New set of questions:
105:19= Why does God test our character if He already know what we're capable of? I suppose it's so we can learn what we can't do, so it's more impressive when He helps us with it...but I just wanted to be sure.
105:29= Can blood actually poison fish? This doesn't really have anything to do with my understanding of the Bible...it's more a curiosity question.
107:20= "He sent out His word and healed them." What does this mean? I know God can send His spirit and His messengers to heal, but does the Bible having healing power? Or is this a translation issue?
Just in general= God was all set to destroy the Egyptians when Moses stepped in and interceded to them. God had mercy and let them live. Since God is unchanging...He must have all along known He wouldn't destroy them. Was this God's way of trying to get the Egyptians to change of their own accord...or testing Moses' character, or something entirely different?
Thanks for you help...Helen
3 comments:
You ask such good/tough/insightful/tough questions, Helen! :) I love your deep thinking!
These might be really good material for a group discussion (i.e. family time/home group?). Just might be fun to discuss with a group in person.
I do have thoughts on your third question, though...the healing words from God one. To really accurately figure out exactly what the psalmist is talking about we'd have to check out the Hebrew. The "word" very likely could mean Jesus, as in God sent Jesus to heal us (save us) in kind of a foreshadowing sort of way, or maybe (I don't know which specific event in the Bible the psalmist is writing about) referring to the words of God through a prophet or just through the written word of God. I am no Bible scholar, but there are some books we could check out. And maybe someone out there with more Bible-interpreting skillz than I can correct me!
On a more personal/general level, I I really do believe that the Bible has healing power...as in God's Word has healing power, not just in the paper or leather or whatever. I personally have experienced times where, in prayer, God can remind me of a truth in the Bible and apply it specifically to a situation that I'm seeking Him in...and it has healed a part of me that has been hurting. I think that this goes along with what 2 Timothy 3:16...kind of saying that scripture is our source for everything. And probably any time that we would experience healing through a fellow believer (or messenger as you said), it would be because he or she is sharing the Word (i.e. God's truth).
Thanks for getting us all thinking, Helen!
Nancy
105:19 - Joseph believed God, but his brothers did not. God allowed Joseph to suffer to show the others that God is true (and in the end Joseph gave glory to God despite all his hardships).
And as to what we can do... nothing apart from Him.
105:29 - I think the issue is more that there was no water. I doubt they are capable of extracting the ogygen out of blood.
107:20 - could mean Jesus/The Bible, but I think it addressing his ability speak to us in our distress and restore us (an example is Lam 3:57)
The general question... I think throughout the OT we see that God is torn displaying justice (as is deserved) and showing mercy (as is equally central to him). I think this was to show how important both were to him and how far off we were from what he wanted so that he could demonstrate his mercy through and the necessity of his Messiah.
I just found your blog--actually by doing a Google search on "grow me up." I have no idea who you are, but you remind me so much of me. I'll be watching your blog. I don't use mine except for poems and art; I write elsewhere. But I definitely want to keep reading yours.
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