Lecture Notes on Exodus 5-15: The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart
Introduction
- Focus on Exodus chapters 5 through 15
- Main topic: Hardening of Pharaoh's heart
- Important theological discussion: Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart?
- Complex issue: Multiple Hebrew words involved
Hebrew Word Study
- Three Hebrew words related to the hardening concept:
- Chazak
- In "kol" stem: To be strong, firm, or hard
- Often describes Pharaoh's heart as hard
- "Piel" stem: The action of making something hard; often God's action
- Chabad
- In "kol" stem: To be heavy or weighty, but also dull or desensitized
- In Hebrew, 'heart' (lev) combines emotion and reason
- "Hithiel" stem: Pharaoh makes his own heart dull
- Kashe
- To make hard or stiff; akin to stubbornness
Complexity of Pharaoh's Heart
- Not a single action or word
- Description vs. Action:
- State of being: Pharaoh's heart is described as hard and desensitized
- Action: God hardens Pharaoh's already hard heart
- Progression:
- Pharaoh initially has chances to respond to God
- Sixth plague: God actively hardens Pharaoh's heart
Theological Insights
- New Testament references (Romans 9-11, Hebrews 3)
- Emphasis on the deceitfulness of sin and its impact on the heart
- Importance of one's heart posture: Metaphor of butter vs. clay
God's Purpose
- Demonstrate His power through signs
- Exodus 10 & 14: God reveals Himself to both His people and Egyptians
- Ultimate purpose: Freedom and covenant relationship
Pharaoh's Actions
- Acts shrewdly, sees Hebrews as less than human
- Distorted wisdom: Enslavement and murder
- Rejection of God’s truth, stubbornness
Conclusion
- Importance of understanding progression and choice in Pharaoh's actions
- God’s ongoing purpose of revealing Himself and His salvation plan
- Chapter 14: Strategy of apparent confusion, victory at the Red Sea
- Lessons on trust and God's protection through adversity
Key Verses
- Exodus 6: Purpose of God’s deliverance
- Exodus 14: God's strategy and ultimate victory
Reflection: Consider the posture of your own heart and how you respond to God’s actions. The progression of Pharaoh’s heart serves as a warning and a theological reflection on the state of our own hearts in the face of divine influence.