A Layman's Look at Questions God Asked

By S. (Steve) V. Dedmon

The third in the Layman's Look series, Questions God Asks begins in Genesis and ends in Malachi looking along the way at questions God asked individuals and a nation. From the first man Adam, to a king, to a reluctant evangelist and satan himself, no one was exempt. Of those God asked, some were hiding, some were running, satan became c

• Language: English
• Publisher: BluewaterPress LLC
• Release date: Jan 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781604521771

Book preview

DEDICATION

This is dedicated to my wife Suzanne,

who continues, besides the Lord

Jesus Christ, to be my most ardent advocate,

cheerleader, and encourager,

and to my daughter, Stefanie, and son, Seth,

in whom my pride and hope to see them meet

all life’s challenges never wavers nor falters,

and to see then grow in the knowledge and likeness of Christ.

PREFACE

This is my third faith-based book. The first, A Layman’s Look at the Baptist Faith and Message, was written to give an alliterative overview and outline of the basic tenets of the Southern Baptist faith. My second, A Layman’s Look at Questions Jesus Asked looked at questions…hold on…that Jes us asked.

As I am a product of expository and alliterative preaching and teaching, initially influenced by my pastors Drs. Homer Lindsay, Jr., Jerry Vines and Mac Brunson at First Baptist in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as Dr. John Phillips, I have embraced it as my personal teaching style. Purposefully, I have written this book in an alliterative manner, which is also how my mind works, for better or for worse, but hopefully will be easily understood as well as a medium, through which my message is clearly communicated. To help with the communication aspects, at the end of each chapter, I have included the outline used throughout the text. With this one, as I did the second, I expounded the commentary to include my own experiences or observations to be used as the reader or teacher sees fit.

As was the first two, this book was written as a product God laying it on my heart to try and convey what I have been taught and questionably learned! In that light, as honestly as possible, I have attempted to be and hopefully have been, biblical, thus spiritually sound. My target audience is the individual learner or teacher who have possibly never looked at or may not have given any thought to what they believe about the things of God, why they believe them, or where to find them. Whether fresh to the new believer or a refresher for those grounded in the faith, prayerfully it will be spiritually educational and practical.

As to possible group training, my point was to have enough, but not too many individual lessons. By limiting the questions they can be done over a six week period, with one left over. One thing I have been convicted about in conventional teaching material is the duration over which lessons are taught. My emphasis was to make sure there is not so much material over an extended period of time as to not forget where the lessons began.

Whether for individual or group study, my prayer is the Lord will be glorified and the individual edified...as A Layman Looks at Questions God Asked.

Chapter 1

Where art thou?

Genesis 3:9

Where are you? As a child, it may have been a game your parents played with you or you as a parent played with your children. Actually, the game began by making a definitive statement-Peekaboo, I see you. Probably with a blanket or your hands over your child’s face you would suddenly pull away the blanket, and say, there you are, all to the delight and infectious laughter of an innocent, willing participant. At some point, the reaction and enthusiasm of the participant may diminish, but it was fun while it lasted.

From a game saying, I see you to a question asking, where are you both become the focus of Genesis 3:9. The where question has a variety of implications. Like the innocent game, one could be related to one’s physical location. Unlike the game, the question could be related to a person’s emotional state at a given point in time. Still another could convey someone’s spiritual standing. In Genesis 3, this was the first question God asked and it encompassed more than just Adam’s physical location. The answer, as we will find, gives great insight to the character of God and the character of man. From the wonder and marvel of a childhood game, the question of Where are you can have adult ramifications.

Being so close to Genesis 1, I am going to use this opportunity to provide an overview of the creation account, with the operative word being-overview. The creation narrative has been the context for countless sermons from the pulpit and lessons from the classroom. In fact, while pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville Florida, Dr. Jerry Vines did three separate sermons on the four opening words of Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God.¹ I am not going to do something that intensive as related to the creation account, but hope you find it informative.

In the opening verse, Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God we see God as the Originator. Thus, in God we see Cosmology, which is defined as the study of the origin of all things. Another definition of cosmology is the science of the origin and development of the universe. No matter how the word is literally defined, cosmology is practically determined to be in God and of His own creation. To say it as succinctly as possible, the inception of everything began with God.

Not only do we find the definition of cosmology, but the inception of Theology. Like cosmology, if you were to google the word theology you would find various definitions. The most prevalent and the one I am going to use in relation to the creation account is, theology is the study of the nature of God. As to the study of God in the creation account there is none to be done. Genesis 1:1 does not attempt to expound on who God is either by definition or explanation. It just plainly, simply, correctly and definitively states – in the beginning God.

In fact, only God can explain Himself and as we will see later in Exodus 3:14, He only uses two words to do so - I Am and that is all the explanation that is needed. Finite man has attempted to explain the infinite and has fallen woefully short. We have come up with humanly enlightenments pertaining to who or what, or how people perceive or do not perceive God by using such terms as atheism, polytheism, pantheism, and deism, but again, how can the finite define the infinite? We cannot, and the words, in the beginning God refutes any and all attempts to challenge His deity and as such, all theology begins and ends in God.

