Questioning God's Actions

[CoreyD]

Is there anything in the Bible, God allowed, did, or commanded, that you were either uncertain of, or that might be disturbing to you?
Did, or does it make you question God?

There is one thing in the Bible that I am disturbed about - the hamstringing of horses.
Why did God sometimes order the Israelites to hamstring horses?

The Shocking Truth Behind Hamstringing Horses

I will admit, I do not understand why God would actually condone or command this, but does it cause me to think of God as cruel, and unworthy of my devotion? Not at all.
There are plenty of reasons why I know God is worthy of my devotion, and why I know God is the opposite of cruel, even if he condones something that disturbs me.

I'll share those reasons in a moment.

What about you... are there any things in the Bible, which God allowed, did, or commanded, that you were either uncertain of, or might be disturbing to you?
Did, or does it make you question God, and does it affect your faith, and how you view God?
Would you care to share your reasons?

Thanks.

 

[JEBofChristTheLord]

More or less all of it The Holy One has broken a rather huge pile of logic in me, replacing it all with things Christ the Lord has said, done, and discussed.

 

[CoreyD]

More or less all of it The Holy One has broken a rather huge pile of logic in me, replacing it all with things Christ the Lord has said, done, and discussed.

More or less all of it!!!
I'm shocked. Aghast.

Seriously though, can you mention one of your mildest.

 

[JEBofChristTheLord]

My first thought was that none of them were mild But I sifted through a bit and came up with one.

When Christ brought me to Him, I was eager to do total repentance. My previous set of approaches to the world had begun in my mid-teens or so, with "science is my religion, and logic is my practice". I had watched that set crash and burn heavily. But my mind still knew only logic and reasoning as methods. So when, early on, a number of beloved people said things like "You have to believe the whole Bible", and "Everything the Bible says is true", and "We treat everything in the Bible as equally holy", I tried to do that, along with the millions of others trying to do that. But I rapidly became a witness to the fool's game involved, and asked the Lord for better. After years of change, He gave me better. We have an instance in Holy Scripture where Christ the Lord said "Moses allowed..." and not "God commanded..." regarding a law of Moses; and we have an instance where the Apostle Paul stated that certain specific advice from him was not from God. From that moment on, I began to learn prioritization of Holy Scripture, and much logic fell away increasingly rapidly.

 

[Yarddog]

Is there anything in the Bible, God allowed, did, or commanded, that you were either uncertain of, or that might be disturbing to you?
Did, or does it make you question God?

There is one thing in the Bible that I am disturbed about - the hamstringing of horses.
Why did God sometimes order the Israelites to hamstring horses?

The Shocking Truth Behind Hamstringing Horses

I will admit, I do not understand why God would actually condone or command this, but does it cause me to think of God as cruel, and unworthy of my devotion? Not at all.
There are plenty of reasons why I know God is worthy of my devotion, and why I know God is the opposite of cruel, even if he condones something that disturbs me.

I'll share those reasons in a moment.

What about you... are there any things in the Bible, which God allowed, did, or commanded, that you were either uncertain of, or might be disturbing to you?
Did, or does it make you question God, and does it affect your faith, and how you view God?
Would you care to share your reasons?

Thanks.

I trust God, period. If something strikes me wrong, I look at myself as not understanding and ask God to help me see the truth.

 

[CoreyD]

My first thought was that none of them were mild But I sifted through a bit and came up with one.

When Christ brought me to Him, I was eager to do total repentance. My previous set of approaches to the world had begun in my mid-teens or so, with "science is my religion, and logic is my practice". I had watched that set crash and burn heavily. But my mind still knew only logic and reasoning as methods. So when, early on, a number of beloved people said things like "You have to believe the whole Bible", and "Everything the Bible says is true", and "We treat everything in the Bible as equally holy", I tried to do that, along with the millions of others trying to do that. But I rapidly became a witness to the fool's game involved, and asked the Lord for better. After years of change, He gave me better. We have an instance in Holy Scripture where Christ the Lord said "Moses allowed..." and not "God commanded..." regarding a law of Moses; and we have an instance where the Apostle Paul stated that certain specific advice from him was not from God. From that moment on, I began to learn prioritization of Holy Scripture, and much logic fell away increasingly rapidly.

