Day 7: Hard Heart
Exodus 7
Jesus told many memorable parables in the Gospels. One of them was the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew, Mark and Luke. In the story, Jesus gives four different responses to the Word of God. The first response, where the birds steal away the seeds, represents Satan preventing a person from listening and responding to God’s Word.
The second response, where the seeds fall on rocky soil, represents initial acceptance of God’s Word but trouble and persecution eventually prevent the person from fully embracing God’s Word in loving obedience.
The third response, where the seeds fall on thorny soil, represents a person whose love for the things of this world chokes out His love for God and His Word.
And then there is the fourth response. In this scenario, the seeds are planted on good, fertile soil, which represents the person who lovingly embraces and obeys the truths of God’s Word and experiences spiritual fruit because of it. This, of course, is God’s desire for our lives.
This chapter is fascinating because Pharaoh is very similar to the first person that Jesus described in His parable. He does not listen or respond to God’s instructions (given through Moses). But there is also a contrast as well. It is not Satan that prevents Pharaoh from responding in obedience, it is God who prevents him.
Did you notice that in todays reading? In the first part of v. 3 God says, “But I will harden Pharaoh's heart.” Four times in this chapter it says that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. And this is not the only chapter in Exodus where we see God harden Pharaoh’s heart. We also see it in chapters 4, 7, 9-11, and 14.
Stop and think about this. Sometimes God will harden a person’s heart, which to us seems like God’s plans being thwarted, when in reality, it’s how God may be accomplishing His plans. That should encourage us the next time we don’t see someone responding to God as we had hoped and prayed for. It could be God using it for some greater glory and good.
Until we get to heaven, we won’t always be able to connect the dots of how God is sovereignly accomplishing His purposes on earth and in heaven. When we see hardness of hearts, we mustn’t give the devil a foothold by feeling defeated or discouraged. We must choose to activate our faith and believe God is still on the throne and no hardened heart is a detriment to God.
In just a few short chapters, we will see God’s glory on full display as the people of God break the bondage of slavery and make their way to the promised land. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is still setting captives free. And He will lead His children home. Nothing in this world can stop that.
Exodus 7
Jesus told many memorable parables in the Gospels. One of them was the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew, Mark and Luke. In the story, Jesus gives four different responses to the Word of God. The first response, where the birds steal away the seeds, represents Satan preventing a person from listening and responding to God’s Word.
The second response, where the seeds fall on rocky soil, represents initial acceptance of God’s Word but trouble and persecution eventually prevent the person from fully embracing God’s Word in loving obedience.
The third response, where the seeds fall on thorny soil, represents a person whose love for the things of this world chokes out His love for God and His Word.
And then there is the fourth response. In this scenario, the seeds are planted on good, fertile soil, which represents the person who lovingly embraces and obeys the truths of God’s Word and experiences spiritual fruit because of it. This, of course, is God’s desire for our lives.
This chapter is fascinating because Pharaoh is very similar to the first person that Jesus described in His parable. He does not listen or respond to God’s instructions (given through Moses). But there is also a contrast as well. It is not Satan that prevents Pharaoh from responding in obedience, it is God who prevents him.
Did you notice that in todays reading? In the first part of v. 3 God says, “But I will harden Pharaoh's heart.” Four times in this chapter it says that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. And this is not the only chapter in Exodus where we see God harden Pharaoh’s heart. We also see it in chapters 4, 7, 9-11, and 14.
Stop and think about this. Sometimes God will harden a person’s heart, which to us seems like God’s plans being thwarted, when in reality, it’s how God may be accomplishing His plans. That should encourage us the next time we don’t see someone responding to God as we had hoped and prayed for. It could be God using it for some greater glory and good.
Until we get to heaven, we won’t always be able to connect the dots of how God is sovereignly accomplishing His purposes on earth and in heaven. When we see hardness of hearts, we mustn’t give the devil a foothold by feeling defeated or discouraged. We must choose to activate our faith and believe God is still on the throne and no hardened heart is a detriment to God.
In just a few short chapters, we will see God’s glory on full display as the people of God break the bondage of slavery and make their way to the promised land. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is still setting captives free. And He will lead His children home. Nothing in this world can stop that.
Posted in Journey of Hope