WHY?

[Omegaman 3.0]

Why?

From time to time, I have been asked:
"Why does God . . . " or "Why did God . . ." do one thing or some other?

Often, perhaps usually, I have said something to the effect of "If God does not tell us why in the Bible, then I am in no position to answer the question!"

Yes, that means that I am ignorant. If I am ignorant on some thing about God, or other spiritual matters, perhaps that is because that is how God wants me. I don't believe that God minds that we are curious. The apostles asked Jesus:

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Jesus replies with:

“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority."

Similarly, Peter asked Jesus about his fellow apostle, John, curious about how or when John would die:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

How did Jesus reply in that case?:

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 

Daniel was curious about the outcome of some visions he was given in chapter 12. He was not given the answer, but instead was told to "seal up the book until the time of the end!"

The bottom line is there are some things which are just not our business. We can wonder why, but we do not need to know why. Some people are not satisfied with that. When that is the case, they will often search the scriptures to find answers to their questions. That is a good thing. Where we go wrong though is when we don't find clear answers and then imagine things that might be, or impose our own interpretations upon the text. This happens frequently in eschatology (things about the last things or end times) and soteriology (things about salvation). It also happens when there are statements we do not like the implication of. Must women have the heads covered, or be forbidden to speak up to teach in a congregation? Are the sign gifts (certain spiritual gifts) for today? When we see debates and such, usually someone does not like what the Bible says and looks for reasons to justify different understandings.

The book of Habakkuk has some things to say about questions, notably in chapters one and two. If you pay attention, you will note that Habakkuk asks questions of God, and God basically says, "you would not believe it", and "have faith".

I think then that is is safe to say not only do we not need to know but we might not understand if God told us anyway. His instruction then is not to be anxious about the unknown, but instead just trust Him because He is trustworthy. So I think the best thing is to, yes, wonder, ask, and investigate. When we cannot find the answers we seek, then it is time to trust.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

AMEN? or Not so much?

[Alive]

Seems a common theme that we all need to face squarely and while at it, conduct ourselves in love and accountibilty with each other. Both of those things are guides we have in scripture.

[Sower]

4 hours ago, Omegaman 3.0 said:

I think then that is is safe to say not only do we not need to know but we might not understand if God told us anyway. His instruction then is not to be anxious about the unknown, but instead just trust Him because He is trustworthy. So I think the best thing is to, yes, wonder, ask, and investigate. When we cannot find the answers we seek, then it is time to trust.

I came to the conclusion quiet awhile back I need to use what I already do know, apply it, and worry not about the mysteries.
There is so much more I learn by applying what I know in order to grow. I have heard, so now I need to do.
I don't think I need to know it all to please God. But be a good steward of what He has already taught me.

[Alive]

Ah, yes. Habakkuk. One of my favorite OT books. These verses as well as the last few verses in 3, bring me back many years. Praise the Lord!

“I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, And how I may reply when I am reproved.

Then the LORD answered me and said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.

“Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”

(Habakkuk 2:1–4 NAS95)

Makes for a wonderful sermon.

 

[Omegaman 3.0]

9 hours ago, Alive said:

Ah, yes. Habakkuk. One of my favorite OT books. These verses as well as the last few verses in 3, bring me back many years. Praise the Lord!

“I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, And how I may reply when I am reproved.

Then the LORD answered me and said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.

“Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”

(Habakkuk 2:1–4 NAS95)

Makes for a wonderful sermon.

Yeah, I really need to reread that book. It has special significance for me. When I was a new believer, I got a job working in a prototype machine shop for a diving equipment manufacturer. There was I and one other machinist, spending the whole work day there in our out little world, in a space about the size of a two car garage. Sometimes we did not get as much work done as we could have, as sometime we did not have machines running. Those times led to conversations. It turned out, that he was not only an atheist, but he specifically hated Christians, we had more than one tense conversation. 

This was in 1981, and I had become a Christian in 1979. I had not yet even read the Bible, and I was anything but a theologian, or an evangelist, nor had I even much time under my belt as a church goer. I was ill prepared for that. I considered the man I was locked in a room with, to be my personal Saul of Tarsus. The man, Dennis, was also having (so he said at least) relations with an under-age girl. It seemed possible, that it was a tall tail, perhaps made up to shock the Christian. However, certain other facts made it seem plausible. Saul at least, thought he was on God's side, Dennis had no such delusions.

One day, Dennis got really furious, and cussed and looked up, and flipped God off!. Later, after he had calmed done, he did at least apologize for his outburst. Then he said "I am surprised that you did not jump out of the way to dodge the incoming lightning bolt. I told him I trusted God's aim!

Another day, Dennis asked me some question to stump me, which it did. The next day, when I came to work, I was parking my van and I heard (in my head, but not like me thinking to myself sounds) a verse address, Habakkuk xx:xx. I don't remember the question, nor the answer/verse anymore, but I had a Bible with me in the van, so I found the verse, it was the answer to Dennis's question. That was the first time I had ever thought I had heard from God. Mind you, I did not even know that the book of Habakkuk even existed.

