Exodus | Plagues and more
EXODUS 5 - 11
^Quick Overview: “Moses Leads Israel out of Egypt” (Ch 5-15)
-Ch 5: Moses and Aaron See Pharaoh
-Ch 6: God Reaffirms Moses
-Ch 7: Marvel #1: Bloody Waters
-Ch 8: Marvels #2, #3 & #4: Frogs, Gnats and Flies
-Ch 9: Marvels #5, #6 & #7: Pests, Boils and Hail
-Ch 10: Marvels #8 & #9: Locusts and Darkness
-Ch 11: God Announces the Plague
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^END of Chapter 4: (*Conference high = worship)
We end in chapter 4 with Moses and Aaron gathering all the elders and people of Israel. Aaron/Moses share what God had told them and all the people were on board and gave their approval. It ends with the people bowing down and worshipping the Lord.
^CHAPTER 5
Chapter 5: Moses and Aaron go to see pharaoh
___ Read 5:1-3
___ Read 5:4-7
___ Read 5:8-9
^Feast/Festival = Worship
Let’s pause in verse 1. “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness” (ESV = feast / NIV = festival) “chagag” (pronounced ‘ha gAg’) = feast/festival = celebrate
- (chag) 10:9 (feast), “Moses said, ‘ We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord”
= biased theology of worship... but these 7 chapters SCREAM worship.
- Fun fact...many of the words to describe worship, in both Hebrew in the OT and Greek in the NT have to do with the translation of “serve, to serve” (latreuo / leitourgia)
- The Lord’s words to Pharoah have always framed Israel’s going out as having the purpose of worship. He repeats it again and again when he announces the next plague “let my people go so that they may serve me”:
^Hebrew word = (`abad) = “ah-vad”) = “to serve” → to work (these terms are worship)
- Chapter 7:16 -> “The Lord, the God of the Hebrews sent me to you saying “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness” (`abad)
- Chapter 8:1 -> “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD “Let my people go, that they may serve me.” (`abad)
- Chapter 8:20 -> “Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go that they may serve me” (`abad)
- Back in chapter 3:12 before all plagues -> God says to Moses: “ ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain” (`abad)
The Aramaic derivative ‘abad (pronounced ah’vad) means worship, obey (God). The NIV translates it “worship” in Exodus 7:16. Serve/worship are one in the same. “Worship” is to show worth to, to bring honor to.
^Further examples of worship include:
- ×–ָבַ×—
- Both = zabach”, (“za - vaGHK) → sacrifice = another act of worship
- Chapter 3:18:”And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, “the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us and now, please let us go … that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God”
- Chapter 10:25-26 “But Moses said, ; You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God”
^^We are not to worship freedom, or because they “deserve it”, or to “be happy”” (which we do in North America - we can be whatever we want to be, I can pursue whatever I want to be, I can define myself however I want to) - but it’s not about our freedom!! It’s all with a focus on YHWH/GOD.
So they may go into into the wilderness and worship the one true God. In that worship, experience what all of us were made for. (3 day journey is to get out of Egypt, once they’re out they won’t be back)
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^Pharoah’s perspective:
- HE is God of Egypt and holds all the control.
- “Who is the Lord / I do not know Him” nor does he WANT to know him
- He loves his control, that’s all he knows
Verses 4&5 - Pharoah: “why do you take the people away from their work?”
- His conclusion to moses request = he thinks they’re making up God to help with their own personal good. They’re foolish. --- This is how the secular world can view us - we’re using God for our personal gain.*Backwards Christianity - not about what we can gain but what we can give to God
- Pharoah’s mind: doesn’t practically doesn’t make sense, they’re working for me. Chapter 14: When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!”
- Conclusion: You just want to take people away from work.
- God knows he’s going to harden his heart towards him. - repeats over and over Pharoah hardens his heart
^The Challenge = Pharoah makes it harder
Out of all this lack of work...pharoah wanting to punish them
- order: mud bricks need binder to hold them together while they’re drying in the sun. Many parts of the world use seashells - but Egypt typically used straw. They were given straw, but now they had to get their own. = greater suffering
How do the Israelites + Moses Respond?
