Exodus 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
Pharaoh was a naturally stubborn man, and this can be observed in his response to his own magicians, who pleaded for some common sense, and rational thought by the king. But the same stubborn choices made against God were now leveled at his very own magicians, and, it was because of his naturally stubborn nature, why God worked through his folly to get His will done. Thus, even though the Bible says that God hardened pharaoh’s heart, He in fact never did, because as we stated before, God is often represented in the Bible as doing that which He does not prevent.
Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. 19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, this is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
Thus, we must become familiar with what is God’s will for such a time as this, so that if we so choose, we may fall into line with what has been revealed. In the Scriptures we have been repeatedly told that there would come a time, when the winds of strife will begin to blow across the earth, especially in the land of the free, which would then usher in the time of the latter rain, that is promised just prior to the return of Christ.
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!