Moses and Choice

In Exodus chapters 7-14 the battle that was required to get the Israelites out of bondage and back to the original promise of God to Abraham is an interesting study. God wanted to give them 'a land of milk and honey'. It became a spiritual struggle and only God could have brought them through it all.

The legacy of Joseph in the Egyptians' eyes was gone. Egypt was a strong nation and the people of God had become their slaves. It was a grueling life and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob's descendants were pretty well stuck under an oppressive rule. In order to extricate them, much was required and it started with their cry to God for help.

 God's discussion with Moses is rich with lessons on how to spiritually defeat an evil-intentioned enemy. God sent Moses to Pharaoh and asked for his people to be allowed to leave. Pharaoh said no. God had already warned Moses of this outcome in Exodus 4:21

21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

God is not the author of evil. In Genesis 3, however evil was allowed to have its way and from that point on any good would be accosted by something evil in order to win the spiritual battle. This spiritual battle in Exodus is clearly an example of the war between good and evil. Pharaoh, by his own freewill choice, decided which side he was on. He became obstinate, severe and unrelenting in his dealings with God's people. Even when he seemed to give in, he later reversed his decision.

There are three different words for the word "harden " (harden) in chapter 7. Hardening of the heart is not a simple matter. Why does someone 'harden' his heart? God doesn't directly determine someones heart to become hardened, just as God doesn't directly make someone believe Him. It is the choice of the individual. The individual decides whom he will believe and honor. God got right up front and visible to Pharaoh, to his servants, to his magicians and to the Egyptians through the signs and wonders He still rejected God's request. So in a sense spiritually, God's great love for his people influenced Pharaoh to decided to turn away and allowed evil to influence his actions. He chose to fight God.

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. Isaiah 45:7

When God created light and he separated it from darkness.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:4

Darkness and evil exist because God allows it. If He didn't there would be no choice. Going back in time to Genesis 3, the question has to be asked,"Who created the serpent?" and then ask, "Why did the serpent rebel against its creator?" The answer lies in God's justice and His provision of free-will choice. Since God is the author of light, we can choose to walk in light, but darkness is still present.

When Moses sets off to do what God has showed him, he is faced with a challenge of his child's circumcision. In verse 24, it makes it sound like God tried to kill him. If you take that verse magnify to solely to the hilt, it appears to be attributing evil to God. Did God kill Cain in the beginning? No! God put a mark on him so he wouldn't be killed. Then why would God kill Moses, the meekest man on the face of the earth? (Numbers 12:3)

When the versions of the bible say 'the Lord did this' and the 'Lord did that' we have to understand that God is the creator of the universe. He created everything including free-will choice therefore there is an opening for darkness or evil. Anyone who chooses to love God just has to step into the light to get out of the darkness.