DID GOD “HARDEN” THE HEART OF PHARAOH? II What Actually Happened

In the previous post, we expounded on how it isn't God that hardens men's heart; how He never did that to anyone in history and will never do!
And that Pharaoh's isn't an exceptional case!
Forgotten John 3:16?

For God so loved some of the world except pharaoh?
God so loved Israel nation alone?
God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten son that WHOSOEVER… (no exception) believes…

But did Pharaoh believed?
No!!
(In the midst of troubles, pharaoh knows how to run to Moses, but at any respite, the true state of his heart - unbelief, shows. And regrettably we have such people amongst us too. Hmm..)

So was God to be blamed for his perishing?
No!!

Many want to know why pharaoh and the Egyptians perished in the sea but no Israelite was lost. You think God is a racist? It's not because God was against anything called Egypt. God is God of ALL who loves ALL and rich to ALL that call
[Is he] the God of the Jews only? [is he] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Rom 3:29

If In the same Egypt today, we have Christians, and Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever, our unchanging God, then it must be that generation of Egyptians that's having problems.


Pharaoh and his army perished because of UNBELIEF.
Yes! Just Unbelief!
He never for once tremble to finally concede the Lordship of Jehovah and be saved. He constantly take the word of God by Moses for granted.

Hebrews 11 says
it all
It was FAITH that made the Israelites ABLE to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up. (Hebrews 11:29 GNB)

If any Israelite had not walked in that faith of the spoken word, such would also have perished because the destruction does not know the blood of an Israelite to be different from that of an Egyptian. The same was the case of the Passover destruction. "he that destroyeth the firstborn" cannot taste one blood and discover it tastes different from another. He destroyed all that did not BY FAITH keep the Passover (Hebrews 11:28)


In all of God's dealings with men, there had been only one problem, and it is hardening of heart. God cannot help this. So bad that Proverbs says

He, that being often reproved HARDENETH [his] neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Pro 29:1

Was pharaoh ever reproved? Yes! In fact,"OFTEN REPROVED".

So he says
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, HARDEN not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:7-8 KJV)

James explains what happened to Pharaoh this way
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man (James 1:13 KJV)
Let no man say when he is hardened "I am hardened of God" for God cannot be hardened to destruction neither hardeneth he any man

And he goes further to say
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of HIS OWN LUST, and enticed. (James 1:14 KJV)

That is, it's one's LUST that brings about what leads him to sin… did pharaoh ever lusted?

Yes!!

After he had allowed the Israelites to go, a thought came to him, he imagined what great wealth he will realize by attacking them, and knowing the Israelites never prepared for any such attack, they will be helpless: it will be an easy ride. He COVETED their riches. His mind was on the spoil. How do I know?

Moses said it!

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide THE SPOIL; MY LUST shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. (Exodus 15:9 KJV)

The Hebrew word used for "destroy" in that verse is a word that means to "occupy by driving out previous tenants", to "repossess" to "seize", to "rob", to "impoverish". It was all about his LUST for their wealth. Remember, "every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own LUST, and enticed."
Seest thou a man too greedy of gains, destruction awaits him.

"Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:15 KJV)

He was hardened by his lust, the deceitfulness of sin. Oh sin is deceitful! (Pro 28:26; Isa 44:20; Oba 1:3; Rom 7:11; Eph 4:22; Jam 1:14). It appears catchy and safe, but don't ever go for it! It is deceit. You tell a man to receive Jesus, but he being deceived by his riches, wealth, accomplishments, social and academic status, feels there is no need for that. God never authors evil and let no man say when he sees evil, "the Lord has done this"