And the LORD told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. [Exodus 4.21]
Did you ever hear someone's name and just get mad?
How about this: did you ever hear about someone and not like them even though you did not know them?
Why would anyone not like someone they had not met? Well, it could be argued, that a person's reputation precedes them (and it does), but what if that reputation is skewed by misinformation?
As we just saw in the story of Job over the last few days, pride causes a lot of misinformation when it comes to God. For this reason, Job was angry at God. One might accurately say Job's heart was hardened against God because of his blinding pride.
Hello Pharaoh. As discussed yesterday, the Pharaohs of Egypt were not known for their humility. In other words, they were quite proud in their powerful positions. The reigning Pharaoh in Moses' day was no different - these guys did not take well to being told what to do... Any person (or even deity) who claimed superiority over Pharaoh incited the hardening of heart found in those so blinded by their own pride.
While it might make sense, instead of God claiming to harden Pharaoh's heart, that God would have said Pharaoh hardened his own heart, it is worth noting that God will not give Pharaoh's pride even the slightest satisfaction of thinking he was capable of hardening his own heart against God.
This has nothing to do with God randomly smashing someone!
God did harden Pharaoh's heart, but I think we need to consider Pharaoh's pride in the process. Had pride not been present, Pharaoh would simply have submitted to God's will. Had Pharaoh had no pride in his heart, God's demand to let Israel go would have been a simple matter of obedience.
The lesson here for us is HUGE! When God's Word tells us what to do, are we found in simple obedience? Or, are our hearts "hardened by God" in that He would presume to tell us what to believe or how to live our lives?
We have been witnessing "God hardening hearts" as long as man has existed on earth! It is seen clearly in every refusal of man to submit to God.
Father, help us to take every opportunity in our lives to get rid of pride and just submit to You.
1 comment:
Amen brother thanks so much for your words here. This has always been a part of the Bible that’s quarried around in my heart and soul that I couldn’t get a clarity too. This brings me a much clearer peace about God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Love ya brother keep on going.
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