The Life of Moses 7 The Consequences of A Hard Heart

The Consequences of A Hard Heart

Summary: Pharaoh’s four responses to God when he is commanded to let the Children of God go, illustrate the consequences of a hard heart.

Series: Life of Moses

Scripture: Exodus 7:1-10:29

Date: 05 July, 2015

“The Consequences of a Hard Heart”

Exodus 7-10

Introduction

Proverbs 29:1 states the biblical principle, “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

This morning we are going to examine the consequences of a hard heart. The next three chapters (7-9) are given to a telling of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and how God works out the deliverance of his people. Pharaoh hardened his heart and resisted the authority of God over his life. Pharaoh blinded himself and refused to recognize God, and in so doing he incurred the wrath and judgment of God. Some are quick to point out that it says that “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart” but the truth is that we are told numerous times that “Pharaoh hardened his heart” before we are told that finally “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” If you decide to reject God long enough he will enviably grant you your wish. Only after Pharaoh had proceeded to harden his own heart; knowingly, willfully and sinfully, did God oblige him.

This morning I want you to see with me four responses of a hard heart.

The First Response of A Hard Heart: Blatant Disobedience

You will remember that Pharaoh’s initial response was blatant disobedience. Moses and Aaron had stood before Pharaoh and delivered the message of God, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Let My people go…” (5:1). Pharaoh’s response was, “Who is the LORD that I should obey his voice?” 

Or to put it another way he was saying, “Who does Jehovah think He is to tell Pharaoh what he must do?”

Pharaoh only increased the burden of the children of Israel, from now on they would make the same number of bricks but they would have to gather their own straw. Moses left the presence of Pharaoh dejected and depressed, the people even blamed Moses and Aaron for the increase in there work load. Moses took his burden to the LORD (5:22), there God reassured him of his unchanging purpose. He told Moses “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh...” (6:1). 

God tells Moses that he is to go back to Pharaoh and 

tell him “he must let my people go.” (Ex 6:10). God explains to Moses what he can expect to happen in Exodus 7: 1-5, “So the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. (2) You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. (3) And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. (4) But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. (5) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”

Pharaoh does indeed ignore the signs done at the hands of Moses. In Exodus 7:10 we read, “So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the LORD commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.”

The names of the magicians are not recorded in Exodus, but Paul reveals their names centuries later as Jannes and Jambres in 2 Timothy 3:8, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”

Aaron threw down his rod before Pharaoh and his magicians, and it became a serpent. Then Jannes and Jambres threw down their rods and they became serpents as well. However, Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. This illustrates a very important truth: Satan is capable of performing the same miracles as God. All the gifts of the Spirit can be counterfeited by Satan. Many years ago in another State, in a worship service I witnessed what I thought was a powerful demonstration of the gift of prophecy and the word of knowledge by a certain man. He accurately revealed every detail of another person’s life. I was quite amazed, but then the Lord opened my spiritual eyes and I saw a fallen angel standing by that man giving him all of that information. We should ask the Lord to give us discernment to distinguish between the works of His Holy Spirit and the works of the devil.

Pharaoh was not convinced that the miracle that he had just witnessed possessed any uniqueness to that which the magicians in his court could duplicate. The magicians were summoned and they did indeed seem to able to turn their rods into serpents. 

Exodus 7:14, tells us “So the LORD said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.”

Paul said in Romans 9:17-18, “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” From studying very carefully, we find that Pharaoh hardened his heart ten times and God hardened Pharaoh’s heart ten times. There comes a time when God hardens the hearts of those who have habitually practiced evil.

Romans 9:19-23 further develops this theme of God’s sovereignty, “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.”

The Word of God clearly states that God hardens whomsoever He will, but He shows compassion to whomsoever He chooses. This is what we term the sovereignty of God. However, the snare a person can fall into is when a person believes that since everything is the sovereignty of God, man has no choice in the matter. This would be like a superb chess game in which God hardens a person and moves him to that square, another to this square; and if you happen to be the white (saved) you will be fine, but if you are the black (unsaved), you are in trouble. This could tempt an individual to wonder where he is in the game of life, and if he is just a pawn to be positioned wherever a sovereign God places him.

Exodus gives the history behind the statement made by Paul in Romans about Pharaoh, a history which should be observed carefully. Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Clearly we see in Exodus 1:8-10, “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.” Pharaoh had set his heart against God’s people. Therefore, it is clear that Pharaoh, not God, had set the course for his life.

