Mensa Otabil - Pharaoh's Heart Is Hard
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Exodus chapter 7, verses 14 and 15. So the Lord said to Moses, «Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. And the rod that was turned into a serpent you shall take in your hand.» This is when the real plagues begin.
The first was a sign of validation, the turning of the rod into a snake, but now the real work is about to begin. There are a couple of things I want you to pay attention to: God says Pharaoh’s heart is hard. This is a recurring theme throughout this episode in Exodus. God spoke about it when He met Moses in the burning bush and said this would be Pharaoh’s attitude, but «I will prevail over him.» That warning was to let Moses know that sometimes there will be resistance. Although you are doing the work of God, there will be people or situations that resist. God tells us ahead of time so we don’t lose heart when we see resistance.
And so God says to Moses, «Go to Pharaoh,» and tells him to go to the Nile River because Pharaoh is going to be there. The scene of this encounter has shifted from Pharaoh’s palace to the Nile River. The Nile is the chief god of the Egyptians, so this is God striking Egypt at its center of power. He has shown His power in the palace; now He will show it at the river. God told Moses to go with the rod, the rod that turned into a serpent, the miracle-working rod.
The first time the rod was used in Pharaoh’s palace, it was for demonstration, but this time when the rod is used, it will not be for demonstration; it will be for judgment. When God shows us a demonstration, it tells us what He can do; but in judgment, He does what He can do. Now God is not just saying, «I can do this»; He is showing, «I am doing it.» So that is judgment coming, but it’s the same rod, the same power functioning in different ways. One way is like a soldier or policeman who gives a warning shot and then goes into battle. This is not a warning shot; this is truly the battle. God is taking Moses to the center of Egypt’s power at the center of the Nile.
We also learn from this that God’s power works in different venues, so there is not a particular venue where God’s power works. When you shift venues, God’s power still works. The world has worked in the palace; now it’s going to the river. The power of God remains the same in all situations, and that’s something we must learn: that the same power of God that works in prayer meetings at church also works in the boardroom and in the office. The same power of God that works in your family devotion is the same power that works when you encounter a demonic entity.
The power of God is not limited by space and time; it does not function in one area and become dysfunctional in another. So if God is with you during your morning devotion, He will be with you in the marketplace also. If someone comes against you spiritually, curses you, or speaks things against you, the same power of God that works in your morning devotion will defeat that power in the marketplace. I pray that just as Moses demonstrated the power of God working in different places, that same power at work in us will work in different areas of our lives.
Let us pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, rule over the stubbornness of men by Your power. All resistance crumbles. In Jesus' name, amen.