Why Should We Obey God? What Pharaoh Can Teach Us.

“Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, did they not send the people away, and they departed” 1 Samuel 6: 6?

People with hard hearts have to be dealt with severely. This was the case with Pharoah and Egypt in the book of Exodus (Exodus 7-12).

To read this passage for context, click here.

The harder, or more insensitive our heart to God’s word and Spirit, the more we’ll have to go through before we get the message He’s trying to convey.

“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” Hebrews 12: 6.

Why Should We Obey God? Avoid Regret

Pharaoh was not an Israelite, of course. He was not a “Christian”. But I think we can still make some valuable corollaries. If we harden our heart, whether we belong to Christ, or not, we will live to regret it.

Proverbs 29: 1 gives us this solemn warning: “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy”.

And Proverbs 28: 14: “Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity”.

These proverbs were written, not to unbelievers, but to Jews, God’s chosen people. And by extension, to His people of all races and tongues and tribes, down through the ages.

Yield Immediately and Spare Yourself Grief

If Pharoah would’ve yielded to the Lord in the beginning, he would not have incurred any loss or pain at all.

If he simply would have let God’s people when God first dealt with him. . .

When Aaron threw his staff to the ground, not only did it become a serpent, but it swallowed up the staffs of the magicians who did the same thing by their secret arts (Exodus 7:10-13).

But he didn’t yield.

Then God turned the Nile into blood (Exodus 7: 14-25), so the Egyptians couldn’t drink it. Now this was an inconvenience, to be sure, but it wouldn’t have resulted in permanent hardship.

If he only would’ve relented.

If he would have toed the line after the frog episode (Exodus 8: 1-15), he would not have suffered any persistent loss or pain.

The plague of flies was the first one that caused real damage. Scripture says, “the land was laid waste because of the swarm of flies” Exodus 8:24.

Progressive Adversity

The plagues were becoming progressively more severe. And now, were beginning to inflict real loss and misery.

All because pharaoh refused to submit to God.

Next, the livestock died (Exodus 9: 1-7). This represents even greater wreckage and distress.

Next came the boils (Exodus 9: 8-12). This plague denotes the first one that afflicted their physical bodies.

The hail came after that (Exodus 9: 13-35).This ruined half of Egypt’s crops- the flax and barley.

More destruction. More grief.

Because pharaoh still refused to bow, God sent locusts to destroy what was left from the hail. “Thus, nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt” Exodus 10: 15.

Now pharaoh was incurring utter ruin and heartache.

And yet, inexplicably, he still refused to yield.

Then came the plague of darkness (Exodus 10: 21-29). And finally, the most severe devastation of all. The death of their first-born sons (Exodus 11: 4-10, 12: 29-32).

Why Should We Obey God? Avoid Pain

The point is, the longer he hardened his heart, and refused to obey the Lord, the more loss and pain he experienced.

Until he was left desolate, destitute, miserable. . . and ultimately, dead.

“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” 1 Corinthians 10: 11. 

I have personally experienced this progressive adversity and distress. Until I FINALLY submitted. To read about my story click here.

For another post related to Why Should We Obey God? What Pharaoh Can Teach Us, see Resisting Sin: Is Temptation a Friend or Foe?

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