BOTHER
ME
Part 1
of 3 in What’s the Deal, Pharaoh? Series
Exodus
7
Exodus
7:22: “But the Egyptian magicians did
the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard: he would
not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.”
Cassie watched her seventh grade
classmates shoot peas at a squirrel before entering school. I
didn’t realize they like hurting animals! she thought. That scene kept popping before her all
day. Cassie isn’t happy at her friends’
behavior.
“Do you want to sit here?” Brad
asked, patting an empty place at his table in the cafeteria.
“Not today, Brad.” Cassie responded
with a frown, carrying her tray to another table.
Cassie knows that when people do
something that they know is wrong only bothers their conscience the first
time. She learned how upset she felt when
she spoke harshly to a friend. She
quickly apologized so that she would never do that again. Maintaining a soft heart isn’t easy. Repeated sin becomes less bothersome each
time.
Trusting
God devotional series ended with Eternal
Truths. Moses was the first one in
his lineage to actually witness AND assist in fulfilling God’s covenantal promise
made to Abraham.
God warned Moses that when he asks
Pharaoh to “Let my people go,” Pharaoh wouldn’t listen. His heart would harden. God told Moses, “I will harden Pharaoh’s
heart, and though I multiply My miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will
not listen to you.” (Exodus 7:3b and 4a).
Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?
Did Pharaoh lose free will? Might he have freed the Israelites? After the first plague of blood? (Exodus
7:14-14). Perhaps after the second
plague of frogs? (Exodus 8:1-15). Exodus
8:15 says, “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his
heart,…” Emphasis mine. See the lesson linked below.
That was not God.
Pharaoh hardened his own heart. He lost the chance to repent.
Take Home Nugget
God
offered Pharaoh five chances to free the Israelites. It wasn’t until the sixth chance in Exodus
9:12: “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart.”
Pharaoh’s conscience was beyond bothering him.
Believers today are finally
witnessing ancient prophecies being fulfilled.
We must maintain soft hearts and
trust God. Let us Not become calloused (tough-skinned) and cynical (sarcastic
mocking) about fulfilled prophecy now!
May God always allow us to repent sin and obey His commands.
Cassie shows us how to maintain a
soft heart towards God: Repent
immediately after the first time one’s conscience bothers the person. The second time repeating the sin bothers
less. The third time barely flinches as
a sin because the heart is hardened.
Holy
Father, Bother me whenever I don’t repent after sinning immediately! Never allow me to get beyond the chance to
return to You, I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
J.D. Griffith
The latest Christmas eBook by J.D. Griffith:
To
order “Meet Guardian Archangels” click here
Here’s another eBook by J.D. Griffith:
To order “The Thing is…” click here
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