The 7 Most Important Questions Asked In Scripture
The Bible asked the most profound, piercing and penetrating questions that is relevant to every generation. No human being on earth can escape these questions, even if you do not know the Bible well, you will have to encounter these questions, because they are part of the human existence.
The most importantly unique feature about Elohim’s questions in scripture, they can have different levels of meanings based on the context in which they are used. Questions in the Bible are asked by Elohim Himself, some by angels and others by men.
Some of these questions arise out of direct confrontation by Elohim and mankind, others through casual dialog, some are rhetorical questions intended to provoke food for thought or to make deep introspection of our relationship both horizontally (person-to-person) and vertically (person-to-Elohim).
Elohim ask questions of us, not because He doesn’t know the answers, because He knows all things. The questions from Elohim in the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, are to get us to think, to repent, and to get us back in right standing with Himself and our fellowmen.
Here are my seven most profound biblical questions I believe are so designed to make us think and reflect on more than just a good answer.
Biblical Question 1: “If a man dies, shall he live again?”
(Job 14:14,) “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come”. I make this question the number one for two reasons, first it is the oldest soul-searching question in the world, because it is recorded in the book of Job which is the oldest book in the Bible. It was written approximately 3,500 years ago. The second reason I prioritize this question, it is more relevant today than at any other time.
Barring the rapture and the return of Christ in our lifetimes, we will all die someday. Is there life after death? Everyone wonders about this question at some point.
Why is their suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people? If a man die, shall he live again? As Job pondered on that question, so it still plaques humanity until this day! Is death the end? What lies beyond the veil of death if anything? (6)
Job answers his own question as inspired by the Spirit.
He answers it here, and then again in Job 19:25-26 “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see Elohim”.
Jesus answered his question at the grave of Lazarus when he said: “I am the resurrection, and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 11:25
Paul answered his question when he wrote to the Church at Corinth: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”. 1 Cor 15:52
The believer in Christ shall experience:
a. Change in Address
One day whether through death or through the rapture of the church, we are going to change locations, addresses. We are going to our heavenly home that Christ has prepared for all those who have believed on him!
b. Change in Appearance
“Beloved now are we the sons of Elohim, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”. 1 John 3:2
Biblical Question 2: “Where are you?”
(Genesis 3:8-12) They heard the sound of Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Elohim among the trees of the garden. (9) Then Elohim called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” (10) He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” (11) And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (12) The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”
Did things turn out like you wanted or how I predicted?” The question also shows the heart of Elohim, which is the heart of a shepherd seeking out the lost lambs in order to bring them into the fold. Jesus would later come “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
This is the first recorded question by Elohim Himself in the Scriptures. It is not the first ever question mind you. That one was the infamous ‘Did Elohim really say?‘ posed by the serpent. But this is the first question from Elohim and on the surface level He is calling out to Adam, asking where He is. Of course, Elohim knew exactly where Adam and Eve were physically located. And yet He asks the question.
Why?
The question was for their benefit. Elohim was essentially asking, “You disobeyed me; how is that working out for you now? Elohim obviously wants Adam to acknowledge where he is and why he is there.
Where was he? Well, Adam was hiding! Why was he hiding from Elohim? Because he had disobeyed, fallen into sin and he was now fearful.
On the deeper level this question from Elohim goes beyond Adam, it is one that He has asked all mankind over the ages. Humankind has continued to run and hide from Elohim, and Elohim, in His compassion, has sought and continue to seek out the lost. (4)
That question is for everyone, how do you respond to Elohim asking that question of you? ‘Where are you at now?’ Are we hiding from Elohim or fully walking the path of righteousness in the light? Do we know that Elohim is ever seeking us out to draw us back/closer to Himself?
Biblical Question 3: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
(Genesis 4:8-12) Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
That was Cain’s question in response to Elohim’s question of where his brother Abel was. Similar to Cain’s parents Elohim commenced His response with specific Where? and What? Questions with the intent to bring the child in error face to face with his sin and hopefully to the point of confession and repentance.
Cain was claiming to be ignorant and innocent, but his ignorance was a lie, and his innocence was sarcastic with the intent to be harsh and hurtful. But all of Cain’s responses were rejected by Elohim who said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground”. Elohim’s omniscience countered Cain’s lies.
