Exodus 9:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

e dull, and their ears hard of hearing, and their eyes closed.” Yet, He assures, “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.” The same God who brings about spiritual blindness for those who reject Him mirrors how the sun blinds those with weak vision, illuminating those who choose to believe and follow Him instead. The Apostle reminds us in his second letter to the Corinthians that “the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). Furthermore, in his letter to the Romans, it is stated, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (Rom. 1:28). In his second letter to the Thessalonians, speaking of the Antichrist, he declares, “Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:11-12).

If, even now, God, knowing in advance that many will remain in disbelief, has allowed them to wallow in their lack of faith, turning His gaze away as they embrace the darkness of their own choosing, is it surprising that Pharaoh and his officials fell into disbelief as well? As revealed to Moses by the cupbearer, “I know that Pharaoh king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand” (Ex. 3:19). The Lord spoke in parables and brought spiritual blindness upon Israel due to their unbelief, which is why He also hardened Pharaoh's heart; witnessing the divine hand freeing the people, he still rejected this truth and sank into disbelief, convinced that their escape was mere sorcery and that the parting of the Red Sea was a natural occurrence.