Questioning

Based on Judges 12-13, Psalm 47

It's very easy to get lost in a world of questioning-especially asking "why." Why now? Why not? Why this circumstance??

Questioning happened in God's Word constantly-whether it be the enemy questioning God's people, or God's people questioning God. All it boils down to is whether or not there was a trust in God. If we trust in God, who is the ULTIMATE ANSWER, then we won't get lost in the spiral of questioning!

"And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands." Judges 12:1‭-‬2

Here is a situation where the enemy was questioning Jephthah & God's people. They basically asked, "Why didn't you call us to come with you to fight Ammon (the other enemy)?" And instead of getting intimidated, Jephthah stood firm and explained that in previous circumstances, Ephraim did not choose to let them pass through their land when they needed to. So, Jephthah had a special question for the Ephraimites:

"And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand."
Judges 12:5‭-‬6

The Ephraimites would have to prove through their speech who they were in order to be allowed passage by the Israelites! God always has a way of defending His people, no matter who or what is trying to harm them!

Next we come to a couple who were questioning God's orders through His angel. They didn't necessarily doubt what was taking place, but they just wanted to be sure. Even still, we need to know that we can always be sure of God, without question!

"But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born."
Judges 13:7‭-‬8

A woman was visited by an angel, and the angel told her that after years of barrenness, she would have a son. This son would follow special orders of The Lord and be set apart for Him. Manoah, the woman's husband, wanted just a little more proof of this. He wanted the angel to appear again and explain it to him too. The angel did so, and just as Manoah said, he questioned the plan:

"And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?"
Judges 13:11‭-‬12

Sure enough, the angel confirmed what the woman had said previously. Then Manoah had another question:

"And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on." Judges 13:17‭-‬19

Manoah asked the name of the angel, but the angel said that is a secret thing. God is of utmost importance; the angel knew he was just a messenger. So, Manoah & his wife focused on making an offering to God like they should have done. Instead of more questioning, sometimes we just have to thank God for what He is doing now instead of always questioning the future!

"The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted."
Psalms 47:9

It all belongs to God! Above all the things we seek, He is the answer! We can find peace & refuge in Him knowing that we don't have to worry about what tomorrow will bring. Let Him be greatly exalted!!!