Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

AS WITH PHARAOH, SO NOW!

Students of Hebrew grammar soon discover a number of joyous gems of truth in the scriptures that otherwise lie mostly hidden. No, these discoveries are not earth shattering, certainly not contradictory to the JKV English edition, but enlightening.

Consider the incidents in Egypt as Moses repeatedly asked Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. In Exodus 5:1, 7:16, 8:1, 8:20, 21; 9:1,13; 10:3, 4. The request or demand is repeatedly made, “Let my people go.” In those instances in which Pharaoh initially agreed, he changed his mind when the plague was removed, one wonders why he was so adamant in his refusal. The answer, of course, lies in Exodus 10:1. God told Moses, “For I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.” So, God hardened his heart.

Now, enter information from Hebrew grammar. In parsing the stems of a Hebrew verb varying degrees of intensity are conveyed: simple, intensive, causative, reflexive. Take a verb as “Kill” This would be read: “He killed” (simple); “He killed, poisoned, shot, and crushed” (intensive); “He caused to kill” (causative). “He killed himself” (reflexive). Since most folks have forgotten their exposure to grammar, the point will be no longer labored, but concluded. The verb “hardened” referencing the heart of Pharaoh is in the intensive degree and may be understood to mean God made adamant, turned to stone reinforced with steel, so that no other option was then exercisable. God would get glory from Pharaoh and His servants in this manner.

A similar matter is related in Deuteronomy 2:30 as Moses spoke of “Sihon, king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.”

Understanding how God dealt with the forces of evil in men in history gives one insight as to how he may deal with them again in the future, as they more adamantly reject truth in the end of this age.

It is to this that the Apostle Paul pens the sobering information about those who receive not the love of the truth as recorded in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness..”

When God sends obstinacy or delusion, there is no turning from it. With the exception of tiny pockets of New Covenant believers here and there, the world does not hear, nor does it want to hear the truth of God’s Word. Could it be that we are seeing people under that strong delusion already? If so, the time of great revivals is over, and God’s people need to intensify their study of the Word and their fellowship with one another.

FOR THOUGHT: Does the viewpoint of this article help you to understand what is happening in the world today? Do you see that just before God moves to accomplish His great goals, He underscores the fruit of the determined actions of unbelievers?