Long story short, Dennis became a believer. The way he said that came to happen, was he had a revelation while taking a shower. Dennis thereafter, considered  me his "father in the faith", and proved to stick his faith out, he persisted until his death some 16 or 17 years later. Dennis was my first 'convert', the first person I discipled. Perhaps God used me in some way to reach Dennis, as a conduit at first, but God used Dennis, to give my faith a boost, to teach me to be patient and not dismay over a little mild persecution and ridicule, and in that situation, I went from having a spiritual enemy to gaining a brother, and we listened to Christian radio (teaching programs mostly) every day, several hours a day. That grew me at an acceleration place. So you see, Habakkuk has a special place in my heart.

[Alive]

8 minutes ago, Omegaman 3.0 said:

Yeah, I really need to reread that book. It has special significance for me. When I was a new believer, I got a job working in a prototype machine shop for a diving equipment manufacturer. There was I and one other machinist, spending the whole work day there in our out little world, in a space about the size of a two car garage. Sometimes we did not get as much work done as we could have, as sometime we did not have machines running. Those times led to conversations. It turned out, that he was not only an atheist, but he specifically hated Christians, we had more than one tense conversation. 

This was in 1981, and I had become a Christian in 1979. I had not yet even read the Bible, and I was anything but a theologian, or an evangelist, nor had I even much time under my belt as a church goer. I was ill prepared for that. I considered the man I was locked in a room with, to be my personal Saul of Tarsus. The man, Dennis, was also having (so he said at least) relations with an under-age girl. It seemed possible, that it was a tall tail, perhaps made up to shock the Christian. However, certain other facts made it seem plausible. Saul at least, thought he was on God's side, Dennis had no such delusions.

One day, Dennis got really furious, and cussed and looked up, and flipped God off!. Later, after he had calmed done, he did at least apologize for his outburst. Then he said "I am surprised that you did not jump out of the way to dodge the incoming lightning bolt. I told him I trusted God's aim!

Another day, Dennis asked me some question to stump me, which it did. The next day, when I came to work, I was parking my van and I heard (in my head, but not like me thinking to myself sounds) a verse address, Habakkuk xx:xx. I don't remember the question, nor the answer/verse anymore, but I had a Bible with me in the van, so I found the verse, it was the answer to Dennis's question. That was the first time I had ever thought I had heard from God. Mind you, I did not even know that the book of Habakkuk even existed.

Long story short, Dennis became a believer. The way he said that came to happen, was he had a revelation while taking a shower. Dennis thereafter, considered  me his "father in the faith", and proved to stick his faith out, he persisted until his death some 16 or 17 years later. Dennis was my first 'convert', the first person I discipled. Perhaps God used me in some way to reach Dennis, as a conduit at first, but God used Dennis, to give my faith a boost, to teach me to be patient and not dismay over a little mild persecution and ridicule, and in that situation, I went from having a spiritual enemy to gaining a brother, and we listened to Christian radio (teaching programs mostly) every day, several hours a day. That grew me at an acceleration place. So you see, Habakkuk has a special place in my heart.

What a wonderful testimony, brother. Thanks for sharing.

[missmuffet]

23 hours ago, Omegaman 3.0 said:

Why?

From time to time, I have been asked:
"Why does God . . . " or "Why did God . . ." do one thing or some other?

Often, perhaps usually, I have said something to the effect of "If God does not tell us why in the Bible, then I am in no position to answer the question!"

Yes, that means that I am ignorant. If I am ignorant on some thing about God, or other spiritual matters, perhaps that is because that is how God wants me. I don't believe that God minds that we are curious. The apostles asked Jesus:

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Jesus replies with:

“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority."

Similarly, Peter asked Jesus about his fellow apostle, John, curious about how or when John would die:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

How did Jesus reply in that case?:

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 

Daniel was curious about the outcome of some visions he was given in chapter 12. He was not given the answer, but instead was told to "seal up the book until the time of the end!"

The bottom line is there are some things which are just not our business. We can wonder why, but we do not need to know why. Some people are not satisfied with that. When that is the case, they will often search the scriptures to find answers to their questions. That is a good thing. Where we go wrong though is when we don't find clear answers and then imagine things that might be, or impose our own interpretations upon the text. This happens frequently in eschatology (things about the last things or end times) and soteriology (things about salvation). It also happens when there are statements we do not like the implication of. Must women have the heads covered, or be forbidden to speak up to teach in a congregation? Are the sign gifts (certain spiritual gifts) for today? When we see debates and such, usually someone does not like what the Bible says and looks for reasons to justify different understandings.

The book of Habakkuk has some things to say about questions, notably in chapters one and two. If you pay attention, you will note that Habakkuk asks questions of God, and God basically says, "you would not believe it", and "have faith".

I think then that is is safe to say not only do we not need to know but we might not understand if God told us anyway. His instruction then is not to be anxious about the unknown, but instead just trust Him because He is trustworthy. So I think the best thing is to, yes, wonder, ask, and investigate. When we cannot find the answers we seek, then it is time to trust.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

AMEN? or Not so much?

God's ways are way beyond our understanding so why try? Why not trust that whatever He does is for our good.