Friday, August 6, 2010

Loving God and Hard-Hearted Pharaoh

For your search, turn to Exodus 9.

A pattern between a loving God and a hardened Pharaoh had developed: God spoke His command through Moses to let His people go; the Pharaoh refused to let the people go; God sent signs and wonders through Moses and Aaron; the Pharaoh deceptively agreed to let the people go; the signs and wonders stop; then, Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to let the people go; and the pattern started again. The difference came in the severity of the signs and wonders God used to show who He is to the Pharaoh and to the Egyptians in order to free His people.

Chapter 9 began with God warning the king of Egypt that if he refused to let the people go, God would send a plague upon Egypt's animals. (Exodus 9:3). A time was set and God followed through with His warning--"...all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one" (Exodus 9:5,6). The king of Egypt still had a hardened heart and did not let the people go (Exodus 9:7).

Then, the Lord sent forth boils upon man and beast through handfuls of ashes from the furnace sprinkled toward heaven by Moses and Aaron in Pharaoh's sight (Exodus 9:8,9). With his heart still hardened, the Pharaoh disregarded God's orders (Exodus 9:12).

Once again, God worked through Moses to speak to Pharaoh. "...Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I might smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth: (Exodus 9:13-15).

God revealed Pharaoh's purpose: "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go" (Exodus 9:16-17)?

The Pharaoh was warned: "Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die" (Exodus 9:18,19).

"He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field" (Exodus 9:20,21).

God had Moses to stretch forth his hand toward heaven (Exodus 9:22,23). This action brought forth hail, thunder and fire from God upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 9:23). "So there was hail, and fire mingled with hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field" (Exodus 9:24,25). God protected the children of Israel and sent no hail to their land of Goshen (Exodus 9:26).

With stronger and more convincing words, Pharaoh "...sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. [Ask] the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer" (Exodus 9:28).

"And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God" (Exodus 9:29,30).

"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up" (Exodus 9:31,32).

"And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses" (Exodus 9:33-35).

God's Hand in the Matter: God protected the children of Israel from the signs and wonders set upon the land. None of the children's cattle were killed by the plague. The hail avoided the children in the land of Goshen.

God revealed Pharaoh's purpose which was to show God's power in him to declare God's name throughout all the earth.

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