Moses and Aaron went in and spoke to Pharaoh that the Lord God of Israel had said “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness” (Exodus 5:1). But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go” (5:2). On the next occasion when Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh demonstrated a hardened heart in the face of an undeniable sign from the Lord in which Aaron’s rod swallowed up the rods of Pharaoh’s magicians. “Pharaoh’s heart grew hard and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said” (7:13).
So the Lord struck Egypt with a plague by turning the waters of Egypt into blood. But his heart was unmoved.
So the Lord struck Egypt with a plague of frogs. This time Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and begged them to “entreat the Lord that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord” (8:8). While Pharaoh had earlier said he did not know the Lord, now he at least begs that the Lord be entreated for relief. Moses prayed to the Lord, and the plague was removed. Surely then, according to Pharaoh’s words now, he has repented. But no. When Pharaoh saw the relief, he hardened his heart.
So the Lord sent the plague of lice. Although Pharaoh’s magicians told him that this is none other than the act of God, Pharaoh’s heart grew hard and he did not heed Moses and Aaron.
So the Lord sent a plague of flies. Pharaoh again asks for Moses to intercede for him and says that he will let the people go and sacrifice. Surely, then, Pharaoh has repented. But no. He hardened his heart and did not let the people go.
Then comes the plagues of pestilence and then boils. But Pharaoh’s heart was hard. And so the Lord struck the Egyptians with hail upon both man and beast who were outside as well as upon herb and tree. Now as a result Pharaoh “sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, ‘I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. Entreat the Lord, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer’” (9:27).
Surely now he has repented, for he has confessed God as righteous and himself as wicked and has acknowledged and confessed his own sin. And he’s declared that he will let the Hebrews go and sacrifice to the Lord. But no. The Bible says that “when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants,” and he would not let the people go sacrifice (9:34-35).
Pharaoh’s bad example teaches us some truths about repentance.
Pharaoh had admitted and confessed his sin, but confession of sin is not repentance. Pharaoh had declared God’s righteousness, but that is not repentance. Pharaoh had promised a change of action, but that was not repentance.
Repentance is a change of mind followed by a change of action. Godly sorrow produces it. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Cor 7:10).
Pharaoh had a sorrow of this world. He had it multiple times, but he had not changed his mind, his will, his determination to do right. The plagues brought sorrow and pain, but when “he saw” that the plagues were removed, he was still the same Pharaoh as before because there had been no change of mind, no change of will and determination.
This is often the case today. Sometimes men are willing to confess a sin, even before others, but they have not had an inward change of will about their sin. In this case, there has been no repentance. They may talk about what they are now going to do, but have they changed their will and determination?
Men sometimes have the sorrow of the world over their sin, but not godly sorrow. Sorrow of the world is sorrow over sin’s consequences, over pain and suffering, but it does not have God in it. The sorrow of the world lacks remorse and contrition before God. Remove the pain and suffering, and the man is doing the same thing as before. Why? Because there has been no repentance.
Godly sorrow has God in it; that is, it has deep conviction that one has sinned against God and is truly sorry toward God. Hear David in his godly sorrow: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight – that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.” (Ps 51:1-4).
Godly sorrow produces repentance, which is a change of mind about one’s sin and a decision and determination to turn one’s back on it and turn to God. Such a change is followed by fruits that demonstrate that one is now obeying God and is no longer doing what was against God.
We have then this order: godly sorrow, repentance, and fruits in accordance with repentance.
There may be from a person the confession of sin, there may be the declaration of God’s righteousness, and there may be lots of sorrow. But these do not equate to repentance, which is a change of mind, wrought from godly sorrow, that results in a change of action. Pharaoh didn’t have these. Let us be sure that we do.
-Larry Jones