Romans 9: 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Some persons become perplexed about the passage above, in which it might seem to show that freedom of one’s choice is manipulated by God to serve His own purposes. A misunderstanding of the passage has led some persons to conclude “What’s the point in trying, if God will override our choices anyway?”
And because of this incorrect conclusion, some have thrown in the towel before they have even started, and others have adopted the attitude: “Whatever will be, will be”
Thus, instead of studying line upon line and precept upon precept, to know the truth in the matter some individuals have given up on God, and the salvation Christ purchased, in exchange for the attitude often harbored, “Why bother?”
Now, while it is true that in His capacity as Creator, God retains the right, and the prerogative to force persons into a certain course of action against their will, this is not the case in most instances. We are free moral agents with the freedom to choose given us by God Himself, and as such we are the arbiters of our own destiny.
A thorough understanding of this issue will not only clear up major theological sticking points as pertains to the issue with pharaoh, but it will shed great light on the ways, means, and methods God employs in the salvation of souls for if we would receive it, God was actually trying to save pharaoh, just as much as He was trying to save Judas.
However, before we proceed, we should lay a solid foundation for our study, by observing a few facts about God. God’s omniscience, which is His singular ability to read, and understand future events with pinpoint accuracy, does not lead Him to manipulate our hearts and minds, in order to get His will done, in the overwhelming majority of cases.
God plans, and executes His plans based upon what He has foreseen persons will choose to do anyway, of their own volition. But in most cases, persons will do what God says they would do, not because God would manipulate their decision-making process for His predictions to come through, but because His foreknowledge of events and persons is accurate.
In fact, in some circumstances, God actually gave to some persons, an opportunity to prove otherwise in His predictions, but in most instances, the human agent, followed the script without being prodded or goaded on by God. That’s because His omniscience is meticulously precise, and because of this it can be depended upon, by all who will believe.
Case in point was Peter, to whom Christ once made the prediction that before the cock crows twice, he would deny Jesus thrice. Instead of Peter humbling himself and receiving the prediction as coming from One who does not make a mistake, Peter then took offence at the statement, and the rest is history.
The prediction did not only include Peter, but it also included the chicken, that would fulfill Christ’s word to the letter. God was not in the background with a conductor’s baton, orchestrating the entire ordeal, He was just up in heaven, watching the scene play out, just as He had seen it many centuries before.
Peter denied Christ and the cock crew in accordance with the predictions, even though the human agent had ample opportunity to do otherwise. In fact, God would have loved it if in response to His predictions, Peter would watch and pray, to avoid making such a terrible mistake.
And, if Peter had chosen to believe, and act upon Christ’s warning, God would have had no problem whatsoever, with Christ’s word not coming true, because at the end of the day, Christ died to save people, not prophecy. Let’s read:
Mark 14: 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
31 But he spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.
The word “Vehemently” in the above verse, tells us that Peter became upset at Christ’s prediction, and as the story goes Peter then went on to fulfill it with unerring accuracy. No force was used, no coercion on either Peter or the chicken in question, but all fulfilled God’s word to the letter.
The same was true of Judas, for in His omniscience, God had foreseen that Judas would betray Jesus on that fateful night. When Jesus made the revelation to Judas, He was simply repeating what David had written of Judas, several centuries before. God did not force Judas to do what He did, instead God gave him opportunity to do differently if he would repent and relinquish his diabolical plans.
God did not actually need Judas to play the part he predicted Judas would play. When it was time for Christ to lay down His life, God would have laid the sins of the world upon Him, and the weight of our transgressions would have killed Jesus anyway.
But, if in His foreknowledge God saw that Judas will insist on doing what he decided to do, then Judas’ future actions would be incorporated into the word of God as a prophecy of what would take place, not as something that God would force him, or anyone else to do. Let’s read:
Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
23 And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
And many centuries before: Psalms 41: 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
Thus, before we proceed, it will be imperative that we observe what the scriptures teach us about this singular ability of God to read the future, because it will shed great light upon our understanding of the saga of pharaoh, who for all intents and purposes, may have seemed to be bound in an iron destiny, to stubbornly disregard God’s gracious overtures. Let’s read:
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
Even though God accurately declares the end from the beginning, God would have us understand that there are also conditional prophecies pertaining to nations and individuals, in which the human agent, by their own choice, can change the outcomes, for conditional prophecies often leave the ball in the human court.
Case in point was Nineveh, that great city, whose sins and iniquities had reached unto heaven, in so much that their probation would soon be closed.
God sends Jonah with a prophecy that clearly states that their city would be destroyed in 40 days. But if they so choose, they could cause the prophecy not to come true, and by their own choices, they could change the word of God through Jonah into a “No”. The ball is entirely in their court, just as it was with pharaoh, Judas, Peter, and you and me.
