Pam Padgett ... teacher
When God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh with mighty signs and wonders and telling him to let the children of Israel leave Egypt, God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he did not let the children of Israel leave until all of the wonders God
willed were accomplished in Egypt.
Before Moses returned to Egypt, God told him that HE would harden Pharaoh's heart ...
Exodus 4:21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to
return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh,
which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
As Moses and Aaron did as the Lord instructed them, bringing about the
wonders God brought forth, Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he would not
let the children of Israel go. When Aaron threw down his rod and it
became a serpent, the magicians did the same. But Aaron's rod swallowed
up their rods. Waters in the river were turned to blood. Frogs came
up from the river and covered the land until Pharaoh asked Moses to ask
God to take the frogs away, which God did. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, as God had said.
When dust of the land became lice on man and beast, and the magicians
could not do this, the magicians acknowledged that it is the finger of
God doing this. Even though the magicians told this to Pharaoh, his heart continued to be hardened, as God had said.
God brought wonders on the Egyptians while not afflicting the children
of Israel in Goshen with the plagues. Swarms of flies came on the
land. Cattle were killed. Grievous hail and fire killed man and beasts
in the field as well as destroying vegetation. But Pharaoh's heart
continued to be hardened.
As God instructed, Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh that locust would covered
the land. Pharaoh's servants wanted Pharaoh to let the children of
Israel leave Egypt ...
Exodus 10:7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall
this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the
Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?
But Pharaoh's heart was hardened so that he would not let them leave
with their children and flocks, and God brought the locusts on the
land.
A very thick darkness came upon the Egyptians for 3 days. The darkness
was so thick, they could not see each other. But the children of Israel
had light in their houses. Exodus 10:27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would
not let them go.
After God slew all the firstborn of the Egyptians, then Pharaoh let the children of Israel leave, taking with them spoil of the Egyptians ... all according to the will of God.
Pharaoh saw all the mighty works God did. The magicians told Pharaoh it
was the finger of God doing these things. Pharaoh's own servants wanted him
to let the children of Israel go so the Egyptians would not be afflicted any
more. Pharaoh even said he would let them go after some of the
wonders, but then didn't. For God continued to harden Pharaoh's heart until all of the plagues were done, according to the
purpose of God ...
that they would see the power of God and that HIS name would be declared
throughout the earth, as God instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh ...
Exodus 9:13 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning,
and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of
the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For I will at
this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants,
and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in
all the earth. 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite
thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the
earth. 16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to
shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all
the earth.
and that the children of Israel would tell their children and
grandchildren what God had done, so they would know that HE is Lord ...
Exodus 10:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have
hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew
these my signs before him: 2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of
thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and
my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am
the Lord.