We must understand the sovereignty of God, and we must also understand the free will of man. God has His part, and man has his part. Psalm 18:25-26 states: “With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward.”

If we are merciful, He will show us mercy. If we are honest with Him, He will be honest with us. However, if we are deceitful, then God will allow us to be deceived. This shows us that God meets us according to our direction. Therefore, because Pharaoh hardened his heart against the children of Israel, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Man has been given a free will and the ability to make his own choices. God’s sovereignty and man’s will always work together. We are not puppets on God’s strings.

God deals with us according to the condition and disposition of our hearts. We read in Daniel 2:21, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” 

To whom does God impart wisdom? To those who are wise. To whom does God impart knowledge? To those who have understanding. Jesus said in Luke 19:26, “For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.” This illustrates the biblical principle that is also an economic principle. The rich become richer; the poor become poorer. The saying, “Money begets money,” is very true. It takes money to make money. There is a beatitude that goes along with this, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt. 5:7). If we have a merciful heart, we will receive more mercy.

When people fail to understand the balance between God’s sovereignty and the free will of man, they tend to blame God for man’s failures. Some people have even said that Pharaoh should not be blamed because God raised him up for that very purpose. They feel he had no choice, as God hardened his heart. However, we need to realize why God did that. It was because Pharaoh had already hardened his own heart.

It was a way of life for him. God gave him the opportunity to make the right decisions, but he refused, saying in Exodus 5:2, “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.” Therefore, Pharaoh willfully disobeyed the Lord. God sets us in the course that we have chosen for our lives. If we choose to serve God and obey Him, He will honor that decision and give us the grace to obey Him.

Pharaoh had resisted all efforts of Moses to get the children of Israel released. The issue now has to be forced. It would take ten plagues before Pharaoh would give the command let Israel go. Now the plagues begin. As the plagues progress, Pharaoh’s heart becomes increasingly hardened. Even when the Pharaoh seems to relent he inevitably fails to keep his promise.

The first of God’s judgments was against the waters of Egypt. The Plague of the Nile turned into blood (7:14-25). The Nile River was the principal waterway in Egypt. It was sacred and was worshipped as a god by the Egyptians. God turned the waters of the river into blood, as a sign of judgment. Thus, God brought down one of their gods. All of the fish in the river died and the Egyptians could not drink the water. In verse 25 we are told that “And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.” The plague lasted seven days. It was a severe judgment, but the Bible says that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he refused to let the people go (7:22). 

The First Response of A Hard Heart: Blatant Disobedience

The Second Response Of A Hard Heart: Insincerity 

The second plague that God brought was the Plague of the Frogs (8:1-15). Aaron stretched forth his hand over the water of Egypt and frogs came up out of the waters and covered the land (v. 6). The frog was another Egyptian god. Therefore, God caused the Egyptians to hate the very frogs that they worshipped. The consequence was the there was nothing they could do about this situation. They came to loathe the very symbols of their worship. In the second plague, the Lord caused the land of Egypt to be overrun and cursed with frogs. 

[Note: In the Word of God, a frog represents an unclean spirit, and false prophecy in particular. This is illustrated in Revelation 16:13, “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.”

The Egyptian magicians were also made to perform this miracle, but they were not able to make the frogs return to the rivers and ponds. But the fact that the magicians could produce even more frogs could hardly have been of any comfort. What they need was less frogs not more frogs! Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to ask the Lord to take away the frogs (Ex. 8:8). The next day Moses caused the frogs in their houses and fields to die and only the frogs in the rivers remained. However, after they died, Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the children of Israel leave Egypt.]

When times got tough enough Pharaoh yielded to God verbally, we will see that he later changed his mind when things were better. In Exodus 8:8-10, we find, “Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.” (9) And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses,that they may remain in the river only.” (10) So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.”

In Pharaoh’s reactions we see the mistakes that individuals make to day when things get difficult in their lives. In times of difficulty, they put God off. He puts off submitting to God until the last possible moment. “Tomorrow” he says will be soon enough. In times of crisis, they cry out to God. When and only when they have exhausted every human possibility they turn to God in prayer (v. 28). In times of relief, they forget God. He promised to let the children of Israel go, but when that there was “relief,” that is the frogs were gone he changed his mind. Exodus 8:15 says, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said.” Today is no different, many people when faced with difficult situations, pay lip service to God never intending to fulfill their vow. How many of us have in the midst of some extreme difficulty, cried out to God, “Oh Lord, get me out of this, and I will do anything.” But when the Lord has delivered us we withdraw our promise just like Pharaoh.

