Exodus 4:21
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
But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt,
Exodus 7:13
Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
2007-02-13 06:29:49 · 12 answers · asked by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Oops I mean Pharaoh!
2007-02-13 06:32:37 · update #1
God hardened Pharaohs heart. This is just one of many issues that prove pre-destination. God also stated in that story, "for this purpose have I raised thee up." Apparently the only purpose of Pharaohs existence was for this situation and it brought glory to God in the fact that His name might be known and proclaimed through all the Earth.
Pharaoh had no say in this matter, nor did many others such as King Nebuchadnezzer.
2007-02-13 06:33:28 · answer #1 · answered by pontiuspilatewsm 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I was always baffled at this hard heat thing also. Why would God let him be hard hearted? Then I read the answer in the New testament. It reads something like God allowed ones heart to be hardened because they are not lovers of the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-13 (NIV)
9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."
The New Test. also says in the last days even some Christians will believe a lie because they are not lovers of the truth. And he will allow a great dilution to over take them. I can think of some that this is already happened to.
†
2007-02-13 14:39:27 · answer #2 · answered by Jeanmarie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pharaoh made his own heart stubborn against God, Ex 9:34; and God gave him up to judicial blindness, so that he rushed on stubbornly to his own destruction.
From the whole of Pharaoh’s conduct we learn that he was bold, haughty, and cruel; and God chose to permit these dispositions to have their full sway in his heart without check or restraint from Divine influence: the consequence was what God intended, he did not immediately comply with the requisition to let the people go; and this was done that God might have the fuller opportunity of manifesting his power by multiplying signs and miracles, and thus impress the hearts both of the Egyptians and Israelites with a due sense of his omnipotence and justice.
2007-02-13 14:38:22 · answer #3 · answered by Ask Mr. Religion 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think Pharoah already had a hardened heart to begin with. I think that God saying that He would harden his heart meant that He would cause Pharoah to refuse to listen to all sound reasoning regarding the decision to let God's people go. I don't believe that God would have done this, had Pharoah not had a hardened heart to begin with, but because it was already hardened, God used that for His purpose to show Himself to be the Mighty God He is, with His miraculous signs and wonders.
2007-02-13 15:49:11 · answer #4 · answered by Chimichanga to go please!! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Ruler was prideful already, God did harden his heart just like he did Judas Iscariot and Balaam. God did not change his nature,
Pharaoh's nature was rich, prideful, arrogant, and assumed he was better than the slave people and his God was better also because his magicians could copy the tricks he assumed it was not worth the loss of free labor over a false God.
2007-02-13 14:38:30 · answer #5 · answered by sirromo4u 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Clearly god made the pharaoh tell Moses no so that god could kill a bunch of Egyptians. The pharaoh had no choice in the matter.
This was one of god's bloodthirsty phases. He followed the slaughter of the Egyptian innocents with orders to slaughter the Canaanites.
2007-02-13 14:35:37 · answer #6 · answered by Dave P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God did it, but the Pharaoh's pride and self-will allowed him to.
Dave:
The Canaanites were far from innocent. As was for the Egyptians.
If you read the whole story behind God's "Innocent massacres" you might understand a little more.
2007-02-13 14:35:47 · answer #7 · answered by Doug 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Definitely. No one is forced against their will. If Pharaoh had been reasonable, then the story would have been a bit different, but YHVH is still the hero.
2007-02-13 14:34:15 · answer #8 · answered by hasse_john 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is sin that hardens ones heart and the more you are disobedient toward God the more it will harden your heart. So in a sense God did have something to do with hardening his heart but it was not Gods choice.
2007-02-13 14:35:06 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't understand why god did it. if he had the power to harden it, he had the power to soften it, and not allow the suffering that followed. Why wouldn't great miracles have worked instead of plagues? why was god so pissed off?
2007-02-13 14:36:02 · answer #10 · answered by elfkin, attention whore 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