⁸ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ⁹ “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.” ¹⁰ So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. ¹¹ Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: ¹² Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. ¹³ Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.” Exodus 7:8-13

¹⁰ “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. ¹¹ The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.” ¹² After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. ¹³ And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields.¹⁴ They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them. ¹⁵ But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.” Exodus 8:10-15         

We shall hear many times throughout the Exodus account, that the Lord “hardened Pharaoh’s heart”.  We talk about sin as both our refusal to heed G-d’s word and our behaviors and actions where we turn our backs to G-d. But, our Lutheran understanding is that WE are the agents to turning away from G-d. WE harden our own hearts to refuse to listen, to act, to live the Christ-like life.

In this exchange in Exodus however, it is often G-d who is hardening the heart of Pharaoh; G-d is the agent that turns Pharaoh away from the “I AM”.  Do you believe that G-d can will some people to not heed G-d’s word?  Is it possible that G-d can be the agent to turning people away from G-d’s self?  Does this sound too much like Predestination? Personally, I do not believe that G-d’s will is anything other than to save all people. It is our own sin and separation from G-d’s Grace that hardens our hearts.

Pastor Dave

  ¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” ¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” ¹² And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” ¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” ¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:10-14

The text from Exodus is one of my favorites, because it highlights the many arguments that people raise when G-d calls them to witness.  The first of the five arguments is, “Who am I”, that G-d would call me?” But G-d answers “I will be with you.”, you are my choice. And Moses says, what shall I tell them if they ask me.…“What is his (your) name?”, and G-d answers, “I AM WHO I AM.” Moses says, “But suppose they do not believe me?”, and G-d gives Moses signs to show the people. And Moses says, “I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” But G-d says “I will be your mouth and teach you…” Moses finally says, “Please send someone else.” And the Lord, angry with Moses, sends him off with Aaron to lead the people out of Egypt.

We may be good at giving G-d arguments and reasons why we should not be called to serve, and G-d will tell us, like he told Moses, “I will be with You.” And, like G-d was not giving up with Moses, G-d will not relent with us. G-d will continue to call us in various ways, to various ventures, some we just cannot imagine G-d would call us to do, or to be, or to sacrifice. I just would not recommend arguing with G-d too much—G-d will win….

Pastor Dave