Free Will
If God exercises His sovereignty in the affairs of humanity, what does it mean when you read in the Scriptures that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart? Scriptures reference such actions, so does it make you think differently about free will if God actively hardened one’s heart? Remember, God created humanity in His image with the ability to make choices free of external controls, so this unique capability may shift the role of free will if God proactively hardened the hearts of some.
For instance, in the Scriptures, you will notice that God worked through Moses to liberate His chosen people, the Israelites, from Egyptian rule. However, you will find a paradox in wondering who or what is hardening Pharaoh’s heart or if there is an external force that is regulating Pharoah’s heart. I say paradox because earlier communication between God and Moses indicates that this Pharaoh has a heart issue or that God deliberately hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Please note Pharoah is a royal title referring to a sequence of Egyptian kings over many generations. However, when Pharoah encounters this simple request followed by consequences, the results profoundly impact his heart. Earlier, when God confronted Moses at the burning bush, the opposite reaction transpires with Moses which set him on a different course. Yet, Pharaoh could have easily avoided the massive grief that unfolded upon the people of Egypt if he had heeded this simple request of letting the people go to hold a feast in the wilderness. Instead, Pharaoh openly refused to obey the Lord; therefore, an all-knowing God informed Moses of the outcome before the ongoing occurrence equating to 10 different plaques.
19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. Exodus 3:19-20
If you read the Scriptures carefully, each plaque follows a different spin on Pharoah’s heart, as noted in Exodus:
1) Blood: Pharaoh’s heart became hard (7:22)
2) Frogs: Pharaoh hardened his own heart (8:15)
3) Gnats: Pharaoh’s heart was hard (8:19)
4) Flies: Pharaoh hardened his own heart (8:32)
5) Livestock die: Pharaoh’s heart was hard (9:7)
6) Boils: The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (9:12)
7) Hail: Pharaoh hardened his own heart (9:34)
8) Locusts: God announces that He has hardened Pharaoh’s heart (10:1,10:20)
9) Darkness: God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (10:27)
10) Death of the firstborn: God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (11:10)
Is the theme of a hardened heart the result of Pharoah's free will, or did God intentionally harden his heart? Remember, free will is an adamant choice. We cannot contribute our misfortunes to God since we can accept or deny responsibilities. Since God can steer evil towards His ultimate purposes, this does not necessarily imply that God is responsible for its development. For instance, is God responsible for the failure of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? There is no doubt that Adam’s and Eve's decision to eat the forbidden fruit was free of God's interference. Likewise, Pharaoh is responsible for his own failure to impede the freedom of God’s people. Thus, the Israelites' deliverance is not a lesson on how God engineered evil, but rather, it warns us not to fall into the trap of hardening our hearts at God's requests. Therefore, Pharoah embodies the sadness of making a selfish decision based on personal value over the well-being of others. As such, these Scriptures serve as a cautionary warning - Do not become a Pharoah-like individual, an enslaver of pleasing your heart, but rather develop a Moses-like character, a liberator of self-will to do God’s will.