Page 8 - Inside Report - 4Q 2016

yourselves this day whom you will serve” repeated warnings given by Moses were ignored by the Egyptian

(Joshua 24:15). The story of the fall of
leader. Every time another manifestation of God’s power came upon
humanity shows the high value (and his land, Pharaoh refused to listen and his heart, by his own choice,

high price) that God gave to Adam became more and more hardened. If he had but submitted to God’s

and Eve when He let them choose
messages, his heart would have become soft, pliable, and teachable.
whether to obey or disobey Him.
Have you ever noticed that the same circumstances coming to

Pharaoh’s Heart
different people do not always produce the same responses? Think

of the warm sun that shines on the earth. If you set a lump of clay
What about the verse in and a lump of wax side by side underneath the same beams of light,

the Bible that says,“The LORD
one would become hard and the other would melt. Pharaoh chose to
be like clay when God’s appeals came to the proud ruler; God’s light
hardened the heart of Pharaoh”?
(Exodus 9:12). Did God make hardened his heart.

Pharaoh stubborn so that He Predestination teaches that God arbitrarily decides who will be
saved and who will be lost. In other words, Pharaoh simply would have
could use him to teach Israel
a lesson? Did Pharaoh have no had no choice but to be lost. It indirectly teaches that the Lord chooses

choice whatsoever in whether for some people to sin. But in so doing, it makes Him an accessory to
or not his own heart would be sin. Instead of offering to save you from sin, predestination presents

hard? Keep in mind, there are a God who stands back and allows you to struggle in sin. This is a

several other verses that indicate dangerous belief because it distorts the compassionate character of
Pharaoh hardened his own a God who poured out all of heaven to save us!

heart.“Pharaoh hardened his God does not harden people’s hearts. He is desperate to save

heart at this time also; neither
everyone.
would he let the people go”
“As I live,” says the Lord G, “I have no pleasure in the
(Exodus 8:32; see also OD
death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way
Exodus 8:15; 9:34;
and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should
1 Samuel 6:6). How did
you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11).
Pharaoh’s heart become

hardened?
He sends us truth to help us move in the right direction. It is the
I believe God
rejection of His messages that make us resistant to light from heaven.

sent circumstances When people repeatedly turn away from the appeals of God’s agencies,

to Pharaoh in order to
such as Pharaoh did, it is then that they become resistant, hardened
soften his heart. But the
like clay, to the further convicting calls of the Holy Spirit.

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8
Inside Report
4Q 2016