WHAT DO THESE VERSES MEAN TO YOU?

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Permalink Reply by Carla on August 14, 2012 at 6:32am

Primarily-- unbelief which lead to the hardening of the Pharaoh's heart.

 

Pharaoh refused to turn to the One True God despite the many signs and wonders from God in the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:3)

Did God harden Pharaoh's heart or did Pharaoh harden Pharaoh's heart? 

God has given each of us a choice, and He knew what was in Pharaoh's heart...  God gave Pharaoh many chances to witness the signs and wonders and to turn to Him--but Pharaoh continued to reject God and His ways. 

 

It's interesting that Pharaoh acknowledged God and His existence,(8:8; 8:28; 9:27; 10:11; 10:17; 10:24) but stubbornly refused to submit to Him, to surrender and to walk in obedience.  He was only after relief from the the plagues...  Pharaoh did not care about God or His ways or knowing Him.

 

How often do we beg and plead with God for relief---but then when relief comes we walk away and ignore God completely?

--sobering.

 

Blessings, Carla

 

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on August 14, 2012 at 6:33am

In context one would think Pharaoh is getting close to repentance. We later see that it was only an emotional plea, but not true repentance for he goes back to his rebellious ways. As soon as he gets what he wants he reverts back to his natural state, for no spiritual change has happened in him. Circumstances of life at times can drive us to run to God for refuge, but the root of the problem when not dealt with, will continue to sprout.

 

Thus are the hypocrites writes Calvin: “when they are beneath God's afflicting hand, or tremble under the apprehension of His chastening, humbly and submissively implore His mercy; but when the evil has been withdrawn for a little while, this short truce puffs up their hearts, as if they had attained an eternal peace. This is a disease common to all hypocrites, that, having found by experience their ways to be destructive to them, they pretend penitence for the sake of obtaining pardon, because they cannot escape the judgments of God; but, when they fancy themselves escaped, they hasten back to the same pride, they kick against God, and even wantonly insult him; in a word, it is only their trouble that humbles them and that only for a short time. But although Pharaoh's fear extorted this from him, that he sought for Moses to entreat for him, and was anxious to appease God, yet was it a token of his deceitful and double mind, that he made it, as it were, a bargain, that the frogs should be taken away before he let the people go. His impiety, therefore, lay concealed in his heart, so long as he thought that he could not defy God with impunity; but, relying confidently on impunity, he manifested his deceit and perfidy. Although it was not with any sincere feeling of repentance that he now humbly speaks of Jehovah by name, yet it shows that the stoutness of his spirit was broken, of which mention was made before, when he inquired in mockery, "Who is the Lord?" "Thus far you have exalted yourself improperly, trusting in your power, and afterwards when bewitched by the enchantments; now rather glory, because you have an intercessor and patron to plead for you to God." For it was needful that the arrogance, which had so falsely elevated him, that he dared to contend with God, should be crushed, and that no hope should be left him, save in the mercy of God. But to "glory over" Moses, means that he should seek his glory in the advocacy of Moses, and should account it a very great happiness that he should deign to interpose for his reconciliation with God. For the particle l, [93] is often so taken. Yet Moses by no means wished to detract at all from the glory of God; but (as I have lately said) desiring to humble the pride of the haughty king, he told him that nothing would be better and more glorious for him than to have a good hope of pardon, when he had obtained as his advocate the servant of the living God, whom he so cordially hated. He only affirms that the frogs should "remain in the river;" as much as to say that they should be content with their ordinary habitation and bounds; for we know that frogs, although they sometimes jump out on the bank, still do not go far from the water, because they are nourished by humidity. Thus he hints that they were let loose by God's command to cover the ground, and that it was still in His power, if He chose, that they should invade the fields and houses again in new multitudes; and that it must be ascribed to His blessing, if they kept themselves in the waters, and did not make incursions beyond their own boundaries.

 

10. And he said, Tomorrow. If you refer this to Moses, there is ambiguity in the sense; but, it being probable that they were Pharaoh's words, I think that he is asking for a respite till tomorrow, before he lets the people go. For they fall into an absurdity, who think that he asked Moses to drive away the frogs by his prayers the next day, as if Pharaoh went quietly to sleep, and put off the remedy of the evil. There is, then, no pretence for understanding it, that Pharaoh, as if his mind were quite tranquil and unmoved, desired to have his land delivered from the frogs on the following day: but rather it means, that if he be released from this difficulty, he promises the discharge of the people, but yet suspends it till the next day, for the purpose of deceit. For there was no other reason for this procrastination, except that, having obtained what he wanted, he might depart from his engagement, as he actually did; but Moses, satisfied with this promise, undertakes to bring it about that God should disperse the frogs; and this, I doubt not, was performed on the same day. For this was the cause of the tyrant's changing his determination, that, by the interposition of the night, his fear departed. And, certainly, it is gathered from the following words, that the frogs were soon after removed; for it is said that Moses and Aaron prayed after they had gone out; which would be but little in accordance with the notion, that the next day was waited for. It is not by any rash or presumptuous impulse that Moses affirms that Pharaoh should obtain his desire; because it appears from his success that he was assured of its being God's will. Thus often are the prophets, although no spoken revelation may intervene, directed nevertheless by the secret inspiration of the Spirit. In this confidence, also, Moses declares that Pharaoh should know that there is none other God to be compared with the God of Israel. This, moreover, is the true knowledge of God, when whatsoever lifts itself up to obscure His glory, is reduced to its proper level, and every high thing yields or is cast down, so that He alone may be exalted.

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on August 14, 2012 at 3:49pm

Actually, the way it was explained to me was....

Pharaoh wanted the frogs taken, and when he asked Moses to plead with the Lord to take them away, Moses asked him when he wanted him to plead to the Lord and Pharaoh said tomorrow. The preacher went on to say that it was like many of us,...we want the problem gone when it is convenient for us to have it gone. Some of us ask for prayer for a particular problem we are suffering but we aren't willing to take the time to do whatever is necessary for us to have the problem removed.

I have some issues that I would liked change but so far I am not willing to trust that they will be removed. Either that or I am not taking that step of faith that is required of me.

Either way, I have problems that I just don't want to deal with right now, not even to make the first step to have them removed.

It is very important that we examine ourselves to know if we are on the right path and headed in the right direction. That is something that this revival preacher talked about.

Blessings....

Rita

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Permalink Reply by May Triumph on August 14, 2012 at 4:25pm

Will the first thing that stood out in these scriptures was  where it said-“Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and ^vI will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.

I am glad that in Christ I am free to worship and no body can take that freedom from me.

Also He said Tomorrow-so many times people come close to salvation and yet they walk away and say tomorrow.

Today is the day of salvation. Today God wants people to be free!

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