I wonder this too. Maybe when it says He hardened Pharaoh’s heart, the hardening was the result of the plagues that the Lord caused. It was Pharaoh’s choice not to let the people go and every time he didn’t his heart got a little harder and because God was causing the plague He, by extension, caused the hardening. I don’t know if that is right but it’s a theory!
I think it is because God wanted them to see what he is capable of, and when the pharaoh would let them go, God couldn’t show the people what he can do. And He knew they were going to be in the dessert for 40 years after this so he needed to show the people that they can trust Him.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. – Matthew 7:7-8
““Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8 NLT
love this.
“A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.”
Matthew 7:17-18 NLT
it has me thinking what kind of fruit am i producing each day? i pray that i produce good fruit.
God invites inquiry! He isn’t a set of hard and fast rules, He invites us to engage, explore, question, discover, imagine, as we “live and move and have our being” in “ the Way, the Truth, and the Life”!
Matt 7:11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Wow! Knock, seek, and you shall find. Even through the hard times I don’t understand, I’m still seeking the Lord. He knows all things and will being me where I need to be.
8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
The Egyptians suffered through those plagues because of one man’s decisions. That reiterates that no decision I make only affects me. No man is an island. Lord guide my thoughts, my steps, and my decisions so that You may be glorified.
Sometimes we question why God does things the way he does. Like why doesn’t he just soften Pharaoh’s heart instead of hardening it? But God always has a plan. He explains, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you so my many wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” When we don’t understand what God is doing, we have to trust that he will be faithful in his plan for us!
I love that even the manner in which God teaches separates him from the scribes. Just like the love the God instructs us to have for others is different than non believers.
When I’ve considered the narrow way versus the wide path before, I’ve always thought that those who don’t profess the Lord take the narrow… and those who do take the narrow… but is it really a distiction that can categorize beliecers? Am I a believer who has taken the wide path?
I do think the narrow is the believers/ true followers of Christ. However, I think there are many that consider themselves a Christian who have never truly given Christ Lordship. They have not truly given themselves over to Him. There needs to be a submission of my will to Him allowing Him to dictate my life, thoughts, priorities, values, decisions, relationships… I become a steward of all that is His- my body, all I own, my gifts/ talents, my time, my family, my money… Few truly do this or even see the need to pursue growing in this.
King David sinned greatly, but he was a man after God’s own heart because of His repentance in seeking to be right with God no matter what as His top priority. I hope this is making sense.
Ex 10: 1-2 gives us the answer. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so “ that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”
Kara, as I understand this verse. It is the sin nature, residing within all of us, that is being hardened by the demand of the law to let God’s people go. A sign that says wet paint, don’t touch! causes us to desire to touch it!! In this way, the heart is given a choice and by nature it chooses to sin, to touch. As with each of us, when we stand before our Holy God and recognize that we are sinful and have hearts of stone and not hearts of flesh that can be turned only by God through Christ, our hearts are hardened also. This is when we realize our need for Christ. Pharaoh never did
I’ve been meditating on this as well and this is what I’ve learned.
The same sun that hardens the clay, melts the wax. The sun shines the same way on both but their nature responds to it differently. It wasn’t God that changed Pharaoh’s heart and made it hard, it was Pharaoh that responded to the ways of the Lord. God knew this would happen because God knows all, but we still have a choice how to react to the love of God.
Hey Sarah! I completely agree that when taken on its own, this concept of hardening Pharaoh’s heart is kind of difficult. The Hebrew does say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, pretty clearly in 9:12, but in 8:32, it’s pharaoh hardening his own heart. But, I also think that it needs to be interpreted with what we know of God and his character. There is the ultimate sovereignty of God, and his goodness and steadfast love and kindness, and his slowness to anger. And there is Pharaoh, who has free will as any human does, who is really trying to assert himself as the most powerful God of Egypt and any of the people/slaves that are a part of that kingdom. So what we’re seeing here is really a showdown between the true God and a fake. God is sovereign and the agent that changes hearts, but there is allowed free will to humans as that’s what maintains a relationship of love between God and his people rather than a relationship of compulsion. God’s sovereignty and human free will interact in a way that allows for both, but we kind of stand in the tension of not really knowing exactly where one begins and the other ends. Just the faith and knowledge that God is good, God is love, and God is all-powerful to make his plan of ultimate redemption come to pass. And as a result of the interplay of God’s sovereign will of hardening pharaoh’s heart and pharaoh hardening his own heart, more people know who God is and are convinced of his power. If there were some Egyptians who feared the word of the Lord as a result of this then already some were saved, not to mention the far reaching power this story and event has for today.
Thank you AJ, so much insight here! I have copied your post into my notes. The concept of the one true God pitting himself against the fake who tried to set himself up as a god, plus the fact that people past and present have seen God’s power and had the potential for salvation through this helped my understanding of this passage.
I’ve gotten somewhat behind, so there may not even be anyone who sees this! But like others, I too have been struggling some with the idea of God hardening pharaoh’s heart. And I agree with what others have said, that each time this happened, more and more people saw God’s power and believed, and it all worked together for his purpose. But does anyone else think this could also be somewhat of a translation thing, and that it wasn’t necessarily God intentionally hardening his heart, but knowing that pharaoh’s heart would be hard and choosing not to soften it, so that he could do these signs and fulfill his purpose? Just something I’ve been thinking about and I may be totally wrong, would love any feedback!