---READ 5: 20-23 → ”you have made us stink in the sight of pharoah…” ba’ash (stink, become repulsive) … Israelites go back to Moses and Aaron - say why did you do this to us? We would rather live in bondage than face the challenge that are involved in being delivered from our bondage.
- in those challenges, sometimes we forget who is sovereign
- ** Picture the israelites and their emotion - a family with a father/husband = suffering
- coming back to HIS sovereign plan and promises for us no matter the challenge.
- how that affects you -> god’s promises for you, and the challenges we’ve faced (finances, lies spoken over you, identity issues, other challenges) - remaining steadfast in his promises.
People want to avoid pain, struggle and challenges to pursue His will for our lives.
VS 22-23 -- Moses questions the Lord’s motive and goodness.
- “Why have you done evil to this people” = hebrew word = ra a = evil/trouble ...are you really good? Even if you didn’t cause it, you let it happen.
- Even moses questions - why, why? Why are you doing this?
- Behind it all, are you truly who you say you are?
- Moses addresses God by the name Yahweh for the first time*
- By using his name, he’s calling God to his name and promises. Holding to his name and accusing him for not living up to it.
- Spiritual leaders questioning - our humanity - and still making sure we come back to him and his Word.
^CHAPTER 6 - Reassuring Moses
READ 6:1-4
READ 6:5-6
READ 6:7-9
Chapter 6:1 -> “now you will see what I will do”
- After this hardship, God says - now you will see what he will do.
- God is sovereign - if he wanted it to be quick and easy - he could just have jumped to the last plague, or done one plague and everyone was out.
- BUT, there were challenges and a longer storyline ALL so we can learn more about who He really is - and for the world to know more about him and his character
- ^US: Does god have enough freedom in my life to bring about hardship to make his grace more evident?
- For if it were an easy battle, we would know a lot less about God than we know
- If god just did what WE wanted = IDOLATRY (to put us above him)
- Can we fully trust God, let him do what he wills that he may be known to a lost world?
^God’s speech 6:2-9 (slide and highlight “I am YHWEH”...)x4
Reassurance to Moses - he IS who he says he is.
- Repetition and focus of the whole passage. (read slide)
- Is that not all that we should really need? Knowing God, in the sense of truly understanding who he is and what he is about
((((-What are we to do with God’s claim that he did not reveal himself as YHWH to the patriarchs? YHWH language is used throughout Genesis in the patriarchal narratives and earlier; what I think he means is that no one has truly known YHWH in the way that Moses and the Hebrews are about to know him: as a covenant deliverer and redeemer; it’s not about God’s name, it is about knowledge of God’s character through relationship))))
-notice in v6, “say to the people, I am the Lord” again we see God tell Moses that the first thing he is to tell the people is: he is YHWH
-then he says he will redeem them (I wills of 6), adopt them (I wills of 7), and settle them in a new home (I wills of 8)
-Are these not the same promises that we have today as the church?
^CHAPTER 7: Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh
Moses as ambassador
- READ 7:1-2 -> “See I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you…”
- Moses, you are an ambassador: you’re speaking for me. And if Pharoah doesn’t like it - that’s not your problem.
- Note Moses’ obedience***
- Something for US/anyone in ministry to remember. We are ambassadors - we are carrying His message.
^***PLAGUES: Context/History
- Ancient Egyptians had MANY gods and goddesses. Religion was a huge part of their lives - and they believed gods could take on different forms.
- Said to have over 2000 deities
- There were large temples - with large statues, gardens, memorials and a place to worship
- Overall: The purpose of the Plagues was to show God’s sovereignty Chapter 7:5 -> “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of ISrael from among them”
- Each plague targeted one of their gods
- It’s almost as though the rescuing of the people is secondary to showing who god is
- At the source of sin its a false understanding of reality. That you’re in control, etc
- ^The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
- Read 7: 16-18
- Read 7:19-21.
