27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.
This almost sounds like repentance! The hail has fallen on the land of Egypt. I am sure there was tremendous loss. Only some of Pharaoh’s officials believed the warning and brought all their livestock and slaves inside. That means many would have been killed. The land of Goshen where the Hebrews live has not had any hail fall. They have been spared the devastating loss. The Lord had warned of the storm. He told them to bring in their livestock, so if there were losses, it was totally on them. They had chosen to not heed the warning. Now Pharaoh is mouthing the words of repentance, but his actions will not follow up on that repentance. He will again change his mind and not let the Hebrews go. Talk is cheap! And Pharaoh deals in cheap talk. His is moved emotionally, but he is not willing to follow up on those words. Faith is not only words. Real faith changes the way we live. When faith is genuine it radically alters our outlook on life. It infiltrates every decision we make. Faith that doesn’t change us is not faith. If we are the same afterwards, then maybe we had just words of faith. This is one of the reasons I have pulled away from highly emotional appeals to faith. We can move people to come to an altar, or to pray a prayer, but if their words don’t penetrate their heart and lives, they will quickly fade. Words must be followed with actions. If our lives don’t change, we don’t have faith. God’s purpose is that we would be like Him. We are a people holy and pure in His sight. Do our lives reflect that holiness and purity?
The Arnold Journey 