arachnophilia writes:
this happens TEN TIMES. every time, pharoah is ready to let the hebrews go, and everytime god hardens his heart. this covers, if memory serves, chapters 7 through 11 of the book of exodus. you can pick any passage and look at it, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM say that god manipulated pharoah, and "hardened his heart" not that pharoah himself did.
Ex 7:1-5
7:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. 5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it."
Now, does Moses actually become God? No. Moses has the Spirit of the Creator as his authority. Pharoah, sensing that this Moses is representing an authority greater than himself, becomes stubborn.
Ex 7:8-13
8 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' and it will become a snake."
10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
Pharoah tries to be "the man" in charge. He is outdone by these guys who are simple men compared to him. He even has sorcerers and magicians. Nobody can outdo the Spirit of God, however. Pharoah realizes that he is NOT the man(spirit)in charge and becomes angry.
The true One in charge did nothing to Pharoah except put him in his place by being there. God did not manipulate Pharoah. God simply showed it like it is.
1) I am.
2) You ain't.
Ex 7:14-18
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water. Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. 16 Then say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert. But until now you have not listened. 17 This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.'"
Now at first glance, THIS looks cruel. God is allowing the Egyptian people to suffer. Why? Perhaps because they trust their own wisdom and tradition and will not listen to Him? Yeah I know...it DOES seem excessive. Hey, how you gonna argue with the Creator? It works, though.
Ex 8:8-Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD."
In other words, Pharoah finally asks for a "hookup" from Moses source rather than declaring himself as the ego over Egypt. For a minute, anyway.
Ex 8:15- But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
He hardened his heart. And yet, it was the fact that God was showing him up that he hardened his heart. So..in a sense, God hardened his heart. Even the magicians saw the power.
Ex 8:19
The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.
In other words, "Hey Pharoah, these guys have a hookup to a power greater than anything we have ever seen. Best listen to them!" How typical of human nature, however. We never want to admit that there is something that we can't figure out or control.
Pharoah STILL wants to have the final say.
Ex 8:28-- Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me."
In other words, go do what you gotta do, but I'm still the final authority around here. Pray for ME. Pharoah does not understand that it is God who even allowed him to be in power.
Ex 9:16-17
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.
This message has been edited by Phatboy, 12-27-2004 09:04 AM
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