Did this happen because God got some sort of thrill by killing all the first-born Egyptians?
2007-04-12 03:11:36 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Obviously!
I love it - God tells Moses that whatever the latest punishment Pharaoh visits upon the Hebrews, He'll give the Egyptians a taste of their own medicine - and then He personally hardens Pharaohs's heart until he decrees the death of the Hebrew firstborn! It's a two-for-one infanticide, at the express instigation of "The Lord"!
But the OT "God" always had a thing for the mass slaughter of babies. The fact that people today, in 21st century America, not only believe in the "literal truth" of such fables, but actually derive their "morality" therefrom, is nothing short of astounding.
In the responses from "religious" people to this question, you see the standard lunatic syllogism: "No true God would command the unjust slaughter of innocent babies. The God of the Bible is the true God. Therefore, the God of the Bible did not command the unjust slaughter of innocent babies" - even though he obviously, plainly, clearly DID! Nothing could be more simple and precise than the biblical narrative itself.
2007-04-12 03:18:43 · answer #1 · answered by jonjon418 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Pharaohs heart was already hard long before Moses and God intervened. 400 years of slavery would do that to any man.He thought himself as a god on earth and did not believe in anyone elses God. To him, all non-Egyptians were to be slaves forever.Slavery is wrong and what God, through Moses did, was to teach Pharaoh that it was wrong taking drastic measures to free the slaves. The same thing the Lincoln did causing a war in the U.S. as you know.
2007-04-12 10:19:29 · answer #2 · answered by Ted 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, my friend, I didn't read it that way. Here's my explanation about what that means:
God didn't "physically" harden Pharoah's heart. He didn't say, "Well, I'm going to make Pharoah not like me so I can do all these miracles." God is not like that and He doesn't act like that. He's a merciful God. What I read it to mean is that the "thought" of God hardened Pharoah's heart. See, Pharoah knew that the Israelites believed in God--a power much, much, much, higher than He or the gods the Egyptians worshiped. Because of that, Pharoah feared God and the thought of this higher being "hardened" his heart. And I know that the Bible said that God said that I will harden Pharoah's heart. He was implying that the thought of Him did something to his heart. That's kind of like people saying, "He/she makes me sick." They don't mean that person "physically" makes them sick, but just the "thought" of that person.
So think about it like this, if God can physically "harden" someone's heart, why doesn't He soften everybody's heart just to love Him? We have the free will to accept or reject God. He gave us that choice. I'm glad that I accept Him. I hope this explanation helps. It probably may not change your mind, but I just wanted to put some insight into your question.
2007-04-12 10:22:32 · answer #3 · answered by IB_08 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Pharaoh in effect hardened his own heart. The first few times he refused the text does not refer to G-d hardening his heart, it is only after he has refused several times.
When we do wrong at first it is hard but as we continue to do it, it gets easier and easier. The same when we do good. This like all things is a gift from G-d. The explanation is rather lengthy and I have cut it short considerably but this is the basics.
2007-04-12 10:16:13 · answer #4 · answered by Quantrill 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Wrong....
He hardened Pharaoh's heart because Pharaoh wouldn't listen to begin with
Read Romans 9....God will have mecry upon whomever He wants.....and He will harden whomever He wants
2007-04-12 10:15:00 · answer #5 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
God did what ever it took to make Pharaoh let God's people go. Disobedience has it's price. Pharaoh disobeyed God's order to let His people go and paid the price for it.
2007-04-12 10:15:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Which is exactly what all those tree-hugger 'God is only love' Christians need to stand a little bit closer to their Bibles. God wipes out people He doesn't like pretty regularly. It is written that he hates some people before they are even born. Amen.
2007-04-12 10:15:08 · answer #7 · answered by Hate Boy! 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Pharoh's heart being hardened allowed the Jews and Moses in particular to realize their true worth, power and blessing. We see over and over in the Bible that the Jews often forgot their calling. This was something they would remember. and don't feel too bad for poor Pharoh. He was aweful! His government was crooked and unjust. he got what he deserved.
2007-04-12 10:20:24 · answer #8 · answered by Teresa 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God was only showing us what was already there in his heart.Better would be said "God gave him a chance but he hardened his own heart."
2007-04-12 10:15:23 · answer #9 · answered by AngelsFan 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God takes pleasure in killing many people at once. The more the happier. The higher in society the happier too.
2007-04-12 10:15:13 · answer #10 · answered by poseidenneptune 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