Views Given By Request.
Sister Painter of Lindsay, Nebraska, requests our views on Genesis vi. 6, and on the hardening of Pharaoh's heart and God's purpose in raising him up. In attempting to comply we urge this sister and all our readers to study God's word in connection with what we write, and accept our views only as they are found to correspond with its teaching. It becomes us all to accept by simple faith whatever we are unable to understand, being assured that God knows even if we don't, and that he will make known to us so much of the mysteries of his providence and grace as is needful for us to know.The language of Genesis vi. 6 is, "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." This passage is quoted by infidels in their attempts to show that the bible is false, and by arminians in their attempts to show that God is changeable and limited in his knowledge. Both betray a lack of understanding in the use they make of it. It is true that it is very difficult to know God; in fact it is impossible for mortals to know him as he is. We can say like Job, "Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I cannot perceive him." Job ix. 11. By searching we cannot "find out the Almighty to perfection," for such knowledge "is as high as heaven" and "deeper than hell;" its measure is "longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." Job xi. 7. While we may know "parts of his ways," how little is the portion that is even heard of him, and how impossible to understand "the thunder of his power!" Job xxvi. 14.
There is no searching of the understanding of him who "fainteth not, neither is weary." Isaiah xl. 28. It shows wisdom on our part to admit with becoming modesty that such knowledge is too wonderful for us, that we cannot attain unto it. Psalms cxxxix. 6. His unity, self-existence, spirituality, eternity, omnipresence, immutability, omniscience, and omnipotence all excite our wonder and admiration, and may arouse our inquisitive curiosity, but we must ever, while in this time state, remain in comparative ignorance of these marvelous attributes.
As we are wholly unable to comprehend the character of Jehovah, he has given to us in his holy word many accommodated descriptions of his personage and representations of his wonderful dealings. In these descriptions and representations such language is used as we are able to comprehend. Language so employed is to be understood in a figurative, and not in a literal sense. Thus anthropomorphic representations are found in the bible attributing to God human features, members, voice, passions, movements, and weapons of warfare. He is said to have a face (Exodus xxxiii. 20), eyes (II. Chronicles xvi. 9), nostrils (II. Samuel xxii. 9), organs of speech (Numbers xxii. 8), fingers (Psalms viii. 3), feet (Psalms xvii. 9). Weapons of warfare are said to be used by him (Jeremiah i. 25, and Lamentations ii. 4). Human passions are attributed to him; as, jealousy (Psalms lxxvii. 58), anger (Nahum i. 6), hatred (Psalms xi. 5), vengeance (Psalms xciv. 1), and grief (Genesus vi. 6.). Such expressions are used in description of God in order to accomodate heavenly things to the similitude of earthly things, so that their meaning may be conveyed to our finite minds.
When it is said that it repented and grieved the Lord at heart that he had made man, the great cause of the display of his power in destroying his creatures by a flood is inferred from its visible and sensible effect. It is what we would say of a man if he should destroy some work of art on which he had bestowed much pains and expense. We would reason that he was displeased with what he had done, and that he had repented of it. Thus God was provoked by the wickedness of the people to destroy them with a flood, after having created them and the earth for their habitation, and after having made a display of his goodness, wisdom, and power in bestowing so many riches upon them. This destruction was an effect which seemed to flow from repentance and grief. It is impossible that God should really repent of any thing he does, or be actually sorry, or wish he had not done it.
He merely changed in his dealings or conduct toward his creatures when he brought destruction upon them, and this was such as in men flows from repentance and grief. The expression denotes extreme abhorrence of the crimes of men and of their state of depravity. These figurative words show the provoking nature of sin and its exceeding sinfulness in a way that no literal representation could give, and merely expresses a change in the dispensations of God, and not in his will or purpose. "But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth." Job xxiii. 13. "God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent." Numbers xxiii. 19.
It is said in many places that God hardens the heart. In the 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 14th chapters of Exodus, and in the 9th chapter of Romans, we are told that he hardened the heart of Pharaoh. The same is said of Sihon in Deuteronomy ii. 30, and of the Hivites in Joshua xi. 20. God's act in which he is said to harden the heart must not be understood to be a positive act by which he imparts or communicates hardness or wickedness to the heart. This God never does. "All that is in the world the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." I. John ii. 16. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." James i. 13, 14.
These passages prove that the principle of evil or lust of the flesh, by which men are enticed or drawn away into temptation and sin, is of the world and not of God. How then does God harden the heart? This may be done in two ways.
1. Solomon says, "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil." Ecclesiastes viii. 11. It is one of the most baneful evils of the human heart that divine mercy and clemency in not executing judgment upon the guilty, is shamefully abused. This is true of Pharaoh. "When he saw there was respite, he hardened his heart." Exodus viii. 11. God's goodness in giving him a respite did not soften his heart, but hardened it. Heat melts wax but hardens clay.
2. The other sense in which God may be said to harden the hearts of men is that they are left to the natural consequences of their depravity. Thus in Romans i. 24 it is said of some that "God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts." His providential restraints being withdrawn, the sinful propensities of the heart are left to the execution of its own wicked designs. God withheld from Pharaoh restraints which he was under no obligation to exercise, and left him to carry out his evil purposes and desires. He was exalted to a high position, and his life was spared, that God might make known his power and glory. All his rebellious acts resulted from his depraved nature, so that justice was meted out to him in his overthrow, while the power of God was made known to all the world.
J. R. D.
Copyright c. 2005. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
