The Relevant Warning in Pharoah's Obduracy

Abstract

Raymond E. Ziebell’s essay examines Pharaoh’s hardening of heart as a sobering biblical example of obduracy—a willful rejection of God’s Word that ultimately invites divine judgment. Drawing from Scripture and Lutheran dogmatic sources, Ziebell distinguishes between original and actual hardening, emphasizing that Pharaoh first hardened his own heart before God judicially confirmed him in unbelief. The essay traces the progression of Pharaoh’s resistance through the ten plagues, highlighting God’s persistent grace and Pharaoh’s deliberate defiance. Ziebell warns that obduracy remains a relevant danger today: persistent rejection of the Gospel can lead to spiritual blindness and eternal separation from God. He affirms that God earnestly desires all to be saved, but when grace is continually spurned, judgment follows. The study concludes with a call to humility and repentance, urging believers not to trifle with divine mercy. Abstract prepared with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).