13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
It is amazing the damage done because of one hard heart. As you read this passage today, look at the progression of Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh refuses to keep his word and his heart becomes hard. Eventually the Lord adds His own hardening to the process. If Pharaoh had not hardened his own heart, history might have been very different. Notice that the Lord uses Pharaoh’s hardening. He uses it to glorify His Name. The people eventually understand the power of the Lord, and His mercy, although most don’t enter into that mercy. Only a few travel with the Israelites out of Egypt. They all lose their firstborn children. What a loss. Hundreds of thousands of children died because of Pharaoh’s stubborn heart. Can you imagine the anger that his wife leveled at him that day? It was his fault. He killed his own son with his stubbornness. How stubborn are you? Maybe it is time to allow the Lord to soften your hard heart. Don’t worry about someone else’s hard heart. Let the Lord work on yours.
The Arnold Journey 