One of the most controversial phrases in the Bible has to be when God says that He will “harden Pharaoh’s heart.” (See Exodus 4:21 and 7:3 for two examples.) For the longest time, this statement has troubled me. It seemed as though Pharaoh didn’t even have a choice. I always imagined in my mind that Pharaoh was willing to let the people go earlier but God wouldn’t let him. As if God wanted to make a point using Pharaoh, like some judge who decides a massive punishment for a small crime just to make an example of the person. How could a God who says He is love do such a thing?
As I was recently studying the whole story of Pharaoh and the Exodus I saw a different side of God than I had before (and a different side of Pharaoh). I realized that I had come to the wrong conclusion. The problem was that I was reading God’s statement wrong. Let me explain.
I noticed that throughout the story, the “source” of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart changes. While God does say He would harden Pharaoh’s heart, in some passages (ie: Exodus 7:3, 9:7, 35), it simply says his heart “was hardened.” In others (ie: Exodus 8:15, 19, 32), it says Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Why the difference? Which is it?
I also learned that the passages use three different Hebrew words* to describe this “hardening” experience. One of the words means “to make rigid or obstinate” (for another place it is used, see Jeremiah 5:3). Another word (used only once—by God) meant “to make stubborn” (for another place this word is used, see 2 Kings 17:14). And the third word (used mainly when Pharaoh hardened his own heart) means “to make dull or unresponsive,” carrying the idea of being insensible (you can also find this word used in Isaiah 6:10). I had always thought “hardening” meant he wasn’t compassionate, or that he had become mean. Yet, these words carry more of an idea of Pharaoh being unwilling to accept or understand things differently than he did going into this experience.
Then I saw a similar scene in the book of Revelation. In chapter 16, John describes the seven bowls of God’s wrath that are poured out on those who have the Mark of the Beast (that’s a whole different, but fascinating, study for another day). As the bowls are poured out, some of the plagues that come upon the earth are similar to those in the story of Pharaoh. What was the reaction of the people that experienced the plagues? “They cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory” (Revelation 16:9). The plagues that fell on those who did not love God already, didn’t convert them. If anything, the plagues made them hate Him even more. You could say that their hearts were “hardened” further towards God.
As I considered these points, it hit me: God’s statement about hardening Pharaoh’s heart was not a plan to force, but an admission that He’d be the cause of it. The signs and wonders that God would do would not make Pharaoh believe, it would only make him more stubborn. It wasn’t that God would force Pharaoh to become obstinate against his will, it was that Pharaoh would choose to become increasingly unresponsive toward God.
God has that affect on people. We always assume that if God showed His power, everyone would automatically believe and bow down to Him. Yet, we only have to look at how the people reacted to Jesus to see that this is not the case. When Jesus performed a miracle of casting out a demon (Matthew 12:22–24), there were some who were convinced of the power of God and began to believe in Jesus. However, the Pharisees, who had already set their hearts against Jesus, only hated Him more, claiming it was through the power of Satan. In fact, the more influential Jesus became, the more they set their hearts against Him—even to the point of plotting to kill Him (see Matthew 12:9–14, or John 11:45–53).
The truth is, when we are confronted with God—with His power, His counsel, or even just the idea of Him—there will be one of two reactions in our heart. Our heart will either be softened towards Him resulting in a relationship with Him, or our hearts will be hardened towards Him, pushing us further away. It all depends on how we enter into the experience.
You see, Pharaoh believed he was a god, so God’s presence and power would only threaten his position. The Pharisees believed they were the epitome of righteous living, so God’s wisdom and grace would threaten their authority. Thus, when God stepped in and revealed His power and wisdom, neither of their hearts were changed, but instead, they both stubbornly resisted and hated Him even more.
God will not force you or me to go against Him, or force us to become mean and hardened, but His presence will affect us. How it affects us is our choice.
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*For those who might like to know which Hebrew words these are, the first is chazaq, the second is qashah, and the third is kabed.