The Skeptics Search for God

There are those who investigate God simply to find new ways to deny Him. This is the case of Pharaoh's hardened heart in Exodus 9. We are 5 plagues in to the Exodus and Pharaoh's own advisors have spoken against his willful arrogance. He has seen the evidence now for two of the five plagues that God is distinguishing between Egypt and Israel. The plague on the cattle is the second plague in a row in which all of Egypt suffers while Israel lives peacefully. The signs cannot get much clearer for this rebellious man.

Pharaoh does something interesting concerning the fifth plague too. It reads:
Exodus 9:7 (NLT) Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn, and he still refused to let the people go.

What did Pharaoh do after the plague? He went to investigate if indeed it happened just as the Lord had spoken through Moses. It had. And all Pharaoh did from this moment was get more stubborn and hard-hearted. 

When someone doesn't want to believe in God, they will not believe in God no matter the evidence. And some skeptics only research the evidence of God's reality to discover ways in which they can deny it. The more we study the human being and the wonder of the Universe, the more we are met with design and intent. Yet the more people grow in unbelief despite the gaps in our knowledge of all that there is in the Universe. 

This is nothing new. Though we may have more outright denial of the supernatural today than ever before in human history, we have always had those who stubbornly refused the God of the Bible to serve their own "gods" and fashion their own idols. 

But what was Pharaoh's real reason for being so stubborn? The verse tells us, "he still refused to let the people go." Pharaoh still wanted his slave labor force. He wanted the economic benefit of a nation at his disposal. He was still holding out hope that he could get through this hard time in Egypt and come out on top with things back to normal. Sadly, a lot of people do the same today. Though God repeatedly makes it clear He's working on them to turn them from sin and shame to His embrace, they hold out hope their unbelief will survive whatever storm of life they may experience. 

Many unbelievers live very good lives. I'm not saying they don't. They may not even have a challenge such as Pharaoh's that causes them to see the hand of God bearing down on them so clearly. God deals with each person individually for His purpose. But I do know that no man or woman can deny their own death. Death is an unavoidable challenge that will be faced by everyone reading this post. Some of you will get heated and angry and lash out, much like Pharaoh. It's to be expected. Others will pause to investigate into the "God of the Bible" subject only long enough to find someway to deny Him. That's very sad. 

My prayer is that you open your heart and seek Him. 

Who knows where it may lead for you!