January 22nd Devotion

Exodus 4:21 (NIV)
21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

This is one of the scariest passages in Scripture. The Lord telling Moses that he was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart. It has impacted my faith since I was first save. I would never want my heart hardened by God. How could someone protect themselves from that? Here are a couple of passages to meditate on.

Exodus 8:12-15 (NIV)
12 After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 And the LORD did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields. 14 They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.

Exodus 8:30-32 (NIV)
30 Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, 31 and the LORD did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

Pharaoh had two opportunities to listen to Moses and believe God. He even saw that God could perform miracles, yet he hardened his heart. After that, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and all of Egypt suffered the consequences.

Does God still do that today?

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NIV)
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

When the anti-Christ comes, God will send a strong delusion on those who already refused to love the truth and so be saved. I can’t think of any stronger warning to seek God with all our heart, and search for the truth about ourselves. We need to allow God to reveal the lies we believe, and then love the truth. Pharaoh believed the lie that he had nothing to fear from the God of slaves.

Think about lies that you might believe, and how they challenge the truth. Who do you love?

Love, Pastor Don