Pharaoh's Hard Heart
There are many places in scripture where we learn things that perplex us. “What does that mean?” we may ask, as we scratch our head. One of those places where scripture confuses is found in the book of Exodus as Moses is sent by God to free the Israelites. We find these words in Exodus 7, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh…. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you.’”
And it happens, over and over, as the plagues occur and Pharaoh hardens his heart, refusing to let the Israelites leave his country. It takes a total of 10 plagues before he finally relents, and even with the death of all the firstborn in Egypt (except for the Israelites who put blood on their doorposts so the death angel will “Passover”), even after allowing them to go, Pharoah will change his mind again and go after them. Why would God harden his heart, we ask, creating this destructive timeline that hurts many people in the process?
One response is to say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he could demonstrate his power over the false gods of Egypt, demonstrating to the Israelites that he is truly God. As it turns out, each of the plagues attack a symbol of a false god that Egypt worshiped (the Egyptian god Heqet was represented by a frog, for example). Although it is true that God accomplished that objective during the plagues, I don’t think that answers the question of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. And it doesn’t satisfy those who view all the destruction that occurred because of the plagues. It is an example of God bringing good out of bad, of pursuing his purposes in spite of resistance, but does it explain how we are to take hardening Pharaoh’s heart? I don’t think so.
R.C. Sproul, a respected theologian, has said “The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, however it is accomplished, is a judgment of God on a person who is already recalcitrant in his soul and at enmity with his Creator.” And Martin Luther argued that God did not come in and directly or immediately create fresh evil in Pharaoh’s heart, he simply removed his common grace from Pharaoh, he removed the restraints, allowing Pharaoh to be Pharaoh, blinded by his position of authority.
But let me put it in simpler terms. I had a professor at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, MO who explained this to my satisfaction. His name was Edsil Dale, and in addition to teaching at CCCB, he also taught an adult Sunday Bible class at Union Ave. Christian Church. I was his assistant for several years, learning a lot from him. He used this phrase: The same sun that melts butter, hardens clay. What did he mean; how does this help?
It means that when applied to Pharaoh, he always had a choice. As God acted through the plagues, Pharaoh could relent and allow the Israelites to go (God melting his heart), or he could resist and refuse to allow the Israelites to go (God hardening his heart). God did not force Pharaoh’s heart to be hard, he simply took action that provided a choice, and as Pharaoh chose to resist, God was indirectly hardening his heart. The same sun that melts butter, hardens clay. Pharaoh’s choice: to draw near God in surrender, or to push him away.
Questions:
1. What example can you think of that demonstrates this principle?
2. What tough situation are you facing that provides a choice: to have a heart that melts and draws God near seeking his will, or to push God away as you allow your heart to harden?
And it happens, over and over, as the plagues occur and Pharaoh hardens his heart, refusing to let the Israelites leave his country. It takes a total of 10 plagues before he finally relents, and even with the death of all the firstborn in Egypt (except for the Israelites who put blood on their doorposts so the death angel will “Passover”), even after allowing them to go, Pharoah will change his mind again and go after them. Why would God harden his heart, we ask, creating this destructive timeline that hurts many people in the process?
One response is to say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he could demonstrate his power over the false gods of Egypt, demonstrating to the Israelites that he is truly God. As it turns out, each of the plagues attack a symbol of a false god that Egypt worshiped (the Egyptian god Heqet was represented by a frog, for example). Although it is true that God accomplished that objective during the plagues, I don’t think that answers the question of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. And it doesn’t satisfy those who view all the destruction that occurred because of the plagues. It is an example of God bringing good out of bad, of pursuing his purposes in spite of resistance, but does it explain how we are to take hardening Pharaoh’s heart? I don’t think so.
R.C. Sproul, a respected theologian, has said “The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, however it is accomplished, is a judgment of God on a person who is already recalcitrant in his soul and at enmity with his Creator.” And Martin Luther argued that God did not come in and directly or immediately create fresh evil in Pharaoh’s heart, he simply removed his common grace from Pharaoh, he removed the restraints, allowing Pharaoh to be Pharaoh, blinded by his position of authority.
But let me put it in simpler terms. I had a professor at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, MO who explained this to my satisfaction. His name was Edsil Dale, and in addition to teaching at CCCB, he also taught an adult Sunday Bible class at Union Ave. Christian Church. I was his assistant for several years, learning a lot from him. He used this phrase: The same sun that melts butter, hardens clay. What did he mean; how does this help?
It means that when applied to Pharaoh, he always had a choice. As God acted through the plagues, Pharaoh could relent and allow the Israelites to go (God melting his heart), or he could resist and refuse to allow the Israelites to go (God hardening his heart). God did not force Pharaoh’s heart to be hard, he simply took action that provided a choice, and as Pharaoh chose to resist, God was indirectly hardening his heart. The same sun that melts butter, hardens clay. Pharaoh’s choice: to draw near God in surrender, or to push him away.
Questions:
1. What example can you think of that demonstrates this principle?
2. What tough situation are you facing that provides a choice: to have a heart that melts and draws God near seeking his will, or to push God away as you allow your heart to harden?
Posted in Waking Up Eutychus