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GOOD NEWS FROM THE REDEEMER
January 6, 2001 RADIO MESSAGE #353
Christ in Exodus #46
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Christ appeared to Moses in the burning bush to commission him to obtain from Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the release of the people of Israel (Exodus 3:1-4:17). Christ granted to Moses miraculous powers which should have persuaded Pharaoh to release the people (4:1-9). But while Moses was en route to Egypt, Christ again spoke to him regarding Pharaoh: "But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go" (4:21; cp. 7:3). Pharaoh's heart was hardened in a three-step progression. First, there was the hardening of his heart as though it were performed by the heart itself: "Pharaoh's heart grew hard" (7:13, 14, 22). Second, there was the hardening of Pharaoh's heart by an action performed by himself: "Pharaoh ... hardened his heart" (8:15, 32). Third, there was the hardening of Pharaoh's heart by an action performed by Christ in fulfillment of His prophecy: "the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh ..., just as the LORD had spoken to Moses" (9:12). Christ nevertheless overruled Pharaoh and forced him to send Israel out of Egypt (12:29-31).
Christ then again prophesied of hardening Pharaoh's heart (14:4): "Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." This also came to pass (v.8), resulting in Christ magnifying Himself in the destruction of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea (vv.19ff).
I. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart by Christ was purposed. Through it, Christ fulfilled His pledge: "I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." He had stated this purpose earlier also on the first occasion, in which we read that He hardened Pharaoh's heart in response to Pharaoh exalting himself before Him. "Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ... for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. ... But indeed for this 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" (9:12-17).
II. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart by Christ was just. This point is stressed because there are those who posit that it was unjust of God to harden Pharaoh's heart, thereby guaranteeing his destruction. Some even aver God would not violate the "free-will" of a man in such a way. To this objection we reply:1. Pharaoh's heart was hardened as the penalty for his own rebellion against Christ. It is the purpose of Christ to harden, even to damnation, those who resist Him and His Word and Law. It would have been unjust of Christ to ignore Pharaoh's obstinacy.
2. Christ did not harden a heart that otherwise might have become soft toward Him. Pharaoh's hard-heartedness is emphasized from his first appearance in Scriptures (1:8-22). And we repeatedly read that he further hardened his own heart (7:13, 14, 22; 8:15, 32) before we read that Christ hardened it (9:12). When Christ finally hardened Pharaoh's heart, He but granted to Pharaoh what this obstinate man desired. Christ did not violate Pharaoh's will. Rather, He granted Pharaoh's desire.
3. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart required no positive action on Christ's part. All Christ had to do was remove his grace from Pharaoh and leave him to the corruption of his own nature. As surely as the removal of the sun will result in the seas being hardened into ice, so does the removal of the grace of Christ from a man result in the hardening of that man's heart.
III. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart by Christ was typical. The type-antitype relationship is evidenced in Romans 9:13ff, Paul's defense of God loving some to salvation while hating others to damnation. The apostle quotes Exodus 9:16 (v.17) and then concludes: "Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. ... Does not the potter have power over the clay?" (vv.18-21). Christ was just in hardening to damnation obstinate Pharaoh, while at the same time having mercy on Israel. He will be as just in hardening to damnation sinners today who are obstinate against His gospel and longsuffering, while at the same time mercifully saving His elect (vv.22-26).
Believe His gospel before He hardens your own heart.