“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.”
My Notes
What Does Romans 9:17 Mean?
Paul quotes Exodus 9:16 — God's words to 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." Pharaoh's existence serves God's purposes. His stubbornness displays God's power. His resistance spreads God's fame.
The phrase "raised thee up" (exegeiro — to raise, to cause to exist, to bring onto the stage) suggests that God positioned Pharaoh for this exact role. Not that Pharaoh was a puppet without agency — but that God's sovereign plan incorporated Pharaoh's resistance. The Pharaoh who defied God served God's purposes precisely through his defiance.
The dual purpose — showing God's power AND declaring God's name — means the Exodus story wasn't just about Israel's liberation. It was about God's reputation in the entire world. Pharaoh's resistance created the context for a display of power so dramatic that "all the earth" would hear about it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does knowing God 'raised up' Pharaoh for a purpose change how you view powerful opponents?
- 2.Where might someone's resistance to God's work in your life actually be serving God's larger purposes?
- 3.What does the global impact of the Exodus story teach about why God sometimes allows prolonged opposition?
- 4.How does Pharaoh's role as an unwitting servant of God's purposes challenge your understanding of sovereignty?
Devotional
God raised Pharaoh up — put him on the world stage — for a specific purpose: to display divine power through his resistance and spread God's name across the earth. Pharaoh's stubbornness was the backdrop for God's masterpiece.
This is one of the most provocative statements about divine sovereignty in the Bible. God didn't just allow Pharaoh to resist. He raised Pharaoh up — positioned him, enabled his rise to power — for the purpose of demonstrating his own power through the confrontation. Pharaoh's defiance wasn't a problem God had to solve. It was a canvas God intended to paint on.
The dual purpose — showing power and declaring his name — means the Exodus wasn't just a rescue operation for Israel. It was a global publicity event for God. Every plague, every refusal, every hardening of Pharaoh's heart created another chapter in a story that would be told across "all the earth." Rahab in Jericho heard about it (Joshua 2:10). The Gibeonites heard about it (Joshua 9:9). Centuries later, the Philistines still knew the story (1 Samuel 4:8).
Pharaoh served God's purposes by opposing God's purposes. His resistance amplified the demonstration. His stubbornness extended the display. If Pharaoh had surrendered at the first plague, the story would have been shorter and less famous. The ten plagues — and the Red Sea — happened because Pharaoh kept resisting, which kept God demonstrating.
The most powerful person opposing you might be serving God's purposes through their opposition. Their resistance might be the canvas on which God is painting his most dramatic demonstration of power. Pharaoh thought he was blocking God. He was starring in God's story.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will,.... These are the express words of the former testimony: it follows,
and whom…
For the Scripture saith - Exo 9:16. That is, God saith to Pharaoh in the Scriptures; Gal 3:8, Gal 3:22. This passage is…
For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh - Instead of showing the Israelites mercy he might justly have suffered them to…
The apostle, having asserted the true meaning of the promise, comes here to maintain and prove the absolute sovereignty…
For See on Rom 9:15. In this verse St Paul recursto the question "Is there unrighteousness, &c.?" and replies to it, by…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture