God Messing With Free Will?

In Exodus 7:3,13, as well as: 9:12, 10:1, 20,27, 11:10, 14:4,8, we see the hardening of Pharoah's heart to the apparent good fortune of the Jewish people. Exodus 7:3 specifically says from the word of God: "But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart."

This seems quite obviously a statement of intent. Therefore, debate centers on God's grant of 'free will' and whether it was God who intervened, hardened Pharoah's heart and therefore, was not consistent with his 'gift' of free will.

So, did God allow, indirectly, the hardening of Pharoah's heart through frustrations (i.e. plagues, etc.) which lead to more stubbornness from the 'god king'? Or, was it God who directly hardened his heart to the benefit of his 'chosen' people?

There is good debate on this topic, especially because of the potential in-congruence with God's gift of 'free will', even to the most despicable of us.

However, I took the debate one step further and believe I either lost the others at the table with obscure and '3-dimensional' logic, or I was a total buffoon. I like to think it was the latter.

I proposed this:

If we acknowledge God as the giver of everything, then we must believe that any successes we enjoy in this life are gifts given by God. Humility is one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues; and entails the non-acknowledgment of our achievements to our 'self' but, rather, to God; for he is ever-powerful and the bearer of good fortune.

Therefore, all those in the highest power are in place due to God's granting of success in their lives. In digression, we know many in power tend to corrupt because they do not acknowledge that the successes are not their own, but God's grant of achievement in their lives. Lord Acton said: "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

God, therefore, granted the 'good fortune' in the life of the Pharaoh and allowed him to become the most powerful worldly ruler, at that time.

Now, with power comes the increased ability to corrupt it. You see this more than once in history, as humans clutch large amounts of worldly sovereignty and abuse it. Pharaoh with the highest amount of 'granted' power in the world, and, therefore the most volatile free will, chose to portray himself as a god, not acknowledge 'his' success to God for his status and therefore, was given the ultimate earthly challenge.

Now, another debate could circle around the challenges God allows to be placed before us. A hurdle and perhaps, the greatest possible challenge, given the situation, perception and experiences was the allowance of the Pharaoh's heart to harden. Consider it the largest task in this life to overcome. The Pharoah did not and he suffered the consequences.

Now, you're saying: "Yes, but did that mean God hardened his heart?"

To that I say no. At least, not directly. The summation calculates to the fact that Pharoah was given all the power in the world and all the ability to use that power for an intended good. He did not. He became stubborn, and abused all the power he had been granted; hardening his own heart through sin.