I agree with the person who responded to this completely! However what came to my mind when I struggled with this was the reminder of Gods love for us and his promises to us that he Will be the one to seek revenge on our enemies for us. The Egyptians and pharaoh a tortured the Israelites for hundreds of years, and it was due that God show his awesome powers. When pharaoh asked Moses to ask God for forgiveness he did forgive, but he would not change Pharoahs heart against his will completely because his punishment for his people was not yet over.
Every time Pharoah’s heart was hardened, more people realized that God was in charge and all mighty. They also saw that what God was doing could not be replicated by the magicians who could replicate the first few plagues.
What Sarah said! God is basically proving Himself. “I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them….. that you may know that I am the Lord.”
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.” Ex. 10:1-2
I believe God was showing the Israelites how much he loved them and who he really was. Remember how hard it was for Moses to believe who God was. How he kept questioning God on how the people would believe that this really was the Lord of their fathers. I think this is God showing them the he is The LORD. All the while punishing the Egyptians for their abuses.
What stood out to me was the comparison of Joseph’s pharaoh to Moses’ pharaoh in regards to their willingness to acknowledge the wisdom of God as applied to their nation’s wellbeing. Joseph’s was willing to save his nation and they had plenty of food in the face of famine. Moses’ was too stubborn and it talks about how Egypt was absolutely devastated.
I know in both, God was working to bring Himself glory in the best way possible, but it seems like Moses’ pharaoh forgot about the whole experience with Joseph.
He did forget! A few chapters earlier it explains how a new pharaoh rose to power, one who did not remember Joseph or that time period. I agree with you, it is a night and day difference between these two rulers!
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ☺️
Lindsey….I have heard before in a sermon that the reason God brings these types of Plagues on Egypt because it challenges the major gods of Egypt and to show the Egyptians that He is the one true God
Hello
Please can anyone explain to me why the Lord makes Pharoah hardens his heart and continue to bring plagues on the land of Egypt. Because I realized through the scripture reading that, the Lord hardens Pharoah’s heart. Eg Exodus 10:20
It’s so that God can make a point basically. If pharaoh had simply let them go, then there would leave argument that it was potentially him jugs being in a good mood that let the Israelites out. So God made sure that there was absolutely no doubt left in anyone’s mind of why exactly pharaoh let them go. It also provided the platform for God to show just how incredible and awesome He is in the process of filling His promise to Abraham.
anyone else have issues with the app crashing when opening certain days readings?? Just getting frustrated switching back and forth to other bible apps to read the days scripture
I love Exodus 10:1-2. Here I am thinking sheesh why is God doing this? Provoking Pharoah and he is just getting more and more hardened. And the there it is God says “I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them….. that you may know that I am the Lord.” He does everything for a reason. And I so quickly forget. Powerful story what God does through Moses!
“All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail… but the wheat were SPARED because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.”
–God could’ve destroyed the wheat too! but He didn’t… i see His heart in this verse… He was ready to give Egypt a new beginning after all these plagues, if only they had GENUINELY REPENTED… In the same way, when God teaches us a lesson by causing us to suffer, He doesn’t destroy everything… He is ever ready to give us a new beginning if we would only Genuinely Repent and Choose to FOLLOW Him moving forward…
Matt 7:24-25 ||. Even those who build on a rock foundation will be faced with rains and floods and windstorms. Knowing God does not make us immune…it just makes us stronger.
Matt 7:26. And our lives fall like a crash when we forget forsake fail to practice “these words of mine.” O God, open our ears to hear well, do well, love well. Still haunted by sight of 21 men on the beach losing their lives.
We have sinful natures (evil), but we still try to do good things for our children. By comparison, God, who is totally good and perfect, gives even better things to His children. We can only hope to imitate Him.
What I take away from Matt 7:11 is that God had our best at heart. There are those who say God doesn’t provide for me/give me what I want, he holds back what I need/want, etc. But Jesus is saying if we as fallible humans, who know so little and are small in understanding, then how much more can an omnipresent Father God give us what we need/want by knowing the full desires of our hearts. He will not hold back blessings for us if we but ask with and pure and contrite heart.
I hope this helps you
The way I see it, some are called, hear, and surrender. And some will never surrender. Even under every right and perfect opportunity. Satan was an archangel that rebelled against God. God knows the “heart” of men… And some will never submit to the will of God, as they themselves will always want to be God.
I struggled with this, too! I took it to mean that God is displaying his power and authority over all peoples. These plagues (however horrible) are the means to show his almighty strength.
By the same token, he is showing his capability for forgiveness and mercy. He listens to Moses every time the Pharaoh asks to be prayed for. He takes away each plague despite the knowledge that a new one will surely follow. This shows His passion to the people of Egypt while also showing that He should be loved fearfully.
Hope this helps! That’s just how I understand it ☺️
Repentance starts with humility and I don’t think we have seen any of his pride abate in attitude or action. While there is definitely a tension that exists btw God hardening Pharoahs heart and Pharoah hardening his own heart, we can be thankful that our infinite God has knowledge and wisdom that is far beyond and above our own. Isa 55, Rom 11, Ps 147. Thankful that He continues to show us His character in His Word. He is LOVE, kind, good, patient, trustworthy, etc… And we can entrust ourselves to Him!
Matthew 7 … There will be many people who claim to know God. People who have done great things in God’s name. They’ve preached and witnessed and taught at Christian schools and been deacons and elders and SS teachers and missionaries. They’ve done amazing things to help people. But when it comes right down to it, they don’t know God! And God will reject all their cries for acceptance. How terrifying! What if that’s me?
Humbling statements. And it can’t be you since you finished your statement being convicted, therefore you are fighting the element of becoming like that. As long as their is conviction, God exists there. We will fail daily, but need to continue on.
