In class today we sort of touched on the subject of Pharaoh's hardened heart but when we started talking about why God hardened his heart and then started talking about fate, we sort of shied away from it a little bit I thought. Now from what I heard in class, it seemed as though people said there's either fate or choice. Now I could be wrong but that's what I remember hearing and I would just like to say that I believe fate and choice work together and that there not so separate as we usually think they are.
In the passages of Exodus that we read it states that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, and in the passage that Josh read in class today, Romans 9:17-18 says "For the scripture says to Pharaoh, for this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that my name be proclaimed throughout the whole earth. So then He has mercy on who He desires and He hardens who He desires."
Now some might interpret that scripture to mean that God raised Pharaoh up so that he would make the Israelites slaves, to defy God, and then ultimately to die. I however, interpret it differently. I believe that it is everybody's purpose in life to glorify God. I believe that it is my purpose, your purpose, and yes, even Pharaoh's purpose. How we go about doing that however, is completely unique to each person. It says in 2 Peter 3:9 that God wishes for none to perish but that all should come to repentance. I believe this also applies to Pharaoh, therefore I don't think that God would raise someone up just to sin and die. Like I said previously, it was Pharaoh's purpose in life to glorify God. He just did that by defying him thereby allowing the opportunity for God's plagues to be enacted.
Now that we have established that God didn't raise Pharaoh up to kill him let's move on to why God actually hardens Pharaoh's heart. So, before God actually hardens Pharaoh's heart, the word says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart at least 3 times. Since we believe, as I hope we all do, that God is outside of time, God knew that Pharaoh would choose to harden his own heart, God already knew what Pharaoh's choice would be, so in essence Pharaoh's fate was already decided, not because God hardened his heart, but because Pharaoh chose to seal his fate by choosing to be hardened towards the Lord.
PS: I commented on Emilylaforce's post, Who sinned first
ReplyDeleteI like your take. I am not sure what I think about Pharoh's hardened heart glorifying God, but I do think that you've touched on something important when you said God is outside of time. For me, the Calvinist/armininist issue becomes a lot simpler because I land myself in the third camp- the camp that says "This moment contains all moments." Which I think might be where you land as well.
ReplyDeleteBut it is a touchy subject, and often one where good discussion is hard to come by because people are very set in their beliefs, which may be why it was passed over today. (pun intended)