Hardening Pharaoh's heart
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Pharaoh had already hardened his heart against God. He had
hardened it a number of times before God further hardened it.
Men are born with hearts hardened to God. Ephesians 4:
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk
as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their
understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance
that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
Do you know that each plague God visited upon the Egyptians
dealt with their specific pantheon of false gods and goddesses?
hardened it a number of times before God further hardened it.
Men are born with hearts hardened to God. Ephesians 4:
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk
as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their
understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance
that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
Do you know that each plague God visited upon the Egyptians
dealt with their specific pantheon of false gods and goddesses?
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The root meaning of the Hebrew word translated “to harden” is “to strengthen.”
God hardens people by strengthening the resolve they have formed in their
own heart. For example, six times Scripture says “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s
heart” (Ex 9:12; 10:1; 10; 27; 11:10; 14:8). But it also notes that Pharaoh hardened
his own heart seven times before the Lord took His action (Ex 7:13-14, 22; 8:15, 19;
32; 9:7). Similarly, centuries before God hardened the Canaanites’ hearts (see Judges 11),
He had been tolerating their freely chosen wickedness and hardness toward Him (see Gen 15:16).
The unsurpassable love of God strives to turn humans toward Himself, but there is a point when
they become hopeless (Gen 6:3-8; Rom 1:24-32). At this point God’s strategy changes from trying
to change them to using them in their wickedness for His own providential purposes.
God justly responds to people’s wickedness by strengthening their resolve against Him.
In every instance where Scripture speaks of God hardening someone, it’s an act of judgment
in response to decisions these people had already made. God simply ensures that these rebels
will do what their own evil hearts desire and not alter course for ulterior motives. But it’s altogether
unwarranted to suppose that God unilaterally hardens people’s hearts against Himself in the first place—
all the while pretending to offer them the hope of salvation! When God decides to harden someone’s
heart, we can be assured that God wishes it didn’t have to be that way.
—Adapted from Is God To Blame? pages 188-190 source
God hardens people by strengthening the resolve they have formed in their
own heart. For example, six times Scripture says “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s
heart” (Ex 9:12; 10:1; 10; 27; 11:10; 14:8). But it also notes that Pharaoh hardened
his own heart seven times before the Lord took His action (Ex 7:13-14, 22; 8:15, 19;
32; 9:7). Similarly, centuries before God hardened the Canaanites’ hearts (see Judges 11),
He had been tolerating their freely chosen wickedness and hardness toward Him (see Gen 15:16).
The unsurpassable love of God strives to turn humans toward Himself, but there is a point when
they become hopeless (Gen 6:3-8; Rom 1:24-32). At this point God’s strategy changes from trying
to change them to using them in their wickedness for His own providential purposes.
God justly responds to people’s wickedness by strengthening their resolve against Him.
In every instance where Scripture speaks of God hardening someone, it’s an act of judgment
in response to decisions these people had already made. God simply ensures that these rebels
will do what their own evil hearts desire and not alter course for ulterior motives. But it’s altogether
unwarranted to suppose that God unilaterally hardens people’s hearts against Himself in the first place—
all the while pretending to offer them the hope of salvation! When God decides to harden someone’s
heart, we can be assured that God wishes it didn’t have to be that way.
—Adapted from Is God To Blame? pages 188-190 source
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1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
Exo 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Exo 9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
The Bible says many are called but few are chosen but not too many people get called because of their heart condition that they are self exalting, power hungry, greedy, and love to rule over people, which in other words they do not have love for people like they should.
Pharaoh was such a man and God knew he would not change so He used Pharaoh to show His power on earth that He is the one true God.
When the Bible says God hardened Pharaoh's heart I do not believe God hardened his heart personally but allowed an evil spirit to harden his heart or he got hardened operating in the flesh.
Exo 9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Exo 9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
At the 7th plague Pharaoh was softening and saying he sinned and asked Moses to intreat the LORD for his sin but he would harden his heart again but I believe God did not harden his heart personally which you read in the Bible that God would allow an evil spirit to affect a people because they loved not the LORD but it was because the people did not have God on their side.
Exo 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Exo 9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
The Bible says many are called but few are chosen but not too many people get called because of their heart condition that they are self exalting, power hungry, greedy, and love to rule over people, which in other words they do not have love for people like they should.
Pharaoh was such a man and God knew he would not change so He used Pharaoh to show His power on earth that He is the one true God.
When the Bible says God hardened Pharaoh's heart I do not believe God hardened his heart personally but allowed an evil spirit to harden his heart or he got hardened operating in the flesh.
Exo 9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Exo 9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
At the 7th plague Pharaoh was softening and saying he sinned and asked Moses to intreat the LORD for his sin but he would harden his heart again but I believe God did not harden his heart personally which you read in the Bible that God would allow an evil spirit to affect a people because they loved not the LORD but it was because the people did not have God on their side.
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pharaoh was Egypt’s false divinity , they were the most idolatrous nation known and connoted evil daily. The hardening of pharaohs heart was fulfillment of prophecy to accomplish this
“And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
Genesis 15:13-16
God foretold TV at Egypt would enslave the Hebrews and that in the fourth generation God would judge Egypt and deliver the Hebrews back to the promised land where he made this promise
God sees who we are and what we’ll do in any situation knowing our core and heart pharaoh was Gods enemy at his core a false god himself and ruled a kingdom of idolatry , sin and darkness. He was just part of Gods prophecy for delivering the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt
what God foretells is always going to come to pass as he foretold it ultimately he delivers a servant people from the most powerful nation on earth at the time just by what he says and it coming to pass it glorified God to deliver a weak people from the dominant nation on earth showing who is God for his glory and the deliverance of his people he hardened pharaohs heart
“And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
Genesis 15:13-16
God foretold TV at Egypt would enslave the Hebrews and that in the fourth generation God would judge Egypt and deliver the Hebrews back to the promised land where he made this promise
God sees who we are and what we’ll do in any situation knowing our core and heart pharaoh was Gods enemy at his core a false god himself and ruled a kingdom of idolatry , sin and darkness. He was just part of Gods prophecy for delivering the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt
what God foretells is always going to come to pass as he foretold it ultimately he delivers a servant people from the most powerful nation on earth at the time just by what he says and it coming to pass it glorified God to deliver a weak people from the dominant nation on earth showing who is God for his glory and the deliverance of his people he hardened pharaohs heart
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