very often, i find the bible rather 'contemporary'. what we grouse about in our day and age isn't very different from back then.
in times of persecution and suffering, Gideon asked the angel of God the same thing that we contemporary christians might ask - if God is good, why is there suffering?
in times of persecution and suffering, Gideon asked the angel of God the same thing that we contemporary christians might ask - if God is good, why is there suffering?
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
it seems like God has already provided the way out of suffering in the world, and that is by the actions of his followers who he has equipped and called. but like Gideon, we make many excuses for ourselves by dwelling on our inadequacies and even testing God's clarity.
the call for social justice doesn't have to be on a large political and military scale such as wiping out the Midianites. furthermore, God demonstrates to Gideon that it is not the strength of might or power that victory is obtained, but by the Spirit of the Lord. God cuts down the size of Gideon's army to a mere strength of 300 men which defeated the Midianite army of 120,000.
but like us, Gideon turns his back on God after a satisfying victory.
Gideon seems to have come full circle; the calling of Gideon to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors started with the instruction to destroy his family alter to Baal. and now Gideon reinstates the oppressive spiritual stronghold in his family by creating a gold idol with their plunder in which "all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family."
"what is he thinking!" we might flabbergast in bewilderment, "he is asking for trouble!" but perhaps in contemporary times, we too might be harboring our own idols and seeds of destruction that we resist uprooting.
so back to the initial question, "if God is good, why is there suffering?" from the account of Gideon in judges chapters 6-8, it is firstly because God's followers shun away from ameliorating the adversities and secondly, we ourselves sow the seeds of destruction.
the call for social justice doesn't have to be on a large political and military scale such as wiping out the Midianites. furthermore, God demonstrates to Gideon that it is not the strength of might or power that victory is obtained, but by the Spirit of the Lord. God cuts down the size of Gideon's army to a mere strength of 300 men which defeated the Midianite army of 120,000.
but like us, Gideon turns his back on God after a satisfying victory.
Gideon seems to have come full circle; the calling of Gideon to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors started with the instruction to destroy his family alter to Baal. and now Gideon reinstates the oppressive spiritual stronghold in his family by creating a gold idol with their plunder in which "all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family."
"what is he thinking!" we might flabbergast in bewilderment, "he is asking for trouble!" but perhaps in contemporary times, we too might be harboring our own idols and seeds of destruction that we resist uprooting.
so back to the initial question, "if God is good, why is there suffering?" from the account of Gideon in judges chapters 6-8, it is firstly because God's followers shun away from ameliorating the adversities and secondly, we ourselves sow the seeds of destruction.
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