A Hardening Heart
By David Moore, Pastor, Braehill Baptist Church, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Aim; To show how hardness of the heart develops, how God deals with it and how it can be rectified.
Text: Exodus 7:1-6
Introduction: From time immemorial one of the most difficult and debated of theological issues has surrounded the matter of God’s Sovereignty as opposed to man’s responsibility. In other words is salvation all of God to such an extent that man has no choice, or is it of man to the point that God has very little to do with it. Today we refer to this as the argument between Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism with its leaning upon the doctrines to the Reformer John Calvin teaches that a man is unconditionally elected and irresistible drawn to salvation. That he has no choice in the matter. Arminianism – which in my view is great heresy teaches. Armininans follow the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, a 16th century theologian and minister of the Dutch Reformed Church who opposed the strict Calvinist teaching on predestination. It has to be said that the modern philosophies to which these men gave their names are now much more extreme than either Calvin or Arminius ever envisaged.
As with most extremes the truth usually lies in between. Without the participation of God there can be no salvation. “Salvation belongeth unto the LORD.” (Psa 3:8) Yet withal, man has a responsibility in salvation to respond to God’s invitations. God can hardly judge a man for disobeying something he had no ability to obey, which is the argument of extreme Calvinism. Now, why I bring all this up is simply this – in our opening text we have a predictive statement. In verse 3 Moses is told by God “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 7:3) Now I say this statement is made on the basis of foreknowledge. God already knew that Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. He has told Moses this several times, and the statement about hardening is based upon foreknowledge - God will at some point harden Pharaoh’s heart. Others will see this as foreordained. That God foreordained the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart so that the old king never stood a chance. He was doomed from the first. Friends, that is an indictment upon God. However, if we can learn one thing from this episode it is this, that every rejection of truth adds to a heart’s hardening, to the point that God Himself may harden the heart, and if God hardens the heart the sinner is damned beyond all hope.
I. The Case of A Hardened Heart
A. The case of Pharaoh is one of the most lucid cases of a hardened heart in all the Word of God.
1. It is interesting that 9 times are we told that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, but also that 9 times we are told that Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
2. Whilst me take extreme positions in theology, you will find Scripture is always perfectly balanced.
3. Human responsibility couples with Divine Sovereignty in arriving at eternal choices.
a. Where one leaves off and the other begins it is hard to say, but both God and man are active in the process of salvation – not, I hasten to add that man adds anything to it of any merit, but that he chooses either to place his sinful souls at the mercy of God, or he rejects God and takes the consequences of his own sinful actions.
B. In all there are 18 references in the Bible to Pharaoh’s heart being hardened, and if we were to sit down and consider each one in turn this is what we would find;
1. The first two references in 4:21 and the one in our opening text state that God WILL HARDEN Pharaoh’s heart at some time in the future.
2. The next ten references, with the exception of one indicate that Pharaoh hardened HIS OWN heart.
3. Then the final six explicitly state that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
4. Sixteen times in all is Pharaoh faced with God’s demand, nine times he hardens his own heart and seven times God hardens his heart, but as the story progresses you begin to see that the initial hardening was Pharaoh’s that God only intervened after Pharaoh had chance after chance after chance to do the right thing.
a. You see here is the danger of constantly rejecting truth.
b. When the Word of God is preached God’s honour is at stake – either men will believe His word or not.
c. If they do not God’s integrity is insulted – it is as though that man or that woman steps right up and calls God a liar to his face.
(i) “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” (1 John 5:10)
d. Now God will take a certain amount of that – how much is anyone’s guess, but there comes a point where God says enough.
(i) Now that’s what happened to Pharaoh – throughout the ten plagues God was revealing Himself – he was challenging Egypt’s religion, He was calling upon Pharaoh to repent – but the king wouldn’t budge – once or twice he came close, but as soon as the plague was relieved he would harden his heart again.
C. What Pharaoh failed to realise is that God’s Word will not return unto Him void.
1. See Isaiah 55:6-7 & 11
2. God’s Word will either convert your souls from sin or confirm your soul in sin, but it will not return unto him voids – that is God’s Word is not wasted.
3. It will serve to free the sinner or it will serve to judge the sinner, but either way it will serve the purposes of God’s holiness.
a. The sun that melts the ice is the same sun that hardens the clay.
b. In the early stages of the plague the sun was seeking to melt the ice of Pharaoh’s heart, but when time after time the king rejected God’s Word, and shunned the overtures of grace, the plagues served to harden the clay of Pharaoh’s heart.
4. From the moment the emphasis of Scripture changes from Pharaoh hardened his heart to the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart the man was done for.
5. You see although God desires the salvation of all men, and although we preach a “whosoever will” gospel you must realise that the time may come when God turns hopelessly sinful men, determined in their own wickedness and lifestyle over to certain destruction.
a. That is what happened in Noah’s day – Genesis 6:1-3
b. That is what Paul wrote of in Roman 1:24-28.
II. The Cause of A Hardened Heart.
A. At the simplest level we could say and should say that the primary cause of hardness in the heart is sin.
1. Sin has a hardening effect, it will defile and sear the conscience so that it is no longer responsive to the pleadings of God’s Word.
2. This was certainly true in Pharaoh’s case – from the moment he said “Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?” sin took a hold.
