Contending with God
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.”
Luke 20:29–33
The Sadducees of Jesus’ day were proud of their intellectual accomplishments. They viewed themselves as superior to the common people, thinking their education and adoption of elements of the Greek and Roman societies elevated them above others. Yet when they attempted to trap Jesus, as they did in Luke 20, they found themselves hopelessly tangled in their own arguments. The best that they could come up with did not challenge or stress Him in the slightest.
God is far above us, and it is the height of folly to imagine that we can contend with Him. James Weldon Johnson’s poem “The Prodigal Son” begins with these lines:
Young man—
Young man—
Your arm’s too short to box with God.
The only proper response to the Lord is to bow before Him in submission, recognizing His Divine authority and to do whatever He says. Nothing else will do. Job said, “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand” (Job 9:2–3).
Human knowledge has increased greatly in the past few decades. Year after year new discoveries are made, bringing advances that man has never known before. Yet all of those are old news to God. Nothing ever occurs to Him, surprises Him, or forces Him to rework His plans. Our fallen nature and our pride do not like to admit that anyone is superior to us, but God is far beyond anything we can imagine.
Luke 20:29–33
The Sadducees of Jesus’ day were proud of their intellectual accomplishments. They viewed themselves as superior to the common people, thinking their education and adoption of elements of the Greek and Roman societies elevated them above others. Yet when they attempted to trap Jesus, as they did in Luke 20, they found themselves hopelessly tangled in their own arguments. The best that they could come up with did not challenge or stress Him in the slightest.
God is far above us, and it is the height of folly to imagine that we can contend with Him. James Weldon Johnson’s poem “The Prodigal Son” begins with these lines:
Young man—
Young man—
Your arm’s too short to box with God.
The only proper response to the Lord is to bow before Him in submission, recognizing His Divine authority and to do whatever He says. Nothing else will do. Job said, “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand” (Job 9:2–3).
Human knowledge has increased greatly in the past few decades. Year after year new discoveries are made, bringing advances that man has never known before. Yet all of those are old news to God. Nothing ever occurs to Him, surprises Him, or forces Him to rework His plans. Our fallen nature and our pride do not like to admit that anyone is superior to us, but God is far beyond anything we can imagine.
Today’s Growth Principle:
The only proper response to the Lord of the universe is humble obedience in every part of life.
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