Q&A With God

[God] said: “Who is this that darkens My counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.” (Job 38:1–3, NIV 1984).

Ice breaker: Is it a good thing to question God, why or why not? Is it a good thing to be questioned by God, why or why not?

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have You loved us?’ (Malachi 1:2, NIV 1984)

• How is this question generally asked by people today?
• How would you respond to such a question?

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due Me? If I am a master, where is the respect due Me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for Your name?’” (Malachi 1:6, NIV 1984).

• In what ways does this verse show that we show contempt for God? Are there any other ways?
• Is it possible to question god and not be in contempt? Explain.

“When you bring injured, crippled, or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 1:13–14, NIV 1984).

• In what ways do we “bring injured, crippled, or diseased animals” nowadays?
• Why is this being a cheat?

“Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?” (Malachi 2:10, NIV 1984).

• How might this apply to the church?

“You have wearied the Lord with your words.” ‘How have we wearied him?’ you ask. By saying, ‘All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’” (Malachi 2:17, NIV 1984).

• Why would these weary God? Can they also anger Him? Why or why not?

“Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’” (Malachi 3:6-7, NIV 1984).

• What does it mean to turn away?
• How do we return and why must we take the initiative?

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.” (Malachi 3:8-10, NIV 1984).

• What is the “whole tithe?” Is it the same for everyone? Why or why not?

“You have said harsh things against me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?’” (Malachi 3:12–14, NIV 1984).

• Have there been times that you felt like it was “futile to serve God,” that there is little to “gain by carrying out his requirements?” Is it only harsh to say things like that, or also to feel like that? Explain.

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name. (Malachi 3:16, NIV 1984).

• After this, there are no more questions from God in chapter 4 of Malachi. Why?

“You [God] asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely, I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:3–6, NIV 1984).

• If God were to question you today, what questions would He be asking you? How would you respond? With ears that had heard and eyes that had seen?

The man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8–9, NIV 1984).

• Does God ask questions that He does not know the answer to? Then why does He ask?