March 31 -- "The LORD Hardened Pharaoh's Heart"

 Today's Reading:  Exodus 10 & 11

"The LORD Hardened Pharaoh's Heart"

The Bible often speaks about the concept of hardening one's heart. In general, this refers to a spiritual condition in which a person becomes resistant to the prompting of God's Spirit or the leading of his/her conscience. Here are some examples:

Exodus 8:15 describes Pharaoh hardening his heart against God's command to release the Israelites from slavery.

Psalm 95:8-9 warns against hardening one's heart like the Israelites did in the wilderness, which led to their rebellion and disobedience.

Proverbs 28:14 says that a person who hardens their heart will fall into calamity.

Mark 8:17-21 recounts Jesus rebuking his disciples for their lack of faith and understanding, saying, "Do you have a hardened heart?"

In all these examples, hardening one's heart is portrayed as a dangerous spiritual condition that can lead to rebellion, disobedience, calamity, and separation from God. The Bible encourages us to have a soft and receptive heart, open to the prompting of God's Spirit and the leading of our conscience.

In addition to the concept of individuals hardening their own hearts, the Bible also speaks about God hardening people's hearts. It's important to note that the concept of God hardening someone's heart does not mean that God forces a person to become resistant to his love or to the promptings of his Spirit. Rather, it is God allowing a person to experience the consequences of their own choices. In this sense, God is “confirming” the hardness the person has chosen.

The Bible warns about the danger of hardening one's heart so frequently and for so long that there may come a time when there is no longer a remedy or opportunity for repentance.

We must take seriously the condition of our hearts and respond to God's call to repentance while we still have the opportunity to do so, while God's grace and mercy are limitless. There may come a time when our hearts become so hardened that God allows us to experience the consequences of our own resistance.