Pharaoh just wanted relief … not repentance. When life was hard he claimed to respect and fear God. He begged Moses to entreat God for him. He promised to honor and obey God. But as soon as the judgment was lifted it was “business as usual”. He only wanted comfort. He wanted his own way. And he tried to manipulate God. But it didn’t (& never will) work.
I agree. I felt conviction about this today. How often have I cried out for help and mercy and as soon a I feel relief I totally forget where it came from? Too many times.
In response to Christina Ds statement; with this in mind, how many times have I made my own trials worse by asking for God’s help, receiving it and then returning to my own devices once through that trial? Lord, I pray that my heart not be hardened. That my hearts true desire is to live in your will and not my own comfort and pleasure as I see it in that moment. My eyes can only see the shorter term comforts and you have my eternal comfort in your sights.
I wonder what areas of my life that I have hardened my heart against God, just like Pharaoh did. God tries to get my attention over and over but I ignore his voice. Today I’m asking God to soften my heart and submit my will to His.
I feel like we can learn an important lesson from the Pharaoh. God can and will use our soon to show His glory. Our misgivings do not stop God’s will from occurring. However, if we are so caught up in it, we will miss out. We will see God move, but be outside of it. If we can learn to let go of these things that bind us-shame, pride, addiction- then we are emptying ourselves of the world and making ourselves available for God to use. I don’t want to be stuck outside of God when He moves. I know that He can use my sin, redeem me and let His glory be seen. But if I let go of myself, I can receive God’s best, and I will be a participant in His Will.
So much in today’s reading…I don’t even know where to start!
I will say this…As I am reading Exodus, I couldn’t help but be jealous that God spared the children of Israel, who were in the land of Goshen, from these plagues. For some reason I kept picturing them huddled on some island away from the destruction. I felt envious that God set them apart. But then I realized…Ummmm HELLO!! I, too, am set apart. It’s so funny when I’m reading my bible that I often think of it as a “story”. It was very real and very much applies to me today.
The land of Goshen was not some island. It was there in the land of Egypt. I am here in my Egypt surrounded by those who disbelieve. Surrounded by “plagues”. However, I am protected by the blood of the Lamb. Does this mean I won’t face persecution? Illness? Sadness? Devastating life events? Struggles? No! But it does mean that I don’t face any of it alone! Thankful for a God who protected the children of Israel then, and still today!
Has anyone ever read how much time passed between the plagues? I mean, it reads like one after the other, but if one plague kills off the livestock, then how can boils be on them or the first born be killed? And how could the magicians duplicate the plague while it was already happening? If all the water even in containers was turned to blood, what water did the magicians turn? I know! Picky details! Read it for the awesome power God showed, but it sure makes me wonder!
Commentary I’ve read says about 9 months. I know that in reference to the livestock it suggested that only the livestock in the field died of the plague…and then later on the ones who had been in the shelters who were then in the fields would die of the following plagues. As far as the water…it says the Egyptians dug around the river for fresh water so there may have been natural springs or water filtered through the soil. All of this is pure speculation, of course, from commentaries I’ve read. I don’t know about you but I’ve got questions for Jesus when I get there! I just wanna sit at His feet and listen to all the details my earthly mind can’t understand.
I’m afraid I don’t know, but I’d recommend asking your pastor or someone who’s strong in the faith; you can also try tracking down a concordance or a study Bible! I’ll have a look for you later, once the kids are down for a nap though x
“Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them.” Moses replied ” …But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.” I found this so intriguing! Pharaoh ~finally~ feels that he has sinned? Wonder what his translation of sin is then… And I love Moses reply. Interesting that one can claim a sin and yet “not fear the Lord God”. Thought provoking & very deep!
This morning is a self check of “where am I building?”. Am I building on the sand (in other words, the world)? Am I building on any rock or THE ROCK? Test it. When the storms of life come am I falling with a great crash or holding fast rooted into The Rock?
When we’re rooted and built on The Rock, I don’t think this means we won’t loose a shingle here and there, or a window won’t ever bust through the storms… BUT we are built on The Builder. We won’t ever fall with a great c r a s h. The Builder restores the broken pieces, He fixes the wounds and we’ll keep standing firm and secure.
Storms won’t ever fully break us.
Even if we’ve crashed completely to the ground in a million broken pieces, even if we’ve building on the sand, there’s good news. We serve a loving God filled with mercy, grace and chances. He’s waiting on us to build on Him. :)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV)
“How much more will the father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him”(Matthew 7:11)So humbling and encouraging. Reminds me of the quote “Our joy does not come from Jesus giving us what we want but Jesus being what we want”.
There’s so much in today’s reading! Especially Matt 7. I found myself wanting to pause and reflect on every point. I’ve read the before, many times, but when you are reading to absorb, not just to read, the process is entirely different. I’ve found I often go back during the day and reread parts..anyone else do that?
Yes!! I’m able to actually “study” instead of read. So many times throughout my day j think…” Oh wait! I just read something about this…hang on…”and I thumb back through my bible and commentaries!
I agree with you Leah. Definitely so many points I am so absorbed in…definitely more in debt than ever! I truly feel the power of the Holy Spirit is even stronger and more evident, as there are many of us running this course together. Very powerful to see it unfold!!
Great discussions. I agree, I find it hard to read pharaoh’s continued stubbornness and how God hardened his heart. He would concede his son but then the next day take it back. But I think of my own life how I constantly sin the same sin. How patient God is with me! Like the 1st verse in Matthew, judge not. Let us be strong women to not throw our pearls to pigs!
