Daily Devotions
Exodus
"Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness." Isaiah 26:10
Text: Exodus 7 : 3-4
PROJECTION OF THE WORK AHEAD
God did not want Moses to be so easily discouraged should the Pharaoh oppose him with greater resistance. Thus He gave Moses a projection of the things that would happen in the days ahead (This is an elaboration of what He had said earlier about how Pharaoh would resist all attempts to free Israel from bondage Cf. Exodus 3:19ff).
“And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,
and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand
on Egypt and bring My armies and My people,
the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by
great judgments.”
EXODUS 7:3-4
1. Pharaoh will not heed
Moses must not be naive in thinking that Pharaoh would capitulate easily!
2. Multiplication of signs and wonders
Turning a rod into a serpent is going to be mere child’s play in comparison to the signs and wonders that would be demonstrated.
3. Great judgments
The signs and wonders to be performed in the land of Egypt would be God’s “great judgment” against Pharaoh and his people. They had much to answer for! They had enslaved a whole nation of people- the children of Israel!
4. Hardening of Pharaoh’s heart
This phrase would come up time and again. This phrase may be understood from two perspectives:-
a) Pharaoh’s part in the hardening of his own heart
He did this on his own wicked volition. He chose to harden his heart!
b) God hardening Pharaoh’s heart
i) But this is done only because Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened.
ii) God’s hardening of the heart of Pharaoh would be episodic and purposeful. He would keep Pharaoh’s heart the way it was originally- “hardened”.
PROJECTION GIVEN TO STRENGTHEN RESOLVE
This fairly elaborate projection of what lay ahead was made for one special purpose. It was to strengthen Moses’ resolve to face Pharaoh “as God”. He who knows what lay ahead, need not waver again, no matter how much Pharaoh turned up the heat!