Exodus 9 – May 17

Today is a good time to examine one of the underlying themes that is taking place in the Exodus narrative: Pharaoh’s heart being hardened. Below I am going to list all of the occasions that this pops up, and conclude with three important truths.

But I (the Lord) will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt…  - Exodus 7:3

Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.” - Exodus 7:13-14

But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. – Exodus 7:22

But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. – Exodus 8:15

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. – Exodus 8:19

But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go. – Exodus 8:32

But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. – Exodus 9:7

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses. – Exodus 9:12

But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses. – Exodus 9:34-35

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I (the Lord) have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them – Exodus 10:1

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go. – Exodus 10:27

Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land. – Exodus 11:10

“And I (the Lord) will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so. – Exodus 14:4

And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. – Exodus 14:8

And I (the Lord) will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. – Exodus 14:17

1. What does it mean that Pharaoh hardened his heart?

This is a question that is much easier to answer from the human side than the divine side. When a person hardens their heart against the Lord, it clearly means that they solidify their attitude of rebellion.

2. What does it mean that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart?

Perhaps you noticed that before Pharaoh ever hardens his heart, the Lord said that He would do it to Pharaoh. I believe that the easiest way to describe what is going on here is by saying that God was removing His hand of common grace from Pharaoh’s heart. The case for this description can be made in many ways, but for the sake of time and space, I will just point out one for you today. I the chapter that we are examining today, it states in verse 34, “he (Pharaoh) sinned yet again and hardened his heart.” God does not tempt anyone to sin. (James 1:13) God does not force anyone to sin. God did not have to coerce Pharaoh’s will to make him refuse to liberate the Israelites. God just let Pharaoh do whatever he wanted. Romans 1 describes this as ‘giving them up.’   

1. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity… (Rom. 1:24)
2. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. (Rom. 1:26)
3. … God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. (Rom. 1:28)

3. This is not an isolated incident.

It could be easy to imagine that Pharaoh was unique among men and that God uniquely acted to harden his heart. However, God makes it clear that this kind of hardening is the underlying factor behind all rejection of the gospel. When Paul was defending the fact that God elects His people, he states,

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. (Rom. 9:14-18)