Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
Exodus 10:1-2

God, after giving Pharoah ample opportunity to repent (even though He knew ahead of time that he would not), after watching Pharoah repeatedly harden his heart against God’s commands, turned the table around on him. Now He tells Moses, “I have hardened Pharoah’s heart.”

It wasn’t a random act or a matter of God becoming frustrated with Pharoah. This was the plan all along, because God knew the end from the beginning! He was teaching His own people what they needed to know and Pharoah would be nothing but an object lesson, an illustration to get His point across.

God wanted His people to know that no matter how difficult, how terrible, or how wildly chaotic things get, He is still in control and He is accomplishing His purpose in History, in Pharoah, and in them.

God knew that Israel would need to know this because He, who sees the end from the beginning, knew what Israel would be dealing with for the rest of World History.

Israel itself becomes the object lesson for us, who believe and trust in God, our Savior, Israel’s own Messiah. We know from their History that God’s people will constantly be rejected, persecuted, and resisted, but that God is still in control, still accomplishing His good and loving purpose in History, in His enemies, and in us. All we have to do is trust Him and keep walking, following Him.

Lord, thank You for being the Lord over all of creation, the Lord of History, and Lord of the nations, whether they know it or not. I know that You’re in control, that You are accomplishing Your loving purpose in my life, and that Your purpose is good. Amen.

Pastor Dan Giles