Was Pharaoh G-d's puppet? ~ Cross reference of Romans 9:16 to Exodus 9:16

Paul uses the verse from Exodus 9:16 to say that Pharaoh was a puppet and he had no free will. He had to keep Israel enslaved because G-d raised him up to show his power. He then takes this point to drive home a lie that all humans do not have much to say about their life as "god has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden"[who will turn to Jesus and who will not turn to Jesus]

If you read the Exodus of Israel in context, you will realize that when Abraham asks for a sign to show that he will have many children, G-d tells Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14 that Abraham will have many children and they will be strangers in an alien land and will be enslaved, and after 400 years they will return to the promised land.

This is what happens in Exodus, when Moses goes to free the Israelites from Egypt. G-d tells Moses in advance that Pharaoh will harden his heart and not let them leave and that G-d will bring them out with a mighty hand so that

• G-d can show the Egyptians that he is the ONE TRUE G-D of the universe.
• Each of the 10 plagues were 10 gods of the Egyptians. By causing these 10 plagues to come on them, G-d was showing the Egyptians that their gods were not gods at all.
• These plagues were a sign to the nations that Israel was going to war against later. G-d wanted them to know that Israel is his people and they should know that they will be destroyed.

If you read the details of the 10 plagues, you will see that Pharaoh had no intentions to release Israel as he needed them to do his labor. Also you can read several passages where Pharaoh outright defies G-d and tells Moses to leave him alone.

So all G-d had to do was strengthen Pharaoh's will to keep Israel enslaved.

So Paul using this passage to say that all humans have no freewill and god decides whose heart will change and whose will not is just a big lie.

First for the first 6 plagues, G-d did not harden his heart. Once his advisors backed out, G-d strengthened his will so he resisted letting Israel leave. 

I will list out 2 sets of passages below for your reading. You decide if G-d took away Pharaoh's free will or not. 

All Images are links to Google Images. Copyright violations not intended.

All Greek Text references are from NIV and Tanakh references are from Chabad.

This post is not intended to offend anyone's faith but for those people who are Seeking the truth of THE ONE TRUE G-D of the universe to who we owe all our love, gratitude & devotion.

My encouragement to you is that you read the whole chapter of Tanakh that the Greek text quotes so you get the context and understand what G-d actually said.

G-d Bless and Seek THE Truth.

Romans 9:16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

Exodus 9:16 But, for this [reason] I have allowed you to stand, in order to show you My strength and in order to declare My name all over the earth.

Pharaoh was determined to keep Israel enslaved

• Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice to let Israel out? I do not know the Lord, neither will I let Israel out."
• Exodus 7:13 But Pharaoh's heart remained steadfast, and he did not hearken to them, as the Lord had spoken. [Stick turns to snake]
• Exodus 7:22 And the necromancers of Egypt did likewise with their secret rites, and Pharaoh's heart was steadfast, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken. 23 Pharaoh turned and went home, and he paid no heed even to this.[Nile turn to blood]
• Exodus 8:11 When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart, and he did not hearken to them, as the Lord had spoken.[Frogs]
• Exodus 8:15 So the necromancers said to Pharaoh, "It is the finger of God," but Pharaoh's heart remained steadfast, and he did not hearken to them, as the Lord had spoken.[Lice]
• Exodus 8:28 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.[mixture of noxious creatures]
• Exodus 9:7 And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not even one of the livestock of Israel died, but Pharaoh's heart became hardened, and he did not let the people out.[Livestock]
• Exodus 9:34 And Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased; so he continued to sin, and he strengthened his heart, he and his servants. 35 And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not let the children of Israel go out, as the Lord had spoken through the hand of Moses.[Hail]
• Exodus 10:7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this one be a stumbling block to us? Let the people go and they will worship their God. Don't you yet know that Egypt is lost?"[Pharaoh's servants ask him to the people do but he does not listen to them]

G-d had to strengthen / harden Pharaoh's will

• Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.4 But Pharaoh will not hearken to you, and I will lay My hand upon the Egyptians, and I will take My legions, My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt with great judgments.
• Exodus 9:11 And the necromancers could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were upon the necromancers and upon all Egypt. 12 But the Lord strengthened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not hearken to them, as the Lord spoke to Moses.[Boils - Since there were no advisers G-d strengthened his heart]
• Exodus 10:1 The Lord said to Moses: "Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst,2and in order that you tell into the ears of your son and your son's son how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, and [that you tell of] My signs that I placed in them, and you will know that I am the Lord."[After the Hail]
• Exodus 10:20 But the Lord strengthened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out.[After the Locusts]
• Exodus 10:27 The Lord strengthened Pharaoh's heart, and he was unwilling to let them out. 28 Pharaoh said to him, "Go away from me! Beware! You shall no longer see my face, for on the day that you see my face, you shall die!" [Darkness]