16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
The Lord uses the stubbornness of leaders for His purpose. These events do not surprise Him or put His plan in a tailspin. Instead, He uses Pharaoh’s rejection to increase His glory. It would have been a miracle if Pharaoh had released the Israelites after the first warning. It would have resulted in a story of tremendous obedience on the part of a ruler. It would have been the birth of a nation without any violence! That would be a unique occurrence in history. That would bring glory to the Lord. It was not necessary for Pharaoh to be rebellious in order for the Lord to get glory. But in his rebellion against the Lord, the Lord turns it so that He gets even more glory. With each rebellion the Lord’s power is demonstrated and His deliverance becomes more noteworthy. The Lord does not force Pharaoh to reject these demonstrations of power, but the Lord does use them to carry out His purpose. His power is demonstrated and His name becomes known everywhere. These events are a great advertising campaign. And Pharaoh is the one behind the campaign. Pharaoh thinks he is advertising his own greatness and the might of his kingdom. Instead, he is advertising the Lord and the Lord’s greatness. It is like those who objected to the Superbowl ad celebrating life. They wanted to silence the message of hope, but instead they drew greater attention to the cause. Their anger brought exactly what they didn’t want, more support for the message of the ad. The Lord is able to use even the opposition as part of His plan. I am not suggesting that you start opposing the Lord so that He can use your opposition. He would much rather use your obedience for His purposes. But even rebellion can be used by our all powerful and sovereign God.
The Arnold Journey 