Mercy For A Purpose

Mercy for a purpose.  Pharaoh has hardened his heart and will not let God’s people go out of Egypt.  Each plague that comes, there is an appearance of responding by Pharaoh,  but each time he relents and his heart becomes even harder.  One might ask, why did God send ten plagues?  Did it take God that long in order to accomplish His will?  Was Pharaoh that strong?  We do not need to guess at these questions for God’ Word reveals it to us.  God says to Pharaoh, “I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague, and you would have been obliterated from the earth.  However, I have let you live for this purpose, to show you my power and to make my name known on the whole earth” (Exodus 9:15-16).  If one were an Egyptian, it might be difficult to see mercy in all of these plagues, but as bad as it was, they could have been completely destroyed.  Yet, it was not just mercy for mercy’s sake.  God had a purpose in not destroying Pharoah and all of the Egyptians, it was so that Pharaoh would see the power of God and for God’s name to be known on the whole earth.  As bad as what we are going through at times may seem, it could be worse and God has a purpose for all things.  In the midst of suffering, could we rejoice if we knew that God’s name was being made known?