Exodus (Program #21) -The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
God’s people Israel spent hundreds of years in slavery and bondage in Egypt. Ultimately, the Lord heard their cries and initiated through His called one Moses, a personal battle with Pharaoh. During the course of this lengthy conflict, Pharaoh is repeatedly subdued only to have his heart harden again to resist the demand of Jehovah God to let His people go. This is the stuff of great Sunday school lesson to be sure. But does it hold a meaningful lesson for all of us? For all serious believers?
We are considering a very difficult question that has been the source of theological debate over the centuries; that is the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart in Egypt. During this long conflict between God and Pharaoh, at times we see God hardening Pharaoh’s heart and at other times Pharaoh harden his own heart. In Exodus 4:21 “And Jehovah said to Moses, When you go to return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go.”. Then in 8:19 “Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, This is the finger of God. But Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as Jehovah had said.” Finally in 8:32 “However Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, and he did not let the people go.”
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