10 - Hardening Pharoh’s Heart

This passage raises a subject which has been debated for centuries. Does the statement that God “hardened” Pharaoh’s heart mean He actually prevents some people from repenting and being saved. Throughout the next five chapters there are repeated references to hardening Pharaoh’s heart along with statements to the effect that Pharaoh then refused to submit to God’s demand to release the Hebrew slaves. Taken from one perspective, God appears to be playing a cruel game with Pharaoh. While ordering him to release the Israelites and performing stunning miracles powerful enough to convince any normal person that God was real and meant what He said, at the same time God miraculously prevented Pharaoh from changing his mind. This view makes Pharaoh a tragic figure in a great cosmic play. He’s being given commands and then prevented from obeying them with the result that his entire nation is forced to endure a series of devastating plagues. Those who assume this is what is taking place recognize it puts God’s character in a bad light: it makes Him look cruel and arbitrary. His demands to Pharaoh are insincere because the man is not permitted to say “yes.” But they justify this understanding by turning to Paul’s statement in Romans 9 which again seem to support them, and there the question is asked, “…Who are you O man, who answers back to God?” Paul goes on to argue that since God is the one who makes humans, He can use them anyway He wants to (Ro 9:19–23). Some feel this should silence any complaints about fairness. After all, He’s God and can do what He wants to. Today we’ll take a fresh look at the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart because the very character of God is at stake. Is God loving and just, desiring to save every person He can? Or are there some, like Pharaoh, whose hearts He hardens?