Fighting the Pharaoh Within
Exodus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 10 viewsThe plagues God brought upon Egypt illustrated His power and worthiness. Even still, Pharaoh denied God's sovereignty with a hardened heart. In this message, I hope to demonstrate how we can sometimes be like Pharaoh and point us to the hope of a new heart.
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1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.
2 “You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land.
3 “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
4 “When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5 “The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”
6 So Moses and Aaron did it; as the Lord commanded them, thus they did.
7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
INTRO: What do you think it would take to convince an ardent atheist about God?
I have watched folks like Ray Stedman and Frank Turek speak to unbelievers, and argue the Bible. They are pretty gifted guys and their arguments are well-crafted. Even so, intellectual treatises alone cannot convince nor save an unbeliever. Something more is needed- indeed, it takes nothing less than the Holy Spirit working in the heart of unbelievers to transform their unbelief into devotion.
When Moses is told to go back to Pharaoh (Ex. 6:30), you know he’s in a bit of tailspin of despair as Josh taught last week. In his mind, he is thinking, “I’ll never convince him!” But as we’ve learned, Moses’ job was not to convince, but simply to be the messenger. God would do the hard work and God promised that when all is said and done, all of Egypt will surely know that He is indeed the Lord God Almighty. (Ex. 7:5)
Certainly, God could have made it so that when Moses first came to demand the release of the Israelites that Pharaoh’s heart would have been pierced and he would’ve conceded to Moses’ request. If God would have done that, we’d have a few less chapters in this book!
But, God’s purpose was even greater than the physical deliverance of the nation of Israelite from their bondage. Some scholars assert that each of these plagues was a direct refutation of the many false gods that were worshipped in Egypt. All of their idols- so-called gods of water, sun, nature, health, etc. were all proven to be cheap, impotent imitations. None could compare to the power of the one true God.
Still Pharaoh resisted. As inconceivable as it might seem that one could witness these acts and still reject God, let’s ponder how God used the stubbornness of Pharaoh to demonstrate to both the Israelites and Egyptians of His greatness.
Think about the confidence that Moses and the Israelites would have after witnessing how God fights for His people!
Think of how their minds would be opened to the wonders of a God who holds all of creation in His hands!
Even more, think of how the groundwork is laid in the big picture of God’s redemption; Through these plagues, God makes a distinction between those who hear and obey Him and those who do not. He sets apart and provides for those who are His!
Next week, we’ll look into more of these implications. This morning, we are going to tackle 9 of these plagues or judgments. And, even while we will see the power of God at work in them, I want us to particularly note Pharaoh’s response to these demonstrations of God’s power.
First, I want to point you back to the scripture we read a moment ago Ex. 7:1-7(READ)- (Emphasize v. 3)
So we must note that Pharaoh’s hardened heart serves a purpose greater than Pharaoh himself. God’s power surely was displayed to all of Egypt, but Pharaoh denied God to the end. Sad, isn’t it. But I suspect if we’re honest, sometimes we are more like Pharaoh than we might want to admit.
If you are visiting with us this morning- perhaps you are questioning or curious about God, sin, and redemption, I especially encourage you to lean in with me. I want you to see that God is doing a great work even today! - and I appeal to you to acknowledge His mighty hand and be warned against the hardening of your own heart toward God. I want us to see Him and submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God.
Let us dive in. The sermon is titled “Fighting the Pharaoh Within” and I’m going to show you 3 ways that we are like Pharaoh, and what to do about it.
The first way can be like Pharaoh is:
We Explain Away God’s Power (7:11-13, 22, 8:7)
We Explain Away God’s Power (7:11-13, 22, 8:7)
The first things we see Moses and Aaron do is to show the supernatural power of God through miracles - the staff which turned into a snake followed by water turning to blood, and calling frogs to come up from the Nile.
When Moses and Aaron showed Pharaoh these miracles- his response was not belief nor awe, but rather skepticism and suspicion. He looked at them the way you and I might look at celebrity magicians Penn & Teller.
So naturally, he called upon his wise men and magicians to attempt these miracles. And look, they were somehow able to turn their staffs into snakes and even to turn some water into blood and call frogs to come up out of the Nile.
Some folks get nervous or uncomfortable with this. How is it that ungodly men accomplished this? I don’t have all the answers, but this won’t be the last time men are faced with this dilemma. Scripture warns of one we know as the antichrist, an agent of Satan in the last days. In 2 Thess. 2:9
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
Likewise Rev. 13:13-14 says, speaking of the antichrist
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.
The fact that Pharaoh’s magicians could accomplish similar feats as Moses and Aaron gave Pharaoh the ammunition he needed to explain away God’s power. Now, I want you to think of how we sometimes do the same thing.
When we pray for healing of a loved one, then we explain away their recovery by pointing to a medicine, fluke, or other intervention.
We ask for God’s protection, then explain away our safety by pointing to some other provision.
We ask for God’s mercy, and then explain away our rescue by calling it luck.
ILL: Just a few weeks ago, God preserved the power here at the church and some folks have explained that away- ‘we got lucky’ - Oh friend, luck had nothing to do with it!!
And here is where we need to lean in: These magicians were able to mimic God’s miracles to a degree, but their power to do so was limited.
Their staffs turned snakes were swallowed up by Aaron’s staff-snake.
The water they turned into blood was just a fraction of the water that God turned to blood.
Their call to the frogs was only after frogs were already covering the land.
What we see here is that Pharaoh saw a limited expression of power and either believed that God’s power was also limited or that there was not God at all, and Moses & Aaron were just good magicians. Either way, Pharaoh explained away God’s power.
