Creator, Father, King #72

The LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the LORD had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.

WE LIKE IT WHEN life is easy. But there are some hard things that are good too:

• Hard hats are critical for construction workers.
• Hard candy is always delicious to suck on.
• Hard concrete is always better to walk on than soft, wet concrete.

But a hardened heart? Well, that’s another matter entirely.

When Moses and Aaron were preparing to confront Pharaoh, God told Moses,

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. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.

Genesis features multiple references about Pharaoh hardening his heart against God and refusing to let Israel go. But there are other references, including today’s verse and the passage above, that specifically say God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

So which was it? And if God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, was Pharaoh responsible for his actions? After all, if God initiated this, how could Pharaoh resist God’s will?

What’s It Mean?

These are deep theological questions—deep enough for the apostle Paul to use Pharaoh to illustrate the age-old “God’s sovereignty vs. man’s free will” debate in Romans 9. (See the October 17–20 devotions on God’s election.)

First, we must agree with Scripture that God is always just in his judgments (Deuteronomy 32:4). Next, we need to understand that humans (including Pharaoh) are always accountable for their sinful nature, rebellious deeds, and hardened hearts against God.

Before encountering Yahweh, Pharaoh wasn’t an upstanding moral citizen. He was a pagan emperor who had little regard for human life (Exodus 5), constantly broke his word, and “refused to listen” (today’s verse). Pharaoh’s guilt was justified.

Yes, Pharaoh hardened his heart toward God. But God also hardened Pharaoh’s heart to accomplish his sovereign purposes with Israel (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17).

How can the two coexist? Ultimately, the Bible doesn’t fully explain, but rather it calls us to trust in God. Are you willing to submit your curiosity, questions, and limited understanding of the deep riddles of life to the Lord’s sovereignty, goodness, and love?

Now What?

Read Romans 9 to gain a greater understanding and reverence for God’s awesome sovereignty.

Did You Know?

God used wicked Pharaoh to accomplish his plan to create a nation through which the Savior of the world would come!