David was another person in the Bible that God forgave time and again, and yet God called David a man whose heart was after that of God's. There was Abraham who was called out of his father's house to be separated for God. Why Abraham and not someone else from the household? There are many similar individuals in the bible that we read about. I don't know of God's intentions, and nor do I want to pretend that I can elaborate on the reasons for God's actions.
So what do we say of the Pharaoh whom God destroyed while delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God had told Moses that he was going to harden the heart of the Pharaoh so that the power and glory of the LORD could be displayed through the Pharaoh's disobedience (Exodus 7:3-5). It would appear that God had predestined the Pharaoh and the Egyptian army for self destruction inorder to display God's power in delivering the Israelites.
Now, as we read the book of Exodus, it is clear, that the Pharaoh had many opportunities to see the power of the God of Israel and that He was The True God, but the Pharaoh made a conscious decision to take the actions he took to hold on to the Israelite slaves. Starting with the display of God's power when Moses and Aaron came to the palace and Aaron threw his staff on to the palace floor and it turned into a serpent, which when the court magicians did the same with their staff, swallowed all the other snakes, the Pharaoh failed to recoganize the power of the Living God of Israel. The Bible says that there were 10 plagues that were sent to the land of Egypt to persuade the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, and between each plague there were days that went by where the Pharaoh had time to re-consider his actions. After the first - Plague of Blood, the Bible says, "...So Pharaoh's heart remained hard and stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted. Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind - (Exodus 7:22-23) He was in Denial!!
Then came the second plague - The Plague of Frogs. Again, though the Pharaoh first relented, once the plague was lifted, we read, "But when Pharaoh saw that the frogs were gone, he hardened his heart. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted." (Exodus 8:15) During the fourth plague - the Plague of Flies, God makes a clear distinction of his power by sending the flies only in the Pharaoh's palace and the egyptian homes, while the Israelite homes were free of it. Exodus 8:21-22, says, "If you refuse, I will send swarms of flies throughout Egypt. Your homes will be filled with them, and the ground will be covered with them. But it will be very different in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the LORD and that I have power even in the heart of your land." And yet again, after the plague is lifted, the Pharaoh rejects the notion of obeying God and letting the Israelites go. This continues, the plagues get harsher and harsher. As we read, it was not that God caused the Pharaoh to disobey, the Pharaoh made a conscious decision to disobey after each display of God's power.
A wiser King Solomon, from his experience of the excesses in his life, writes in Ecclesiastes 3:18 - Then I realized that God allows people to continue in their sinful ways so he can test them. That way, they can see for themselves that they are no better than animals (absent of critical thinking). He further writes in Ecclessiastes 7:29 - I discovered that God created people to be upright, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path." This has been true since the time of Adam and Eve.
In the New Testament, James, the brother of Jesus, writes in James 1:13-16, "And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. Temptations comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters."
Now if you are someone who thinks that you are destined for damnation due to the sins of your forefathers and that the pattern continues through you, passed down generations, I want to point you to Romans 11:32, where apostle Paul writes, "For God has imprisoned all people in their own disobedience so he (GOD) could have mercy on everyone." This means that each individual is responsible for their own actions. You are responsible for your actions and I am responsible for my actions. We can't blame it on our parents nor can the parents blame their actions on their children. Your parent's godly life will not bring salvation to you nor will their sinful life bring you damnation if you will live a life that is pleasing to God. Each person will stand on their own merits with God.
In Ecclessiastes 7:20, Solomon recognizes that "There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins." And Paul encourages us in Hebrews 2:17-18, giving us hope that our savior understands us, our shortcomings, by writing "Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted." Paul further writes in Hebrews 3:14-16, That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did no sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.
I believe predestination does not exclude anyone from salvation, it just means that the omniscient God knows what our free will choices will be. God is a merciful God who has already paid the ultimate price for our sins. This I know, John 3:16, (NLT) says "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Which means there are no exceptions. Each and every one of us have a chance to salvation through Jesus Christ. Note that Paul repented when he found out the truth, David repented each and every time he was reminded of his sin, but the Pharaoh failed to acknowledge God to the bitter end.
Would you repent of your sinful ways and accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior? What will he not do if we decide to accept him into our lives? This is the moment, for the next is not a guarantee. Romans 10:13 (and Joel 2:32) says, " For Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." David says in Psalms 145:8, "The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation." May God bless you and help you make the right decision!
[PS: 9/23/10, 10:41pm, you may want to read what prophet Ezekiel writes in the power of God's Spirit in Ezekiel, chapter 18, about actions and consequences through 3 generations. The last verse in the chapter is God's plea to mankind. Click here to read the chapter.]
