What does "not let go" show about Pharaoh?
What does "not let you go" reveal about Pharaoh's heart condition?

Setting the Scene

Pharaoh has just been confronted by Moses and Aaron with God’s command: “Let My people go.” Instead of yielding, Pharaoh answers with a stubborn “not let you go,” a phrase that recurs throughout the Exodus narrative (e.g., Exodus 5:2; 7:14; 8:32; 9:35). Each repetition peels back another layer of Pharaoh’s inner condition.


The Repeated Phrase: “Not Let You Go”

Exodus 7:14 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.’”

Exodus 8:32 – “But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time as well and would not let the people go.”

Exodus 10:27 – “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go.”


What It Exposes about Pharaoh’s Heart

• Prideful Defiance

– Pharaoh’s declaration stands in direct opposition to the LORD’s command, showcasing a will bent on self-exaltation (Exodus 5:2).

• Hardened Resistance

– Repetition signals a heart increasingly calloused; each refusal layers another crust of stubbornness (Exodus 9:34-35).

• Rebellion against Divine Authority

– Saying “not let you go” is more than political policy; it is spiritual mutiny against the Creator (Psalm 2:1-3).

• Desire for Control and Oppression

– Pharaoh’s grip on Israel mirrors a heart that loves power and refuses to release those under bondage (Isaiah 14:13-14).

• Unbelief in God’s Sovereignty

– Even after witnessing signs, Pharaoh’s disbelief exposes a heart blind to truth (Hebrews 3:12-13).


Supporting Scriptural Insights

Romans 9:17-18 – God uses Pharaoh’s hardened heart to display His power.

Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

1 Samuel 6:6 – The Philistines are warned, “Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs?”


Practical Takeaways for Today

• A repeated “no” to God calcifies the heart; each act of defiance makes repentance harder.

• Pride is the soil in which hardness grows; humility breaks that soil (James 4:6).

• God’s patience has limits; persistent rebellion invites judgment, yet His mercy still calls for surrender (2 Peter 3:9).

How does Exodus 3:19 demonstrate God's foreknowledge and sovereignty over Pharaoh's actions?
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