 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
-81-
The God Who Is
Sometimes God Withdraws Gifts That Men Have, And Exposes Them To Punishment By The Commission Of Sin
The apostle Paul warned, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (II Thessalonians 2:7-12). God sends strong delusion to people who do not receive a love for truth. He does this that they should believe a lie, that they might be damned, who take pleasure in unrighteousness.
In Psalm 81, the Lord says, "Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; `There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.' But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels" (verses 8-12).
Again, we read, "`For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: they would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices" (Proverbs 1:29-31).
Sometimes God Gives Wicked Men Over To Their Lusts, To the Temptations Of The World, And To The Power Of Satan—To The Place They Harden Themselves Under Those Means By Which God Softens Others
Consider three passages of Scripture that deal with God's purpose for Pharoah.
THE HARDENING OF PHARAOH
In Exodus chapter 4, note beginning with verse 21. "And the LORD said unto Moses, `When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharoah, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharoah, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: and I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn" (verses 21-23).
Turn with me to Exodus chapter 8, and note beginning with verse 15: "But when Pharoah saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
"And the LORD said unto Moses, `Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.' And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharoah, `This is the finger of God:' and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them: as the LORD had said.
"And the LORD said unto Moses, `Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharoah; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
"`And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.' And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharoah, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.