Transcript Harden Not Your Heart – PPT

“Harden Not Your Hearts”
Exodus 4:21-23
Hardening & Softening
• Some folks believe that God hardened the
heart of Pharaoh directly by violating
Pharaoh’s free will.
– What would that say about how God works
today?
• Could God take away our free will?
– He could…
– But what does the Bible say about that?
The Word “Harden”
chazaq (Heb.)
Exodus 4:21; 7:13,22; 8:19; 9:12,35; 10:20,27;
11:10; 14:4,8,17
A primitive root; to fasten upon; hence to seize,
be strong (figuratively courageous, causatively
strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify),
obstinate; to bind, restrain, be urgent, behave
self valiantly, withstand.
–Strong’s
The Word “Harden”
qashah (Heb.)
Exodus 7:3
A primitive root; properly to be dense, that is,
tough or severe (in various applications): - be
cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ([ask a],
be in, have, seem, would) hard (-en, [labour], ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff (-en, [necked]).
– Strong’s
The Word “Harden”
kabed (Heb.)
Exodus 7:14; 8:15; 8:32; 9:7,34; 10:1
From H3513; heavy; figuratively in a good sense
(numerous) or in a bad sense (severe,
difficult, stupid) : - (so) great, grievous, hard (ened), (too) heavy (-ier), laden, much, slow,
sore, thick.
- Strong’s
Pharaoh’s heart was “hardened”
• Pharaoh's heart was made strong, stiff, and
stubborn.
• He had a stubborn heart!
– Whose fault was that?
– Did Pharaoh harden his own heart to go against
God’s command?
– Or was it God’s fault that Pharaoh was made to be
stubborn?
Pharaoh hardened his own heart…
• Exodus 7:13, 7:14, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7,
9:34, 9:35
– The different Hebrew words are used
interchangeably throughout these various texts.
– In six out of the first seven plagues, we read
plainly in our English versions of the Bible, that
Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart…
• Exodus 7:3, 9:12, 10:1, 10:20, 10:27, 11:10,
14:4, 14:8, 14:17
Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn!
• Exodus 9:33-35
– James 1:13-14
• Look to Exodus 3:19
– God hardened Pharaoh’s heart by putting forth His
demand, knowing that Pharaoh was going to
refuse.
“And the Egyptians shall know that I
am the LORD”
• Exodus 7:3-5
• “And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply
my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4
But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I
may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth
mine 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 forth mine hand upon Egypt, and
bring out the children of Israel from among them”
(Ex 7:3-5 KJV)
“And the Egyptians shall know that I
am the LORD”
• “And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and
multiply my signs and my wonders in the land
of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not hearken unto
you, and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and
bring forth my hosts, my people the children of
Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great
judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know
that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth my
hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of
Israel from among them. (Ex 7:3-5 ASV)
“And the Egyptians shall know that I
am the LORD”
• “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though
I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of
Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I
will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts,
my people the children of Israel, out of the
land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The
Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when
I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring
out the people of Israel from among them.”
Ex 7:3-5 (ESV)
“And the Egyptians shall know that I
am the LORD”
• The main thought within the verse does not point
to the purpose for Pharaoh’s heart being
hardened. But rather… God’s response and the
outcome of His mighty works!
• “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I
multiply my signs and wonders in the land of
Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will
lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my
people the children of Israel, out of the land of
Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The Egyptians
shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out
my hand against Egypt and bring out the people
of Israel from among them.” Ex 7:3-5 (ESV)
Other relevant passages…
• Deuteronomy 7:8,18 – The result of God’s
mighty power displayed in Egypt
• 1 Samuel 6:6
• Nehemiah 9:9-10
Other relevant passages…
• Romans 9:17,18 – Just reading these two verses
out of their context can cause confusion…
– But Romans 9 is not about personal salvation! It is
about Israel’s rejection and the mercy that had been
shown to the Gentiles.
– Verses 20-22
• To understand this, we need to go back to the
original context – Jeremiah 18:1, 18:8, 18:10
• Another good example to help us understand this
is found in Isaiah 10:5-7
– Assyria was God’s instrument of wrath upon rebellious
Israel
– Assyria made war for their own benefit, not God’s
Did God violate anyone’s free will?
• Some think that God violated Judas’ freewill,
but consider…
• John 17:12 – Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus,
“That the scripture might be fulfilled”.
– John 6:64,70 – Jesus chose Judas knowing what
he would do
– John 12:6 – Judas was a covetous person
– John 13:2,27 – Who moved Judas to sin?
Did God violate anyone’s free will?
• John 12:39-40 –Again, it’s clear that the
nation of Israel is under consideration, not an
individual (see Isaiah 6:9-10)
– Isaiah 1:1-20 clearly explains God’s intended
purpose in sending Isaiah.
– John 12:42 – In spite of the general condition of
Israel some would believe
Does God violate anyone’s free will?
• Romans 2:11 – God shows no partiality. (Deut
10:17; Acts 10:34; Gal 2:6)
• 1 Tim 2:4 – God desires all men to be saved (Ezek
18:23; Mk 16:15; 2 Pet 3)
• Acts 6:14 – Lydia’s heart was opened to heed the
word.
– John 6:44 – No one can come unless the Father draws
him
– John 6:45 – Everyone who has heard and learned comes
to Christ (Jer 31:31)
– Hearts are opened when they recognize the goodness
and love of God
In Conclusion…
• God shows no partiality, He loves all and
desires that all be saved
• He has wrought signs and wonders; He has
shown His love; He has given us His word
• Having the foreknowledge of how Pharaoh,
Assyria, and Judas would respond allowed
God to use them in His plan to redeem those
who would obey His word.
In Conclusion…
• There is a real danger of our hearts being
hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb
3:13)
• Let God soften your heart instead
– Ezekiel 36:25-28