Several times, we are told that God “hardened” Pharaoh's heart. How do we explain this with reference to free will? Did Pharaoh have a choice in the matter? If God hardened his heart, how could God find fault with Pharaoh, since he didn't have a choice? In a sense, Pharaoh was doing God's will.
The hardening of the heart has to do with being obstinate or stubborn. Scripture does say that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, but more often, it says that God hardened his heart. So which was it? One could say it was both. We are not told how God did it, only that He did do it.
I believe it's important to recognize that this hardening of heart was necessary for God to accomplish a certain objective. That objective was for God to show his power: “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Exodus 9:16 For God to show his power, he determined to bring 10 plagues on Egypt. These 10 plagues were against the *“gods of Egypt,” and it will make obvious to Pharaoh, Egypt, and Israel, that Israel was God's people, and that their God was the true God. God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt through the Red Sea was known to those in Jericho, as Rahab revealed: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt.” Joshua 2:9-10
*In the tenth plague, we see the plagues were against the gods of Egypt: “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” Exodus 12:12
So God raised up Pharaoh to accomplish the plagues on Egypt, so that he could show His power and deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt. I would suggest that this Pharaoh was specifically raised up by God because of the kind of person he was, and that God could accomplish what was necessary. We read in Daniel that “He [God] removes kings and raises up kings.” Daniel 2:21 We also read in Proverbs that “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1
I believe in free will, but I also believe that God can choose to allow or limit free will to accomplish certain things. We are not told exactly how God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but it was necessary that Pharaoh harden his heart and not let Israel go, until the tenth plague was accomplished, and even after that, God hardened his heart again, so that Egypt would pursue Israel and be defeated in the drowning of the Red Sea. In this last instance, we are told that both Pharaoh and God hardened Pharaoh's heart: “5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "'Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?'" 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. 7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.” Exodus 14:5-8
After the seventh plague had ended, we read that “...when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses.” Exodus 9:34-35
Yet, as we read on... “1 Now the LORD said to Moses, 'Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.'" Exodus 10:1-2
The inclination to be obstinate or stubborn comes from within. God knows what it takes to produce such a response. It may be that there were influences going on that produced such a response. The response was Pharaoh's: it came from him; he was morally responsible. But God must have worked in such a way to make sure such a response would come, so to accomplish all the plagues. We also see that the hearts of the servants were hardened too, but they were part of the King's court, and so that would probably be expected.
I don't know if it would be necessary to think that God subjectively caused the hardening of heart, that is, produce it internally. Pharaoh hardened his own heart, but God caused or allowed circumstances that incited it. God knew what it would take, because he knew that man. That is why God raised him up particularly to be king of Egypt (couldn't this be similar to the choosing of Judas to be an apostle, to be the one who betrays Christ?). We don't know all that was going on in the king's court with respect to his servants and advisors. Consider this account with respect to the future king Ahab: “19 Then Micaiah [the prophet] said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' 22 The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.' 23 Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you." 1 Kings 22:19-23
I believe the Sovereignty of God can be seen as either allowing or limiting free will. I believe God generally allows free will to take its course, but he can choose to limit it, to accomplish certain things. God does not create the temptation to sin from within (*James 1:13), but he can allow or produce circumstances that causes people to respond as they do. But maybe He could intervene in some direct way to limit the evil one can do. Such as when *the people wanted to stone Jesus or throw him off a cliff, and he walks through the midst of them. Or Joseph's brothers wanting to kill him, but one of the brothers suggested they sell him to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:28)—thus limiting the evil the brothers' wanted to do, and allowed Joseph to later soften and shift the guilt from his brothers to God's purpose to send Joseph to Egypt: “do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ... 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 45:5-8
*”13 Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” James 1:13
*” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” John 8:58-59
*28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. Luke 4:28-30
God raises up kings (rulers). They have a *Divinely appointed role to exercise justice. If they do evil, it is their own doing. So God raised up a particular Pharaoh as king of Egypt to show his power. That show of power would be through 10 plagues on Egypt which required Pharaoh to harden his heart each time, so that each plague could be accomplished. God knew this man, and he knew what it would take. After each plague, Pharaoh would eventually refuse to let Israel go. Whatever means such *obstinance was incited, it was his obstinance in the end.
*“...there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Romans 13:1
*I just watched this interesting true story about 3 young boys and their father with a guide going on a hike into the mountains in Maine (“Lost on a Mountain in Maine”). The weather turned threatening, and the father said they must back, but one boy was very obstinate—clearly his character--and refused to go back, wanting to go to the top, argue with his dad to let him go. So, the father allowed him to go on, along with another brother and the guide. He eventually got lost from the others in an attempt to escape the threatening weather at the top of the mountain, and after 9 days, and wandering 80 miles—near death—he comes upon someone by a river who rescues him. When the mother had heard that one of her sons was lost, she actually hoped it would be that one particular son, because she knew that if anyone could survive on his own, it would be him, because of his stubborn nature.
2/22/25
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