You didn't give me scripture JEB. You gave me your understanding, which is the problem 99.9% of the time.
It's like me saying Jesus told me to cut my hand off, and pluck my eye out, and cast them away from me, and therefore the Bible has a lot of nonsense.
When really, it's my lack of understanding that is nonsense.
Do you get what I am saying?

So, basically, more or less all of it, is your understanding. Isn't it.

 

[CoreyD]

I trust God, period. If something strikes me wrong, I look at myself as not understanding and ask God to help me see the truth.

Cool. ...but there must be a reason why you trust that the Bible is from God. Is there?

 

[JEBofChristTheLord]

Cool. ...but there must be a reason why you trust that the Bible is from God. Is there?

Reason? Logic? No. Only the drawing of God.

 

[Lost4words]

Trust in God 100%...

Thats what i aim to do every day no matter what. Who are we to judge God's decisions?

 

[FutureAndAHope]

There have been times when I have questioned God. But the end of it is death. Wallowing in sinful, and hopeless behaviours, having no hope at all. What I found was that I needed to focus on just one thing, God says He is faithful, and just to forgive our sins. There is only one thing that counts in life and that is having eternal life. God is just, in the fact that He does not deprive us of that, every person has that chance, He is not a respecter of persons.

I can choose to either focus on perceived injustice, or focus on the fact that all who choose life can have it.

 

[CoreyD]

It is said that he drowned every man, woman and child on the planet. The elderly. The infirm. Pregnant women. Babies. And you are disturbed about some horses?

Hey. Can't a man love animals more than humans? Just kidding.
Understanding why God killed all those humans is quite simple for me. So, that would not be a cause for disturbance to me.
If God had tortured them for the rest of their miserable life, that might perplex me.

So, it disturbs you that God drowned old people, babies, and pregnant women.
Why? Is it because you think old people and pregnant women cannot curse God?

I understand that people think babies are untarnished, but is that so?
The Bible describes the situation in the days of Noah, and we just have to think of a baby sitting in front of a big screen watching Chucky.

Babies imitate what they see. They are great sponges... absorbing everything.
Little babies however, are the responsibility of their parents. They can't decide to run anywhere.
Their deaths were not unjust, as they were not untarnished.

 

[Yarddog]

Cool. ...but there must be a reason why you trust that the Bible is from God. Is there?

Yes, God has confirmed scripture to me. He has revealed hidden meanings of several verses.

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT


This thread was moved from Ethics & Morality to Christian Philosophy & Ethics.
Posts by nonChristians were removed. ​

 

[Richard T]

I learned to try and not question God on stuff I don't have much knowledge on. I always wondered though about
1 Kings 22:19-23 ESV:

19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lordsitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”

This perplexes me some. Also stuff like the judgment on Eli's sons, versus the seeming lack of judgment on Samuels. In general though if one studies anything in the word of God sufficiently you will gain an understanding that makes sense.

 

[CoreyD]

Reason? Logic? No. Only the drawing of God.

Thanks, but can you be specific? Reason and Logic about what? Only the drawing of God?
Ah. Do you mean that the Bible could only be the drawing of God, because its "blueprint" fits no human architect?
Okay. We agree on that.

That's one of my reasons, as well, along with the fact that his handiwork is clearly seen in creation, and both fit like hand and glove.
In fact, it goes back to what I said in the other thread.
There is no other source where we can find the sayings that are life.

I see the difference between applying Bible standards, and not doing so, and the shaping of this world is like reading yesterday's forecast, written centuries ago, with the explanation given as to why.
So, there is no reason to do doubt God, as others are stating.
Thanks for answering, though in parables.

 

[CoreyD]

Trust in God 100%...

Thats what i aim to do every day no matter what. Who are we to judge God's decisions?

Trusting God 100% is good, because we realize how limited we are, and we always are proven wrong, but there is nothing wrong with expressing our concerns regarding decisions that do not mesh with our own sense of justice.
After all, God encourages us to imitate him, and be as he is. So God wants us to be just, and have the right view of things.

God welcomes such questioning, as seen in

1. his interaction with Abraham, concerning the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, where his nephew Lot was residing.
   Genesis 18:22-33
   22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
   
   26 So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
   
   27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
   
   So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
   
   29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
   
   So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
   
   30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
   
   So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
   
   31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
   
   So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
   
   32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
   
   And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
   
   
2. Habakkuk's pronouncement God had preserved in his inspired record.
   Habakkuk 1:2, 3
   2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear?
   Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.
   3 Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble?
   For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.

