I have studied the account quite thoroughly.
Exodus 4::21-23….
”Then Jehovah said to Moses: “After you have returned to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharʹaoh all the miracles that I have empowered you to do. But I will allow his heart to become obstinate, and he will not send the people away. 22 You must say to Pharʹaoh, ‘This is what Jehovah says: “Israel is my son, my firstborn. 23 I say to you, Send my son away so that he may serve me. But if you refuse to send him away, I am going to kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
That was the last plague, not the first. He gave this obstinate man 9 more opportunities to agree to send Israel away to serve their God….but God did not soften Pharaoh’s obstinate heart, allowing him to demonstrate 10 times that he would not do as the true God demanded. Pharaoh had no excuse, since the demonstrations that Moses performed before him were only a small sample of what was to come.
Allowing Pharaohs heart to remain obstinate is not the same as causing it….God is a reader of hearts, not just actions and words. Pharaoh was not just a ruler in Egypt, but a deity.
Exodus 5:1-4….
”Afterward, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharʹaoh: “This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Send my people away so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharʹaoh said: “Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice to send Israel away? I do not know Jehovah at all, and what is more, I will not send Israel away.”
What Moses asked, was for Israel to celebrate a “three day festival in the wilderness”…..so initially he request was not something Pharaoh could not grant, but his whole attitude was pompous and arrogant against this God of the Hebrews…..”Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice to send Israel away?”
That refusal set the scene for what followed……all Pharaoh was interested in, was that his labor force would be out of action for three days.
“But they said: “The God of the Hebrews has communicated with us. Please, we want to make a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Jehovah our God; otherwise, he will strike us with disease or with the sword.” 4 The king of Egypt replied to them: “Why is it, Moses and Aaron, that you are taking the people away from their work? Return to your labor!”
If Pharaoh would still stubbornly refuse the request, then as Moses indicated, their God would punish
them and “strike them with disease and the sword”….what would Pharaoh do then? He would have no work force permanently….yet still he refused, even in the face of Moses’ display of God’s power.
There is a difference between “could not” and “would not”…..God knew that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened against it right from the start. Egypt was a strong world power by then and Pharaoh’s position as leader of this powerful nation was widely known……it was time for the true God to show his strength in behalf of his people.
From a small family unit who came with Jacob to Egypt seeking food, Israel grew into a numerous people as God had promised Abraham. Under Joseph’s administration, (sent by God to Egypt long in advance) Israel prospered. It had been over 200 years since coming to Egypt when God, commissioned Moses to free his people at the age of 80.
Israel had become slaves of a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph, and the numbers of this people were growing to such an extent that Pharaoh felt threatened by them, so he subjugated them, ensuring that they would not rise up against him.
In allowing Pharaoh’s heart to remain obstinate, God would show his reasonableness by not carrying out his initial threat until the very last, but still the man wanted to gain the victory over the God who took his son in death. Had he been the least bit humble, or wise, there would have been a different outcome, but the Bible record stands as monument to Pharaoh’s choices, made in spite of the odds and the power of the true God that were against him.
Have you read Exodus?