Because of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart the people had to endure yet another plague, commonly called the plague of the gnats (8:16-19). The exact identity of these insects is not known. We get the word gnat from the Greek version of the Old Testament. The Hebrew word here may indicate a form of sand fly or flea that dug beneath the skin and caused itching and pain. In the South if you think of “chiggers,” I believe you will understand what the Egyptians were going through.

The importance of this third plague is that for the first time the magicians of Egypt were unable to produce these gnats, even though they tried. This was convincing enough to provoke a most remarkable confession, for the magicians say to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” (v. 19). Another magician in the New Testament who recognised the hand of God was Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24).

(Note: It is significant to note that from the fourth plague on the children of Israel are not affected (vv. 22-23). The land of Goshen where the children of Israel lived had an invisible shield of protection around it.)

The onset of the fourth plague, The Plague of the Flies (8:20-32), brought great swarms of flies and other insects over the land. Beelzebub, which means “lord of the flies,” is one of Satan’s titles (Lk. 11:14-19). This plague was a judgment upon the land of Egypt, and also upon Satan. In fact the Hebrew text merely says that it is “swarms” not bothering to specify what insects were involved. It is highly probable that all the insects of Egypt increased unnaturally and infested the streets, homes and even the court of the Pharaoh. 

At this time the Lord made a difference between His people and the Egyptians. He protected them from this judgment. Again we see God’s judgment coming down on the gods of Egypt, for Moses had power over all of these gods and the demonic spirits behind them. At this point, Pharaoh made his first offer in an attempt to bargain with Moses in Exodus 8:25, followed by a second offer in Exodus 8:28.

The First Response of A Hard Heart: Blatant Disobedience

The Second Response Of A Hard Heart: Insincerity 

The Third Response Of A Hard Heart: Bargaining With God 

Pharaoh offers four different bargains to God. The proposals that Pharaoh offers to God are the same that Satan offers the Christian today.

1. Serve God But Stay In Egypt (8:25) 

“Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.” The same temptation is offered today, “Be a Christian but also be in the world and of the world. Conform.”

Yet the New Testament warns us in Romans 12:1-2, 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

2. Don’t Fully Commit Yourself (8:28) 

“So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me.”

Leave your options open, live with your eyes on Egypt.

Three more plagues are necessary to convince Pharaoh of his error. Yet another plague befalls Egypt, a murrain or the Plague upon the livestock (9:1-7), as a result almost all the livestock of the Egyptians is wiped out. The Egyptians worshipped idols and gods in the form of cattle. Apis-Seraphis was the sacred cattle god at Memphis. Their cattle gods and idols can be seen in Egyptian, American, and British museums where there are Egyptologists. The Israelites even made a golden idol in the form of a calf in the wilderness (Ex. 32:4). God judged this Egyptian god (see Ezekiel 20:6-17).

Again the Lord made a difference between His people and the Egyptians. The cattle of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites’ cattle were preserved.Since wealth was measured largely in terms of cattle, this was an unparalleled economic disaster.

The sixth plague seems to have followed quickly upon the plague that affected the livestock. But this one was worse because it was directed against the bodies of men. The plague of the Boils (9:8-12), seems to be some sort of open running sore. The Egyptians were very sensual and immoral, as depicted in ancient Egyptian artwork. Therefore, God was judging their sensuality and immorality.

The magicians could no longer even stand before Moses because they were afflicted with the boils as well. We read in Exodus 9:11-12, “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.” Even after all of this, Pharaoh still would not humble himself before the Lord. As the boils continued the powerlessness of the false gods of Egypt were brought into sharp contrast. But still Pharaoh refused to let the people go.

Now there is no pause in the terrible judgments that come. Next is The Plague of the Storms or hail mixed with fire (Ps. 78:47-48; 105:32; Ex. 9:13-35). This plague is the worst thunderstorm in Egypt’s history (v. 18) and the destruction that occurs is the result of both hailstones and lightening (v. 24). It was a judgment upon the agriculture of Egypt, which the Egyptians worshipped. They also worshipped Osiris, the god of fire. Those who neglected the warning and remained in the field were destroyed along with the trees and the herbs.

