How does Exodus 10:28 connect to Romans 9:17 regarding God's purpose for Pharaoh? Setting the Scene: Two Passages, One Purpose • Exodus 10:28 marks Pharaoh’s last, angry dismissal of Moses. • Romans 9:17 quotes God’s earlier word to Pharaoh (Exodus 9:16) and interprets it: “to display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” • Together they show that even Pharaoh’s stubborn rebellion serves God’s larger, pre-announced plan. Exodus 10:28 – Pharaoh’s Final Ultimatum “ ‘Get out of my sight,’ Pharaoh said to Moses. ‘Make sure you never see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you will die.’ ” • Ten plagues are almost complete; Pharaoh’s heart is hard (Exodus 10:1). • His threat aims to silence God’s messenger, but it actually triggers the climactic plague and Israel’s deliverance. • Pharaoh believes he controls the encounter, yet his very words propel God’s timetable. Romans 9:17 – Paul’s Inspired Commentary “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, to display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ ” • Paul affirms that Pharaoh’s rise, reign, and resistance were orchestrated by God. • The citation comes from Exodus 9:16, spoken before the seventh plague—well before Pharaoh’s “final ultimatum.” • Paul underscores divine sovereignty: God “raised” Pharaoh, set boundaries on his actions, and leveraged his obstinacy for global witness. Tracing the Thread of Divine Purpose From Exodus 4:21 onward God declares He will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that His wonders multiply. • Exodus 7:3–5—Signs multiply “that the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” • Exodus 14:17–18—Even the Red Sea showdown is predicted: “I will gain glory over Pharaoh.” • Romans 9:17 gathers these details into one theological jewel: Pharaoh’s story is God’s stage. God’s Sovereign Display of Power • Each plague dismantles an Egyptian deity (Exodus 12:12). • Pharaoh’s refusal accentuates God’s superiority; human pride highlights divine might. • The final plague (Exodus 11–12) and Red Sea deliverance (Exodus 14) become the Old Testament paradigm of salvation power (Psalm 106:8). The Echo of Hardened Hearts • Pharaoh hardens his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32), yet God also hardens it (Exodus 10:1). • Romans 9:18 draws the implication: God “has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.” • Exodus 10:28 illustrates the culmination of that hardening—an irrational threat that seals his doom. Proclaiming God’s Name to the Nations • News of the Exodus spreads rapidly (Joshua 2:9–11; 1 Samuel 4:8). • Even centuries later, prophets recall Pharaoh’s downfall as evidence of the LORD’s fame (Jeremiah 32:20–21). • Romans 9:17 shows the purpose fulfilled: God’s name proclaimed “in all the earth.” Implications for Today • God remains sovereign over rulers and events (Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 2:21). • Human rebellion cannot thwart, but rather showcases, His redemptive plan. • Like Moses, believers can speak truth boldly, knowing outcomes rest in God’s hands (Acts 4:29–31). |
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