Genesis 9-14
Have you ever met someone so stubborn that they are willing to suffer through trial after trial? we see it every day around us. We experience this with our families and friends.
As I read through these chapters in Genesis, I wondered why God didn’t just change Pharaoh’s heart. Why doesn’t God just change the hearts of those we love that struggle day after day? In the living translation we ready “so the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he wouldn’t let them go.”
Hardened his heart? I struggled a little with this. But after a little more digging in Gods word I found that these words really mean; God allowed Pharaoh to express his free will.
In Genesis 9-14 we are shown time and time again how strong Pharaoh rebellion was against God. We are also shown the lengths that God will go for His believers and how He never gives up on the hardest of hearts.
It tells us in chapter 13 after all the trials and tribulations and the miracles of God Pharaoh finally tells the Israelites to leave. For all the Egyptians knew that death was standing at their door. (12:33) Pharaoh’s heart doesn’t really ever change. In verse 12:32 he makes sure that Moses and Aaron acknowledge that he is letting them go; “give me a blessing as you go.”
There were 600 thousand people released from slavery under Egypt that day. The Israelites marked this as their exodus and prepared to celebrate. They mark the end of March, seven days, with celebrating and teaching the children all the great things the Lord has done for them. That they are Gods people, no more slaves.
We read in chapter 13, verse 17-18 the start of the Israelites journey to the promise land. God provided a light both during the day and night and lead them along the red sea.
Chapter 14 is when the events begin to get really exciting. Pharaoh caught on that the Israelites were not coming back to Egypt. This enraged him, made him look foolish in his eyes and to his men. So, Pharaoh leading his men of 600 chariots, were on a chase after the Israelites.
Sometimes with the armor of the Lord adorned on us we can feel mighty and so protected that we forget that we forget that we need to move away from the oncoming car. Or maybe we go hang out with old friends at the bar when we don’t drink anymore. Maybe we start hanging out with that co-worker more and more because they are so easy to talk to.
We are called to action. Like the Israelites God wants us to stop taking a seat, just praying and move away from our temptation that can destroy all that we have been blessed with.
I had a little chuckle when I read verse 14;15. “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quit praying and get the people moving!” “Forward march!” You see when we put our faith into action God always comes through.
In the ending of chapter 14 Moses stretches his rod over the red sea as God said. The waters rose up and had been walled up so the 600 hundred thousand of Israelites could pass through to safety. Pretty cool huh?
What a marvelous God we have. He never gives up on the hardened heart. Revelations 3;20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Jesus respects peoples free will to choose whether or not to be part of Gods family.
His word, our bible provides actions that we do when we honor God in our life. The first action is to believe. John 3;18 says, “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned. “