Bible Commentaries

The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart

Exodus 7:3

We have already remarked upon the hardening of Pharaoh's heart; let us now look at some of the broader aspects of that supposed mystery. We must never consent to have God charged with injustice. Stand at what distance he may from our reason, he must never separate himself from our conscience. If God could first harden a man's heart, and then punish the man because his heart was hard, he would act a part which the sense of justice would instantly and indignantly condemn; therefore, he could not act that part. Whenever there is on the one hand a verbal difficulty, and on the other hand a moral difficulty, the verbal difficulty must give way. It is a rule of interpretation we must fearlessly apply. Let me Exodus 7:9.

The world has certain rights in reference to the Church. The world is at liberty to call upon the Church to prove its inspiration-It is not enough for any Church to say that it can work miracles; it must prove the saying by the action.—Christianity is the great miracle-working power. Christianity never does anything but miracles.—The mischief is that we have affixed to the term miracle a narrow signification, and have declared that miracles have ceased.—This is a profound misconception.—The presence of Christianity in the world is itself a miracle. Every man who is turned from darkness to light is a living miracle.—Every life that is turned round from going in one direction to going in another direction illustrates the miraculous energy of Christian inspiration.—It is better to show living miracles than to be clever in logical arguments.—The world is not to be convinced by controversy, but by the higher kind of miracles,—change of spirit, temper, disposition, purpose; that change is known by the Scriptural name regeneration or the new birth—a name which ought never to be surrendered; there is none like it for range and expressiveness.—Even if the world can show miracles of its own, there must be a point of superiority in Christian miracles which will instantly and finally decide the competition.—Never disallow the power of education or of social custom to work certain wonders in human character and purpose. Nothing is to be gained by such denial. Such denial would, indeed, be unjust.—The power of Christianity is to transcend such wonders by sublimer miracles.