This really caught my attention today (I'm a day behind in readings... so technically it was Jan 28th reading)
Exodus 7:3-5
3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. 5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it."
Did you catch that? I reread this, and reread... and then checked other versions just to be sure. "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart" God was the one that hardened Pharaoh's heart!
After contemplating this... I realized there is such a HUGE life lesson in that statement. Can you imagine how the story would have gone if Pharaoh was like, "You know, these Hebrews are just getting on my nerves anyway, lets just let them go... Life will be easier without them." ? Pharaoh would have never witnessed God's power. He would never question who God was... So God hardened his heart... so that he could test Pharaoh and show him His glory.
Its just so powerful to think about because, while Pharaoh is dilly dallying around, the Hebrew people were suffering! I love this, because to me at least... I questioned God! WHY would God allow so many to suffer just to show some powerful snob that God is the one and only God? BECAUSE HE LOVES HIM, he loves Pharaoh! Its really a good thing I'm not God.. I would have said screw Pharaoh...
What a powerful lesson in that little statement! So when we suffer as Christians, we have to remember that God is allowing these trials so that in the end He will be glorified! Actually, He may not even be glorified! Its more that He could potentially be glorified. We know that in the story of Moses, Pharaoh gets it for a second maybe...
27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to them. "The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don't have to stay any longer."
but then oh, nevermind...
34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go
and it goes on and on. But God continues to allow his people to suffer so that maybe Pharaoh might truly see God.
This makes me think of the all too common question from those who question God: If God exists, and loves us, why would He allow such horrible things to happen, like Katrina, like 911, like WARS to happen? If he loved us, why would he let us suffer? Well, there are SO many many reasons that we don't understand, but I think this is a huge one. There is someone out there He LOVES and He is desperately trying to get their attention!
Good stuff, eh?
August 4th Bible in a Year Readings
1 year ago
We were reading that last night too...and I had given it a second look....read the study help for that verse....and looked again.
ReplyDeleteI You are so right. I love what you said. But what about free will? I couldn't get passed that.
after reading the study guide I thought of something different. God gives us free will right?...so why did he harden his heart? God gave him many chances, but he disobeyed each time. So God thought "ok have it your way" and he stopped working in Pharoah's heart.
I think it happens to people all the time. God is calling them, but they disobey and ignore him, and then God's voice becomes harder and harder to hear. Sin is what separates us from God, so maybe God didn't intentionally harden him...I know it says he did...but maybe that is part of the process when you fight God, your heart becomes hard as you move farther away from his calling in your life.
So I guess in a sense there was still free will. It just threw me for a loop too. Sometimes God confuses me, and I will never fully understand no matter how many times I read through the Bible. But I am learning so much! This is Great!