#10: Pharaoh – Dying While Deep Sea Driving

 A.M. radio  Three soldiers in front of a firing squad  How many pieces of pizza?  Near homicide

 God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.  What is the process of heart hardening?  Was God unjust here?  Are Bible critics right to point to this account as another reason they can’t believe in God?

 Exodus 8:15 – “he hardened his heart…”  Exodus 8:32 – “…But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also…”  Exodus 9:34 – “…he sinned again and hardened his heart….”

 Exodus 7:13 – “Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened…”  Exodus 7:22 – “…and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened…”  Exodus 8:15 – “…But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened….”  Exodus 9:7 – “But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened….”

 Exodus 9:12 – “And the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart…”  Exodus 10:1 – “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them.”

 “…were used by the Hebrews to express, not the doing of the thing, but the permission of the thing which the agent is said to do….” E.W. Bullinger Figures of Speech Used in the Bible

 “Hardness of heart is a figurative expression, de- noting that insensibility of mind which neither judgments nor mercies make any abiding im- pressions; but the con- science being stupefied, the obdurate rebel persists in determined disobedience.”

 John 12:40 – “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”

 “Therefore, God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.”

 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

 Nile to blood  Frogs  Gnats/lice  Flies  Livestock disease  Boils  Thunder/fiery hail  Locusts  Darkness  Death of Firstborn

 Exodus 10:7 -- Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the L ORD their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?”

 Exodus 13:15 -- It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast.

 “When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done…and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.” Exodus 14:5-7

 Exodus 14:13 – “But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.’”

 Exodus 14:19-25  Pillar of fire and cloud  Waters of the sea parted in two and remain that way all night  You remember the plagues so recently devastating Egypt  What should you do?

 Exodus 14:23-24 “Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea…the Lord…caused their chariot wheels to swerve….”

 “…He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”  You think?

 Psalm 136:15 – “But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  Who was that Pharaoh?

 Rameses II – 1200s B.C., 19 th Dynasty – died naturally  Amenhotep II – 18 th Dynasty – Early 1400s B.C. – cause of death unknown, but mummy found.  Amenemhet IV – work of Ted Stewart – dated to 1446 by his dating method. 12 th Dynasty (Egyptology places him in 1800s B.C.). Died with no male heir. Succeeded by half- sister/wife Sobeknefru – first woman to rule Egypt for over 1,000 years. No tomb found.

 Hebrews 3: Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness….”

 “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.”  Two things  Love of God  Steadfastness of Christ

 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”