My heart was just gripped again about the 21 Christian men from Egypt who were martyred last weekend in Libya. Father, thank you for revealing the intentions of your heart: that the objects of your mercy are the children of Abraham by faith not by nationhood. Thank you that this sacred faith calls us to bravery and boldness. Thank you for the lives that were laid down for the sake of your name. Just as you were mocked with the beautiful name of the “King of the Jews,” thank you for allowing us the honor of being called the people of the cross.
Lydia, I stand with you on this, and also have been reminded how we must take our walk more seriously. Persecution will be starting here also. I think all the distractions around us, are exactly meant for distractions, so we can be caught off guard…like a soldier in a battle without a gun. I realize how I need to focus on my relationship with God, talk to Him constantly, start memorizing verses and truly get equipped in understanding each of our God given gifts. It is not about fear, as we know where we end up, but rather getting equipped for the “battle”… May God fill us with wisdom & discernment!
Verses 15 & 16 were very intriguing to me as well.
Honestly, the reality of the grace of God had me at a grip when trying to process the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. As I tried to understand its place in the bigger story, I was drawn to read the Amplified version that usually gives more explanation/verbiage to passages.
At first my thought was, “Hold up. Is the Lord hardening Pharaoh’s heart, or is it Pharaoh’s refusal to submit to the purposes of God?”
This is what I found:
Chapter 7 – But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and stubborn and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 7:13 AMP)
Chapter 8 – But when Pharaoh saw that there was temporary relief, he made his heart stubborn and hard and would not listen or heed them, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:15 AMP)
Chapter 9 – But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened [his mind was set] and he did not let the people go. (Exodus 9:7 AMP)
>>However, I’m not going to refuse this later verse to prove a point:
But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, making it strong and obstinate, (Exodus 9:7, 12 AMP)
So my thoughts about God’s grace in this:
1. The Old Covenant was different than New. Before the death & resurrection, the wrath of God laid out in the plagues was the cleansing force that was poured out on unrepentant sin. It revealed to the earth the power of a holy God.
2. Pharaoh’s ending:
I think for this, we must jump to Romans 9 that talks about each person’s end being determined because of their creation as and an object of mercy or wrath. Because the Lord is infinite, and has created/knows everybody’s ultimate eternal place, He is abundantly able to direct the hearts of those without faith to demonstrate to the “objects of His mercy” an even greater revelation of who He is:
In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. (Romans 9:4, 6, 22-23 NLT)
Why be patient if he had a right to be angry and Pharaoh would never change?
Could His patience toward the ones on whom His anger falls ever yield a change in their hearts? Perhaps. It did say that the Lord wanted to reveal his power to PHARAOH as well as to the earth.
But even if that isn’t the case, and the Lord knew that his patience toward Pharaoh would never yield a change of Pharaoh’s heart, God’s patience was applied to show His kids (US!) the riches of His glory.
Abba, good Father, may we, the creation of your hands, be willing to submit that the intentions of your heart toward your children are ALWAYS good, and stand in awe at (and admit that we don’t always “get-it) Your fore-knowledge of the lives, choices, & eternal destiny of all mankind.
Can someone help me understand. Why did God “harden ” the Pharaoh’s heart. It makes me think Pharaoh would have let the people free sooner. What am I missing ?
Hi Leigh Ann- in chapter 7 God says to Moses ” I will harden Pharaohs heart, and multiply my signs and wonders. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgements. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.”
He would have let the people free sooner- BUT they would not have believed in God. Later on through all the plagues it talks about how many of the servants and people of Egypt feared the God of Moses and obeyed the Lord in order to save their livestock & family.
God always wants the glory- the longer they endured and persevered that more God was able to show off His power. Additionally, I have to think God knew the armies, the Pharaoh and all his men would chase after the children of Israel. God planned it all this way.
Hope this helps. I too was frustrated at first- but I believe like everything else in the world- Gods plan is always to bring Himself the glory. :)
Additionally to all the comments above, I love this verse as it sheds light on things further…God said, ‘ I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Also, Pharoah and the Egyptians thought that Pharoah was a diety. God is fighting for his honor and glory against a whole religious system and is out to show an entire nation who the One True God really is. I think that’s why it had to be so extreme.
It is interesting why God hardened pharaohs heart to continue the plagues, why hardened it?
I wonder this too. Maybe when it says He hardened Pharaoh’s heart, the hardening was the result of the plagues that the Lord caused. It was Pharaoh’s choice not to let the people go and every time he didn’t his heart got a little harder and because God was causing the plague He, by extension, caused the hardening. I don’t know if that is right but it’s a theory!
I think it is because God wanted them to see what he is capable of, and when the pharaoh would let them go, God couldn’t show the people what he can do. And He knew they were going to be in the dessert for 40 years after this so he needed to show the people that they can trust Him.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. – Matthew 7:7-8
the reason that these are happening is because of the decisions of pharaoh. the plagues wouldn’t have happened if he would’ve just let israel go.
a lot has gone on in exodus. the reason
““Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8 NLT
love this.
“A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.”
Matthew 7:17-18 NLT
it has me thinking what kind of fruit am i producing each day? i pray that i produce good fruit.
❤️
loved matthew
❤️
God invites inquiry! He isn’t a set of hard and fast rules, He invites us to engage, explore, question, discover, imagine, as we “live and move and have our being” in “ the Way, the Truth, and the Life”!
