BRAGADAYJAH 180

Go now and speak unto Pharaoh God commanded Moses; but even so “I shall harden his heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.” What did God mean by hardening Pharaoh’s heart? The rest of the sentence gives us a bit of a clue. By hardening his heart, Pharaoh gave God the opportunity of showing his, God’s own matchless power. This gives an explanation of why Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. The wicked by his wickedness shows the glory of God. When for instance Joseph’s brothers did wickedly towards him, they were unknowingly creating the situation in which God could move and show his providence. God in a sense is like the sun. The sun at once melts and hardens. But how does God harden the heart of man? By withdrawing his superintending control and allowing man to act out of his wickedness and obstinacy. We know for example, that the heart of man is desperately evil; but the indwelling balm of the Spirit operates to make that same heart yielding and obedient. So we conclude in the context of God’s dealing with the Pharaoh, God hardened his heart by withdrawing his influence over him allowing his to be himself; and so that God was able to show the futility of man when he tries to defy God. And so the Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; and he refuses to let my people go. Go you, therefore, to him early in the morning while he washes himself in the river; stand by the river’s bank holding your rod in your hand, and tell the Pharaoh that God says to let his people go. Of course God told Moses, he will refuse in which case you should tell him that God says, if you refuse to let my people go I will smite the waters of Egypt and they shall be turned to blood, and all the fish shall die and they shall stink and the people will not be able to drink the water.