I was working on a study for my 5-8th grade bible study group today...We are going to be going over the Great Controversy. Now in my opinion it is hard to argue the rift between Good and Evil, God and Satan. It is hard to argue the existence of Satan. (I won't go into my challenges with using Isaiah 14, and Eze. 28 as proofs of Satan's rebellion) Anyways the belief statement ties the flood into this story and it got me thinking, how was the flood a win situation for God in the Great Controversy theme? Seems to me that the flood could have been used as proof that God was a tyrant that just wanted to get his own way?
Now I'm a believer in miracles and even in God's intervention in nature. But could the narrative about the flood be God trying to save people from an upcoming natural disaster, wanting to save everybody?
I'm not going to bring any of this up with the kids, but I'd love to hear some feedback. How does the flood make God look good? Or how does it play into the Great Controversy theme? Isn't it just like the kid who is losing at checkers so they decide to knock over the board to get a new game?
Sorry to sound sacrilegious.
Benji
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Hi Benji,
Interesting that you should bring up the the flood in the light of the Great Controversy. I just read CH. 7 of Patriarchs and Prophets and have copied the last few paragraphs below. I was struck by how the conditions before the flood are so similar to the end of the world. The flood has everything to do with the great controversy. It is a personal choice we make to believe Satan's accusations against God or to trust God's goodness and faithfulness and wisdom and love. The character of God--can He be trusted, is what is at stake in the great controversy. I'm glad you are thinking this through for yourself. There are lots of resources, starting with the source I'm quoting here, but also much good work done by SDA theologians.. More to follow, but have you read this recently...
Due to comment restraints the link to the above comment is here. http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp7.html
Here is a rich, excellent resource: Check out Godscharacter.com
Love,
Let me add this question as well. Did God cause The Flood? would that then mean that he caused the tsunami in Asia or the hurricane that hit Haiti? Isn't that dangerous theological ground to travel on? How far does our view of inspiration take us? Of course the Bible is not a science book, but did God just let humanity believe that like all other Gods he was in direct control of nature?
I guess I'm uncomfortable with that?
Hey Benji
How I'd love to have a face to face chat with you on this flood story.
Here's my struggling thought.
It seems God does not look good banishing A&E from the nice place He gave them, leaving them to start over by digging the soil, etc.
Just so the flood is harsh in spite of 120 years of Noah preaching 'grace.'
From a human perspective God never looks good when evaluated by our standards - what would we do if we being nice.
God has always risked appearing not nice, it seems.
Even the final extermination is horrible, though it's end is desirable.
With one exception.
Calvary.
A God making Himself vulnerable, exposed, and all that Isaiah 53 describes - why? The GC makes no sense to me until I look there. I'm stunned and taken by the mystery of such a God.
I'll be your pupil/student, if you wish
I know you're having fun with your precious kids!
Fondly,
Ivan
I think there are bigger questions behind what you have stated. If we would understand the "mystery of iniquity", it would no longer be a mystery. If we could understand God, we would have to have all the knowledge S/He has and we would then be God because S/He would no longer be omniscient. Getting those questions into perspective helps us to look at the other questions of good and evil. As Ivan has indicated the center of the controversy is the cross, but we can't really even explain salvation. It will take eternity for us to explore. Maybe when we are using more than just 10% of our brains it will be easier to understand. For now, I have to decide how big my God is and whether I'm willing to trust. Those are big decisions.
I think there are bigger questions behind what you have stated. If we would understand the "mystery of iniquity", it would no longer be a mystery. If we could understand God, we would have to have all the knowledge S/He has and we would then be God because S/He would no longer be omniscient. Getting those questions into perspective helps us to look at the other questions of good and evil. As Ivan has indicated the center of the controversy is the cross, but we can't really even explain salvation. It will take eternity for us to explore. Maybe when we are using more than just 10% of our brains it will be easier to understand. For now, I have to decide how big my God is and whether I'm willing to trust. Those are big decisions.
Hey Benji...love the thoughts! Just a question that popped into my head. If God didn't cause the flood, then how are we to interpret the analogy of destruction by fire after the millenium as compared to destruction by water during Noah's time? What force of nature will cause the destruction by fire if not God?
Post a Comment