Over Again: Genesis & Exodus

Not long ago I began rereading through Genesis on a whim. I originally planned just to read through the original creation story for a night, but then suddenly the book really opened itself up to me and I was very drawn in by what I was reading. I have no doubt that that is by the grace of God alone, but I also know another part of it is I've finally developed enough knowledge of the Jewish culture to began to connect some of the dots. I also worked harder this time at following the generational lines and therefore able to make better connections in how the stories develop into and relate to one another.

For example, this is really the first time I've even begun to grasp why circumcision is so vastly important to the Jewish culture and why its such a huge deal when its rebuffed in the New Testament. The fact that after the flood God not only makes a covenant with man (which by itself sounds like such a crazy idea), but specifically "with all living things." And then God makes another covenant with a man! Also, the first time I've realized that the Israelites end up in Egypt because of the famine that occurred during Joseph's time. The first time I've noticed God choosing to bless & carry the covenant through the younger sons rather than the traditional firstborns. (Jacob, Joseph's son....? I believe I read that right.) The whole thing has been really good and really fascinating. And really beautiful! There were so many times I started to tear up during Joseph's story. So much heartbreak, so much redemption. Such deep family ties by the end.
And that by Genesis 6 there's already a reference to "the heroes of old." This is Genesis 6. This is still the beginning. And there are already heroes of old in the land? I think I was just able to begin to develop such a larger scope for the timeline of the Bible and, how true (and incredible) the Name Ancient of Days really is.

Then - after my super exciting revelation of how the Jews came to Egypt in the first place - I decided to jump on in to Exodus hoping to carry on my eye opening streak. I've actually probably read Exodus the most in variations. For some reason the story of Moses fascinated me in particular as a kid and I read it over and over and over in my children's book. I loved the story of Moses being "drawn out of the water." I still do. I love the image. You hear the stories a lot as a kid. I've completed a study on the temple that I really enjoyed. In a lot of ways, I really love this book.

But somehow I've apparently always missed that during the plagues the river actually turned to blood. BLOOD. Not just red water, as I guess was the image my childhood imagination conjured up in its place. Blood. Blood. (As you can tell, I just finished the passage and I'm still coming to terms with this.) I immediately recoiled on the bed and all I could think of was "God, this is so weird. THIS IS SO WEIRD. WEIRD." 
And then I noticed it never says when the river fixed itself. I mean, obviously at some point it did, but... *shudder* Ugh.

But I also thought it was interesting that though the magician's could replicate the staff to snake and the plague of blood and frogs....but they obviously couldn't get rid of the frogs? That was something Moses could only ask of the Lord. (I can only assume this was the same case with the river since it never says otherwise and the Egyptians were forced to dig for water nearby.)

I think next we start the plague of locusts. Or hail.

Any favorite parts of these two ancient books? Anything you particular remember suddenly striking you as incredible or bizarre or even gross? (Like a river of blood, people. BLOOD. Good luck sleeping well tonight, Sherri....)