I came across a post by TheThinkingPerson the other day. This post brings into question the actions of Yahweh against Egypt/Pharaoh in Exodus. The author asks how a loving God could possibly send the plagues he sent on Pharaoh and his Egypt. Not only that, but how could such a loving God send the plagues after he had hardened the heart of Pharaoh? How could Pharaoh be held responsible for his resistance to Yahweh? I have wondered this as well at times. For many Arminians/Wesleyans (which I use to be) this story is problematic for it forces them to admit that God does infringe of free-will to some degree. For many Calvinists it is a minefield because there are places to step but without caution there is bound to be trouble. A healthy reading of scripture will help to reveal answers to these more than reasonable questions.
My professor (Albert H. Baylis) this past semester suggested two things to consider which may help give some perspective:
1) Pharaoh goes against God's covenant made with Abraham to bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse Abraham. Egypt knew of this covenant through Joseph and yet through time he and the covenant were dismissed and Pharaoh enslaved Abraham's sons/daughters and in so doing perverted the role of host to God's covenant people and fell from a place of blessing to a place of cursing. Egypt was always meant to be cooperative with the birth of God's people but they decided to force God to perform a c-section to birth his children out of Egypt's womb.*
2) God raised up Pharaoh for the purpose of demonstrating His power in Pharaoh and for the purpose of being proclaimed throughout the earth (Romans 9:17). That doesn't mean God raised him up so He could harden and hurt Pharaoh. It is more likely God established Pharaoh's reign and Pharaoh (as stated earlier) rebelled which caused God to show His power (and keep his side of the Abrahamic covenant) through Pharaoh in a new and unfortunate way. Pharaoh first rebelled against his purpose and hardened his own heart. God consistently turns people over to their choices/desires/sin (we see this in a few other passages as well). Gregory Boyd argues that people work themselves into a type of people. Pharaoh worked himself into a hard heart and to give him what he wants God perpetuates that hardness. The plagues are not just an attempt to convince Pharaoh to let God's people go but to melt Pharaoh's hard heart. When God had all fair reason to destroy Egypt he attempted to bring them back into blessing.
I'm comfortable with this perspective. It continues to show a loving God who is concerned with all people coming to a knowledge of Him. He desires for his people to be a blessing and witness to the world so that all men come into his kingdom. This perspective shows He will do what it takes to show mercy when it is not due to sinners so that those who rebel against him will either be fully consumed with their evil or redeemed by entering into His kingdom and will. Unfortunately, as further reading of the story will show, Israel doesn't seem to clue into this quickly enough (or they too quickly forget it). We're still having problems fully grasping this truth that God has grace for all but judgment for all at the same time. One of the greatest challenges for Christians today is to understand the judgment aspect of God's love and the hope that it brings for all who seek righteousness. Reconciling judgment discipline, and punishment with pure and divine love is often difficult but it is not illogical or unreasonable. If Christians are to understand the covenants God has made with his people through time then they must learn how judgment and love embrace one another. Christians must embrace this mystery if they wish to know the covenant we have in Christ Jesus.
Paul was right when he said that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2Timothy 3:16-17). Let us continue investigating these breathes of God so that we may live. After all, how else could we possibly live? Without such breathe we'd still be dust.
*This word picture comes from Baylis' book From Creation to the Cross.
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