Understanding God’s election
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Yes, indeed. Pharaoh most certainly hardened his heart subsequent to God's sovereign decree. What part of this text can't you understand:
Prov 21:1
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.?
NIV
Besides...if Pharaoh hardened his own heart apart from any prior influence from God, then why would God need to harden it afterwards?
Prov 21:1
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.?
NIV
Besides...if Pharaoh hardened his own heart apart from any prior influence from God, then why would God need to harden it afterwards?
Do you think God directed the king's heart to do this?
NKJ Exod 1:15-16 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, "When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live."
NKJ Exod 1:15-16 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, "When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live."
But God's decree to harden the king's heart preceded Pharaoh's hardening. I am not denying that scripture also teaches that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. God wrote the script for Pharaoh and Pharaoh willingly complied! I know that God's will and man's are never at odds with each other! The divine and human wills are totally compatible! Remember Ambimelech and Sarah? And Balaam? And do you recall Eli's two wretched, vile, depraved, wicked sons who would not listen to their father's rebuke BECAUSE God desired to put them to death (1Sam 2:22-25)?
Find it tough eating your own words, heh? I suppose now you will either deny you made such a vile, insipid claim? You don't want to brag anymore that the difference between you and unbelievers is your intelligence? 
Not only did God "direct" Pharaoh's heart to murder newborn males but he directed the hearts of the midwives to spare those infants. Man's ways are NOT in himself, as you so naively think! Besides, have you never read:
Ps 105:23-25
23 Then Israel entered Egypt;
Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24 The LORD made his people very fruitful;
he made them too numerous for their foes,
25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people,
to conspire against his servants.
NIV
I don't think it's a stretch to posit that Pharaoh was numbered among those foes!
You should try reading your bible some day to learn what it actually says -- but only after you flush all your ungodly, carnal presuppositions down the toilet first!
Ps 105:23-25
23 Then Israel entered Egypt;
Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24 The LORD made his people very fruitful;
he made them too numerous for their foes,
25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people,
to conspire against his servants.
NIV
I don't think it's a stretch to posit that Pharaoh was numbered among those foes!
You should try reading your bible some day to learn what it actually says -- but only after you flush all your ungodly, carnal presuppositions down the toilet first!
I don't apply evil to God. But I do agree with scripture that both good and evil proceed from God's mouth (Lam 3:38)! Didn't God permit Satan to horribly persecute Job? And didn't God send a deceiving spirit to entice Ahab and all his false prophets (1Kin 22:22-23)?
Why are you so ignorant of the scriptures?
Why are you so ignorant of the scriptures?
1 Samuel 2 verses 7-9 ~ The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and upon them He has set the world. He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
I know you have opinions on such things. I also know that we can banter back and forth re: God and evil and never come to agreement on the matter and likely not get beyond all the philosophical points of view that have been established over the centuries. I also note that you deny applying evil to God and agree with God permitting evil, so why do you think others like me have never studied the issue and don't recognize the terminology?
I know you misuse Scripture and lean very heavily towards showing how God hates men. I'm simply not interested.
FWIW, I've always enjoyed this one: I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.' (Isa. 45:7 NKJ)
I know you misuse Scripture and lean very heavily towards showing how God hates men. I'm simply not interested.
FWIW, I've always enjoyed this one: I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.' (Isa. 45:7 NKJ)
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It might be dumb to you in retrospect, but when you bragged on yourself at that time, I'm sure you didn't think it was so dumb! I'm just wondering how you didn't dislocate your shoulder from all your self-aggrandizing back-slapping!