Bible Question (short): May I ask, why, Lord? |
Question (full): Why, Lord Rom. 9:19 ¶ You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" Rom. 9:20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? From the above verse we may learn that some questions may be impious. But is it ever wrong to ask, "Why, Lord?" Will the Lord rebuke us for asking why? Is asking why always to be considered a challenge to the Lord's authority or sovereignty? Or do we fall into grievous error when we begin asking such questions as, "Why does God do this?" or "Why does God do that?" Here are a few verses given that may answer such questions: Rebekah asks why. Gen. 25:22,23. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the Lord.Gen. 25:23 And the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger." [Was it wrong for Rebekah to ask why?] Moses asks why. Ex. 5:22, 6:1 ¶ Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, "O Lord, why hast Thou brought harm to this people? Why didst Thou ever send me?... Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he shall let them go, and under compulsion he shall drive them out of his land." [Did the Lord rebuke Moses for asking why?] Joshua asks why. Josh. 7:7-12 And Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord God, why didst Thou ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! Josh. 7:8 "O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? Josh. 7:9 "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what wilt Thou do for Thy great name?" Josh. 7:10 ¶ So the Lord said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? Josh. 7:11 "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. Josh. 7:12 "Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. [Did the Lord deal with Joshua as if Joshua had fallen into grievous error by asking why?] Gideon asks why. Judg. 6:12-14 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior." Then Gideon said to him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian." And the Lord looked at him and said, "Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?" [Did the Lord treat Gideon's "why?" as impious?] Job asks why. Job 7:19 "Wilt Thou never turn Thy gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle? Job 7:20 "Have I sinned? What have I done to Thee, O watcher of men? Why hast Thou set me as Thy target, So that I am a burden to myself? Job 7:21 "Why then dost Thou not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust; And Thou wilt seek me, but I will not be." [Does the Lord hold up Job as an example of patience or impiety and grievous error?] David asks why. Ps. 10:1 Why dost Thou stand afar off, O Lord? Why dost Thou hide Thyself in times of trouble? [Did the Lord close his ears when David sang this psalm?] Isaiah asks why. Is. 63:16, 17 For Thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us, And Israel does not recognize us. Thou, O Lord, art our Father, Our Redeemer from of old is Thy name. Why, O Lord, dost Thou cause us to stray from Thy ways, And harden our heart from fearing Thee? Return for the sake of Thy servants, the tribes of Thy heritage. [Has Isaiah fallen into grievous error by asking why?] Jesus asks why. Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, " Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, " My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Heb. 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. [The Father heard the Son when he asked why.] Peace, Lionstrong |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Bible general Archive 1 | Author | ||
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Grace7044 | ||
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Grace7044 | ||
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ark | ||
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Dan K. | ||
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lordschild2 | ||
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Grace7044 | ||
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Grace7044 | ||
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moedee | ||
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Lionstrong | ||
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Jesusman | ||
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Bob Y. | ||
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Brian.g |