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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | why was pharoh's heart hardened? | Exodus | Sandman | 15310 | ||
Dear Fefala: Pharoah's heart was hardened after nine out of the ten plagues (7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, 9:12, 9:34-35, 10:20, 10:27). However, it is interesting to note that as the plagues progressed, events happened that cannot be merely summed up as "Pharoah's heart was hardened." First, he resorted to his palace and did not give the matter another thought (7:23). Second, he made a false promise to let the people worship if the frogs left (8:8). Next, he ignored the words of his magicians when they acknowledged the presence of God in the plagues (8:19). Then, he asked Moses to pray for him while he allowed the Israelites some freedom to go into the desert and worship (8:28). Pharoah also investigated the dead livestock (9:7). He twice acknowledged his sin to Moses and promised to let the people go (9:27-28, 10:16-17). He angrily commanded the Moses to never return to his presence (10:28). And finally, as a broken man he submissively released the Israelites into freedom (12:31-32). Why do I mention all that? Why was his heart so hard? There are two main reasons, I believe. The first is the display of the power of God, and the second is the reliquishing of Pharoah over to his sinful desires. First, in Exodus 6:1, 7:5, 8:22-23, 9:14-16, 10:1-2, and 11:9, you can readily get a good grasp on the whole purpose of God in the exodus of his people. He sent the plagues to "perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren." This type of event parallels God's command to keep his laws that he would give to his people in their promised land (Deut. 6). God was setting a precedent, he was manipulating events that would serve as a constant reminder to the Israelites that he was the Almighty Lord. Thus, the hardening of Pharoah's hard was part of the plan. Also check out 1 Samuel 16:14, where God sends an evil spirit to torment Saul so that His ultimate purpose might be accomplished. Second, Pharaoh was perpetually resisting God. He ignored God, he confessed his sins but never repent of them, he allowed only the men to leave, and he made promises to set God's people free that he renigged on at the last minute. As background info, Egypt was a land full of various types of gods (Pharoah himself was even considered a god). With such a plethora of paganism, Pharaoh probably gave little credit to the power of God due to the fact that such a God was the Lord of Hebrew slaves. Pharoah was stubbornly disobedient and willing to partially compromise (8:15, 8:25). What is one alternative that God has with someone who has utterly rejected Him? To let him has his way, as Paul says, "hand him over to Satan" (1 Cor. 5:5). Pharoah's constant rejection of God coupled with God's desire to carry out his perfect plan meant that Pharoah's heart would be completely unyielding. God did not merely hardened Pharoah's heart and punish him unjustly. He used a sinful man's heart to orchestrate the single greatest event of the Old Testament. Sandman |
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2 | why was pharoh's heart hardened? | Exodus | fefala | 15950 | ||
Sandman, in Exodus 4:21 before any plague was performed against Pharoh, God tells Moses that he will harden the heart of Pharoh. | ||||||
3 | why was pharoh's heart hardened? | Exodus | Greg Martin | 34052 | ||
But note that the Pharoh's heart was already hard in that he had treated Israel with cruelty. Also note that God had told Abraham that his children would be slaves in a strange land, but that He would judge them. Genesis 15:13Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. We know from Romans 1 that 21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. and 24Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, and 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; And so it is apparent that there is a point of no return with God, a point at which He will give a person over to vileness, and completely harden their already hard heart. the reason given in Romans is having a knowledge of God but not thinking it worthy of retaining. So the Justice of God is that if a person forsakes Him, He will harden that person's heart, that they may not be saved. This is a tough lesson, but one who will not bend his knee will be condemned to not having it be able to bend. Some could ask if this is fair, but He is God. He can not be continually offended without retribution. In addition, God in His purpose needed the world to see His mighty, Awesome power. If Pharoh had been a push-over, would the World have heard of His mighty works? Look how Israel behaved after seeing the awesome hand of God, the plagues, the pillar of smoke and fire, the separation of the Sea, the closing of the sea on Pharoh's army, etc. How would they have behaved if Pharoh had relented? |
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