Self-Preservation and God’s Sovereignty
Do fallen men seek after God? Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? To understand that, we must first understand the need for self-preservation. We’ll get to Pharaoh and the Un-Regenerates seeking God in future posts.
Regenerate or not, believer or not, this is something that is wired into all of us. Reading through the Scriptures you’ll learn that human have this innate desire for self-preservation. Meaning, they’ll do whatever they can to stay alive. In cases of severe guilt, depression and or sickness, people sometimes want to die or take their own lives to escape the pain, but in a normal state of mind, no one wants to die.
God is fully aware of this need for self-preservation. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart to ensure that that would not take place. Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” (Exodus 10:7). Here we learn that the Egyptians realized that Egypt would be destroyed if Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelites go. “Let the men go” was their request. The Egyptians feared what the God of Israel would do to Egypt, but they didn’t fear Him as God. God stated back in Exodus 4:21 that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart, not because Pharaoh first hardened his, but so that Pharaoh would not let the people go. God is able to do this because Pharaoh’s heart was “in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” (Proverbs 21:1).
Other kings feared God and took the necessary steps to preserve their kingdoms and people, but Pharaoh had no chance because our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases (Psalms 115:3; Matthew 20:15).
Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister to preserve his life (Genesis 20:11-13). King David pretended to be crazy for the same reason (1 Samuel 21:12-15). And who can forget Peter denying Christ out of fear, just so he didn’t have to face any persecution (Luke 22:54-62)? The need for self-preservation, either protecting oneself or one’s own is an experience common among us all.
God wired us that way to teach us something about Him. Even Christ felt it (Luke 22:42), “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” God will preserve those that are His, just like we will preserve that which is ours. We are Christ’s Body and God’s Temple. We will do whatever we can to preserve our body, but God will not? He will see to it that none of His Elect will be lost. But that’s another topic.
The point is that human have this need for self-preservation. We will lie, cheat or even kill—whatever it takes. This is why a harmless animal will fight back if cornered. We need to discern and judge not according to appearances. The Gibeonites feared for their lives and lied to the people of God for self-preservation (Joshua 9:3-14,22-24). Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit to preserve their wealth (Acts 5). Some of the Egyptians heeded God’s warning and saved their servants and livestock (Exodus 9:15,20). Later, many of the Egyptians joined the Israelites in leaving Egypt (Exodus 12:38).
In times of trouble and despair, most people do not seek God for God, but for self-preservation. They seek Him not for Him, but for what He can provide and do for them: Wealth, security and protection, for example.