THEOSISRoshdestwenski W.G.
The passage in question discusses the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, attributing it to God's actions as noted in Exodus 4:21. The account states that the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, thus refusing to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. There exist two questionable assertions in this dialogue: first, Pharaoh's refusal to heed God's miracles was a key factor in his hardened heart, illustrated in Exodus 9:34, which recounts how Pharaoh, upon witnessing the cessation of rain, hail, and thunder, once more committed sin by hardening his heart and that of his servants. Second, despite numerous miracles urging him toward release, Pharaoh, driven by a mix of pride and desperation, called on Moses and Aaron in Exodus 12:31, instructing them to take the Israelites and depart.
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In light of Pharaoh's blatant contempt for God's commands and the resultant divine justice, God began to withdraw Pharaoh's capacity for gratitude, marking it as a clear display of His justice and wrath. Thus, the question arises: what causes a person to become hard-hearted? This leads to the understanding that God is not the source of such hardened hearts.
1) Envy contributes to hardness of heart. This destructive emotion deprives individuals of the love and compassion due to their neighbors, leading to mercilessness, as seen in the case of Cain, whose envy towards Abel culminated in murder (Genesis 4:8).
2) Deceit can also lead to a hardening of the heart. Pharaoh’s experience attests to this truth. Initially, he recognized his wrongdoing after witnessing God's wrath through natural disasters and implored Moses to intercede. He admitted his sinfulness, acknowledging the righteousness of God, yet once the calamities ceased, he quickly relapsed into sinfulness, hardening his heart again (Exodus 9:27-34). Ultimately, Pharaoh's deceit resulted in severe penalties for Egypt, including the death of the firstborn and the drowning of the pursuing army in the Red Sea.
3) The abundance of worldly pleasures often hardens individuals. This is exemplified in the parable of the rich man who, driven by the desire to hoard his wealth rather than care for the needy, became consumed by concerns for material gain (Luke 12:17).
4) Forgetting past blessings can also lead to a hardened heart. Often, when individuals experience kindness without reciprocating gratitude, they fall into ingratitude. God laments this human tendency through Moses, reminding His people not to forsake Him after receiving His bountiful gifts (Deuteronomy 32:6, 15), as evidenced by Saul’s pursuit of David despite the favor he had received from God.
5) Shamelessness hardens the heart as well. The Gospel parable illustrates this through the unmerciful servant who, despite receiving forgiveness from the king, went on to demand repayment from a fellow servant, completely disregarding the mercy he received (Matthew 18:23).
6) Lastly, fearlessness and carelessness contribute to a hard heart. A wise person who reveres God tends to avoid sin. This principle is embodied in Joseph, who chose righteousness over temptation, stating, “How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Moreover, King David advised to embrace the fear of the Lord (Psalm 33:10), having himself succumbed to sin through negligence, ultimately leading him to greater failings, including adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11). A similar pattern is observed in the Gospel servant who, after amassing an enormous debt, showed no mercy to his fellow servant, despite knowing how unjust such actions were (Matthew 18:23-35).
The nature of human hard-heartedness serves as a cautionary tale, urging continual reflection on the divine mercies we receive and highlighting the grave consequences of neglecting our moral and spiritual obligations.