What can we learn from Pharaoh's actions about ignoring God's signs today? the immediate context: Exodus 7:23 “Instead, Pharaoh turned around, went into his palace, and did not take any of this to heart.” what pharaoh saw and shrugged off • Water turned to blood throughout Egypt (7:20–21) • Dead fish, stench, undrinkable water— a national crisis • Magicians duplicated the sign in a limited way (7:22) • Pharaoh’s response: a deliberate retreat to comfort and indifference why the hard-hearted response matters • God’s signs are merciful warnings, not curiosities • Miracles alone never melt a heart; humility before God does (James 4:6) • Repeated refusal deepens spiritual blindness (John 12:37-40) • Indifference is itself an act of rebellion (Romans 1:18-23) timeless lessons for us • Miraculous evidence is not lacking; it is often ignored – Creation testifies daily (Psalm 19:1-4) – The resurrection is history’s ultimate sign (Matthew 12:38-41) • Small steps away from conviction harden into settled resistance • Comfort can become a palace of denial, insulating us from God’s voice • God’s patience is real, but judgment eventually falls (Proverbs 29:1) the escalating cost of shrugging at god’s voice 1. Dullness of conscience (Hebrews 3:13) 2. Greater bondage to sin (John 8:34) 3. Influence on others toward unbelief (Romans 14:7) 4. Inevitable discipline or judgment (Revelation 9:20-21) cultivating a responsive heart instead • Keep short accounts with God—quick confession and obedience (1 John 1:9) • Invite Scripture to search you daily (Psalm 139:23-24) • Welcome godly counsel; resist the echo chamber of self-justification (Proverbs 27:6) • Act promptly on conviction; delayed obedience breeds resistance (Luke 19:5-6) • Remember past mercies; gratitude softens the heart (Psalm 103:2) other scriptural echoes • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15) • “Seeing the signs He was doing, they still did not believe in Him.” (John 12:37) • “They refused to listen and turned a stubborn shoulder.” (Zechariah 7:11) choosing softness over stubbornness Pharaoh’s palace or God’s presence—every heart makes that choice. The more readily we bow to God’s revealed truth, the more we are spared the sorrow of escalating plagues of our own making and the more we enjoy the freedom of a tender, teachable spirit. |
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