In other words, the outcome and fulfillment of the prophecy rested solely with the people of Nineveh, and God would have no problem whatsoever, if His declaration isn’t carried out, for as we stated before God was seeking to save Nineveh not destroy them, just as He would have saved pharaoh if the king had repented. Let’s read:
Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water.
8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Therefore, in the study of “How and why pharaoh’s heart was hardened”, we should keep in mind that God is A God of love, who was more than willing to let His prediction fail if the ill-fated king would do as the Ninevites did.
In the narrative, we would read in several passages where God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and then we would read where pharaoh hardened his own heart, and therefore, we may safely conclude that the king was hardened in two ways, by himself, and by God, according to the scriptures. Let’s read:
Exodus 4: 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When you go to return into Egypt see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Exodus 7:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go.
21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.
Exodus 8: 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
Exodus 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.
33 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.
34 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.
35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.
Exodus 10:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.
Question: Was Pharaoh always a knuckle-head, long before there were plagues upon Egypt or did God deliberately make him a knuckle-head?
Answer: Long before any plague had fallen in Egypt, pharaoh had decided to reject the truth, the facts and evidence that God had given to the nation.
The history of what Joseph had done, in saving the Egyptians by the power of God, surely must have been registered in the national archives, as well as in the minds of the people, but this particular king chose not to see, or recognize the great things God did for the nation.
Pharaoh deliberately blinded his own heart to the sacred history of God’s goodness towards Egypt and by so doing, he set himself in mode of action to try and resist any and everything God would do. Thus, God used the king’s natural stubbornness as a sort of vehicle, whereby His power would be manifested in the earth.
When the scriptures declare that pharaoh knew not Joseph, we are now looking at a king who has made a conscious decision to reject undeniable truth, long before any plague had fallen upon the Egyptians. Let’s read:
Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.
10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.
Thus, there are several questions to be answered as we study the issue of the hardening of one’s heart:
If pharaoh had decided to obey that first command to let Israel go, would God then have deliberately prevented him from doing so?
Was Pharaoh’s freedom of choice removed from him at this time, so that he was bound in an iron destiny, where he had no choice but to be stubborn?
What were the hardening agents that were used in making the ill-fated pharaoh bone -headed?
But one of the most important questions is the one found in the following passage, which ought to be viewed in the context of God’s foreknowledge of future events. Let’s read:
Exodus 5:22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, why is it that thou hast sent me?
And finally, what will be the ramifications of the answers to these questions, for those of us who are tasked with the preaching of the everlasting gospel?
Believe it or not, it was facts and the truth that God used which resulted in hardening pharaoh’s heart. God only deals in truth, so, it is our response to truth which determines whether or not a person’s heart would be hardened.
If we were to place mortar in direct sunlight it would naturally harden, but if we were to put butter in the same sunlight, it will melt, and therefore, the materials in question are what ultimately determine the end results of either softening or hardening.
As it pertains to the presentation of truth in all ages, God often sends His servants on missions that will meet with much stubborn resistance from those He is trying to save, and the reason He will send them anyway is because there are many instances where the results have been favorable.
Although, as a general rule of thumb, the truth will run into stiff opposition from the popular majority, yet there are times when the sunshine of God’s love and mercy will soften hearts, and produce fruit for His kingdom. The results are not left up to us, for it is God alone who knows who would, or would not be hardened. Let’s read:
Ezekiel 2: 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
4 For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.
5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 3: 4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
Ezekiel 3: 17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore, hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 7: 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
[The Great Controversy pp 609] Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He commands his servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls. Christ's ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty, and leave results with God.
Thus, as we prepare for a final push into territories once held by man’s mortal foe, and as we get ready to give the trumpet a “certain sound”, through the preaching of the everlasting gospel, via the three angel’s messages, we must understand that some softening and some hardening would take place.
There are those who like pharaoh will never believe no matter how much evidence, and many miracles are given. But there are also some, who like those magicians of Egypt, will confess: “This is the finger of God, and some will indeed turn and repent.
The majority of earth’s inhabitants are predicted to reject the final warning given in Revelation 14, but the true soldiers of the cross, like Moses, are not to be daunted nor discouraged, just because reception of the truth may encounter stiff opposition.
At the end of the day, we must remember that a great number of Egyptians left Egypt together with the Hebrews, and thus, similarly, very many persons who now, may seem to be unconvinced, will throw in their lot with the remnant people of God, when crunch time comes around. Let’s read:
[Last Day Events pp 182] There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to learn what is truth.
Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.
Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.
Be ye therefore encouraged; preach the pure word, the unadulterated word, whether persons hear, or whether they forbear, for one plants, the other one waters, but it is God who would ultimately give the increase. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which would remind us to focus on those aspects of the everlasting gospel that are pertinent to our day. Let’s read:
Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
God Bless!