THURSDAY
In this plague narrative, we run up against maybe the biggest question in Christian theology. The hard heart of Pharaoh touches on the complicated relationship between God’s sovereignty and human freedom. We of course won’t be able to give a full answer here, but let’s dip our toes in the water. Since the text goes there, we should as well.
The question is, “Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart or did Pharaoh harden his own heart?” The answer is complex because the text says both in multiple locations. Before the plagues even begin we read:
Exodus 3:19 (NIV) 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him.
Exodus 4:21 (NIV) 21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
Exodus 7:3 (NIV) 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt,
During the first plagues the text twice says it in the passive:
Exodus 7:13 (NIV) 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
Exodus 7:22 (NIV) 22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
We see the same passive in 8:17,
The meaning is a little obscure, as it could be a divine passive, implying that it is God who hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Or it could be simply saying that his heart became hard without any indication of who performed the action.
After the 2nd, 4th we read that Pharaoh hardened his heart:
Exodus 8:15 (NIV) 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
Exodus 8:32 (NIV) 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.
We see this as well in 9:34-35 after the 6th plague.
After the 5th plague and before the 8th we read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
Exodus 9:12 (NIV) 12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.
Exodus 10:1–2 (NIV) 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 2 that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”
We see the same in 10:20, 27. Then later in 14:4, 17.
Before the Passover we see both:
Exodus 11:9–10 (NIV) 9 The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.
Before the plague of hail, God instructs Moses to tell Pharaoh that God has raised him up for the purpose of displaying his power and that his name will be glorified in the earth.
Exodus 9:13–17 (NIV) 13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.
Some would say that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, and then God, seeing Pharaoh’s course of action and persistence in that course of evil action, steps in and accelerates Pharaoh’s hardened heart towards the end. This is a good option, but I don’t think that explanation quite suffices, since the primary purpose of the plagues was to reveal God’s great power and authority over all life on earth. If Pharaoh had acquiesced at the first demand, God’s power would not have been made known. God also says before the plagues begin that he is going to harden Pharaoh’s heart.
The Apostle Paul in Romans picks up on this theme as he is exploring why most of Israel wasn’t coming to faith in Jesus. He essentially concludes that God is hardening the hearts of some in Israel so that the Gentiles can be brought into the people of God.
Romans 9:16–24 (NIV)
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
The answer to our original question in Exodus seems to be both. This is a tension that the biblical authors don’t completely iron out for us, so we must hold both in tension as well. However, we also can’t just throw up our hands and say we don’t know anything about it because Scripture speaks to it. We must conclude that God in his sovereignty can harden hearts for his purposes while also maintaining human responsibility for our evil. I don’t quite understand how that works but this seems to be what the text says, at least as much as I can understand it. God does not stand behind evil in the same way that he does good. Evil is not attributed to God in the same way that goodness is attributed to him.
This may seem unfair, but we must remember none of us are owed salvation and eternal life. God is completely justified in condemning all of us to hell. It is only by his grace and mercy that any are saved. Therefore, who are we to talk back to God? It is his choice as the author and sustainer of life.
As you can probably tell, I tend to fall more on the sovereignty of God, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart side of the discussion. Christians can come to different conclusions on this topic and that’s just fine. It’s a difficult issue to discern. I would, however, encourage you to wrestle with the text and do your best to understand what the Word of God reveals. If you don’t feel like you have it all figured out, that’s okay. We shouldn’t go beyond it, of course, and claim to have it all figured out, but we also shouldn’t settle for less than the text reveals.
Reflection
Whatever the truth is on this topic, the application is don’t be like Pharaoh. Humble yourself before the Lord and soften your heart or pray for God to soften your heart. If you are doing that, you have nothing to worry about. God has not hardened your heart or you have not hardened your heart. Whether you take the initiative or God does, surrender to God and give your life over to him.