“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”-Exodus 10:1-2
As we reach the final plagues of God against Egypt, we see that it is no longer Pharaoh but God Himself who has now taken complete control over the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart.
The reason given is for the divine purpose of having the miracles and signs remembered among the Hebrews from generation to generation.
In other words, God is using Egypt for Israel’s sake.
I think we sometimes have a hard time accepting this idea that God would favor one over another to the extent where He will allow one nation to be destroyed to save Israel.
I’ve heard many people complain that this just isn’t fair.
Apart from the fallacy of thinking that we can actually sit in judgement of God, the truth is God’s Laws and Commands are what they are, and they are perfect.
We don’t need to know WHY they are, but we need to know WHAT they are and ACCEPT THEM even if their purpose may be difficult to comprehend or politically incorrect.
Have you been taught that all of God’s decisions are for the believer’s best benefit?
This may be a hard pill to swallow but our happiness, comfort and success come second to God’s divine purpose of bringing His Kingdom into full fruition.
Remember the closing of all our prayers is to be “Your Will be done, Your Kingdom come”.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Yeshua prayed “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Look at all the believers around the world being persecuted for their faith.
I can’t explain why some must experience unbelievable suffering for their faith, but I must trust that our Father in Heaven is watching and working out all things for the good who love Him.
Looking back on my life, I am amazed at the gap between the lofty dreams and goals I had set for myself and how things ended up turning out.
No doubt the less than stellar results in my life are due to gross sins committed and bad choices made.
Yet just like the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was a combination of voluntary hardening on Pharaoh’s part and God hardening it, I am beginning to realize that my life may also be a combination of my own choices made whether bad or good and God exercising His own divine will for His own divine purposes.
All I can do is sit back in surrender, look up at the stars and say “God, thy will be done!“
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN EXODUS CHAPTER ELEVEN
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