What we shall see is that Pharaoh, in the narrative of the early chapters of Exodus, gives us a picture of what a proud, resistant heart before God looks like.
In our weekly Bible study we recently covered the section of text recounting the plagues God brought upon Egypt. At the heart of that text is a battle of wills, at least that is what we would call it in human terms. On one side you have Yahweh/Jehovah who is determined to demonstrate His power through delivering His people from bondage. On the other side is a proud and powerful man who not only trusts his own pantheon of “gods,” but likely understood himself to be divine. Unless it is one’s first exposure to the biblical narrative, the reader already knows how the battle ends. What I want to observe here is the all out determination of Pharaoh to remain in rebellion and self-determination.
As the plagues unfold we are given contrasting descriptions of Pharaoh’s state of mind. In some places we are told that Pharaoh hardens his heart, and in others we are told that God hardened his heart. While this contrast opens a compelling theological discussion of its own, for this writing we will focus on the thing that remains consistent: Pharaoh’s refusal to submit to Yahweh’s command. From one plague to the next we see God’s hand become more severe toward Egypt, and in the process we see the increased burden Pharaoh is under.
Consider how Pharaoh repeatedly attempts to bend without breaking, hoping to give just enough to relieve the pressure without total submission. With the “water to blood” plague the Egyptians found a way to get through, and Pharaoh was unmoved. The frogs came next, and Pharaoh agreed initially to release the people, but changed his mind once relief came. The gnats came next, then the flies. Pharaoh’s response: “You may go worship, but do it in Egypt.” It was a slight concession on his part, but far from submission.
Of course, God wasn’t finished. There was the pestilence on livestock, the plague of boils, and the devastating hail. This compelled Pharaoh to make a second offer of release, but he again changed his mind when the storm ceased. The locusts came next with severe devastation upon the land. Pharaoh in turn came to the bargaining table (apparently he thought the God of the Hebrews was into bargaining). In so many words, his offer was to let the adult males go to the wilderness, but the women, children and elderly had to stay. Of course, God required more, and the pressure continued in the form of a think darkness upon the land. This time Pharaoh’s offer was, “Take your people, but your livestock must remain in Egypt.”
I hope you can picture how the pattern of Pharaoh’s stubbornness resembles our own resistance to true and complete submission to Christ’s lordship in our lives. For many, the idea of Jesus as Savior is much more palatable than the idea of Jesus as Lord. Once we come to grips with our sinfulness, the gift of salvation by grace through faith is an attractive offer. Our resistance usually presents itself when we discover what Jesus requires, namely that we submit to His lordship over us. Jesus was pretty plain about this. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34). In case the imagery escapes you, a cross is where things go to die. There is hardly a more powerful statement regarding this than the confession of the apostle Paul recorded in Galatians 2:20; “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
In our effort to genuinely live as a Christian, we might want to ask, “How much of my life does God want?” Well, how much deliverance did God plan on giving the Israelites in Egypt? If your answer isn’t a synonym of “complete,” you haven’t arrived at the correct response. In order to give the Israelites complete deliverance, Pharaoh’s heart had to be brought to complete submission. It is no different for us. Being “kind of” surrendered to Jesus carries about the same amount of logic as being “kind of” pregnant. You either are, or you aren’t. And if you aren’t, don’t be surprised if you feel God putting pressure on something in your life. I’m not saying He will bring a plague upon you; the pressure may be anywhere between slight to severe. God is not bashful about getting our attention.
What we must remember is that God does this for our good. God knows that our abundance of life comes in fullness when our hearts are totally surrendered to Jesus. Pharaoh’s heart was hard because he was proud and self-reliant. When our hearts are like that, they are a barrier to God’s blessing, not a pathway. God loves us too much to allow even a small measure of “Pharaoh-ness” in our hearts. So be mindful if you feel that God may be trying to get your attention. He wants you to be set free from your own bondage.
See you along the Winding Path.