Matt 7:11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
❤️
The kindness we use will be used to us
❤️
Wow! Knock, seek, and you shall find. Even through the hard times I don’t understand, I’m still seeking the Lord. He knows all things and will being me where I need to be.
for the gate is narrow and the way it’s hard that leads to life
remember this verse when you are going through hard times, keep pursuing the Lord♥️
for the gate is narrow in the way is hard that leads to life♥️
remember this when you are going through hard times and when life seems too hard to bear you just have to keep pursuing the Lord
8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
❤
♡
When we build a foundation on Christ, we will find solidarity within him! He is what makes us strong
8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
❤️
✔️
✅
✅
✅
The Egyptians suffered through those plagues because of one man’s decisions. That reiterates that no decision I make only affects me. No man is an island. Lord guide my thoughts, my steps, and my decisions so that You may be glorified.
Never grow weary in doing good & put into practice what the word says.
12Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
❤️
Sometimes we question why God does things the way he does. Like why doesn’t he just soften Pharaoh’s heart instead of hardening it? But God always has a plan. He explains, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you so my many wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” When we don’t understand what God is doing, we have to trust that he will be faithful in his plan for us!
So so much good in Matthew 7! Including the golden rule: treat others as you’d like to be treated. Jesus’ words speak life!
Done❤️
5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
-ellie
16But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.
I love that even the manner in which God teaches separates him from the scribes. Just like the love the God instructs us to have for others is different than non believers.
7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “
When I’ve considered the narrow way versus the wide path before, I’ve always thought that those who don’t profess the Lord take the narrow… and those who do take the narrow… but is it really a distiction that can categorize beliecers? Am I a believer who has taken the wide path?
I do think the narrow is the believers/ true followers of Christ. However, I think there are many that consider themselves a Christian who have never truly given Christ Lordship. They have not truly given themselves over to Him. There needs to be a submission of my will to Him allowing Him to dictate my life, thoughts, priorities, values, decisions, relationships… I become a steward of all that is His- my body, all I own, my gifts/ talents, my time, my family, my money… Few truly do this or even see the need to pursue growing in this.
King David sinned greatly, but he was a man after God’s own heart because of His repentance in seeking to be right with God no matter what as His top priority. I hope this is making sense.
❤️
I’m really struggling with “and the Lord hardened the pharaohs heart.”
Ex 10: 1-2 gives us the answer. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so “ that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”
Kara, as I understand this verse. It is the sin nature, residing within all of us, that is being hardened by the demand of the law to let God’s people go. A sign that says wet paint, don’t touch! causes us to desire to touch it!! In this way, the heart is given a choice and by nature it chooses to sin, to touch. As with each of us, when we stand before our Holy God and recognize that we are sinful and have hearts of stone and not hearts of flesh that can be turned only by God through Christ, our hearts are hardened also. This is when we realize our need for Christ. Pharaoh never did
I’ve been meditating on this as well and this is what I’ve learned.
The same sun that hardens the clay, melts the wax. The sun shines the same way on both but their nature responds to it differently. It wasn’t God that changed Pharaoh’s heart and made it hard, it was Pharaoh that responded to the ways of the Lord. God knew this would happen because God knows all, but we still have a choice how to react to the love of God.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:14
Hey Sarah! I completely agree that when taken on its own, this concept of hardening Pharaoh’s heart is kind of difficult. The Hebrew does say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, pretty clearly in 9:12, but in 8:32, it’s pharaoh hardening his own heart. But, I also think that it needs to be interpreted with what we know of God and his character. There is the ultimate sovereignty of God, and his goodness and steadfast love and kindness, and his slowness to anger. And there is Pharaoh, who has free will as any human does, who is really trying to assert himself as the most powerful God of Egypt and any of the people/slaves that are a part of that kingdom. So what we’re seeing here is really a showdown between the true God and a fake. God is sovereign and the agent that changes hearts, but there is allowed free will to humans as that’s what maintains a relationship of love between God and his people rather than a relationship of compulsion. God’s sovereignty and human free will interact in a way that allows for both, but we kind of stand in the tension of not really knowing exactly where one begins and the other ends. Just the faith and knowledge that God is good, God is love, and God is all-powerful to make his plan of ultimate redemption come to pass. And as a result of the interplay of God’s sovereign will of hardening pharaoh’s heart and pharaoh hardening his own heart, more people know who God is and are convinced of his power. If there were some Egyptians who feared the word of the Lord as a result of this then already some were saved, not to mention the far reaching power this story and event has for today.
Thank you AJ, so much insight here! I have copied your post into my notes. The concept of the one true God pitting himself against the fake who tried to set himself up as a god, plus the fact that people past and present have seen God’s power and had the potential for salvation through this helped my understanding of this passage.
……Also I appreciate your comment of interpreting all of this with what we know of God’s character – His love, mercy, compassion etc.
I’ve gotten somewhat behind, so there may not even be anyone who sees this! But like others, I too have been struggling some with the idea of God hardening pharaoh’s heart. And I agree with what others have said, that each time this happened, more and more people saw God’s power and believed, and it all worked together for his purpose. But does anyone else think this could also be somewhat of a translation thing, and that it wasn’t necessarily God intentionally hardening his heart, but knowing that pharaoh’s heart would be hard and choosing not to soften it, so that he could do these signs and fulfill his purpose? Just something I’ve been thinking about and I may be totally wrong, would love any feedback!
I agree with the person who responded to this completely! However what came to my mind when I struggled with this was the reminder of Gods love for us and his promises to us that he Will be the one to seek revenge on our enemies for us. The Egyptians and pharaoh a tortured the Israelites for hundreds of years, and it was due that God show his awesome powers. When pharaoh asked Moses to ask God for forgiveness he did forgive, but he would not change Pharoahs heart against his will completely because his punishment for his people was not yet over.
