The LORD
Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart
The
LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt;
afterward he will let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will
drive you away. Tell the people that every man is to ask his neighbor and every
woman is to ask her neighbor for objects of silver and gold.” The LORD gave the
people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was a man
of great importance in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s officials and
in the sight of the people.
Moses
said, “Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out through Egypt. Every
firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who
sits on his throne to the firstborn of the female slave who is behind the handmill, and all the first born
of the livestock. Then there will be a loud cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as has never been or will ever be again. But not
a dog shall growl at any of the Israelites – not at people, not at animals – so
that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
Then all these officials of yours shall come down to me, and bow low to me,
saying, ‘Leave us, you and all the people who follow you.’ After that I will
leave.” And in hot anger he left Pharaoh.
The
LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, in order that my wonders
may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” Moses and Aaron performed all these
wonders before Pharaoh; but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not
let the people of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus: 11:1-10
When Pharoah refused to let the people of Israel leave Egypt,
thousands of innocent Egyptians died because of his stubborn will. Perhaps the knowledge of what was about to
happen to Egypt’s firstborn on that first Passover night caused the great anger
Moses felt as he left Pharaoh. It was going to be a night of devastation and
sorrow because the ruler was in a fatal frame of mind.
Our
hearts become hard through repeated refusals to yield to God. But they can be
softened by obedience. When we say “yes” to God, the result is relief and
life-giving release for our families, colleagues, and friends.
What is your frame of mind today?
The way of obedience is the way of blessing.
Our Daily Bread – July 7, 2008