SCRIPTURE: Exodus 7
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: ‘Lord, who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?” [John 12:37-38] People do not see God because they do not want to see Him. People do not recognize Jesus because they do not want to.
There is much at stake if we accept the reality of God and Jesus. If Pharoah accepted Yahweh (the God of Israel) as God, then he was not god (son of Ra, the sun god). If he accepted Moses’ words, he would lose his army of slaves, as well as the respect of his people. The Pharisees recognized that to accept Jesus as messiah, they would have to change. He challenged their hearts, and didn’t seem to appreciate their external piety.
From the beginning, the desire to be like God has led us to reject God’s place in our lives. If I am not ‘god’ then I am accountable to someone else, I cannot choose and live and do what I want. If Jesus is Saviour, that means I need to be saved. If Jesus is Lord, that means I have to submit to Him. Why do we stubbornly resist God, and His appointed Saviour Jesus? Because it will require that we change.
This passage suggests that God hardens pharoah’s heart. We should not misread this to think that he was a nice guy who would have gladly let the people go, but God made him stubbornly say ‘no’. God did not make his heart do anything he didn’t already want to do. God gave him over to his natural inclination. God could have changed his heart to make him relent. But instead God chose to use pharoah’s stubbornness to make a point, to show the world that the gods of this world are nothing, that Yahweh is the only true God, of all nations and places.
Everything God does is to make this point. God is everywhere and always confirming His existence and power and purpose. But people are too self-absorbed, to stubborn to pay attention, to notice. We are without excuse [Romans 1:18-25]. The message of Jesus is also clear and compelling, for those who pay attention. His message speaks to the heart, addresses things that really matter, and cuts to the heart. This is why the Jewish leaders rejected Him then. Its why people reject Him now.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to pay attention to Your everyday presence and power in my life, and help me to respond with faith, hope and love.
LORD, there are so many signs and wonders all around us every day, evidence that You are God, fingerprints of all that You are and all that You are doing, yet so many still refuse to believe in You today.
LORD, may we not be distracted from Your Truth. Help us LORD by Your Spirit power to remain focused on You so that the deceiver cannot lead us astray, discourage us, cause us to doubt, harden our hearts……
Open our eyes LORD, we want to see Jesus…… Open our ears LORD, we want to hear Jesus…… Change our hearts oh God, make them ever pure…..
Thank You LORD for the wonder of Your love. Thank You LORD for the many signs and wonders that prove Your Presence in our daily lives. Thank You LORD for the miracle of eternal life the greatest miracle of all.
It is Christmas time once again. Once again, God tells His people the reason for the season is Jesus Christ. The world comes to a stand still on Christmas Day, but because . . . and the people hardened their hearts. Once again the Lord speaks to the whole world to let them know, now is the time to come and worship, but as with pharaoh, we too just insist upon our own way and not His Way. As God spoke to pharaoh, He continues to speak to the people today. Do we have ears that hear or do we have hearts that also have hardened and insist upon our own ways?
As I approach Christmas Day 2008 A.D., help me to listen to Your voice each and every day Lord and live a life of service also on this day.
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me.
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne.
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.
Refrain
Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy Name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.
Refrain
Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.