If God wanted to let the people go why did he keep hardening the Pharoahs heart?
I’ve also wondered that…
I think it was because God wanted to show His power to Pharoah
He could have not hardened pharoahs heart but since he did, he was able to show how powerful and mighty he is
Every time Pharoah’s heart was hardened, more people realized that God was in charge and all mighty. They also saw that what God was doing could not be replicated by the magicians who could replicate the first few plagues.
Thanks for the explanations! That really helps!reallhelshelps
What Sarah said! God is basically proving Himself. “I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them….. that you may know that I am the Lord.”
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.” Ex. 10:1-2
I believe God was showing the Israelites how much he loved them and who he really was. Remember how hard it was for Moses to believe who God was. How he kept questioning God on how the people would believe that this really was the Lord of their fathers. I think this is God showing them the he is The LORD. All the while punishing the Egyptians for their abuses.
Why did God ask the people to ask for their neighbors’ jewelry?
plundering their captors on the way out. plus it provides for them financially
That doesn’t seem very godly
What stood out to me was the comparison of Joseph’s pharaoh to Moses’ pharaoh in regards to their willingness to acknowledge the wisdom of God as applied to their nation’s wellbeing. Joseph’s was willing to save his nation and they had plenty of food in the face of famine. Moses’ was too stubborn and it talks about how Egypt was absolutely devastated.
I know in both, God was working to bring Himself glory in the best way possible, but it seems like Moses’ pharaoh forgot about the whole experience with Joseph.
He did forget! A few chapters earlier it explains how a new pharaoh rose to power, one who did not remember Joseph or that time period. I agree with you, it is a night and day difference between these two rulers!
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ☺️
Lindsey….I have heard before in a sermon that the reason God brings these types of Plagues on Egypt because it challenges the major gods of Egypt and to show the Egyptians that He is the one true God
Hello
Please can anyone explain to me why the Lord makes Pharoah hardens his heart and continue to bring plagues on the land of Egypt. Because I realized through the scripture reading that, the Lord hardens Pharoah’s heart. Eg Exodus 10:20
It’s so that God can make a point basically. If pharaoh had simply let them go, then there would leave argument that it was potentially him jugs being in a good mood that let the Israelites out. So God made sure that there was absolutely no doubt left in anyone’s mind of why exactly pharaoh let them go. It also provided the platform for God to show just how incredible and awesome He is in the process of filling His promise to Abraham.
anyone else have issues with the app crashing when opening certain days readings?? Just getting frustrated switching back and forth to other bible apps to read the days scripture
I love Exodus 10:1-2. Here I am thinking sheesh why is God doing this? Provoking Pharoah and he is just getting more and more hardened. And the there it is God says “I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them….. that you may know that I am the Lord.” He does everything for a reason. And I so quickly forget. Powerful story what God does through Moses!
Exodus 9:31 caught my attention:
“All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail… but the wheat were SPARED because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.”
–God could’ve destroyed the wheat too! but He didn’t… i see His heart in this verse… He was ready to give Egypt a new beginning after all these plagues, if only they had GENUINELY REPENTED… In the same way, when God teaches us a lesson by causing us to suffer, He doesn’t destroy everything… He is ever ready to give us a new beginning if we would only Genuinely Repent and Choose to FOLLOW Him moving forward…
I could re-read Matthew for days, just to soak up every ounce of this wisdom.
Agreed!
Matt 7:24-25 ||. Even those who build on a rock foundation will be faced with rains and floods and windstorms. Knowing God does not make us immune…it just makes us stronger.
I hadn’t thought of it from that particular perspective. So true. Thanks for sharing.
Matt 7:26. And our lives fall like a crash when we forget forsake fail to practice “these words of mine.” O God, open our ears to hear well, do well, love well. Still haunted by sight of 21 men on the beach losing their lives.
We have sinful natures (evil), but we still try to do good things for our children. By comparison, God, who is totally good and perfect, gives even better things to His children. We can only hope to imitate Him.
What’s the meaning of Matthew 7:11?
Opc.com has an interesting response…
What I take away from Matt 7:11 is that God had our best at heart. There are those who say God doesn’t provide for me/give me what I want, he holds back what I need/want, etc. But Jesus is saying if we as fallible humans, who know so little and are small in understanding, then how much more can an omnipresent Father God give us what we need/want by knowing the full desires of our hearts. He will not hold back blessings for us if we but ask with and pure and contrite heart.
I hope this helps you
How is Pharoah to repent when God specifically harden’s his heart??
The way I see it, some are called, hear, and surrender. And some will never surrender. Even under every right and perfect opportunity. Satan was an archangel that rebelled against God. God knows the “heart” of men… And some will never submit to the will of God, as they themselves will always want to be God.
I struggled with this, too! I took it to mean that God is displaying his power and authority over all peoples. These plagues (however horrible) are the means to show his almighty strength.
By the same token, he is showing his capability for forgiveness and mercy. He listens to Moses every time the Pharaoh asks to be prayed for. He takes away each plague despite the knowledge that a new one will surely follow. This shows His passion to the people of Egypt while also showing that He should be loved fearfully.
Hope this helps! That’s just how I understand it ☺️
Repentance starts with humility and I don’t think we have seen any of his pride abate in attitude or action. While there is definitely a tension that exists btw God hardening Pharoahs heart and Pharoah hardening his own heart, we can be thankful that our infinite God has knowledge and wisdom that is far beyond and above our own. Isa 55, Rom 11, Ps 147. Thankful that He continues to show us His character in His Word. He is LOVE, kind, good, patient, trustworthy, etc… And we can entrust ourselves to Him!
