I think Pharoah in Exodus gets a bad reputation. Maybe bad isn’t the right word. Maybe an unfair reputation. Hear me out.

Pharoah is famous for making life miserable for the Hebrew people in the book of Exodus. He increased their workload and refused to let them go. By that time, Egypt had completely forgotten how Joseph saved their people, and they enslaved the Hebrew people because they were becoming too numerous. I’m not denying the horrible treatment the Egyptians put the Hebrew people through.

And yet, as I read through the first chapters of Exodus, I find that the character I seem to identify the most with is Pharoah himself.

I’m a terrible person, I know.

Let me point out a few things. First of all, God decided to harden Pharoah’s heart in the first place. Now, I’m not going to argue about God’s sovereignty and predestination or freewill. That’s an argument for another day. What I do see, though, is that God initiates the action, much like he did with Job, for a larger purpose. God alters Pharoah’s heart and creates the struggle with the Hebrew people. This would be the catalyst that eventually leads to the Exodus of the Hebrew people.

If you read through the chapters dealing with the plagues that God sends, then you may notice the same pattern that I did. Whenever a new plague comes, Pharoah’s heart softens and he changes his mind about letting the Hebrews go. However, when the plagues are lifted, his heart is hardened once more, either because of God or himself.

That’s where I see myself in Pharoah’s skin.

Every time things get bad, Pharoah relents. Once things get good again, he reverts back to his old self.

For Paul, it was a thorn in the flesh, a constant reminder that he wasn’t perfect.

For Peter, it was three denials of his Lord.

For King David, it was his lust and trying to cover it up.

When I read Exodus, I really can’t see myself in the shoes of Moses. I feel more like Pharoah. I run to God when things get bad. But when life starts to get easier, when the plagues are lifted from my life, I revert back to my same old struggles and shortcomings. And maybe you’re the same way.

So what do we do?

We learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. Pharoah had the opportunity to change. He didn’t take it. Others did.

The difference between Pharoah and Paul and Peter and David is that the other three realized their issues and did something about it, whether it was repentance or simply turning futher to God.

Don’t be a Pharoah. Be a Paul. Be a Peter. Be a David.