The result of Cain’s unrepentant sin were twofold: The ground would not yield productively when tilled by Cain, and secondly, he would be a fugitive and a vagabond throughout the earth. Elohim cursed the serpent in Genesis 3: 14, He also cursed the ground in Genesis 3:17, and now Cain.
Whereas Cain’s parents confess, although in an imperfect manner, Cain did not. However, Elohim did not pronounce a damnation that would prevent him from being saved. But he was driven away from his vocation. (5)
In effect Cain became the symbol of the unregenerated man in his straying and shifting in the earth without rest or peace. However, Elohim extended to Cain preemptive mercy by not giving to him the full penalty his sin deserved, but withholding from him, despite his lack of remorse.
As the Psalmist David says in Psalm 103: 8” The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him”.
Beyond the fact that Cain had just murdered his brother Abel, Cain was expressing the feeling we all have when we do not want to care about or look after other people. Are we our brother’s keeper? Yes, we are. Does this mean we have to know where they are and what they are doing 24/7? No. But, we should be invested enough in other people to notice when something seems to be out of place. We should care enough to intervene, and look out where the needs exist that we can help. (2)
Yes, we are our brother’s keeper, and Elohim is expecting us to look out for others who are created in His image, because that is a criteria for our salvation. Jesus said in Matthew 25: 31-46
“31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer [d]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Biblical Question 4: “Is any thing too hard for Elohim?”
(Genesis 18: 9-15): “ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh”.
Elohim is omnipotent, omniscient, all-powerful, and almighty. He can do anything according to His will and purpose. In these days many of Elohim’s people are discouraged, despondent and crippled with doubt. This ought not to be, for discouragement always comes from the Devil, despondency paralyses us of useful service and doubt dishonours the Lord.
Our focus must always be on the promises of Elohim. When we lose our focus we become distracted, and distraction leads to deception. If our faith needs to be fortified, then meditation in the Word of Elohim will do the trick! Because there is nothing, absolutely nothing is too hard for the LORD.
There is no PROBLEM too hard for the Lord to solve,
There is no PRAYER too hard for the Lord to answer,
There is no PERSON too hard for the Lord to save,
There is no PROMISE too hard for the Lord to fulfil,
There is no PLACE too hard for the Lord to revive, (8)
We so quickly get discouraged in our work for the Lord. The people of Elohim are frequently heard to say, ‘The work is very hard; it has gone down terribly, and it’ll never be the same again!’ But why should we accept this defeatist mentality when Elohim is LORD of the impossible?
I agree with every word of this song by Ron Kenoly: Whose report Will you believe?
We shall believe The report of the Lord.
His report says I am healed, His report says I am filled, His report says I am free, His report says victory.
With this in mind, we can have the confidence that GOD WILL ALWAYS BE IN CONTROL and that no matter what life brings, it will ultimately be for our own good.
Biblical Question 5 “How can a young person stay on the path of purity?”
(Psalm 119:9) “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word”: By living according to God’s Word, as the King James says, “by taking heed according to your word”. When we “hide” God’s Word in our hearts, the Word keeps us from sin (Psalm 119:11). The Bible does not tell us everything. It does not contain the answer to every question. But the Bible does tell us everything we need to know to live the Christian life (2 Peter 1:3). When we instruct young people on purity, we most often use it in terms of sexual purity, and it certainly includes that. It is also far more far reaching than just that aspect.
Why the focus on young people? Don’t us old folks fail in these areas too?
Of course we all do suffer similar temptations! So, this lesson, while directed towards a young person in the developmental stages of life, also applies to all of us at all time. It is just easier and longer lasting for some lessons to be taught and learned while a person’s mind is still transformable, teachable and able to change. In other words, before we become heart hardened and stiff necked.
Now back to our question: How does a person stay on the path of purity? As the Word of Elohim so often does, this question answers itself. We stay on the path of purity by living by and heeding the Word of Elohim, or put another way, by obeying the Word of Elohim. That’s easy, right? How do we know this is enough? God Himself tells us of the sufficiency of His word in our daily lives. (10)
Psalm 119:11 says: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of Elohim may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”.
The Word of Elohim tells us our purpose and instructs us how to fulfill that purpose. The Bible gives us the means and the end. Elohim will help us and enable us to live lives that are pure before Him. Elohim likely will not just deliver purity to us in a sack for us to unwrap. We have to actually take what Elohim gives us and apply it to our hearts and to our lives. (9)
Biblical Question 6 “Who do you say I am?”
