How Can a Heart Become Hardened?

What Does It Mean That A Heart Can Harden?

In the Ancient Near East, the place the Bible primarily surrounds, it was very common to believe the heart produces emotions. In an article by PubMed, they note: "In Ancient Egypt, the concept of heart included three constituents: heart-haty, heart-ib, and the spiritual seat of intelligence, emotion and memory" (Bernard, & Haliousa). By saying one's heart is hardened, it seems to mean that a person closes off qualities of their heart such as emotion and intelligence. There is some research that the heart can control emotion: "Having high heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with higher emotional well-being, including being correlated with lower levels of worry and rumination, lower anxiety, and generally more regulated emotional responding. Thus, individuals with higher HRV appear to be better at regulating their emotions" (Mather & Thayer). Either way, it would seem this is a way the Bible symbolizes a person closing off from God. 

Why May a Heart Become Hardened?

Adamance Towards Believing:

One reason the Bible gives us for why one may harden their heart is if they do not want to listen to the Lord.  "Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts," (Zechariah 7:12 KJV). Here, we see Zechariah speaking to people with the words of God(Zechariah 7:8). He tells the people to bring true judgment and have mercy(Zechariah 7:8-10). Instead of listening to the Prophet Zechariah: "But they refused to hearken(or listen), and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear," (Zechariah 7:11 KJV). 

We see this idea too in the book of Exodus with Pharoah: "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses," (Exodus 9:34-35 KJV). 

Adamance Towards Turning Back to God:

Another reason one's heart hardens is if they intentionally turn away from God: "And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel," (2 Chronicles 36:13 KJV). Here, Zechariah rejected turning to God and chose to break his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar. "But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me," (Ezekiel 17:15-20 KJV).

Our Pride:

Our pride too can blind us from God: "But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him," (Daniel 5:20 KJV).

The Solution:

We only really see one solution to a hardened heart: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh," (Ezekiel 36:26 KJV). If a person desires an unhardened heart, God can help break through the wall. Pray to God and for others if you or they suffer this ailment.

Works Cited:

Image by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

Mather M, Thayer J. How heart rate variability affects emotion regulation brain networks. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2018 Feb;19:98-104. doi: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.12.017. PMID: 29333483; PMCID: PMC5761738.

Ziskind, Bernard, and Bruno Halioua. “La conception du coeur dans l'Egypte ancienne” [Concepts of the heart in Ancient Egypt]. Medecine sciences : M/S vol. 20,3 (2004): 367-73. doi:10.1051/medsci/2004203367