God speaks not to be heard, but to be obeyed — Scripture Reflection #082
Exodus 5:2, 7:13, 9:12, 14:28 (New Living Translation)
In this series of scriptures, we see the progression of Pharaoh’s stubbornness. It began when Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh, requesting that he let the Israelites go to honor God. Pharaoh met their request with blatant disdain and a lack of knowledge of who God is.
5:2 “Is that so?” Retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to Him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”
Then, the king of Egypt presents outright defiance against God even in the face of miraculous signs and wonders. From the staff turning into a snake to the first five plagues that devastated Egypt’s economy and well-being, Pharaoh hardened his heart of his own volition.
7:13 Pharaoh’s heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted.
It was not until the sixth plague — the Plague of Festering Boils — that God directly hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
9:12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the LORD predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.
Because Pharaoh continued to ignore and disobey God, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for good. Thus, it was the beginning of the end for Pharaoh; his stubbornness would lead to his ultimate demise (14:28).
14:28 Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers — the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the Sea, not a single one survived.
It is not okay for us to ignore or disobey God when He speaks. As the old adage goes, “God speaks not to be heard, but to be obeyed.” When we hear God and know what He is asking of us, we must be quick to obey lest we find ourselves like Pharaoh, hard-hearted, watching the object of our obsession escape our grasp as our doom crashes down upon us like the waves of the Red Sea.
