HARDENING OF THE HEART

HARDENING OF THE HEART:THE MOST DANGEROUS DISEASE
EXO.8:15

Some people around us suffer from a deadly disease called “Hardening of the arteries”. Those who suffer from this disease are often in danger of stroke and heart attack. One may exclaim, may this never be my portion. Yet, while we agree that we don’t wish any to suffer from this kind of disease, do you know that there is a more deadly disease that majority of men on earth suffer? This disease is called “Hardening of the heart”. Pharaoh of Egypt suffered from this disease. Exodus 8:15 says ‘ Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not listen to God’s servants’.
God had just sent the plague of frogs upon the land of Egypt as Moses predicted, Pharaoh relented, asked Moses to remove the frogs, promising he will let Israel go. Moses agreed, Pharaoh named the time and the frogs died at that time. However, Pharaoh did not honor his word, but refused to let the people go. He hardened his heart.
See how Pharaoh hardened his heart in this lesson and compare with your hardening of heart to the gospel of Christ today.

1. How was Pharaoh’s heart harden?

The bible at one time tells us Pharaoh hardened his heart and at another time it will say God hardened Pharaoh’ heart. Did God actually hardened Pharaoh’s heart or did Pharaoh out of his volition harden his heart? If one says yes, God hardened his heart, then it means Pharaoh had no Will of his own, and that is to say he could not make decision except the choice which God imposed on him. This assumption will be wrong because it will make God a fiendish God who take delight in punishing people.
The solution to this problem is to recognize the fact that the bible first emphasis that Pharaoh hardened hi heart, before stating that God hardened his heart. Going by what Moses said in Exo.4:21 and 7;3, God was only going to harden Pharaoh’s heart because he first decided to harden his heart.
Pharaoh had decided on the road to tow, and God only gave him a push down the road. Pharaoh had the free will as we have today to make a choice. He was responsible for his choice and God will hold him accountable for his choices.
When we consider more carefully what happened when Pharaoh hardened his heart, we will conclude that Pharaoh’s disease of hardening of heart involved five things namely;
Persistence and stubbornness
Refusal to hear God’s word
Unwillingness to accept the truth
Arrogance and pride
Lack of compassion for people.

2. How does one harden his heart today?

Hardening of the heart is also a disease that so many people suffer today. The Bible in I Tim.4:1-2 says some have their conscience seared with hot iron. Mk.6:52 and Acts 19:9 speaks of people who harden their hearts, and Heb.3:8,3:13,15,4;7 warns against hardening of the heart.
In his second letter to the Christians in Thessalonica Paul described some who will perish because God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false and be destroyed. Paul says “The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended sings and wanders and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion to make them believe what is false so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness”.
Who are those whom God will send along the path of destruction? From the text above, we know that those who did not receive or love the truth, but take pleasure in wickedness are those who will perish for hardening their heart to the truth, the gospel of Christ.
In other words, if a person does not love or receive the truth but take pleasure in wickedness, then God will send a deluding influence so that he will believe lies and perish eternally. If we, like Pharaoh deliberately choose the wrong path, God will speed us on our way to destruction we have chosen. If we persistently refuse to hear the word of God in spite of the evidence for its truth, then we have a hard hearts.
If you have exhibited a hardened heart towards the gospel of Christ, remember that the hardening of the heart is more dangerous than the hardening of the arteries because this disease leads to eternal death. Allow God’s word to soften your heart today. Let the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for your sin and hope dissolve that wall you have erected between you and God’s mercy.




Etim Echeng Enya
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timosetim@gmail.com
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