The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart Part 2 of 3

God, who has complete knowledge of the situation, and is outside of time with foreknowledge of what will transpire simply reveals prophetically what is about to happen to Moses as God makes His Name known for the first time (Ex. 3:14; 6:3). The “as the LORD had said” or “had spoken” passages are significant for our interpretation and understanding (Ex. 7:13, 22; 8:15, 19; 9:12, 35). This reveals that the LORD had predicted what was going to come to pass in regard to Pharaoh hardening his heart and in fact it did come to pass just as the LORD had known that it would. You see, in advance God saw this Pharaoh’s heart and this was the vital issue. He knew that this Pharaoh: 1) had a stubborn heart (Ex. 7:14), 2) had a heart that would not listen (Ex. 7:4, 22; 8:15, 19; 9:12; 11:9), 3) had a hard heart (Ex. 7:22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 34, 35; 10:20), 4) had no concern in his heart for the things of God (7:23), 5) had an exalted heart, thought he was god, and would not humble himself (Ex. 10:3), 6) had no regard for the word of the Lord (Ex. 9:21), and 7) had great anger (Ex. 10:27-28)

In the beginning God foreknew that it would be under compulsion that the people of Israel would be driven out of Egypt and be let go (Ex. 6:1) because there was no relationship with the LORD on the part of Pharaoh. In other words, there would be no way a prideful, stubborn king of Egypt that did not know God would ever let His people go from the land into freedom. It would not make economic sense and it would be humiliating for the Egyptians at this point. They were blinded from God’s will and plan for redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ because there was no relationship with the living Creator. It would take a sovereign act of the Almighty to make Himself known and for release to be achieved.

It is interesting that Pharaoh at times knows that he has sinned against this incredible Power that is coming against him, yet he cannot give himself over fully to repentance (Ex. 9:27; 10:16-20). This, the Bible states, is because he did not “fear the LORD God (Ex. 9:30).”