DAD'S RAMBLINGS – The Hardened Heart
Romans 9:17-18
"For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.' Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens."
This has always been perplexing to me – that God would harden a person's heart. That's what the Bible says: "I will harden Pharaoh's heart" (Exodus. 4:21; 7:3; 14:4; see also 7:13 9:12, 34; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:8). But the Bible also says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32). "When Pharaoh saw the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more and hardened his heart" (Exodus 9:34). So it seems that even though God hardened Pharaoh's heart, Pharaoh himself was a part of the process by his own sin. Why would God harden a person's heart? To demonstrate His power and accomplish His purpose. It is like Judas, who was eye-witness to the glory and power of God in Christ's ministry, and yet his heart was hardened so that God's plan of salvation could be finished. "Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas" (Acts 1:16). And Peter declared that Jesus was "delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). God foreknew that the heart of Judas would be hard against Jesus. We are not just pawns in God's capricious chess game, with no part in the matter. If we had no choice, we would not be accountable. The admonition of the Psalmist is appropriate and needs to be heeded: "Do not harden your heart, as in the day of rebellion" (Psalm 95:8). I need to consciously keep a soft and pliable heart before my God.
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God hardens the hearts of those who rebel against Him so that they sin even more in order to manifest His power, glory, and mercy.
Have a "soft-hearted" day. Love you.
Romans 9:17-18
"For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.' Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens."
This has always been perplexing to me – that God would harden a person's heart. That's what the Bible says: "I will harden Pharaoh's heart" (Exodus. 4:21; 7:3; 14:4; see also 7:13 9:12, 34; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:8). But the Bible also says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32). "When Pharaoh saw the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more and hardened his heart" (Exodus 9:34). So it seems that even though God hardened Pharaoh's heart, Pharaoh himself was a part of the process by his own sin. Why would God harden a person's heart? To demonstrate His power and accomplish His purpose. It is like Judas, who was eye-witness to the glory and power of God in Christ's ministry, and yet his heart was hardened so that God's plan of salvation could be finished. "Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas" (Acts 1:16). And Peter declared that Jesus was "delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). God foreknew that the heart of Judas would be hard against Jesus. We are not just pawns in God's capricious chess game, with no part in the matter. If we had no choice, we would not be accountable. The admonition of the Psalmist is appropriate and needs to be heeded: "Do not harden your heart, as in the day of rebellion" (Psalm 95:8). I need to consciously keep a soft and pliable heart before my God.
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God hardens the hearts of those who rebel against Him so that they sin even more in order to manifest His power, glory, and mercy.
Have a "soft-hearted" day. Love you.
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