I believe madscientist is referring to the passages like:Gman wrote:I don't think it was God's will to harden Pharaoh's heart. God was giving Pharaoh choices and Pharaoh chose against God. Much like telling someone that they will hit a wall if they don't turn the steering wheel of their car. If I decided to ignore detour signs on an impending doom, who's fault is it?madscientist wrote:Well this is another good point. Does not Pharaoh hardening his own heart mean God hardening it? The fact that "God worked on it" means it was getting hard because God wanted it and He hardened it. Saying it was becoming hard means it is because God made it - it's also said somewhere else in Bible. Not according to his own choice? Well... if God also changed his will to be so - meaning he hardened his heart... it's paradoxical though. Because in order for God to harden his heart he must have changed his will - so then is it due to his [own] will or due to will which was put to him by will of God? For example, if I now ask God to harden my heart and be against Him (not that I have any intention of doing it! ) then most probably I would be against God... because the fact that I wished it meant I make myself against Him even if I don't ask Him - and moreover, it is psychology of conditioning myself to be against God... but was pharaoh case such?
Exodus 4:21
21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
Exodus 7:3
3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt,
Exodus 9:12
12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.
Exodus 10:1
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them
Exodus 10:20
20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.
Exodus 10:27
27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.
Exodus 11:10
10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.
Given these passages the issue madscientist raises is much more confronting about how God can harden Pharaoh's heart, yet Pharaoh still be punished for being hardened.