Too Scared to Ask - Real Questions & Real AnswerSample

Who?

Reflect

In Exodus 4:21 we see the statement that raises a million more questions, “But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go...” Was God manipulating the situation? Was He forcing Pharaoh to defy Him? Why would He do that if He is a just God? All those questions are big and hard, but ultimately God gave Pharaoh 10 opportunities (the plagues) to repent against the evil in His heart.

Pharaoh’s heart was hard long before his confrontation with Moses and only grew harder throughout his interactions with Moses and the God of Israel. God knew the evil within Pharaoh, but His will was still to be done, so God used Pharaoh’s evil for His bigger purpose. Let that sink in for a second.

So who was Pharaoh? What was happening in Egypt that made God so angry? Why was his heart hard? What gods did he worship? We read in the Scripture today that when confronted by Moses and Aaron, not only did Pharaoh refuse to let the Hebrew slaves go, he made their work more difficult to prove who was the person in charge… a little petty, no?

Respond

After you've read the passage today grab a journal or open your notes. Take some time to reflect on today’s reading. Use the SOAP acronym to help you engage. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer).

• Scripture - What did you read?,
• Observation - What did you learn?
• Application - What will you do?
• Prayer - Write out a prayer talking to God like a friend.

Additional Reading Suggestions:

Read Romans 9:17-23