17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason so that I may display my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in the whole earth. 18 So then, he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”
Today’s verses are a continuation of Paul’s teaching on the doctrine of election from our last devotional. Paul realizes that this doctrine will be difficult to understand, and so Paul uses another quotation from the Old Testament. (See Exodus 9:16) The Old Testament is filled with examples of God hardening the hearts of those whom He wills, many of which come from the story of Pharaoh, as Paul cites in these verses.
The following verses all come from the Book of the Exodus, speaking of God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart:
“The Lord instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he won’t let the people go.”” — Exodus 4:21
“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.” — Exodus 7:3
“But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had told Moses.” — Exodus 9:12
“But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the Israelites go.” — Exodus 10:20
“But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go.” — Exodus 10:27
“Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.” — Exodus 11:10
“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” — Exodus 14:4a
The following are more examples of God hardening people’s hearts:
“But King Sihon of Heshbon would not let us travel through his land, for the Lord your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to hand him over to you, as has now taken place.” — Deuteronomy 2:30
“For it was the Lord’s intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.” — Joshua 11:20
John says the same in his gospel, quoting the prophet Isaiah:
“This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”” — John 12:39-40
And Paul will say the same here in Romans 11 as well:
“What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,” — Romans 11:7
“I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” — Romans 11:25
It becomes overwhelmingly clear throughout Scripture, God will harden the hearts of those whom He wills. These verses reveal the reason for which God endures evil people, the reason for which He hardens their hearts and allows them to have positions of power in this world. It’s so that God’s power may be displayed, even in the hardening of their hearts, and that His name might be proclaimed in all the earth. It may not be for us to know how, or why, but we can rest assured that God will get His glory out of both the righteous and the unrighteous.