How does Pharaoh's hardened heart in Exodus 9:35 reflect human resistance to God? The Scriptural Snapshot: Exodus 9:35 “So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.” – Exodus 9:35 Repeated Rejection: A Pattern, Not a Moment • Exodus 5 – First demand met with defiance • Exodus 7:13; 8:15, 32 – Pharaoh hardens his own heart • Exodus 9:12 – The LORD confirms Pharaoh in that hardness • By verse 35, resistance is fully entrenched What Hardness of Heart Looks Like in Us Today • Pride that refuses to bow (James 4:6) • Selective hearing of God’s Word (Jeremiah 6:10) • Rationalizing sin despite clear warning (Hebrews 3:13) • Temporary remorse without true repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) • Blaming circumstances instead of submitting to God (Romans 1:21–22) A Sovereign God and Personal Responsibility • Scripture presents both threads: – “Pharaoh hardened his heart” (Exodus 8:15) – “The LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 9:12) • God’s judicial hardening confirms a choice already made (Romans 1:24–28) • Human will remains accountable; divine sovereignty remains unquestioned (Isaiah 45:9) Consequences of Persistent Hardness • Diminishing sensitivity to God’s voice (Ephesians 4:18–19) • Escalating judgment, as seen in the plagues (Exodus 7–12) • Collateral damage to others—Egypt suffered for Pharaoh’s refusal (Proverbs 29:12) • Final ruin: the Red Sea closes over Pharaoh’s army (Exodus 14:28) God’s Persistent Mercy • Nine separate opportunities to relent precede the final plague • Even judgment was preceded by warning (Exodus 9:19) • God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9) • Mercy ends only when repentance is eternally refused (Hebrews 10:26–27) The Call to Yield • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15) • Submit early; delayed obedience is disobedience (Luke 6:46) • A tender heart toward Scripture keeps us from Pharaoh’s path (Psalm 95:7–8) |
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