- v.20 -> “Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood.” ---> how moses must have felt (the confidence he has in god)
- If God asks you to do something...be BOLD.
- Ex. If He asks you to pray for someone - how often we will say we do it in our mind or in secret. Don’t be afraid to be bold in front of others.
- Me bus ex.
^Examine the Magicians:
We will see them appear 4 times:
- Staff to serpent: 7:9-13 (Moses casted his staff down and it became a serent - magicians did the same)
- Water to blood: Chapter 7: “did the same by their secret arts”
- Later: Frogs appear (but couldn’t remove them)
- Later: Boils
^Purpose of Magicians
- Recognize: miracles can be counterfeited**
- Recognize: there are other powers in this world (there is black magic) ..but even to their extreme measures and testing - they CANNOT compare to God.
- Where magicians will be led to say in Chapter 8, “te
- Story: youth girls afraid of evil powers
^Blood to the Nile
Anyone know the significance of the Nile river?
- It was the lifeline of civilization in Egypt:
- “No Nile, no Egypt”, “The gift of the Nile”
- During the same week of the calendar the Nile would flood, and the same week of the calendar the Nile would recede
- Every year - a fresh bed of sand (or as they call it “silt”) which would allow for wheat and other crops to grow around the Nile -, then also washing all the unnecessary, debris down to the Mediterannean
- The Nile is life giving
Blood = The river then becomes a source of death
- “Whatever YOU think is the source of life apart from God, Yahweh, the I Am --- is ultimately death”
- We may think our achievements are a source of life - and if they are apart from God, they are death and will end in death
- "As the Nile was such an important factor in Egyptian life, the ancient calendar was even based on the three cycles of the Nile. These seasons, each consisting of four months of thirty days each, were called Akhet, Peret, and Shemu. Akhet, which means inundation, was the time of the year when the Nile flooded, leaving several layers of fertile soil behind, aiding in agricultural growth. Peret was the growing season, and Shemu, the last season, was the harvest season when there were no rains."
- *Verse 20 “Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded” (over and over repeated) -> Pharoah’s heart became hard
- (nile sidenote: we created an aswan dam in 1970 to control the flood)
CHAPTER 8
2. The Second Plague -> Frogs
- READ 7:1-4
- READ 7:5-6
- Frogs symbolized fertility (millions of frogs were born after the annual flooding of the Nile -> brought fertility to the barren lands)
- *Heket - Egyptian Goddess of Fertility/Renewal
- As noted above, Magicians were able to replicate this one
- BUT note in vs. 9 -> Pharaoh asks Moses to have YHWH remove the frogs* His magicians were powerless to do so = implicit admission that this power belonged to the Lord alone.
- Pharaoh says he’ll let the people go, but he changes his mind and his heart remains hard
- Vs 13-14 = “the frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards and the fields. And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank”
- Imagine all these frogs dead. And the writer of exodus is saying -it STANK.
3. The Third Plague -> Gnats (some say Lice, some say mosquitoes ....BUGS)
- READ 8:16-17
- READ 8:18-19
- Egyptians also worshipped insects -> dramatic abilities
- An insult to their god of the earth, Geb
- In Mummies - find lots of scarab beetle (dung beetle) -> lay their eggs in a ball of manure and push the ball of manure down the road till the larvae hatch.
- Bodies turn into manure - this bug can turn manure into life
- God says, you want insects - I’ll bring you insects. You think it’ll bring you life.
- “All the dust” is an exaggeration proper to a folk story
- Note: First time Magicians can’t repeat any of it.
- Chapter 8:19 -> magicians say “This is the finger of God” = Even magicians are attributing worth to God
4. The Fourth Plague -> Flies
- READ 8:20-25
- First time we see Separation and division of God’s people*
- Verse 22: “separating the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth”
- The Lord is establishing that this is not a natural event*
- This wonder also moves the Egyptian plagues to a different level, adding destruction as well as discomfort to the consequence of their decisions.
