Why did God harden the pharoah's heart?

[Shiloh62]

Exodus 4:21

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.

Why did God do this? Several times, Moses asked the Pharaoh to let Israel go, but each time, God hardened Pharaoh's heart. To many, it would seem that this would be counter to His own plan. To try to understand why God did this, let's read Exodus 3:18-20:

18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

You see, even though sometimes it seems like God's solutions are not what we want, ultimately God knows what is best. In this case, God knew that the Pharaoh would need a lot of convincing to realize Israel was truly being led by our one true powerful God. Isn't this true in our own lives, also? When we don't understand God's decisions for us, should we not realize He knows what is best, and not try to dissect or reject His solutions? Whenver we do, we always make matters worse. When God gives us an answer,we need to listen.

[silviawang]

Bcs pharoah's sin,worship the idol,etc.

[Botz]

Hi Shiloh,

For many years this statement puzzled me, and seemed so 'unfair'....until one day I was reading it and this is what struck me:-

G-d did not automatically make the heart of Pharoah do something, it was who G-d was and what He claimed that was the

cause of Pharoahs heart being hardered...therefore it simply says G-d hardened Pharoahs heart every time Moses put

forward his case about wanting to worship YHVH. Do you see the distinction? When Moses mentions wanting to go

and worship this YHVH, it gets Pharoahs goat and he hardens his heart...thus YHVH hardened Pharoahs heart.

Anyway that is how I believe it reads.

Regards. Botz

[enoob57]

I enjoy the similarities in satan and his children! Pharoh the most powerful man and all around, his people, supported his delusions of being god. Study the cost of pride in ones self by what pharoh was willing to go through (he and his people)... the ultimate is that of satan who will not at any cost yield to the glory of God! Except when forced by God- Isa 45:23, Ro 14:11, Php 2:10 'all/every' knee praise God

Father for this our future in seeing this Your Son Glorified by all He has Created! Love, Steven

[Cajunluvie]

Interesting, Botz.

I think it also has to do with the fact that Pharoah was raised to believe he was an actual "god" on earth in Egypt. He was literally deified.

Imagine a Hebrew who grew up in your court returned to tell you that the real God isn't you and it is the Lord God of the Hebrews and He wants you to release His people.

I'm sure it rankled his nerves so bad.

[Isaiah 6:8]

Full reply later, but if you look at it, the first time Pharaoh hardened his own heart, 5 or 6 times, after that God did not allow his heart to soften but held his heart in the choice he had already made.

[mizzdy]

Isaiah hit it, pharoahs heart was already hardened by his own desires all God did was let him have his way and then showed him His way was the only way. We can do the same thing, if we want something really bad we can find all kinds of reasons to justify getting what we want, we might even take it to God pleading for it and He says no yet we still go after it. That is hardening our hearts to Him, failing to listen to His words and directions. Pharoah believed he was a 'god' he was the king, ruler and head honcho who got his way always, everyone listened to him. Yet when Moses came on the scene people were listening to him, kinda made the pharoah made and increased his mindset that he was the true represented of the 'gods' and he was ruler. Its always the condition of our hearts that matter to God, if we truly have a heart for Him His will would be first and foremost in our lives, pharoah didn't see it that way.

shalom,

Mizz

[Guest]

God Said

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. Exodus 5:1

Pharaoh Didn't

And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. Exodus 5:2

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[oldzimm]

Just last week I was in a discussion with a fellow worker on why God harden Pharaoh's heart.

My fellow worker said God harden Pharaoh's heart so that Pharaoh would be taking his best shot at God and in the end Pharaoh would realize that our God is the one true God.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense.

[Massorite]

Hi Shiloh,

For many years this statement puzzled me, and seemed so 'unfair'....until one day I was reading it and this is what struck me:-

G-d did not automatically make the heart of Pharoah do something, it was who G-d was and what He claimed that was the

cause of Pharoahs heart being hardered...therefore it simply says G-d hardened Pharoahs heart every time Moses put

forward his case about wanting to worship YHVH. Do you see the distinction? When Moses mentions wanting to go

and worship this YHVH, it gets Pharoahs goat and he hardens his heart...thus YHVH hardened Pharoahs heart.

Anyway that is how I believe it reads.

Regards. Botz

Aaaaahhhhhh man that is great. I have always been puzzled by that statment and for the first time somebody gave an explenation that actually makes sence. Pharohs heart was already hardened against anything and everything that wasn't per the religion of the Pharoh so that when God came in and showed his power it hardened the heart of Pharoh all the more.

My compliments Botz and Glory to God.