QT 2/6/2026 Exo 3:16-22, Making bad choices

Exodus 3:16–22 (ESV) —

16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

 

NOTE: There is an interesting dynamic in these verses. God says that Pharaoh won't let the people go unless compelled by a mighty hand. As we see later in the book, God foretells that he will harden Pharaoh's heart, but before he does, Pharaoh hardens his own heart, multiple times. At some point, God then hardens his heart. So Pharaoh had a choice, and God knew his heart. He knew that he would need to be compelled. It is not to the end that he literally screams "go!" But by then, Egypt is almost destroyed. Pharaoh will destroy the Army last in his rage.

 

PONDER:

• God knows our heart better than we do. He is in control but he does give us free will. Are there areas in my life where I am hardening my heart to God?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to see when I am hardening my heart to your commands. Be gracious and merciful to me. And to my children, speak to their heart and be merciful.