In Exodus chapter seven, verse three, Pharoah’s heart became hard after the request by Moses and Aaron to let the Israelites go free. It is significant to understand that before God hardened Pharoah’s heart, Pharoah chose to become hard in his own heart. God hardened his heart further as punishment and judgment for opposing God. In adding to the hardness of Pharoah’s heart, God acted on a divine principle that applies to all the unrepentant.
When a person persists in rebellion against God and His Word, God finally ordains the person’s heart is hard. The principle is God gave the people up to their sinful desires. He sent a delusion to those who refuse to love the truth and His Word. Notice that the judgments of the early plagues softened Pharoah’s heart a little. When God removed each outbreak, his heart became hardened again. Pharoah volitionally hardened his own heart each time that God showed him mercy.
God hardened Pharoah’s heart for three reasons. First, Pharoah hardened his heart in stubborn pride and opposition to God; Second, God wanted to strengthen the faith of the Israelites by performing miraculous signs and wonders amid the Egyptians and the gods of Egypt; Third, God’s judgments were not yet complete.
Why did Pharoah harden His heart? When Moses and Aaron came to the King of Egypt, they asked behalf what God said to them to tell. Therefore, with Pharoah being a king and having the control to do anything, it must have been shocking by such a request made by two Hebrew men. To let go of a large number of people that have been under His power for years. People were laboring and building cities for him, not losing anything in return. To let the Israelites go by the command of another God other than himself must have startled him.
Today, pride could be hidden unawares in anyone of us without even knowing it. However, if someone asks you for something where you get nothing in return, would you help? In most cases, people hesitate and say it depends on what it is. For believers, if God is involved in it, and you are Pharoah, would you let the Israelites go?