(Matthew 16:13-17) “ 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? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven”.
Caesarea Philippi is a district about 25 miles north of Galilee, at the base of Mt Hermon. It is different from the city of Caesarea built by Herod the Great on the Mediterranean coast. (2)
People then and even today see Yeshua the Christ in so many different ways. I was shocked (not anymore), to discover that a man who should be a brother in the assembly where I fellowship, declared that Yeshua is not Elohim the Son, but an angel who is there with the Father from the beginning. Sound like some New Age doctrine.
The truth is, only the Holy Ghost can reveal the real identity of Christ. So Yeshua said to Peter, “…..flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven”. Elohim the Father opened Peter’s eyes the fulness of those claims, and reveal to him who Yeshua really was. To put it another way, Elohim opened Peter’s heart to this deeper knowledge of Christ by faith.
Peter was not just expressing an academic opinion about the identity of Christ, his was a personal confession of faith, made possible by a divine-regenerated heart
This question from Yeshua, is one of the most important that a person will ever answer. For most people, He is a good teacher. For some He is a prophet. For others He is a legend. Peter’s answer, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim,” is the correct answer (Matthew 16:16). C. S. Lewis addresses the issue of the various understandings of who Yeshua is in his book Mere Christianity:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell.
You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” (7)
Biblical Question 7 “What shall I do then with Jesus?”
(Matthew 27:19-26) 19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Everyone of us must make a decision about Elohim in our lifetime. This was Pilate’s question to the crowd gathered at Yeshua’s’ trial. Their answer: “Crucify Him!” Their shout a few days earlier had been different: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9).
The Christ was betrayed by Judas and arrested by the Roman soldiers. He was then facing Pilate who thought he held Yeshua’s fate in his hands. Unbeknown to him, what Pilate really held in his hands was his own fate. As Pilate was sitting on the judgement seat with Yeshua standing nearby, he asked a question that should cause each of us to stop and think.
It is doubtful whether Pilate truly understood the magnitude of the question, nor did he understand that he was making a decision that would affect his soul for all eternity. (11)
It is amazing how unfulfilled expectations and a little peer pressure can change public opinion. In first-century Jerusalem, people who had an errant view of Yeshua and His mission rejected Him; so, today, people who come to the Christian faith with an errant understanding of who Christ is will eventually turn away.
We must make sure we accurately present who Yeshua is and what Christianity is all about when we share our faith.
Conclusion
Those seven questions are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the number of questions in the Bible. One reason for the vast number of questions in Scripture, is the Jews way of answering question with a question, it is a part of their culture. You can typically identify this trend in Jesus’s discourse, for example, the encounter with the rich young ruler in Luke 18: 18-27;
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Another example is recorded in Luke 20: where the spiritual leaders of the day was questioning His authority. “…..the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, 2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? 3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?…….
And just one final example in that same chapter of Luke 20: with the same religious leaders trying to trap Jesus…..
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, “Why tempt ye me?” It is just normal to here a Jew answering a question with another question. That is cleaver way to get out of a trap or difficult situation.
Questions in the Bible are placed there by the author (Elohim) to keep us on our feet thinking, and reflecting where we stand spiritually, personally, relationally living a God-centered life.
References:
1. The Bible: Job 14: 14; Genesis 3: 8-12; 4: 8-12; 18: 9-15; Psalm 119: 9; Matthew 16: 13-17; 25:: 31-46; 27: 19-27
2. https://www.gotquestions.org/brothers-keeper.html
3. Edward G. Dobson, Charles L. Feinberg, Edward E. Hindson, Woodrow M. Kroll et al., Complete Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary, (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville Tennessee, 2005) P. 23, 26.
4. https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/post/GodQuestions
5. Michael Rydelnik, Michael Vanlaningham, The Moody Bible Commentary – (Moody Publishers, Chicago IL, 2014) P 48-49.
6. https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/if-a-man-die-shall-he-live-again-mike-turner-sermon-on-death-8382
7. https://www.gotquestions.org/questions-in-the-Bible.html
8. https://www.wordsoflife.co.uk/bible-studies/study-3-is-anything-too-hard-for-the-lord/
9. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary, (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville Tennessee, 2005) P. 1154.
10. https://truthinpalmyra.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/great-questions-in-the-bible-9/
11. https://www1.cbn.com/devotions/why-you-must-make-a-decision-about-god