Exodus 7-12

I know there are people who get stuck on the fact that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. “How fair is that?” they ask. “Doesn’t sound like a loving God.” I confess I see their point on the surface.

But then I read in God’s own words what happened and I”m not so quick to throw God under the bus.

Did you know it wasn’t until the sixth plague that we read, “God hardened…?” Throughout the first five plagues Pharaoh presented a hard heart toward God of his own making. His rejection of God was planted in cement long before we read God had anything to do with it.

Yes, in plagues 6-10 it’s clear that God did the hardening. But He didn’t harden a heart that was seeking Him, or tender toward Him. In fact, these words found elsewhere in Scripture – “He gave them over…” come to mind.

I believe what we see here in these plagues is a God who is patient, slow to anger, abounding in love, not willing that any should perish but that all will come to Him. He gave Pharaoh multiple chances to obey. God is patient, but He will not let the guilty go unpunished.

If you tell yourself you’ll live life on your own terms right now, then surrender to God when you are older, please hear me. Every day you reject God your heart grows harder and harder. Surrendering to God later isn’t going to be easier than it is today. In fact, it’s the rejection of God that gets easier.

If God is telling you today is the day of salvation, believe HIm. It won’t be easier tomorrow. And surrendering to God is what makes this life worthwhile!