For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3: 16, 17
Thank You God for Your love. Please help us to see it in a brand new light, for Christ’s sake. Amen
Yesterday we talked about how God saved Israel from Pharaoh’s oppressive rule. Did it ever occur to you, that through it all God was also trying to save Pharaoh? Let us look at some verses that I believe bring out this fact.
Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5: 2). So every plague that the Lord sent upon Egypt was with the sole purpose of making Himself known to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. In Exodus 9: 14 & 15, God warned Pharaoh when He was about to send thunder and hail, that He was sending this plague that Pharaoh, his courtiers, and the people of the land, would know that there was no God like Him in all the earth. And knowing God is life eternal (John 17: 3). God actually pleaded with Pharaoh “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me” (Exodus 10:3)? At any time Pharaoh could have surrendered, and God would gladly have suspended the plagues and saved him and all Egypt. For Jesus saves!
God told Pharaoh that He had the power to cut him off from the face of the earth, but had kept him alive to show him His power (9: 14-16, NIV). “[But] though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened” (Romans 1: 21, NIV). (Emphasis supplied.) When truth is suppressed, it tends to harden the hearers. In order not to accept truth, they must search for all kinds of excuses to fight against it. With every rejection of evidence of YHWH’s sovereignty and omnipotence, Pharaoh was hardening himself against the will of God. Because God will not take away our freedom of choice, He leaves us to decide for ourselves, even if it is against Him. “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” (Joshua 24: 15, NIV).
Pharaoh “repented” then became defiant, then “repented,” then became defiant, over and over, until he made his final decision. He said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die” (Exodus 10: 28, NIV) He sealed his own destiny.
Unlike what many of us believe, God is no respecter of persons. He receives all who come to Him (John 6: 37). Just as surely as God freed his people from Egyptian bondage, He wanted to free Pharaoh from the bondage of sin. When He died on Calvary, it was for all. His invitation of love is for “whosoever believeth in Him.” The only person that can keep us from being saved is ourselves. Jesus saves, and He wants to save you. His mission to planet earth was to save humankind, not to condemn us. So, today if you hear His (God’s) voice, harden not your heart” (Hebrews 3: 8).