Why did Pharaoh's heart continue to harden with each plague God sent to him?
God made it clear that there is no heart change without confession of sin. But there will be sustained and progressive hardening of the heart.
James 5:16
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Take note of the word "if" in 1 John 1:9. Nowhere in the Bible does God say anyone will be forgiven who will not admit and be sorry for their sin. The sorrow over sin that is worldly is an emotional response because someone was caught, this is not genuine repentance but rather a sense of shame that we were caught and that someone sees the sin. True confession is a brokenness in our soul that desires to be forgiven and all guilt removed from our heart.
True confession has empathy toward those we have harmed and a desire to restore the relationship as well as the intention of never doing that sin again.
Those who will not confess openly their sin against another person will not only not grow and change they will descend deeper and deeper into their shame and guilt until they no longer even feel it while their heart becomes harder. They use excuses to justify what they have done without remorse for it.
" A heart that is closed to God, refuses to obey, or is unwilling to be thankful." is the description of another writer who explained this matter of a hard heart.
When Pharaoh hardened his own heart each time there was a plague, God finally gave him what he wanted and hardened his heart further so that there was no coming back from it.
The more someone resists correction and refuses to confess their sin the harder their heart becomes. This is why we notice so many elderly people who are bitter and disrespectful continually. They spent their entire lives resisting the promptings to admit their sinful attitudes until they no longer had the ability to change.
Exodus 7:4
"Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and by mighty acts of judgment I will bring the divisions of My people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt."
Exodus 7:13
"Still, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said."
Exodus 10:1
"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials, that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them,"
It is rare in our day of self-exalted people to hear anyone say the words, "I am sorry I did that, will you forgive me." Instead, our culture is taught to just let it all go and be nicer next time. This is not Biblical and never mends a broken relationship and never brings about change in the heart.
If someone were sorry enough to come to us and admit their wrong against us it would break down the wall in the heart of the one who was offended. But when someone doesn't appear to be sorry for what they did enough to tell someone in humility, they are not truly sorry, they are merely hoping to get away with it. These people will repeat their offensive behavior because they see no need for change in themselves. The more they justify their behavior to stave off the continual guilt the more hardened their heart becomes.
This is why God commanded us to go to those we have offended and why He told us to forgive when they are repentant. He was also showing us through human relationships what He expects in our relationship with Him.
Christ will not change anyone who does not want to be changed or who doesn't want to admit they did something wrong. He will only change those who want to be changed. Those who will not admit their sin to God and others will not have a relationship with Christ.
Those who are Christians who will not admit their sin will not be blessed with a free conscience and will be tormented until they confess it. God will not hear the prayers of those who are not sorry for their sin and desire to be changed by Him.
Isaiah 1:14-16 "…14I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!…"
Those who have sinned against others have hatred in their heart and God counts hatred the same as murder. There is spiritual blood on the hands of those who do not care how they have harmed others.
1 John 3:15 says, "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him"
Love of self more than love of others is hatred toward others.
Philippians 2:3-4 "3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.…"
Romans 2:8
"But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger."
Romans 12:10
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another."
Galatians 5:26
"Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another."
Ephesians 5:21
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Some people who preach Christ do it for their own glory and never confess their sin of pride. These are those who excuse and even endorse those who refuse to confess in repentance.
Philippians 1:17
"The former, however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains."
Colossians 3:12
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
1 Peter 3:8
"Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble."
May God's people humble themselves confessing their flaws and sins to one another so that the cleansing of Christ can have its full degree, growing us in holiness and making our paths straight and consistently righteous.
Proverbs 3:6: "In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight".
