April 4, 2019
Only Grace Softens the Heart
Exodus 11
Emily Morris
Central Truth
Even when we come face to face with the glory of God, it can still be easy to deny His sovereignty and goodness. We must remember the truth, speak the truth to others as God has commanded, but recognize that not all will believe the truth.
Key Verse | Exodus 11:10
Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus 11
A Final Plague Threatened
1 The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.
4 So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.
Dive Deeper | Exodus 11
It may seem surprising that after 10 devastating plagues, Pharaoh still refused to listen to God's warnings. But we see behavior just like this throughout the Bible (see, for example, Mark 16:12-13). Even when face to face with the glory and power of God, we often refuse as a result of our sinful nature to place our faith in Him or recognize His sovereignty.
God tells us that not all who hear the amazing truth of Jesus will believe it and place their faith in Him. John 12:37 explains that even though many have seen the miracles of God in their own lives, some will still turn away. Just as Moses was commanded to warn Pharaoh even though he would not heed the warnings, we are commanded to share the gospel even though not all will believe it. The truth of our testimony and our duty to share it are not determined by people's reactions to it.
We, as followers of Christ, are not saved because we are smarter than nonbelievers or because our hearts are softer than nonbelievers (like Pharaoh). We are saved only because of God's amazing grace. Likewise, the salvation of people we share the gospel with will not be determined by how articulate, smart, or charming we are. They, too, will only be saved by grace alone. Only God can soften their hearts and make them receptive to the gospel. But, we must deliver the message obediently (Mark 16:15), as Moses did.
Living a godly life helps us when sharing the gospel. That way, we won't be viewed as hypocrites by nonbelievers because we say one thing and do another. Spend time with nonbelievers, help them, and listen to their problems. Do your best to show them what the love of Jesus looks like in your life.
The most important thing you can do for people when sharing the gospel is to pray for them. Pray they receive the amazing grace you have known.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you let your fear of how people will react to you stop you from sharing the gospel?
2. Do you become strongly discouraged when sharing the gospel if someone rejects the gospel? Do you become insecure about your faith when some people do not become believers after you share the gospel with them?
3. Do you consistently try to show nonbelievers what a godly life looks like? Do you try to love nonbelievers the way Christ loves us?
4. Are you praying for the nonbelievers in your life? Are there specific people you can pray for today, asking God to soften their heart to accept His truth?