Sometimes, a person is so given over to sin that the consequence of their sin must run its course. It’s like what happened with Pharaoh, who laid upon Israel the bondage of slavery, and throughout his enslavement of God’s people, he and the nation suffered a course of plagues that would cause him to release the people of God from their place of enslavement. 

Scripture tells us God hardened Pharaoh’s heart because Pharaoh had already chosen to be hardened to his sin. The Lord was not creating Pharaoh’s hardness of heart; the Lord was hardening what was already present.

The worst consequence of Pharaoh’s enslavement was the death of all the firstborn in Egypt. That event was the final straw for Pharaoh.

“Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. ‘Get out! he ordered. ‘Leave my people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave” (Exodus 12:31-32).

Pharaoh asked for a blessing, but his heart had not changed, so Moses could not bless his continued sin. Jeremiah revealed what happens to Pharaoh and others like him who have been given over to evil without a heart of repentance: “Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things” (Jeremiah 5:25).

James reveals a deeper understanding: “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation” (James 1:12). He cannot bless our sins if we have allowed ourselves to be given over to their desires and become hardened to God’s process of redemption. 

“Given over” refers to being led by darkness, not by the Spirit. The Lord has immeasurable patience with those who are being tested and desire to follow God even though they fall into sin if, in their weakness, they want the Lord and His redemption more than they want the sin that entraps them.

“No one is to say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone” (vs. 13.

All unrepentant sin that has carried us away is not the fault of God. The blame lies with us, “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death” (vs. 14). Being given over to sin and to remain unrepentant, will always lead us to a place of death.

This is why our hearts must remain true to God, even as we struggle with our sin. God’s heart is an expression of His mercy, a mercy so patient He will also remain faithful to us in the depths of our greatest struggles to overcome our sin.