-note that this is descriptive and not prescriptive narrative here: God doesn’t put up a hedge around his people to keep them separate from suffering in most cases; don’t form bad theology out of this one statement; the importance of biblical theology
Pharaoh trying to bargain with God - stay in control
Vs 25: trying to bargain with God - showing his desire to maintain power and authority over God. Telling them they can sacrifice in Egypt rather than leaving the land.
- “Plead for me.” … that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, his servants and his people.
- we think we can have both God’s way and blessings and still maintain control over our lives.
- Moses wouldn't budge, and Pharaoh relented allowing them to leave, but telling them not to "go very far."
- When the flies were gone, pharoah revoked his position and said the people were not free
- God says you’re not god
- For us: He wants complete surrender
- How often we try to compromise with God on our own.
- Ex. Have my worship Sundays, but my evenings I do what I want - I watch the shows I want, talk how I want when I’m out with friends, etc
- Not just a part of you - all of you.
READ. Psalm 106:12 - 15 “They believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel”
- We try to hang on to the gifts but not the giver
We must confess we’re too much like Pharaoh. Wanting gifts while maintaining control over our lives
CHAPTER 9
5. The Fifth Plague -> Egyptian livestock die
- Targeting gods of animals and plants also Hathor - Egyptian Goddess of Love and Protection
- Vs. 6: “all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of Israel was dead”
- This plague affected the Egyptian by creating a huge economic disaster, in areas of food, transportation, military supplies, farming, and economic goods that were produced by these livestock.
- NOTE: Not necessarily “all” - also an exaggeration proper to a folk story - becasue later in Exodus 9:21 there are still cattle. The way they wrote at the time
6. The Sixth Plague -> Boils
- READ 9:8-12
- This one attacks the egyptian people themselves = “boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout the land of Egypt”
- Cleanliness being paramount in the Egyptian society, this plague pronounces the people "unclean."
Magicians
- unable to perform ceremonially rituals to their Egyptian Gods and Goddesses in this unclean state
- not able to replicate or cure the blisters
- Not even able to stand before Pharaoh
Imagery of Boils
- Picture: “throw soot from the kiln in the air in the sight of Pharaoh”
- The ashes would be black and fine - ‘soot’...very fine dust blowing in the wind
- The boils - older commentators thought it could be a “nile scab” - a persistent skin irritation OR an eruptive skin rash - either way very uncomfortable.
- Interesting to note - the word for “boils” is seen and appears in other OT books - like Exodus 9:9-10, Deut 28:27, 35 -> relating to the judgement sent by God ---> but innocent and good people may also experience this pain too (Lev 13:18, Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20:7). Also noting that satan has these in his arsenal as he afflicts Job with them (Job 2:7))
- To learn: god permits magic but it is all ultimately under his control
Whatever we fear that can kill us - God is saying he has control and he, out of death can bring life.
7. The Seventh Plague -> Hail
- READ 9:13-16
- Targeted against Pharaoh - that he must acknowledge God’s power
- Against “Nut” goddess of the sky
- Verse 14 “For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself,[a] and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.”
- This reveals more of God’s POWER
God’s Mercy
A new theological point is stated: Pharaoh has been treated mercifully this far: his life has been prolonged so that YHWH’s name and power should be exalted
- all plagues come in mercy rather than judgment. Each one was an opportunity for Pharaoh to repent.
- Verse 16 “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
- Emphasizing God’s patience and forbearance (restraint/tolerance)
- Using Pharoah to proclaim his name (his character and nature) - look where we are, still talking about this and his name through these events
- Pharaoh, like any of us, owes every breath he breathes to a gracious and merciful God, and in spite of his habitual arrogance, God has a plan to use the life of Pharaoh that will have worldwide implications and impact.
- God chooses to show mercy - but it is not required
Romans 9: 15-18
For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”[f] 16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
Hail: “Very heavy hail”
- Some have argued that sudden storms like this are not unusual in Western Asia and can be very destructive - and these thunderstorms could include electrical discharges popularly called “fire balls”. but THIS degree of devastating magnitude was never seen. And stones ranging in size from marbles to golf balls have been seen.
