Mighty to Save

Exodus 9
Part of me wants to think, on his own, Pharaoh would have relented by now..... yet I since a strange connection to Pharaoh. i've heard about people.....not me mind you..... as teens or college students who drank too much.... then found themselves in a predicament (either a nasty nasty hangover, or in some sort of trouble) who cry out to God. A promise....never to drink again (or at least to that extent) I've heard it was heart felt repentance.....yet a week later, as time has passed and the thrust of the initial pain has passed.....there they are again.... singing bad karaoke, with his (or her) arm around some "regular" attendee.

I read, "those that are not bettered by judgement and mercies....commonly become worse" how true is that?....take it to the next level.

God here has hardened Pharaoh's heart to show his might and control over the earth,small animals, insects, health, livestock, man and weather...pretty much over all of his creation....leavig no room for doubt that Moses and Aaron aren't flunky magicians with their parlor tricks, they are actually speaking to and being servants of the creator of the universe......and yet...Pharaoh's heart was hardened. Who here believes that all these signs and plagues are shown NOT to convince Pharaoh.....but to convince the Isrealites. These folks had been enslaved for 400 years.....probably wondering about their God, if he was mighty enough to save them...and there is this man claiming to be chosen by God to lead them out of Egypt...I feel, and i think God felt they just needed some convincing and reassurance.

Luke 6
There is such a great connection between these two passages today. Jesus healed the mans hand in the presence of the Pharisees (also the first 3 letters of Pharaoh...coincidence?...i think NOT!) but anyway.... Jesus is in the business of bringing Glory to the Father. And the healings are more about directing people who have physical and spiritual needs to God through His compassion. Seriously, God could have done anything (plagues?) to show the Pharisees that He was more than a punishing God who cares about the law and following all the rules to the nth degree. He is about love, compassion, mercy....which the Pharisees lacked.