Matthew 7 … There will be many people who claim to know God. People who have done great things in God’s name. They’ve preached and witnessed and taught at Christian schools and been deacons and elders and SS teachers and missionaries. They’ve done amazing things to help people. But when it comes right down to it, they don’t know God! And God will reject all their cries for acceptance. How terrifying! What if that’s me?
Humbling statements. And it can’t be you since you finished your statement being convicted, therefore you are fighting the element of becoming like that. As long as their is conviction, God exists there. We will fail daily, but need to continue on.
I feel the same way. Fear and trembling. God is holy and will not be fooled. Oh Lord please help me to know you and be known by you. Amen
Pharaoh just wanted relief … not repentance. When life was hard he claimed to respect and fear God. He begged Moses to entreat God for him. He promised to honor and obey God. But as soon as the judgment was lifted it was “business as usual”. He only wanted comfort. He wanted his own way. And he tried to manipulate God. But it didn’t (& never will) work.
Wow! So often sounds like us hey?
I agree. I felt conviction about this today. How often have I cried out for help and mercy and as soon a I feel relief I totally forget where it came from? Too many times.
Relief, not repentance.. Great explanation!
In response to Christina Ds statement; with this in mind, how many times have I made my own trials worse by asking for God’s help, receiving it and then returning to my own devices once through that trial? Lord, I pray that my heart not be hardened. That my hearts true desire is to live in your will and not my own comfort and pleasure as I see it in that moment. My eyes can only see the shorter term comforts and you have my eternal comfort in your sights.
I wonder what areas of my life that I have hardened my heart against God, just like Pharaoh did. God tries to get my attention over and over but I ignore his voice. Today I’m asking God to soften my heart and submit my will to His.
I feel like we can learn an important lesson from the Pharaoh. God can and will use our soon to show His glory. Our misgivings do not stop God’s will from occurring. However, if we are so caught up in it, we will miss out. We will see God move, but be outside of it. If we can learn to let go of these things that bind us-shame, pride, addiction- then we are emptying ourselves of the world and making ourselves available for God to use. I don’t want to be stuck outside of God when He moves. I know that He can use my sin, redeem me and let His glory be seen. But if I let go of myself, I can receive God’s best, and I will be a participant in His Will.
So much in today’s reading…I don’t even know where to start!
I will say this…As I am reading Exodus, I couldn’t help but be jealous that God spared the children of Israel, who were in the land of Goshen, from these plagues. For some reason I kept picturing them huddled on some island away from the destruction. I felt envious that God set them apart. But then I realized…Ummmm HELLO!! I, too, am set apart. It’s so funny when I’m reading my bible that I often think of it as a “story”. It was very real and very much applies to me today.
The land of Goshen was not some island. It was there in the land of Egypt. I am here in my Egypt surrounded by those who disbelieve. Surrounded by “plagues”. However, I am protected by the blood of the Lamb. Does this mean I won’t face persecution? Illness? Sadness? Devastating life events? Struggles? No! But it does mean that I don’t face any of it alone! Thankful for a God who protected the children of Israel then, and still today!
Has anyone ever read how much time passed between the plagues? I mean, it reads like one after the other, but if one plague kills off the livestock, then how can boils be on them or the first born be killed? And how could the magicians duplicate the plague while it was already happening? If all the water even in containers was turned to blood, what water did the magicians turn? I know! Picky details! Read it for the awesome power God showed, but it sure makes me wonder!
Commentary I’ve read says about 9 months. I know that in reference to the livestock it suggested that only the livestock in the field died of the plague…and then later on the ones who had been in the shelters who were then in the fields would die of the following plagues. As far as the water…it says the Egyptians dug around the river for fresh water so there may have been natural springs or water filtered through the soil. All of this is pure speculation, of course, from commentaries I’ve read. I don’t know about you but I’ve got questions for Jesus when I get there! I just wanna sit at His feet and listen to all the details my earthly mind can’t understand.
I’ve always wondered about this timeline too! There must have been a lot of livestock lol.
I’m afraid I don’t know, but I’d recommend asking your pastor or someone who’s strong in the faith; you can also try tracking down a concordance or a study Bible! I’ll have a look for you later, once the kids are down for a nap though x
“Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them.” Moses replied ” …But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.” I found this so intriguing! Pharaoh ~finally~ feels that he has sinned? Wonder what his translation of sin is then… And I love Moses reply. Interesting that one can claim a sin and yet “not fear the Lord God”. Thought provoking & very deep!
This morning is a self check of “where am I building?”. Am I building on the sand (in other words, the world)? Am I building on any rock or THE ROCK? Test it. When the storms of life come am I falling with a great crash or holding fast rooted into The Rock?
When we’re rooted and built on The Rock, I don’t think this means we won’t loose a shingle here and there, or a window won’t ever bust through the storms… BUT we are built on The Builder. We won’t ever fall with a great c r a s h. The Builder restores the broken pieces, He fixes the wounds and we’ll keep standing firm and secure.
Storms won’t ever fully break us.
Even if we’ve crashed completely to the ground in a million broken pieces, even if we’ve building on the sand, there’s good news. We serve a loving God filled with mercy, grace and chances. He’s waiting on us to build on Him. :)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV)
Amen sister!
“How much more will the father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him”(Matthew 7:11)So humbling and encouraging. Reminds me of the quote “Our joy does not come from Jesus giving us what we want but Jesus being what we want”.