This, my friend is the same formula Satan uses and is what makes him so successful in deceiving people. It’s not that he runs around in a red suit with horns and a pitchfork - No, he masquerades as an angel of light- IOW, he appears to have the attributes and power of God, but he can only imitate in a limited fashion.
You and I need to understand that God has no such limits. God answers to no man- He alone is sovereign! Paul writes in Col. 1:16-17
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
God is still wielding His power today. We can find ways to dismiss God’s power; whether it’s called evolution, ‘luck’, chance, etc. - but by doing so we are hardening our hearts to see and enjoy God’s blessings… just like Pharaoh.
I encourage you this morning, don’t be so quick to explain away God’s power.
Another way we can be like Pharaoh is:
We Engage in Hollow Speech (8:8-15, 28, 9:27, 10:8, 16-17)
We Engage in Hollow Speech (8:8-15, 28, 9:27, 10:8, 16-17)
When the miracles became too obvious for Pharaoh to explain away, he took on the behavior of making false promises and displaying false repentance. Let me point you to just a couple of these instances:
First with the frogs-
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the Lord that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.”
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Then the gnats and flies -
28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make supplication for me.”
32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
Also with the cattle, the boils, hail. It was the same old line.
But I really want to point out Pharaoh’s response to the locusts:
16 Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
17 “Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the Lord your God, that He would only remove this death from me.”
20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.
Do you see what’s going on here? Over and over again, Pharaoh, in his distress confessed sin, promised to let the people go, committed to surrender to the one true God… but as soon as relief came- as soon as the distress was over, Pharaoh’s seemingly sincere words meant nothing.
Does that sound familiar? How many times have we done the same thing?
Some of y’all made promises to God while watching your favorite college sports team, but truth be told, you don’t mean any of it.
More seriously, perhaps you were struggling financially and cried out to God! Maybe you go to the church and ask for help, and somehow your needs get met, BUT you are unchanged.
Or maybe a hurricane comes dumping several feet of water and we cry out, God save us! Save our homes! BUT when the rains subside, our lives only reflect the meaninglessness of our words.
We could go on with these types of examples. The bottom line is that with each hollow word, each act of lip-service to God, we are in fact hardening our hearts towards Him. We take for granted the mercy and love of God, but friend if this describes you, then I believe one day you will not even be able to offer lip service. It’ll be too late and you and your hardened heart will stand before God to receive the just judgment for your sin.
This is where Pharaoh was. He hardened his heart so much that at last the Scripture says that God hardened his heart. God closed the door.
Oh friend, If you find yourself a little like Pharaoh, then I urge you to consider your words- consider what Christ has done for you! Be authentic in your repentance! Be genuine in your commitment to the Lord!
We can be like Pharaoh when we explain away God’s power, speak hollow words to God, and lastly:
We Simply Disregard God’s Word (10:3, 27-28)
We Simply Disregard God’s Word (10:3, 27-28)
Pharaoh was so enamored with himself that when he could not explain away God’s power and when he got tired of pretending to honor God, he had no other course of action but to willfully ignore and disregard God and His word.
Let me show you how he did this: Moses confronted him about his denial of God in Ex. 10:3
3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
And after a bit of a conversation, Pharaoh was unwilling to submit to God and instead burst forth in anger.
27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go.
28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Beware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!”
Pharaoh could not win in this battle against God. But that didn’t stop him from trying! I don’t think he ever really got to the point where he understood WHO he was dealing with. You see, he blamed Moses for all this and directed his anger toward him. In so doing, he had to ignore all that God spoke through Moses.
Now, this can be a bit touchy, so stay with me. There are times when we do not like what God has to say through His word. Look, Because of His great love for us, God has called us to turn from sinful behavior and to submit wholly unto Him. We are to be transformed… changed. And we don’t always like change.
And so, when God calls us to repent from a sinful lifestyle or behavior, instead of heeding God’s Word, we pretend it does not apply.
And we do this by placing ourselves as judge over God’s Word. We’ve seen this behavior from the Catholic pope publicly, but I would dare say it happens in our private lives as well.
We say things like:
“This isn’t gossip- I am demonstrating concern for others.”
“This isn’t lust… it’s entertainment.”
“Everybody’s doing it”
“God didn’t really mean this! or things are different now”
Not only that, but when someone says something about your particular sin, you might even get mad at the messenger. It happened to Moses. And you know what? Each week, pastors are accused of preaching ‘at’ someone because they deal with sin according to God’s Word. If you feel that way today, let me just say that I proclaim God’s word because He loves you and I love you.
Folks, when we find ourselves at the point that we are willfully ignoring God’s Word, then we are slamming the door on God’s grace. When we are more interested in defending our sin than submitting to God, then we are acting out of a hardened heart.
Friends, we may be more like Pharaoh than we think, but we have a hope that is greater than our rock-hard heats. God has promised, if we will call out to Him in true repentance and belief, that He will give us a new heart.
26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Oh that this would be that day for you! Friends, He is worthy of all devotion. He is worthy of our complete surrender;
My plea to you this morning is that you will fight that Pharaoh within that denies God and give your life wholly and fully to Christ today.
[PRAY]
Discuss: Reflect upon the evidence of God’s power around you. What have you dismissed or overlooked?
Discuss: Describe a time when you gave lip service to God- a promise you backed out on, a prayer you didn’t mean. How do these events further harden your heart or dull your perception of God?
Discuss: What parts of God’s Word are difficult for you? How do you deal with that?
