Hearken, Don't Harden!

Based on Exodus 7-8, Matthew 15:1-20

Pharaoh's decision to harden his heart against Moses and his people once led to an ongoing pattern of hardness-this time, GOD hardening his heart! God did so because Pharaoh already chose that path himself, so God allowed it to continue. When Pharaoh hardened and did not hearken to God, Moses or the Israelites, he ended up being afflicted in the end! When we hearken to God and listen with intent to obey Him, we will have peace & contentment in our hearts & lives!

"But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord , when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them." Exodus 7:4‭-‬5.

...All for His glory! This desperate, undesirable situation with Pharaoh was used to make Egypt know The Lord & understand that no god of this world compares to our Heavenly Father-our God! Also, I'm sure this all gave some confidence to Moses & the Israelites that God was with them!

We must make the choice to hearken unto God! That way, God can continue to show Himself through miracles in our lives and not works of judgment when we harden our hearts.

"And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the Lord , In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord : behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood." Exodus 7:16‭-‬17.

So many plagues, so many examples of what hardening our hearts can do...yet also, we see through Moses what hearkening unto God can do too! How long will some refuse the work God wants to do in their lives!?

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Matthew 15:8.

Pharaoh endured so much hardness, because he was a hard man himself. Each time he was presented with a stronger plague, he appeased Moses & said he would let his people go if he took the plague away...and he didn't listen until the ULTIMATE PLAGUE-sacrifice of the first born! Since the ultimate plague eventually came the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE-JESUS CHRIST, born in a manger!

Pharaoh's heart was far from God, although he wanted to see the power of the plagues being removed...but that's all. He didn't want God. He just wanted his situation fixed. How many times have we been the same way? We only run to God in desperation, not celebration? In our crazy moments, but not our every day life? Don't harden away, hearken today!!