Who, What, When, Where, Why?Why is God?
Posted by Church of God of Carmichael on Sunday, August 2, 2020
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We are continuing this, the last of our series, Who, What, When, Where, and Why? Who is God, What is God, When is God, Where is God, and this morning, …Why is God? Curious question to ask about God. .. Why is God? This is the most fundamental of these questions, and perhaps the most important, …”Why is God?” Each of these questions are designed to help us understand God through our belief, our knowledge, our experience, resulting in our hope. All of these things help us understand …how do we know something? In these times we are living, we may have spent some time asking these fundamental questions about God…. Who, What, When, Where, and Why is God? Some might consider this is kind of common, ordinary, to ask these questions when they’ve already concluded the answers. Why is God important to us, why should I even ask? I’ve already answered that years ago. Well, ….we’re finding that when we are strained to our limit, when we find ourselves in circumstances, such as we find ourselves today, that these questions help ground us in our most precious, fundamental belief, help return us to the knowledge that will sustain us, allowing us to participate in a “open door,” to which we pass into an experience with God, and ultimately they will extend hope. Hope in a rather hopeless world. These questions will ground us, to have a precious opportunity to have a relationship with God. which is the fundamental essence of our knowledge of God, and ultimately our experience with Him. .
TEXT: EXODUS 14:9-11
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
The Israelite’s asked “wherefore hast thou dealt thus?” Or WHY has thou dealt thus? They were dealt seemingly the dilemma to drown in this Red Sea, or be slaughtered by the ever pursuing Egyptians, right behind them!. And their questions continue more than once….”Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?” “WHY did you bring us out here to die in the desert? In their mere strength of humanity, realistically they really didn’t understand the why of their being there. “Why take us from our suffering in slavery, to only come here to die ? In A fool’s choice for us.” To be fair, they were not altogether dishonest to ask this question. They really didn’t understand why they were there. ( Just like today we also don’t really often understand ‘why’ we are here ?) Why is this God more important than that in Egypt? Why this God? The Why question does not yet presume the existence of whatever you are asking. Yet if you ask the Why question, it does presume that whatever you are inquiring about does exist. For example if a person is standing nearby, if you then ask “Who” is that, ..that presumes that person exists. If the person is not there, you don’t ask the question. If you ask where was “it” last week, that presumes it ..is there now, ..but not last week. So the Who, What, When, Where questions all presume something is in existence, ..but not the “Why,” question! The Why question doesn’t presume whatever you are referring to is in existence, but instead is asking …”Why” do I need that? The other “W” questions are wondering about ..if something is in existence ..instead. So the children of Israel are essentially asking a “Why” question. Why are we here in the wilderness about ready to be destroyed, and we don’t understand “Why?” Why God? This is the first instance of Israel asking the Why question about God. But God answered that “Why” question when He parted the red sea. Exodus 14:21,22 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Their second Why question also He answered; Exodus 17: 1, 2 The people now journeyed to Rephidim, and there was no water. “Why” are we here, and how do you expect us to survive? You first brought us to a place where we were almost slaughtered, and now a place where there is not water. Why? You say it is because of a God that can solve our problems, but the problem now is one of existence; now in a desert without water. You can go for a while without food, but you can’t go too long without water! Especially in a desert. They don’t know how to escape around this place, and ask Moses, “Why” have you brought us here to a place with no water?
In Exodus 32: 1-4 Moses had delayed coming down from Mt Sinai for 40 days. The people can’t see ‘why’ God is important if He seems to not be answering their problems. Aaron can’t answer the “Why,” question either, even though he had “seen” God work, and answered all those other “W” questions. He knew who God was ! And yet Aaron falls in with them, and gets swept up, so in that moment, can’t answer the “Why” either. Then he falls into the same trap of why they should even follow Moses either. So chooses to also go down that road of the people in building a golden calf, an idol for their “god.” This illustrates that we have to begin with “Why.” Our young people of all ages, have to begin with “Why God?” Why is God essential for the rest of your lives? If the church cannot support that person to ask that question, which must be answered in their heart, and our parents cannot support our children in also asking ‘that’ question, then don’t expect them to go on to the other questions which are for a deeper relationship with God. So that they can answer …’Why’ is God important to you? The “Why” question is fundamental to the Christian experience! Every day we ask “why” questions…about all kinds of decisions. Why do I continue to serve God? Is it necessary? You have to confront the question! Why should I care about God? Answer it for yourself if for no other reason! We each need to struggle to answer those “Why” God questions. I must not presume Satan can give me what God can give me. If discouraged…’why’ God? Some people think imagination is always about something that is not real. But imagination is not always a negative thing. We need to consider that “imagination” is necessary when we ask this “Why,” question about God. Why are we even considering God? So imagination can also mean something that is possible! Imagine what it would be like to have all your questions answered by a supernatural God! When wondering, questioning why God hasn’t answered your prayer, ..just keep asking the question, and then imagine God desires to give you access to the answer! So then imagination is not then make belief, but gives us access to hope! A hope that Jesus can change us, because of the love He has for us!
Why God?