At this point, Pharaoh even acknowledged his sin and
confessed that the Lord was righteous and that he and his people were wicked. However, when the hail stopped, Pharaoh hardened his heart again and would not let the Israelites leave (Ex. 9:34-35).

The Plague of the Locust (10:1-20), devours everything that had been left in the fields after the destruction of the hail.

These locust came in such great numbers that they fill the houses of both Pharaoh and his servants. The patience of the people seems to be at an end. They question the wisdom of the kings response to Moses and Aaron (v. 7). Egypt worshipped Sebeh, the insect god. Moses had power over this god and mocked it by commanding locusts to cover the land and devour everything that the hail had not destroyed. God judged the Egyptians’ food supply, and they were stricken with hunger. 

In Exodus 10:7, Pharaoh’s officers pleaded with him to let the children of Israel leave Egypt. Pharaoh made his third offer to Moses to let the children of Israel leave, with the condition that the Hebrew children had to remain in Egypt (Ex. 10:8-11).The Pharaoh was not willing to appear unmoved by the plight of the people, but in an attempt to maintain his pride, offers to Moses yet another compromise.

3. Don’t Force Your Beliefs On Others (10:11) 

“Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.”

Pharaoh offers to let the men go but not the women and children. “If you have to go then go but don’t take your loved ones with you.” The Devil is still trying to convince believer’s, “Let your children make up their own minds when they are old enough. Don’t try to teach your children about God. Don’t try influence your child to attend church let your children be a part of the world so they can have all of its advantages.” 

When the plague struck, Egypt Pharaoh confessed his sins and asked Moses for forgiveness and asked that the plague be stopped (vv. 16-17). His confession is not real however and when the plague was removed Pharaoh returned to his old ways and would not let Israel go (v. 20).

A new plague, The Plague of darkness (10: 21-29), now fell over Egypt. The darkness was so intense that for three days the Egyptians could not arise from their beds, while the children of Israel had light. The darkness was so great that the Bible says that it could be felt (v. 21). One of the principal gods of Egypt was Ra, the sun god. They worshipped the sun perhaps more than any other god. Even Pharaoh’s name means sun. Therefore, when God brought darkness upon the land of Egypt, He broke the power of the sun god. Pharoah’s response to the plague was to offer another compromise to the children of Israel.

4. Don’t Commit Everything (10:24) 

“Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.”

Serve God without sacrifice. Its Okay to have your religion just don’t let it affect the way you live your life. When Pharaoh’s offer was refused by Moses, he warned Moses to leave his presence and that if he should ever return it would mean his death (v. 28). 

The First Response of A Hard Heart: Blatant Disobedience

The Second Response Of A Hard Heart: Insincerity 

The Third Response Of A Hard Heart: Bargaining With God 

The Fourth Response Of A Hard Heart: Conviction Without Commitment (9:27-30, 35)

As a result of the Plague of the Storms (9:13), that I have already mentioned, Pharaoh saw the error of his ways and the consequences of his actions. Pharaoh was convicted and, (9:27-30), “And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. (28) Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” (29) So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’S. (30) But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God.” 

Pharaoh was convicted but he made no change. Being convicted of our sins is not the same as being saved from our sins. You can sit in a service with tears streaming down your face because of the deep conviction of your sins, but that does not save you. It takes more than conviction it take commitment. To be delivered from our sins we must commit ourselves to the Lord.

Because there was not true change in Pharaoh’s heart we read in Exodus 9:35, “So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses.” 

Pharaoh was a thoroughly modern man in his responses to God. He was a man who reacted to each new circumstance in his life. His principles if he had any were: Sin when you can get away with it, Ignore God when it is convenient, and Repent when you have no choice!

Eventually Pharaoh lost. By then Egypt was in ruins. Pharaoh had lost his kingdom. Egypt had been devastated by the death angel. And Pharaoh had lost his son! What will it take before you will surrender to God?

The New Testament warns in Hebrews 3:7-8, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, (8) Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,”

Invitation And The Final Challenge

“You may be in the danger zone … You have played fast and loose with your life, ignoring warning after warning. You have shoved aside essential truths for so long that your heart has become hardened. And the longer you harden it, the more difficult it will be to allow God’s light to finally break through.” [Charles Swindoll. Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication. (Nashville: Word, 1999) p. 188].