SSLS 2016-12-05
2016 4th Quarter
Lesson 11, December 3-9, Out of the Whirlwind
Monday, December 5
Beware what the Sabbath School author says about the silence of God. No mention is made of God being silent when He appears. On Sunday’s lesson we are introduced to the sudden appearance of God in Job chapter thirty-eight. The transition from Elihu’s speech in defense of God is apparently interrupted by this nearing whirlwind in which God inserts His presence. God takes over the conversation from Elihu. Only where Elihu made indicative statements about the character of God, God now asks investigative questions of Job.
Other stories in the Bible provide evidence that our Omniscient God likes to ask questions. He doesn’t do this because He lacks in knowledge and understanding of the situation. He asks so that we might have opportunity to realize our own great need–even when we are evasive in our answers, or seek to place blame elsewhere!
“And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?… Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” KJV, Genesis 3:9, 11.
“And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?… And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” KJV, Genesis 4:6, 7, 9, 10.
“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?… And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?” KJV, 1 Kings 19:9, 13.
“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” KJV, Acts 9:4.
“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” KJV, Matthew 16:13.