torchwave: Question, why did Pharaoh eventually let the Israelites go? Of course his heart was still hardened by God and he could have still refused even after the death of his child to show his actions had nothing to do with the exercise of freewill. Did God suddenly soften it? If God softened it then why did He harden it in the first place? At least it would have been easier to set the Israelites free by softening rather than hardening it. Again, whether He softened or hardened it, it suggests Pharaoh's freewill was not involved. Then why go through all the trouble?

You are confusing yourself. It is better you think with more clarity. There was an effect of hardening the Pharaoh's mind and that impacted on his decision-making. And the Bible said, God wanted to make a lesson out of him. In other words, God fooled with the Pharaoh's freewill.

Kay17:

You are confusing yourself. It is better you think with more clarity. There was an effect of hardening the Pharaoh's mind and that impacted on his decision-making. And the Bible said, God wanted to make a lesson out of him. In other words, God fooled with the Pharaoh's freewill.

Of course I'm not disputing the fact that God hardened his heart. It is written in black and white that He created Pharaoh for the purpose of displaying His greatness and power to the world.

My point, note, is that Pharaoh never had any intention in the first place to set the Israelites free, which served the purpose of God and thus God hardened his heart to make sure he refused letting them go. This is to prove that nothing can thwart his purpose and plan even in the face of any obstacle in the person of a king. Yes he hardened Pharaoh's heart but even then Pharaoh could still choose to set the Israelites free. Why? His freewill which was intact manifested in his letting the Israelites leave Egypt. Geddit?

In other words, God hardened Pharaoh's heart but still gave Him the power to exercise his freewill without obstruction. That is why he later told Moses to leave with the Israelites. That's my point.

torchwave: Of course I'm not disputing the fact that God hardened his heart. It is written in black and white that He created Pharaoh for the purpose of displaying His greatness and power to the world.

My point, note, is that Pharaoh never had any intention in the first place to set the Israelites free, which served the purpose of God and thus God hardened his heart to make sure he refused letting them go. This is to prove that nothing can thwart his purpose and plan even in the face of any obstacle in the person of a king. Yes he hardened Pharaoh's heart but even then Pharaoh could still choose to set the Israelites free. Why? His freewill which was intact manifested in his letting the Israelites leave Egypt. Geddit?

In other words, God hardened Pharaoh's heart but still gave Him the power to exercise his freewill without obstruction. That is why he later told Moses to leave with the Israelites. That's my point.

I don't get it.

You wouldn't have known the Pharaoh's true intentions, since God had to harden it to his purpose. That's the point of hardening the Pharaoh's mind, so he would play the role in the melodrama God set up for him. And worse still, God created the Pharaoh only for that scene. Imagine an individual's existence is pinned down to one action which wasn't freely his will. Sad.

torchwave: Of course I'm not disputing the fact that God hardened his heart. It is written in black and white that He created Pharaoh for the purpose of displaying His greatness and power to the world.

My point, note, is that Pharaoh never had any intention in the first place to set the Israelites free, which served the purpose of God and thus God hardened his heart to make sure he refused letting them go. This is to prove that nothing can thwart his purpose and plan even in the face of any obstacle in the person of a king. Yes he hardened Pharaoh's heart but even then Pharaoh could still choose to set the Israelites free. Why? His freewill which was intact manifested in his letting the Israelites leave Egypt. Geddit?

In other words, God hardened Pharaoh's heart but still gave Him the power to exercise his freewill without obstruction. That is why he later told Moses to leave with the Israelites. That's my point.

God was...not sure? He took steps to ensure? Doesn't he already know everything beforehand? He must have known that he was not sure, then. But at the same time he knew what he was going to do. Alternatively, he is just making it up as he goes along.

Na the thing wey we dey talk be that. Instead of supplying excuses for God, and justifying all his actions no matter how inconsistent they seem, you should turn, look him in the eye, and ask; what's all this, then?

There is a lot of competition for the post of 'God'. From Islam to Judaism to Christianity to Buddhism to many others. It is people who are as intelligent and as spiritual as you that follow these other religions. If the candidate you are proposing is receiving too many queries, and you are struggling to exonerate him, you should start to consider alternatives. And where all the candidates are receiving too many queries, adjust the criteria or redefne the post. No be by force o. A square peg will never fit in a round hole.