God and Pharaoh
Ex. 4:21
Ex. 4:21
I will harden his heart,
so that he will not let the people go.
so that he will not let the people go.
Facts according to the Scriptures
* God stated that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart.
The verse above plainly
states this to be true; it is God Himself who affirms that He will harden
the heart of Pharaoh; there is no mistaken what is stated.
The prediction
is made more than once:
“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My
signs and wonders in the land of Egypt” (Ex. 7:3).
Because God knew the
future and because He knew what He would do, namely harden Pharaoh, He
informed Moses: “I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no,
not even by a mighty hand” (Ex. 3:19).
Related to this is the fact that God is Sovereign in all things (see: God is Sovereign and Theistic Determinism)
Related to this is the fact that God is Sovereign in all things (see: God is Sovereign and Theistic Determinism)
* God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
God kept His word; He did
exactly what He stated that He would do.
Testimony of Scripture that God hardened Pharaoh:
Testimony of Scripture that God hardened Pharaoh:
The Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he
refuses to let the people go” (Ex. 7:14);
But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Ex. 9:12);
Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants” (Ex. 10:1);
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go (Ex. 10:20);
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go (Ex. 10:27);
The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children go out of his land (Ex. 11:10);
I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord (Ex. 14:4);
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh the king of Egypt (Ex. 14:8);
And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians (Ex. 14:17);
But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Ex. 9:12);
Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants” (Ex. 10:1);
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go (Ex. 10:20);
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go (Ex. 10:27);
The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children go out of his land (Ex. 11:10);
I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord (Ex. 14:4);
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh the king of Egypt (Ex. 14:8);
And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians (Ex. 14:17);
Additional testimony of Scripture regarding God’s hardening of individuals:
Num. 21:21-23
Deut. 2:30
Josh. 11:19-20
Ps. 105:25
Jo. 12:40
Rom. 9:17-18
Deut. 2:30
Josh. 11:19-20
Ps. 105:25
Jo. 12:40
Rom. 9:17-18
* Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did
not heed them, as the Lord had said (Ex. 7:22);
But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said (Ex. 8:15);
But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go (Ex. 8:32);
But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go (Ex. 9:7);
Pharaoh . . . hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard (Ex. 9:34-35).
But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said (Ex. 8:15);
But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go (Ex. 8:32);
But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go (Ex. 9:7);
Pharaoh . . . hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard (Ex. 9:34-35).
Problem and Solution for Some
The Problem – if God
hardened Pharaoh, then Pharaoh cannot be responsible for his sin; if God
hardened Pharaoh, the God is responsible for Pharaoh’s sin.
The Solution – God hardened Pharaoh after Pharaoh hardened himself; some understand the hardening by God to be the inevitable consequences of one who continues in sin: the senses become dull and sin becomes easier.
The Solution – God hardened Pharaoh after Pharaoh hardened himself; some understand the hardening by God to be the inevitable consequences of one who continues in sin: the senses become dull and sin becomes easier.
Observations
* Both
the problem and the solution are predicated on false premises, premises that
do not originate in Scripture.
* Such reasoning ignores the plain statements of Scripture.
* Such reasoning begins with Pharaoh and not with God; in other words, there is a veiled attempt to defend Pharaoh at the expense of God.
* Responsibility is not based on ability; Kant popularized the concept of “Ought implies can”; but this thinking is inconsistent with Scripture; the question of responsibility and ability must be discussed in terms of:
* Such reasoning ignores the plain statements of Scripture.
* Such reasoning begins with Pharaoh and not with God; in other words, there is a veiled attempt to defend Pharaoh at the expense of God.
* Responsibility is not based on ability; Kant popularized the concept of “Ought implies can”; but this thinking is inconsistent with Scripture; the question of responsibility and ability must be discussed in terms of:
One, the fact that man is creature not Creator; man is the clay
not the Potter.
Two, man’s identification with Adam and the depravity that accrues to all men because of him; see: Interpretation of Adam’s Act and The Principle of Identification.
Three, the fact of Law, and the fact that all are required to keep the Law; to keep the Law is to do right before God, the one and only God.
Four, the fact of Command; man’s responsibility is established because God has commanded.
Five, the personal sin of man and the sinful state of man that impact ability.
Two, man’s identification with Adam and the depravity that accrues to all men because of him; see: Interpretation of Adam’s Act and The Principle of Identification.
Three, the fact of Law, and the fact that all are required to keep the Law; to keep the Law is to do right before God, the one and only God.
Four, the fact of Command; man’s responsibility is established because God has commanded.
Five, the personal sin of man and the sinful state of man that impact ability.
* Hardening is allowing and
hastening the heart to pursue its own course.
* The Old Testament story of Pharaoh is used in the New Testament as an illustration of God’s Sovereignty; Rom. 9:17-18; see: God is Sovereign and Theistic Determinism.
* Man has no right to question the doing of God; God does not have to answer the questions and musings of man; see Rom. 9:20.
* The Old Testament story of Pharaoh is used in the New Testament as an illustration of God’s Sovereignty; Rom. 9:17-18; see: God is Sovereign and Theistic Determinism.
* Man has no right to question the doing of God; God does not have to answer the questions and musings of man; see Rom. 9:20.
See: Ex. 6:1-13 - I am the Lord
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