I want to read two different Bible verses to you friends listening. It’s two different Bible verses about the exact same event. Now listen up, because I want to see if you catch the difference here. It’s in Exodus. It’s about Moses, God's ambassador to the pharaoh of Egypt. He goes before Pharaoh’s royal throne more than once to say (and this is Moses speaking), “Let my people go!” Now Exodus 8:32 says, “…Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.” But now, look at the encounter in Exodus 10:20 where it says, “The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.”
So which is it? Who did the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart? Pharaoh was immovable; his heart had been hardened against the Israelites. But when it comes to Pharaoh’s stony resolve and exactly who did the hardening, Scripture points to both Pharaoh and the Lord. Incredible!
So how do we reconcile this? I mean, how is it that God can harden Pharaoh’s heart without getting His hands dirty… without a certain complicity with evil? Because we know from James 1:13 that God definitely does not inject the idea of evil into anyone’s heart. The Bible makes it clear – God tempts no man to sin. It’s absolutely against His character!
So how is it that “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart?” Well, here’s the answer. And I tell you what, this insight has helped me so much when I’ve wondered about the pain and suffering in my own life…
You see, through the common work of grace in our world, God is constantly staving off evil, restraining the fury of Satan so that harm and calamity do not overwhelm us. Suffering and the occasional evil that inspires it can only come so far into your home, and no further – the devil can only do what God allows. Every once in awhile, however – as in the case of Pharaoh – God lifts his hand of restraining grace to allow evil men to carry out their wicked plans, as it serves God's higher purposes. So, the Lord was inasmuch saying to Pharaoh, “Okay, so you want to sin? Well, I'll make sure that when you do, your evil intentions suit my higher purposes and plan.” And, of course, God's plan was that Pharaoh literally shoved the Israelites out of Egypt, loading them up with treasure and plunder.
Even though humans have an intellect and a will of their own, God ultimately governs all they do – even their evil intentions. And He does it all without impugning His righteous and holy character.
Friend, has someone caused you harm? Has someone hurt or maligned you? You can praise God today that He is in control of even that painful situation. No sin ever happens that God does not deliberately allow. We may not understand His reasons, but we can rest in His goodness. Thank God today for His awesome sovereignty in your life.
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