Message: Reading through Exodus I can’t help
but find myself torn between being mind blown over the stubbornness of Pharaoh
and also conflicted knowing God was hardening his heart. For years I wondered
how different things might have been if God hadn’t done that. What I eventually
came to terms with is that Pharaoh had already decided in his heart that he was
not going to change. God hardened the decision that he already made. He didn’t cause
him to make that decision against his own will. Since he had already chosen his
position, God used it as an opportunity to show Israel and all of Egypt who he
was. Egypt worshipped other gods and God came to show the people just how
useless their gods were in comparison. Another thing I found interesting is
that God prepared Moses ahead to do these powerful miracles, and then without
giving him the heads-up, God also allowed the Egyptian magicians to perform the
same miracles. Surprise!! This is what contributed to the hardening of Pharaoh’s
heart. What made a big, bold statement was the fact that after they were able
to imitate some of the same miracles, they were not able to restore things back
to health. The miracles they were performing were not good things. They were actually
plagues of destruction, so I couldn’t help but wonder why would they would add
more of a bad thing just to prove that they could. Especially since they didn’t
have the power to restore it. Pharaoh was completely dependent upon Moses to
pray and ask God to restore things. Pharaoh maintained his stubbornness, but each
time things got unbearable Pharaoh would appear to have a change of heart and he
would ask Moses to pray. But each time the plagues went away, Pharaoh’s heart
reverted back and he refused to let the people go. It seemed that Pharaoh was
picking up on a pattern and using it to his advantage. He was still very much
in a stubborn state, and probably not having real heart changes. He just knew
that if he asked Moses to pray that God would make it all go away. Then
something interesting happened. The plague of frogs came, and just like before
the magicians duplicated and multiplied the misery. Just like before, Pharaoh
asked Moses to pray and Moses asked him “when” he wanted to deal with it and
Pharaoh said “tomorrow”. Ummmm what? Why tomorrow? Why not now? Then he did the
same thing with the gnats. But why? The plagues were miserable, but Pharaoh seemed
to be having a power struggle. He was living with the misery and now seemed to
be intentionally prolonging it. But why? Because he didn’t want to give up
control?
Command: Surrender!!!!!
Promise: God will change a surrendered heart.
Warning: An un-surrendered heart will flip-flop
with the appearance of change. But because the desire is only to make
the consequences go away it will always revert back.
Application: Reading this I can clearly see this
blatantly at work in someone else in my life, but what I really need to ask myself
is what plagues of misery am I contributing to my own life and refusing to give
up?? Where am I pretending to have a heart change, but actually deceiving
myself and somehow believing I’m convincing God too. These are hard questions
but I can see where I know what I’m supposed to be doing but struggling
to follow through because my heart hasn’t truly changed. I want the pain and
misery to go away but I’m not quite ready to give up the control. Lord please
help me to want change. Not just the appearance of change!!
