God’s Purpose Concerning the Israelites in Hardening Pharaoh’s Heart.
Just for your thoughts:
God’s Purpose Concerning the Israelites in Hardening Pharaoh’s Heart.
God’s reason for hardening Pharaoh’s heart can be divided into two aspects.
1. With regard to Pharaoh himself:
Pharaoh had to come to a point where he lost all confidence in his gods and was left helpless. The ten plagues that God sent upon Egypt were directly connected to the religious beliefs and deities of the Egyptians.
Pharaoh needed to be brought to a realization that those gods could not save him.
2. To reveal God's supremacy to the world and to the Israelites:
It had to be shown to Pharaoh and the entire world that the God whom the Israelites worship and serve is the one true, all-powerful God. At the same time, God had a purpose for the Israelites in this as well.
This is clearly stated in Exodus 10:2:
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"that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD."
Yes, the Israelites were expected to remember and recount the miracles and wonders that God performed among the Egyptians for their deliverance. They were to pass on these testimonies not just to their children but to future generations. This, too, was part of God’s purpose.
Only by doing so would each generation know that the God their ancestors worshiped is the true God. As God clearly says in Genesis 18:19, He expects us to instruct our families in His ways and recount His wonders from generation to generation.
Christian life is a relay race – not a 100-meter sprint. We are called to finish our lap and prepare the next generation to continue the race. That is the primary responsibility of every parent.
If we fail to raise our children according to God’s commandments, we cannot expect a faithful Christian generation to follow. We must fulfill this expectation diligently.
Just as God said about Abraham that he would command his children, He expects the same testimony from each of our families.
This is also emphasized in Malachi 2:15 – God desires godly offspring.
If we fail to raise a generation that is devoted to God, we will be seen as those who failed the very purpose for which God called us. Therefore, the foremost duty of our spiritual life is not only to protect ourselves but to rightly guide our families so they too may walk in God’s ways.
Our spiritual race is not a 100-meter dash – it is a relay.