“Get your cattle … into safe shelter”
- **The first instance in which it was possible for Pharaoh and his men to avoid the actual blow by faith and obedience to God.
- Showing His gracious care.
- Cattle are usually kept outside in Egypt from January to April, after that they are kept indoors for protection from the heat. It’s amazing to think people are so unaware or hardened or in their own mindsets that they won’t listen
- 2 options, no in between: obey/disobey || listen/do not listen || respond/ignore || soften your heart/harden your heart.
- Now this is our choice - are we proclaiming his name now because we are willfully obedient to him and worshipping him with our lives OR do we allow his name to be proclaimed through destruction. God’s purposes will be accomplished - if not through you, then somebody else. You have that choice.
^Pharaoh = “I have sinned”
- 9:27 -> “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong”
- He confesses he has sinned - BUT given another opportunity to return to his old ways, Pharoah jumps on it, eventually leading him to a second penitential confession (10:16-17)
- Greenberg says: “He acknowledged guilt but when right on being guilty”
- what is the frightening lesson here for us? Do we actually draw a distinction between confession and repentance? Which do you do in your life?
- Romans 6:1-> we are not to continue in sin so that grace may abound.
- This is the third time Pharoah promises amends.
- Verse 33: Moses agreed to pray once more for the ending of the plague - not because he believes in Pharoah’s sincerity, but because of what he believes about God and God’s sovereign purposes in all of this.
CHAPTER TEN
8. The Eighth Plague -> Locusts
READ 10:1-2
READ 10:12
READ 10:14-17
Testimony - “know me”
- “Tell ...your sons” = “theology of recital”. Faith is kindled by recounting the great “triumphs of God” (Judges 5:10-11) - the power of testimony
- twist here where the benefit of the plague is no longer to help Pharaoh and Egypt know who YHWH is, but instead for Israel to know him better
Locusts
- Locusts = one of the most dreaded pests of areas bordering the desert
- The dreaded locust has become an eschatological figure of doom and a picture of God’s judgement (amos 7:1-3 / Joel 1:1-7)
- Verse 13: “the east wind had brought the locusts” -> showing how God the Creator uses the natural world. - he controls the WIND.
Pharaoh
- Verse 11: another half hearted attempt - let the men go only to worship, but no one else. Moses refuses
- Verse 16: “I have sinned” - another easy confession of sin without the heart - simply wanting the results to change in his confession.
- Important to recognize* Pharoah is not a monster. He is a representation of ‘natural man’ and is a picture and warning to ourselves.
9. The Ninth Plague -> Darkness
- READ 10:21-23
- RECAP: We see that the plagues are attacking their gods - starting with the Nile, were everything is based ….going through to the animals, insects, livelihood, their bodies, and now coming to Ra (“rae” - The Sun God = one of the most important gods in ancient egypt
- Sun - “the source of life” (not apart from YHWH)
Imagery
- Picturing it: darkness at 8am, 9am, noon, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm…
- “Darkness to be felt” presumably brought by the wind called today hamsin - it blows intermittently for fifty days in spring, and often brings standstorms from the dessert. Visibility drops to nothing, and the air seems thick and solid with sand. Oppressive, palpable blackness and heat of a sandstorm.
- One describes it as “the claustrophobic palpability of absolute darkness” = ENTRENCHED IN DARKNESS. (can’t see the person beside you?
- Three days - may be symbolic, or another folk memory.
- Could it be a parallel to the 3 days of darkness at Jesus’ crucifixion?
- Israel had ‘light’ = couldn’t attribute it to a natural phenomenon
Pharaoh trying to negotiate again - 3rd time
- Go but do not go very far
- Go but leave your children behind
- *Go and take your children but leave your sheep/cattle behind
(these are the sacrifices...no go)
10. The Tenth/Final Plague -> The Firstborns’ Death
READ 11:1-2
READ 11:4-6
READ 11:7-9
- Targets the god of life itself.
- Although the Lord told Moses at the outset that Pharaoh would not listen because of his hardened heart, the Lord only now reveals when the plagues would end.