There’s so much in today’s reading! Especially Matt 7. I found myself wanting to pause and reflect on every point. I’ve read the before, many times, but when you are reading to absorb, not just to read, the process is entirely different. I’ve found I often go back during the day and reread parts..anyone else do that?
Yes!! I’m able to actually “study” instead of read. So many times throughout my day j think…” Oh wait! I just read something about this…hang on…”and I thumb back through my bible and commentaries!
I agree with you Leah. Definitely so many points I am so absorbed in…definitely more in debt than ever! I truly feel the power of the Holy Spirit is even stronger and more evident, as there are many of us running this course together. Very powerful to see it unfold!!
Great discussions. I agree, I find it hard to read pharaoh’s continued stubbornness and how God hardened his heart. He would concede his son but then the next day take it back. But I think of my own life how I constantly sin the same sin. How patient God is with me! Like the 1st verse in Matthew, judge not. Let us be strong women to not throw our pearls to pigs!
My heart was just gripped again about the 21 Christian men from Egypt who were martyred last weekend in Libya. Father, thank you for revealing the intentions of your heart: that the objects of your mercy are the children of Abraham by faith not by nationhood. Thank you that this sacred faith calls us to bravery and boldness. Thank you for the lives that were laid down for the sake of your name. Just as you were mocked with the beautiful name of the “King of the Jews,” thank you for allowing us the honor of being called the people of the cross.
Lydia, I stand with you on this, and also have been reminded how we must take our walk more seriously. Persecution will be starting here also. I think all the distractions around us, are exactly meant for distractions, so we can be caught off guard…like a soldier in a battle without a gun. I realize how I need to focus on my relationship with God, talk to Him constantly, start memorizing verses and truly get equipped in understanding each of our God given gifts. It is not about fear, as we know where we end up, but rather getting equipped for the “battle”… May God fill us with wisdom & discernment!
Verses 15 & 16 were very intriguing to me as well.
Honestly, the reality of the grace of God had me at a grip when trying to process the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. As I tried to understand its place in the bigger story, I was drawn to read the Amplified version that usually gives more explanation/verbiage to passages.
At first my thought was, “Hold up. Is the Lord hardening Pharaoh’s heart, or is it Pharaoh’s refusal to submit to the purposes of God?”
This is what I found:
Chapter 7 – But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and stubborn and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 7:13 AMP)
Chapter 8 – But when Pharaoh saw that there was temporary relief, he made his heart stubborn and hard and would not listen or heed them, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:15 AMP)
Chapter 9 – But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened [his mind was set] and he did not let the people go. (Exodus 9:7 AMP)
>>However, I’m not going to refuse this later verse to prove a point:
But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, making it strong and obstinate, (Exodus 9:7, 12 AMP)
So my thoughts about God’s grace in this:
1. The Old Covenant was different than New. Before the death & resurrection, the wrath of God laid out in the plagues was the cleansing force that was poured out on unrepentant sin. It revealed to the earth the power of a holy God.
2. Pharaoh’s ending:
I think for this, we must jump to Romans 9 that talks about each person’s end being determined because of their creation as and an object of mercy or wrath. Because the Lord is infinite, and has created/knows everybody’s ultimate eternal place, He is abundantly able to direct the hearts of those without faith to demonstrate to the “objects of His mercy” an even greater revelation of who He is:
In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. (Romans 9:4, 6, 22-23 NLT)
Why be patient if he had a right to be angry and Pharaoh would never change?
Could His patience toward the ones on whom His anger falls ever yield a change in their hearts? Perhaps. It did say that the Lord wanted to reveal his power to PHARAOH as well as to the earth.
But even if that isn’t the case, and the Lord knew that his patience toward Pharaoh would never yield a change of Pharaoh’s heart, God’s patience was applied to show His kids (US!) the riches of His glory.
Abba, good Father, may we, the creation of your hands, be willing to submit that the intentions of your heart toward your children are ALWAYS good, and stand in awe at (and admit that we don’t always “get-it) Your fore-knowledge of the lives, choices, & eternal destiny of all mankind.
Amen, Sheri…preach it! :)
Can someone help me understand. Why did God “harden ” the Pharaoh’s heart. It makes me think Pharaoh would have let the people free sooner. What am I missing ?
Hi Leigh Ann- in chapter 7 God says to Moses ” I will harden Pharaohs heart, and multiply my signs and wonders. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgements. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.”
He would have let the people free sooner- BUT they would not have believed in God. Later on through all the plagues it talks about how many of the servants and people of Egypt feared the God of Moses and obeyed the Lord in order to save their livestock & family.
God always wants the glory- the longer they endured and persevered that more God was able to show off His power. Additionally, I have to think God knew the armies, the Pharaoh and all his men would chase after the children of Israel. God planned it all this way.
Hope this helps. I too was frustrated at first- but I believe like everything else in the world- Gods plan is always to bring Himself the glory. :)
Oh! Also, reading in Ch 11:9 “but the Lord said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt'”. :)
Additionally to all the comments above, I love this verse as it sheds light on things further…God said, ‘ I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Also, Pharoah and the Egyptians thought that Pharoah was a diety. God is fighting for his honor and glory against a whole religious system and is out to show an entire nation who the One True God really is. I think that’s why it had to be so extreme.
right! I am wondering the same
Our God is AMAZING!
Ha, Tabitha…same thoughts! :)
So about that Sermon on the Mount… Wowzas. Grace is the only word I can think of because this is all too much.
Yes, Abbie, God’s all-sufficient grace is amazing!