Contrast Between Pharoah's and Job's Heart

The "hardening of Pharoah's heart" in Exodus is often a point of contention used by skeptics to vilify the God of the Bible. In my explanations and suggestions to read commentary about this portion of Scripture, I have noticed that the true message is often missed by non-believers simply because it is not an answer that appeals to their particular mindset. This is precisely what I saw happening during a written conversation that I am currently having with a skeptic.

The remainder of this post includes quoted portions of the commentary that he disliked.

2. How foolish it is for us to challenge God or the decisions of God when we are not in the same league, not even close to it.

3. The minute we say concerning God that He is not fair, we are declaring that there is unrighteousness with God. God forbid.

B. God said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion upon whom I will have compassion."

1. Mercy and compassion are not rights that we deserve or have coming.

2. They are favors bestowed.

3. That is why God can show mercy to whom ever He pleases.

4. God is sort of saying, "I am God I can do as I please." And you know what? He is quite right.

Pharoah's heart didn't even need extra hardening...he had enough of it on his own! (Kinda reminds me of someone I know!) But the fact remains that God had a purpose in Pharoah's "hardening of the heart."

C. God said Pharoah, "For this purpose have I raised you up that that I might show My power in thee that My name might be declared through all the earth."

1. God desired to put the fear of God and His people on the nations of the earth so He hardened the heart of Pharoah to pursue the children of Israel so that He might destroy the Egyptian army in the sea.

2. When the nations heard what God did to the Egyptian power, they all feared the power of God.

We can see from the above portion of the commentary, that God can work his ultimate purposes through the hardening of hearts of some. Pharoah had more than enough miracles and opportunities to believe in the God of Moses. But he chose to rebel and battle against Moses' God. For this, he experienced several judgments. We could view these as warnings from God to repent. But Pharoah wasn't about to repent any time soon. In fact, God knew that he never would. Therefore, his rebellious heart was used as an object lesson in biblical history as well as for God's eternal purposes.

D. If God has mercy on whoever He pleases, and hardens the heart of whoever He pleases, how can he find fault if He has hardened my heart to the gospel, how could I resist His will?

1. Again the insinuation is, "That isn't fair that God should harden a man's heart and then judge him for having a hard heart."

2. Again, who am I to judge God as to fairness, I do not know all the facts. My knowledge comes only from my limited observation, and incomplete understanding of the facts.

We see as through a glass darkly, and can only see part of the puzzle this side of heaven. I'm not claiming that I know all the purposes of God, but I do see and understand the purposes that He has revealed in His written Word; especially through His Living Word, Jesus Christ.

Skeptics often feel that they have the right to question God and His purposes. That is "their purpose," so to speak. They can be considered as the type of people who disses and challenges God for (what they perceive as) his "felonies" instead of humbly accepting that He is God and they are not.

Take note of Job's responses to all the problems he had (see book of Job). In the commentary, we get a glimpse of Job's attitude towards God:

JOB 33:13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

1. God does not owe you or me any explanation for the things that He does, and it is the height of impertinence to challenge Him.

2. Who am I to demand that God give to me a reason for His actions?

3. God said to Job,

JOB 40:2 Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct [him]? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

JOB 40:8 Will you also disannul my judgment? will you condemn me, that you may be righteous?

4. Dare you to say or think that you are more righteous than God?

If you go to the very beginning of Job, we see how (and why) all the affliction upon Job started.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Skipping down to verse 6:

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

The verses in bold show the spiritual battle that was going on. Did you notice the bolded verses? Satan's challenge was, 'does Job fear God for nothing?' God's servant Job was used as an object lesson too; but with the triumph of obedience as the result. Satan (and, apparently Job's friends and wife) wanted Job to "curse God and die."

Whereas, God knew that Job's faithfulness wasn't dependant upon "all that he had" in a materialistic sense; nor even dependant upon "all he loved" in fact, because we see that family members died. His faith was stronger than that. He also was strong in humility, faithfulness, and reverence ("fear") despite illness and even death of family members! Job demonstated true, steadfast faith even in the midst of much suffering, pain and loss.

Satan, on the other hand, misjudged Job's faithfulness. He thought that in Job's afflictions, Job would "curse thee (God) to thy face." He also thought that the loss of material possessions and the death of loved ones would shake his faith and make him turn away from the LORD. But Job proved Satan wrong! His obedience and steadfast faith proved that such tools are the answer to defeating "the wiles of the devil."

Despite all that Job went through, it is important to note that Job didn't experience the worst of pain and loss. God the Father gave His Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered the worst pain imaginable, for our sakes. It wasn't only the physical suffering that he endured, it was the spiritual separation from the Father as he took on the sins of the world.

Even Job didn't have to suffer that.

When you keep the whole message of the Gospel in mind, the suffering, wars, deaths and consequences for disobedience make perfect sense. If it were not for the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, we would be separated from God forever...all of us.

Thus, with the whole message of the Gospel in mind, we see that confession, repentance, mercy, grace and love are purposed by God for our benefit.

I know that skeptics will not believe all of this, but I, personally, am certain of it.

Why am I certain?

Because I know the answer that is revealed through the Bible to Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?"