Moses as Leader
- The plague narratives show Moses continually maturing in his role as Israel’s leader, as one who is called to act in light of the Lord’s promises even though he does not know exactly how and when the Lord will bring Israel out of Egypt
- Vs. 3 “the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people”
- It may have been because of the performance of these ‘signs’ and God using him, or because of other reasons. OR because he is described in Numbers as ‘meek or ‘humble’ - that is to say - without ambition for himself.
- In all this, let us be patient and steadfast in holding on to God’s promises like Moses had learned to do so well.
- TRUSTING and OBEYING Him in COMPLETE SURRENDER.
V1-10:
-Firstborn Death: this plague is a bridge from the plagues section of the narrative to the Passover section of the narrative; something new is being created and established through this plague; there is going to be a way forward and it will stand for something monumental and game changing for God’s people going forward
-note the contrast between how Moses was in the eyes of Egypt versus in the eyes of Pharaoh
-why al firstborn? Because all firstborn belong to God biblically speaking; there is a symbolic note here that any living thing is essentially and truly God’s; not just people
-finally, once again, Pharaoh’s heart is immovable and God has sealed it that way
"Extra Theological Thoughts on Hardening Pharaoh’s Heart (copied and pasted portion*)
-I think it is misdirected to point to the Exodus narrative and attempt to make a case for absolute sovereignty or absolute free will
-If we look at the uses of “hardening” language, 10 times it is YHWH who is the subject and 10 times it is Pharaoh who is the subject
-First and foremost, if we are to read this story well, from the beginning it is established that nothing happens or can happen without YHWH’s divine will; he is the one who has first explained his intentions with Pharaoh to Moses; all of this fits into God’s plan, not Moses’ or Pharaoh’s
-Second, it must also be stated that within the bounds of God’s absolute sovereignty, he has allowed for Pharaoh to play a role in the decisions he makes and to be held accountable for them; but this piece must be understood underneath the ultimate sovereignty of God in the story; YHWH is never a reactionary passenger
-This means that in the end, YHWH voluntarily allows Pharaoh to execute some mode of agency and that YHWH voluntarily allows himself to be taken for the fool
-YHWH shows a position and posture of becoming the fool for the sake of his ultimate purposes and ultimate displays of glory
-As to God’s sovereignty, it should not surprise or astound us to learn of it, just like it didn’t surprise Moses when God announced his plans; it is a theological fact of life that God is sovereign over everything
-Rather than be surprised by this, we should look to Moses’ response as a model: obedience
-Note that Moses doesn’t question why God needs him since it’s all been decided and God can just make it all happen; rather, Moses understands his role as a servant of YHWH and so realizes that he isn’t being asked by God to ordain his plans for him, he’s being asked to play a part through faith and obedience
-We can’t just say that God had foreknowledge of what Pharaoh would do, or we would be seriously misrepresenting the themes of the text
-Yet, if we start from the point of God’s ultimate sovereignty, the story becomes an incredible picture of grace where God is willing to allow the agency of people to participate in his plans; there is certainly mystery in that, but it is nevertheless an act of divine grace
-It is also important to keep in mind that while this story carries lots of theological meaning, it isn’t necessarily prescriptive of God’s normative actions in the world as much as it is a demonstration of what he is capable of doing if he so chooses; the moral of the story isn’t necessarily that God will always harden the hearts of everyone who doesn't believe in him
-Look at the ways that God also worked to soften Pharaoh’s heart: Moses’ prayers, magicians’ urgings, the signs, opportunities, the urging of his court…
-As I always say, there is always going to be mystery in the Sovereignty of God/Human Freedom discussion; the question is which mystery is biblical? Either you have to question how it is that God could be sovereign in the face of human freedom (not biblical) or you have to wrestle with how it is that a sovereign God grants us some form of human agency to be accountable for our decisions (biblical, because the Bible is absolutely clear about the sovereignty of God! The alternative actually makes the mystery about God’s ability to be who he claims to be, rather than make the mystery about why he shows humans a divine measure of grace?"
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