3. I think also of the words of God to Cain after his offering was rejected in Genesis 4:7; “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” (Genesis 4:7a)
a. Cain ignored God’s warning and plundering on ended up with the blood of his own brother upon his hands.
4. Certainly sin if left unattended, if unconfessed and neglected will harden the heart.
B. But sin is not the only factor in hardening.
1. Suffering may also harden the heart.
2. Think now about this Pharaoh and the sufferings of his people throughout the period of the plagues.
3. There was illness, & famine, there were frightening circumstances, and they suffered much at the hands of nature & the elements – yet withal these things did not turn his heart toward God as they were intended to do, but only served to entrench him in the intransigence of his heart.
4. He reminds me of the last days generation, who when faced with similar judgments actually curse God, and refuse to bow the knee.
a. See Revelation 16:1-21
5. Suffering may harden the heart – I think of those souls who have blasphemed God with the words “How could a God of love . . ?”
C. Sin may harden us, suffering may harden us and sorrow may harden us.
1. It is interesting how when folks are bereaved they at first look to God, but before long some begin to look away from God.
2. We see this also in the life of Pharaoh –when the cry of grief first resonates within his home his heart is momentarily softened and he says unto Moses And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds as ye have said and be gone; and bless me also.” (Exodus 12:31-32)
3. Imagine now, this hard hearted king asking for the prophet’s blessing in his time of grief.
a. How religious folks can be when death strikes home, but the initial openness may soon turn to hardness as with Pharaoh, for no sooner had he let the Israelites go than he chased the Israelites down , right to the coast of the Red Sea in an effort to destroy them.
4. Sin may harden you, suffering may harden you and sorrow may harden you.
a. King David wrote: “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (Psalms 119:67
b. But that is not the testimony of all. Though God stands ready to forgive our sin, succour us in our sufferings and solace our broken hearts, these very things may serve to harden the clay and turn us against the Lord.
c. How diligent we must be in guarding against a hardening heart.
III. The Caution Against A Hardened Heart
A. The Bible very explicitly warns us of housing a hardened heart.
1. See Proverbs 29:1
2. A man whose heart is hardening is on dangerous ground with God.
3. He stands up to the possibility that God may judge him – that God may intervene in his life in the most dramatic and radical way.
4. The Scriptures teach that such a man may suddenly be destroyed – that phrase means “broken” like a piece of pottery.
5. If God can’t save you He will break you, he will break you like as a pot that is broken to pieces with by the potter with an iron rod, and can never be put together again.
6. Don’t you believe for one moment that God cannot bring you to your knees.
7. And if God should act in you life in this way there is no remedy there is no cure – the Scripture plainly states that the hard hearted man “shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
(i) That means there is no healing, no cure, no pardon of their sins, no recovery of them out of their miserable and undone state and condition;
(ii) They are irretrievably lost; there is no help for them, having despised
every word of advice and God’s instruction.
B. If you don’t believe this look no further than Pharaoh.
1. At the start of Moses’ approach to him he could have done something – he could have let the people go – but near the end of God’s judgments upon him Pharaoh’s destiny was no longer in his own charge – he was now just a pawn against whom God was going to exhibit all His power and might.
C. Can a person end up as Pharaoh?
1. They certainly can.
2. It is said that our country is Gospel hardened.
a. What does that mean?
b. That people have heard repeatedly from God and resisted his grace and truth.
(i) We may not appreciate it, but there are few places on earth with such a privileged heritage of gospel preaching and presentation than Northern Ireland.
(ii) We have churches and mission halls on almost every corner.
(iii) It is hard to walk through town without being offered a tract or hearing a street preacher.
(iv) But are people bettered for all this gospel preaching? No they are hardened to it, indeed they even resent and despise it.
(v) Such people are in danger of losing their eternal souls.
*See Proverbs 1:22-33
D. This is one of the most alarming aspects of prophecy.
1. According to Scripture we are awaiting the imminent return of Christ.
2. Jesus could appear at anytime to take away His people – I believe that – but if Christ should come, and you be left behind, understand your opportunity for salvation is gone.
a. No longer is God seeking your conversion – instead he is confirming your judgment.
b. See 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
IV. The Cure For A Hardening Heart
A. Now notice I say the cure for a HARDENING heart – not a HARDENED heart.
1. The truth is that all of us have had hardening hearts from time to time.
2. But a hardening heart can be turned around.
3. See Hebrews 3:7-13
a. The secret to softening the hard heart is found in two words in verse 12 – “Take heed.”
b. The heart that is unheeding, unyielding is hardening. We see that in Pharaoh.
c. But the heart that is open to God and to God’s Word is a heart ripe for cure.
Conclusion: Pharaoh’s hardened heart was in effect pitching his right to rule over Israel against God’s. By hardening his heart he was declaring himself God’s enemy, and he was setting himself up for judgment. But you know the sorry part was that All this was so unnecessary. All he had to do was let the people go and Egypt could live in peace. The man was a fool, and how many thousands down through the centuries have followed in his folly. Friend, has God spoken to you heart of late? What did you do about it? Did you take heed? Or did your sinful heart harden? When God speaks we need to listen. When God speaks you need to listen. For failure to listen results in a hard heart, and a hard heart leads us into certain judgment – and that without remedy.
