# 30 2024 Dev. Ex.8: A Hardened Heart! Read all of chapter eight first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ex. 8:15 “But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.”
Ex.8 Pharaoh still was not ready to listen, as God had warned Moses, Pharaoh hardened his heart. The back story is that Satan is behind the destruction of the Israelites. There are people and countries today helping Satan to destroy the Israelites.
Vs.1-4 Again “God sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, “let my people go, so that they may worship me… if you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole county.”
Vs. 5-7 “So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.” As God told him to do. “But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts…”
Vs.8-15 Finally, “Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.” There is nothing ambiguous about that statement. Moses gives Pharaoh the choice of when he wanted the frogs removed, showing him that God is in control, not Pharaoh. He said, tomorrow. “Moses replied, ‘it will be as you say…’” God listened to Moses and all the frogs died. “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.” Pharaoh should have seen God’s power, but he could not, Jesus explained why, and why people do not hear or see God working today.
Mat.13:13-15 Jesus says: “This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing never perceiving.15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes otherwise they might see with their eyes hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” God is always ready to heal those who turn to Him. Amen!
Vs.16-19 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron, stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.’” Pharaoh’s magicians, called it “the finger of God.” But Pharaoh “would not listen.”
Vs.20-32 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, This is what the Lord says: ‘Let my people go, so they may worship me.’” God threatened “swarms of flies.” But the Land of Goshen will be free from the flies. (God) “I will make a distinction (a) between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.” The flies overwhelmed the land. Pharaoh relented, go and worship but in my land. Moses brought up excuses, no we will go a three day journey into the wilderness. Go, but not very far. “Now pray for me.” Moses warned Pharaoh not to deceive them again by not letting them go. Moses prayed and God removed the flies, not one fly remained. “But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.” The Holy Sprit gently but persistently enters a person’s heart, after many opportunities, with no intention of listening, the Spirit withdraws. Are you resisting the Holy Spirit today? Do not greave Him!
© cgvanwyk, all rights reserved
Heavenhigh 