In Exodus 8:15, 8:32, 9:34 the scriptures say "Pharaoh hardened his heart". But in Exodus 10:1, 20. "Now the LORD said to Moses, 'Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before them….' But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go" (cf. Ex. 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 14:4; 20:27).
Did Pharaoh exercise free will or was he merely a pawn in God's hand? Does history record the evil deeds of man and the righteous interventions of God?
Site at least eight of the following scriptures to support your exposition of a Biblical view of fate, freewill, predestination, providence, sovereignty, chance, determinism, election, etc. In addition to "Israel", please also try to mention the words "chance", "Puritans", "Hitler", and "Iraq" in your essay explaining the rise and fall of nations.
"But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 2:30)
"There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses." (Joshua 11:19-20).
"Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo." (II Chronicles 35:22)
"The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made
a proclamation throughout all his kingdom.... Then the heads of the fathers'
houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all those
whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord"
(Ezra 1:1, 5) (cf. Ezra 6:22; 7:6; Ex. 12:36; Ezek. 36:27; Gen. 20:6;
Isa. 6:9-10; Lk. 8:10).
"For Jehovah had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king
of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of
God" (rebuilding the temple), (Ezra 6:22)
When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer:
"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all
the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance
for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family
will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such
a time as this?" (Esther 4:12-14 NIV)
"The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans
of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart
from generation to generation." (Psalm 33:10-11).`
"Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places." (Psalm 135:6).
"a man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."
(Proverbs 16:9)
"The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."
(Proverbs 16:33).
"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He
turns it wherever He wishes." (Proverbs 21:1).
This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that
is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned,
and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it
back? (Isaiah 14:26-27).
"Behold, the nations are as a drop in the bucket, and are accounted as
the small dust of the balance; behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little
thing," (Isaiah 40-15).
"behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' declares the LORD, 'and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation." (Jer 25:9, NASB).
"He changeth the times and the seasons; He removeth kings, and setteth up kings," (Daniel 2:21).
32 "And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with
the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven
times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven
from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven,
till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven,
and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I
praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting
dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth
according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom,
mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords
sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was
added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all
whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he
is able to abase." (Daniel 4:32-37)
"But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, "Let her
be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!" 12 But they do not know the
thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, he who gathers them like
sheaves to the threshing floor." (Micah 4:11-12 NIV)
"For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that
march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are
not theirs," (Habakkuk 1:6).
"Jesus answered him (Pilate), Thou wouldst have no power against me, except
it were given thee from above," (John 19:11).
"And He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face
of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of
their habitation." (Acts 17:26).
Ro 8:27 "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will
of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified:
and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to
these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not
his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's
elect? It is God that justifieth" .(Romans 8:27-33)
Romans 9:9 "For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come,
and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our
father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I
will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God
that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised
thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted
his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed
say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel
unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy,
which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people;
and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them,
Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living
God.
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons
of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28
for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay."
29 And as Isaiah predicted,, "If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah."
(Romans 9:23-29)
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there
is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed
by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God,
and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers are not
a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority?
Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4For he is God's minister
to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword
in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices
evil. 5Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for
conscience' sake. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's
ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7Render therefore to all
their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom
fear, honor to whom honor." (Romans 13:1-7).
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction;
the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
(Galatians 6:7-8 NIV)
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the
good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein
he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made
known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which
he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times
he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," (Eph 1:4,5,9,11,13)
“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes. 5:18)
11 "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Th 2:11-14).
"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." (2 Timothy 2:20-21 NIV)
"Let no one 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." (James 1:13, NASB)