Questions (and answers?) on Exodus 10

??? EXODUS 10 ???

I was reading Exodus 10 yesterday and a few things stood out to me:

I had the usual question(s) concerning the phrase "God hardened Pharaoh's heart". Did God actually harden Pharaoh's heart or did he just allow Pharaoh to continue in his mindset of saying "no" to Moses and Aaron? Why would God harden Pharaoh's heart?

Exodus 10:1-2 says: Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 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."

This gives us some answers, but opens up a new set of questions as well...

So whether God hardened Pharaoh's heart or at least allowed Pharaoh to continue saying "no" can still be up for debate after reading other chapters in Exodus, but we at least are given an answer to why either of these possibilities exist. When I read the why a new debate rises up in my mind: God is God and He has every right to do whatever He sees is right. But it seems that God is wanting to show off. But a humble God would not be like that. But how can God, in all that He is, help but to show off? I mean, look at the earth, the sky, the water, the animals, the vegetation, the sun, moon, and stars...look at each other! Okay, getting off topic. Sorry about that.

That passage said that God hardened Pharaoh's heart and the hearts of his officials. Pharaoh was being stubborn to the point of death and destruction. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh 7 times before this, and 7 plagues had come against Egypt and the Egyptians: the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, and flies; the plague on livestock; and the plagues of boils and hail. The next plague they tell Pharaoh is coming is the plague of locusts. At this point Pharaoh's officials ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, not because they want to let them go worship God, but because they do not want anymore disaster to come upon themselves and the rest of Egypt. Pharaoh could see their point, yet was still not willing to yield to God, so the locusts covered the ground and filled the houses. I can't even imagine how disgusting it would be to step on locusts everywhere you stepped, to have them all over everything, being in your face as you try not to breathe them in...

One more phrase that stood out to me was in verse 21: Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt - darkness that can be felt." Darkness that can be felt. I shiver almost every time I read that phrase. I remember one night in the last couple weeks when I was on my way to work and I looked up at the sky. There was a large dark cloud that seemed like it was just looming there. The sky wasn't nearly as dark as the darkness that would have been over Egypt, but I remember feeling fear and danger, feeling darkness, as I looked up at that cloud. It was very unnerving. I only saw that sky for a few minutes. The Egyptians were in complete darkness - "darkness that can be felt" - for 3 days.

I am still amazed that no matter how many times I read a passage of Scripture something different can stand out. And no matter how many things stand out to me, even more things stand out to others! Here are a couple sites to check out for some different perspectives: This one is a comic book version and this one is from the perspective of a Rabbi.

And now I return to the next chapters of Exodus. Good day all.