What can we learn about human pride from Pharaoh's hardened heart in Exodus 10:20? The verse in focus “ But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the Israelites go.” — Exodus 10:20 Tracing the story up to this point • Repeated signs: nine plagues have struck Egypt, each one displaying God’s supremacy. • Repeated refusals: Pharaoh has promised release more than once, only to retract when relief comes. • Repeated hardening: sometimes Pharaoh hardens his own heart (Exodus 8:15; 9:34), and sometimes the LORD hardens it (Exodus 10:20). The text presents both realities side by side, revealing the mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. What Pharaoh’s pride looks like • Self-exaltation: He declares, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice…?” (Exodus 5:2). • Selective obedience: After the plague of locusts he offers partial compliance—only the men may go (Exodus 10:11). Pride negotiates rather than surrenders. • Stubborn resistance: Even national ruin cannot move him. Egypt’s economy, environment, and morale collapse, yet Pharaoh refuses to yield. • Blame-shifting: He calls Moses and Aaron the cause of Egypt’s trouble (Exodus 10:7). Pride deflects responsibility. Lessons about human pride • Pride blinds us to obvious evidence. Nine devastating plagues stare Pharaoh in the face, yet he insists he is in control (cf. Romans 1:21). • Pride hardens progressively. What begins as “I won’t” can end in “I can’t.” Proverbs 29:1 warns, “A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.” • Pride invites divine opposition. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Pharaoh experiences this opposition through escalating judgments. • Pride endangers others. An entire nation suffers because of one ruler’s hard heart (Proverbs 28:15). • Pride resists repentance. Even when Pharaoh briefly admits sin (Exodus 9:27), he does not truly turn; he demands relief, not reconciliation. The divine response to pride • God’s patience: He sends warnings before every plague (Exodus 7–10). • God’s justice: Hardening is both judgment and revelation. By confirming Pharaoh’s chosen path, the LORD displays His power “so that My name may be declared in all the earth” (Exodus 9:16). • God’s deliverance: While prideful Egypt reels, humble Israel is preserved in Goshen (Exodus 9:26). Takeaways for our hearts today • Cultivate humility early; repeated refusals make soft hearts tough. • Respond promptly to God’s conviction—delay breeds deeper resistance. • Recognize that partial obedience masks pride. Surrender is all-in. • Remember the gospel antidote: Christ “emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). We are called to the same mindset. • Trust that God still opposes the proud and exalts the humble (1 Peter 5:5–6); aligning with His pattern brings life, freedom, and blessing. |
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