These are just a few of many places, where God patiently listened to his servants concerns.
This is because, even though God is exalted, he lowers himself, to listen to the lowly, just as an adult will stoop to listen to a little child.
God is humble, as King David recognized. 2 Samuel 22:36; Psalm 18:35

Replying against God, or asserting ourselves to be superior in righteousness... now, that is a different story.
Romans 9:19-24

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?​

22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?​

 

[com7fy8]

There is one thing in the Bible that I am disturbed about - the hamstringing of horses.
Why did God sometimes order the Israelites to hamstring horses?

My opinions >

Yes, I might have an issue with this, too. The horses aren't doing anything to hurt anybody, among other things, right?

Well . . . what if they were trained to hurt and kill people. You might want to do something to slow them down. Instead of killing a war trained horse, slow it down, make it incapable of killing and maiming people.

Yes, the horses were used for warfare; so they were weapons, of some sort. And so, it would be like leaving one of those old cannons in a park where kids could get to them and use them. You "might" want to stuff the ends of those cannons so no one can use them. Like this, it could be practical to hamstring the horses so no one later could use them to fight with the Jews. And maybe they could be used for food, later. Instead of killing them all at once . . . keep them alive so that meat stores better until it is needed. They didn't have freezers then; so they might keep food animals alive until they used them for food.

By the way . . . can't some number of us make an idol out of a horse?

By the way . . . I think of this > there are horses that can be very rough and tough > stallions can be very energetic and aggressive. It is possible, then, that stallions were used for warfare; so leaving animals like that loose "might" not be practical, after they had been trained for warfare. I was at a ranch for a while as a kid. They had their stallion; they told me not to get near it, not even reaching to it from outside its corral; it could smash down the corral poles and get out if it got riled up, they said.

And another item > then was before Jesus came. Things worked very differently, without Jesus. I think a lot of things in the earlier scripture are for dramatizing how things could not work well, without Jesus and His way of loving.

So, God might agree with you, that there is His better way

 

[CoreyD]

My opinions >

Yes, I might have an issue with this, too. The horses aren't doing anything to hurt anybody, among other things, right?

Well . . . what if they were trained to hurt and kill people. You might want to do something to slow them down. Instead of killing a war trained horse, slow it down, make it incapable of killing and maiming people.

Yes, the horses were used for warfare; so they were weapons, of some sort. And so, it would be like leaving one of those old cannons in a park where kids could get to them and use them. You "might" want to stuff the ends of those cannons so no one can use them. Like this, it could be practical to hamstring the horses so no one later could use them to fight with the Jews. And maybe they could be used for food, later. Instead of killing them all at once . . . keep them alive so that meat stores better until it is needed. They didn't have freezers then; so they might keep food animals alive until they used them for food.

This is a good explanation.
Well thought out..

By the way . . . can't some number of us make an idol out of a horse?

By the way . . . I think of this > there are horses that can be very rough and tough > stallions can be very energetic and aggressive. It is possible, then, that stallions were used for warfare; so leaving animals like that loose "might" not be practical, after they had been trained for warfare. I was at a ranch for a while as a kid. They had their stallion; they told me not to get near it, not even reaching to it from outside its corral; it could smash down the corral poles and get out if it got riled up, they said.

And another item > then was before Jesus came. Things worked very differently, without Jesus. I think a lot of things in the earlier scripture are for dramatizing how things could not work well, without Jesus and His way of loving.

So, God might agree with you, that there is His better way

I like your first point, but not the second.
Jesus is exactly like his father.
The changes were not based on character.
I don't have time to share those scriptures now, but if you want, I can do so later.

 

[okay]

What about you... are there any things in the Bible, which God allowed, did, or commanded, that you were either uncertain of, or might be disturbing to you?
Did, or does it make you question God, and does it affect your faith, and how you view God?
Would you care to share your reasons?

Yes. There is a lot in the bible that troubles me. It used to effect how I saw God, but now it mostly just effects how I see the bible.

 

[CoreyD]

Yes. There is a lot in the bible that troubles me. It used to effect how I saw God, but now it mostly just effects how I see the bible.

How do you see the Bible... as a manmade book, and not inspired by God?