3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt,
One of the great theological questions shows up in this verse. Did Pharaoh choose to reject the Lord’s plan and then the Lord hardened his heart, or did the Lord harden his heart which resulted in his rejecting the Lord’s plan? I think the Lord opens the door to our obedience. When we take action, He responds to that action. I don’t believe God violates our will. He allows us to make choices, just as Christ could freely chose to die on the cross in our place. In the following chapters we will see a powerful process at work in the life of Pharaoh. If he rejects, which he does, there are grave consequences for not only him; the whole country suffers the consequences of his rejection of the Lord’s plan. This is true in our lives as well. When we chose to obey or disobey there are consequences. Often those consequences move far beyond our own lives. I see it every day in my work. People come in an attempt to repair the damage they have made to themselves and their families through choices they have made. Or they are coming to repair the damage they have received as a result of the choices of others. Sin has consequences and those consequences spread. I hear the stories of generations of destruction. We can see it in the news every day. The Muslim world is built on revenge. Revenge is connected to protecting the honor of self. When that honor gets tarnished, revenge must take place. That is how the balance of justice gets righted. But Jesus already righted the balance of justice. His death took away our right to revenge. It also took away our right to feel as if our own honor is worth defending. You see, we know we are sinners in desperate need of His grace. We know we don’t deserve His death, and yet He died in our place. So in Christ there is a way to stop the cycle of revenge. The consequences of sin can be repealed.
The Arnold Journey 