ESQ Wrote:Hey, do you think you could try making one post without all this grandstanding? It reads like wishful thinking.
Your really funny, grandstanding really, you were the one who started this off by trying to make me look like I don't know the scriptures, when we know it's you that's Biblical ignorant. You're just like a first grader who wants to tell everyone what they believe and when one stands up to you you go home crying, we've seen this here time and again. Get over it and grow up or go join Minny in the sandbox.
ESQ Wrote:Pharaoh "defied" god exactly once without god directly intervening to make it so, when two random assholes barged their way into his house and were like "yo, our god is totally real, we have no proof, but he says to do what we say, so do it!"
You watch to much Hollywood drama for your info, the scriptures do not say Moses and Aaron burst, in before Pharaoh and the guards wouldn't allow such an intrusion, their lives depended on protecting Pharaoh.
Here's a break down of Pharaoh's denials and God's action towards them.
Exodus 5:2 .....I (Pharaoh) will not let the people of Israel go. This is Pharaoh's first refusal and nothing is said of God hardening his heart.
Moses was told by God He would harden Pharaoh's heart when Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh the second time and this is recorded in Exodus 7:13 Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD said.
Moses next meeting with Pharaoh resulted in Pharaoh's magicians doing their thing and Exodus 7:22 ....... So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened and he would not listen to them, as the LORD said. 23) Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.
This takes place in chapter 8. The meeting after the plague of the frogs was called by Pharaoh, he asked Moses to ask God to take away the frogs, he asked Moses to plead with God. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart at this time was not permanent and he recognized God, at this time. Then this happened, Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw there was a respite, he (Pharaoh) hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
This happened after the plague of gnats, Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. Nothing in this passage leads one to believe God had hardened his heart again.
This happens after the plague of flies. Exodus 8:25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God within the land." Then in Exodus 8:28 So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me. Here Pharaoh has started to relent showing God had not yet permanently hardened his heart. Then after God had removed the plague of flies, Pharaoh had this to say, Exodus 8:32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go. Again it's Pharaoh who hardened his heart not God. By the way encase you are not aware of it Moses had asked only to let the Israelites go into the desert to worship and sacrifice for a short time.
In chapter 9 God causes all the live stock to die, Moses told him that none of the Israelites livestock would die. In Exodus 9:7 we see this. And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened , and he did not let the people go.
During the plague of boils in chapter 9:12 we see this. But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
Now, later in chapter 9 we see that God tells Pharaoh in 9:16 that He was using the hardhearted Pharaoh to proclaim His name and power to all the land. God tells him He had risen him up for this purpose. This doesn't mean this Pharaoh was born to this purpose, God knew his heart and brought him to power to serve God's purpose, God had some 400 years to bring this about.
Now later in chapter 9 Pharaoh again called Moses and Aaron to him and said in Exodus 9:27 .... " This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right and I and my people are in the wrong. 28) Plead with the LORD, for there's been enough of God's thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer. Then in Exodus 9:34 we see this. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35) So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he wouldn't let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.
Now we come to the plague of locust and Pharaoh gives the same excuse as before and this time God permanently hardens Pharaoh's heart, now God turns Pharaoh lose with a heart of hatred and Pharaoh sees the awful power that God can use upon a disobedient people. Pharaoh was the one who first hardened his heat and did several times before God would have no more of it and put Pharaoh under His punishment for disobedience.
ESQ Wrote:Quite understandably, Pharaoh asked who that god was, which any reasonable person would respond to by providing evidence that what they're saying is true. Instead, Moses and his brother did no such thing; essentially what you're saying is that Pharaoh should have just accepted the word of two complete strangers, making a ridiculous claim with no evidence, at face value.
Moses and Aaron obeyed God, did only as He instructed. Pharaoh was shown this great God, Pharaoh got his answer. By the way this Pharaoh did know Moses and possibly Aaron. Pharaoh was given his evidence but he thought more of himself, ( self interest, the original sin) than he did of his people. Pharaoh started the process of hardening his heart against God and when he wouldn't relent, God said enough is enough and put an end to it.
ESQ Wrote:Gee, no wonder you're a christian if that's the way you think.
I'm a Christian because of God's wonderful grace, and as a Christian I study the Bible, something obviously you do not do even for an argument.
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.