Well, that's a rather curious thing for God to say.
Imagine going to an art fair and asking someone how they did their work.
And then you get what is said in your quote above.
If it's not okay for a human to talk that way, why is it okay for God?
Does he live at a lower moral standard then we do?
I am new to this forum, and have never been on one before. Thank you for commenting on my post despite the many flaws with it. I am not sure I can satisfy the question though.My statement not looking at Job was not helpful. The relevant passages are quoted below showing the inadequacy of my earlier quote. I would uphold that we are like those of Job 38:2 also darkening His counsel with words without knowledge. Quotes of God responding to Job below:
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”
Job 38:1-4 ESV
Job 38:1-4 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
“And the Lord said to Job: “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
“Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?”
Job 40:1-2, 6-8 ESV
Job 40:1-8 And the LORD said to Job: “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Then Job answered the LORD and said: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
““Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor. Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked where they stand. Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below.
Then will I also acknowledge to you that your own right hand can save you.”
Job 40:10-14 ESV
Job 40:10-14 “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor. Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. Look on everyone who is pro | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
“Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.””
Job 42:1-6 ESV
Job 42:1-5 Then Job answered the LORD and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered wha | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
regarding Genesis Chapter one, I do not believe the amount of my understanding is not as relevant as well noted from the entire chapter of Job 38; I was not there. However I do uphold that God spoke in confirmation of a literal understanding of the time of creation in Exodus 20:11; quote below:
“
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
Exodus 20:11 ESV
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
I think TheBibleProject.com does a good job of expounding on the literary aspects and beauty of Genesis 1. I am not sure they hold a literal view of Genesis. Regardless, I appreciate the work they do, and the content they teach.
Regarding the question asking if I understand Genesis 1, I would say I do not comprehend the details of Genesis one, I accept them. I have things I think, but, again, I cannot know; I was not there. I think AnswersInGenesis.com gives many scientific resources regarding the faults of the ways we have tried to make earth old, and evolution the method of creation’s start, and progression.
We keep asking people who were not there, and do not know “well what happened?” And we either do not trust God who does know, and who was there, or we do not trust the scriptures based around this issues of “We do not know how this fits with what we can study about the world.”
God did not say we would be able to figure everything out. We are not righteous because of our mental capacity, instead:
“And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”
Genesis 15:6 ESV
Genesis 15:6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
Though we may not know, we may still have faith as enumerated by Paul concerning righteousness:
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”
Galatians 3:1-9 ESV
Galatians 3:1-9 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or b | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
Both Job, Genesis and Galatians quotes are all related to righteousness, so I should probably defend applying them to knowledge.
“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.”
Romans 7:7-8 ESV
Romans 7:7-8 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You s | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
The quote does not say knowledge is evil; it says knowledge was not sufficient to produce righteousness; faith produces righteousness. So, knowledge in the Law the only thing insufficient? No, but the knowledge of the workings of God except what He has revealed from the beginning works noted in the Law through the work of Jesus as quoted:
“For Jews demand signs and
Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and
folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:22-29 ESV
1 Corinthians 1:23-26 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness o | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
What is the the conclusion? Genesis 1 is not held together by my knowledge. God has not placed in me to know, but to have faith in His Word. I write all these things, because inheritors, are drawn away from the truth revealed by God; denying the revealed works of God because they lack understanding and comprehension of how God could have done the works He has done.
I’m fact our issue is that how did God manage to circumvent the Laws of Physics to make creation, but both Physics and Creation are made by Him. Like how in a video game I am constrained by the Physics of the game, but the creator of the game can move apart from the physics of the game, and even writes what they will be for the players. The creator can do things the “players” cannot do. And continuing this analogy though limited and foolish; when would the players be placed in creation to observe and be subject/constrained to the laws of Physics, and time? On the sixth day at the conclusion of creation. God however, we know is not constrained by time, but as quoted made the world in six days, then rested on the seventh to then have us mirror Him.
The Bible does not use my folly though it says:
“
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
John 1:1-3 ESV
John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
John explains the “how” of Genesis 1 being true despite our struggles of study and comprehension. It was made by and through God who is not restrained or restricted by all the things we are. Yet for some reason we demand to know and understand, or we will reject?
I would hope that we would repent like Job; humbled before God.
I am straightforward I thing Genesis 1 is literal. So, understanding something literal is accepting it, and understanding “How” is impossible. Unless we can comprehend the substance of God? Or the Power of God? Back to my original faulty paragraph; how would we understand the substance and power of God? Well to be God. As indicated by Job 40:
““
Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor. Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked where they stand. Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below.
Then will I also acknowledge to you that your own right hand can save you.”
Job 40:10-14 ESV
Job 40:10-14 “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor. Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. Look on everyone who is pro | English Standard Version 2016 (ESV) | Download The Bible App Now
God is able to save Himself. He showed us by His nature in the Old Testament, and the Resurrection of Jesus in the New.