Harden חָזַק

We are in Exodus chapter four with our word for today. חָזַק be strong, grow or make strong, harden, tie fast, bind, persist, be constant. It is used 290 times in the Old Testament. We see it used to identify a hard heart that is not open to any outside direction. Pharaoh is a good example of this God sent Moses to ask for his people to be released from their work to go and worship him. Here is why Pharaoh was not open to God’s request. Exodus 7:13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became וַיֶּחֱזַק֙ hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. Exodus 7:22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Exodus 8:19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said. Exodus 9:35 So Pharaoh’s heart was וַֽיֶּחֱזַק֙ hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses. This is interesting that God the most powerful being that exists is asking a creature for permission to do something. That is mind blowing in and of itself. But this is even more so the fact that it was God himself that was causing Pharaoh’s heart to become hard. Which is how our word is used in our chapter for today. Exodus 4:21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will אֲחַזֵּ֣ק harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. After God let’s Moses know what will happen we see our word used to describe exactly what happened with the refrain repeated each time it is used “Just as the LORD had said through Moses” which we just looked at. But also notice the repetition of who is hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Exodus 9:12 The Lord וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This is same phrase is in Exodus 10:20, Exodus 10:27, Exodus 11:10, Exodus 14:4, Exodus 14:8, and Exodus 14:17 Wow that is an enormous amount of emphasis! So does this mean that Pharaoh didn’t have a choice? I don’t think so because instead of blessing God’s people he chose to be like every other Pharaoh before him after Joseph who saved Egypt. He enslaved them to harsh labor cursing instead of blessing. So after 430 years God had enough patience waiting for Egypt and it’s leaders to stop curing and start blessing his people. So after they failed to do God’s will God decided to judge Egypt and destroy it. So after all the freewill actions of the Pharaoh’s over 430 years it was time for God to act justly and wipe them out for their evil. He did this by hardening Pharaoh’s heart so he wouldn’t let the people go and continue to bring one plague after another until the power of Egypt was destroyed in the Red Sea when their army drowned. We’ve seen earlier how even Pharaoh’s officials recognized that it was the true God that was doing this to Egypt and he should let them go. And Exodus 12:12 I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. God addresses this idea of rejecting him over and over and over again until your heart becomes hard and is not responsive any longer in Romans chapters 9-11. I’ll close with this challenge. How do we want God to look at us? Through the window of grace where he forgives us because he sees Jesus perfect life in our place. Or through the window of God’s sternness which is our own sinful life? Romans 11:22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.