Before I get revved up discussing God as the Creator, if you get the theology right (above), all the rest of what you read me discussing takes care of itself. So…the Bible says in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In that one verse we see God dealing with three distinctly different aspect of creation. In the beginning God is the creator of time. Creating heaven is corelated with space. Then finally He creates earth which is matter. To leave no doubt, in one sentence the Bible proclaims God created time, space and matter.

Moving to Genesis 1:3 God creates Luminosity as He says, let there be light. Without going too far in depth but noting a practical application in separating the light from the darkness, as a Christian I need to understand there is a distinction between light and dark. Jesus, in John 8:12, said, I am the light of the world and I need to distinctly live in, and be light in a conspicuously, immorally dark world, and that separation began, in the beginning, with God. Not only do we see Luminosity, but we see Chronology, as the evening and the morning were the first day (Genesis 1:5). Through this, as alluded to above in Genesis 1:6-8 God expounds on the concept of cosmology.

From there God moves on to Geography (Genesis 1:9) describing land and water. With grass, herbs and fruit in verse 11 we see Botany and in an expanded view Biology, (dealing with all living organisms) in verses 9-12. Also, if you look in Genesis 2:11, you will find Metallurgy, where there is gold, and in verses 12, Geology, "the onyx stone."

In verses 14-19 of Genesis 1, God creates Astronomy, as there is the creation of the sun, moon, and stars. I trust you will not confuse the world’s counterfeit creation of Astrology as they attempt to look to the heavens for direction as opposed to looking there to find the God of astronomy. Contrary to the world’s wisdom, my future is not defined by the astrological orientation of the planets. God set the universe and all its parts in place for His own good pleasure and it is by His own hand and will that He assures what will affect my mortality and immortality, not some alignment of the stars, moon, and planets.

The creation account now moves to animal life. The first is life associated with Oceanography. Genesis 1:21 begins with great sea monsters and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth. Thus we see God created Ichthyology (the study of fish). In that same verse Ornithology is represented as God, creates every winged fowl. God them moves to Zoology as exemplified by the creation of living creatures, cattle, and creeping thing and beast of the earth (Genesis 1:24-25). Interestingly I was in a Sunday school class, or small group as you may understand that term, and the argument of which came first the chicken or the egg came up. I was a bit taken aback as some in the class were on different sides of the issue. Seemed pretty clear to me Genesis 1:24-25 addresses that argument, but then again that’s me.

God then turns to His creation of Humanity. The account is given generally here but specifically later in chapter 2. God specifically says in Genesis 1:26, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."² As you will note humanity is mentioned first (man), but we are also introduced to the reality of the Trinity (in our image, after our likeness).

As you are probably aware the word trinity is not in the Bible, but the practicality and reality is obviously referenced here and specifically illustrated in Matthew 3:16-17. There, Jesus...went straightway out of the water...the Spirit of God descending like a dove...and lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. With the inference of the three persons of the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit by the words Let us" here in the Old Testament, there is visual and audible confirmation in the New Testament account in Matthew.

With the creation of, male and female created he them, in Genesis 1:27 and Woman, because she was taken out of Man we see God created not only Sexuality but Gender Identity. The Bible is very clear and specific as to God’s intent as related to gender; it is separate and distinct. As I write this, gender is being discussed and debated publicly as well as certain aspects being mandated politically. People, the private and very public, are changing their gender surgically, medically and mentally. Politically, the government has mandated schools who wish to continue receiving federal funds must remove gender specific restrooms.

As related to males and females sharing the same restroom this issue goes beyond one’s physicality, but to one’s mentality. We are now at the point where one’s gender is defined by which gender they identify with or wish to be as opposed to their physical attributes.³ There is also how a person is defined genetically (and I may be stretching the definition and application), by their DNA, including one’s gender.⁴ In this case, one cannot alter their genetic identity. Society, and as related above, the government sees great empathy in letting people go/do what they mentally perceive their sexuality/identity to be. Thus, if they are physically male, but identify as female, then using a female restroom is appropriate.

The problem, as I see this, is society in the name of inclusiveness is making an emotional argument that cannot come to a logical conclusion. Using the I think I am thus I am argument and this may be simplistic for such a complicated issue, but what if I think I am the president? Despite all the evidence to the contrary, as in I never ran for the office, never campaigned, never won an election, never took the oath of office, all that does not matter because I still think I am the president. No matter how much or what I think, perceive, or wish as to who I believe myself to be as related to being the president, there is too much evidence to the contrary.

It sounds compassionate to let people go where they wish and do want they want as related to a person’s perception of themselves. Society, and in some cases Christians also, fall into the well if it is not hurting anyone, the who am I to tell someone, who am I to judge camp and do not see gender identity as an issue on which to take a stand.

Without being judgmental and hopefully expressing myself in a loving manner I believe God created Gender Identity and it is my responsibility to stand up to man’s attempts to defy God’s distinctive creations of those male and female and man and woman. You will note I used the term stand up to and not against in the previous sentence. This gets a bit tricky, but hang in, as here is my meager attempt to explain.

Too often, the world contends. Christians are said to be against beliefs believed to be contrary to the teachings of the Bible. So being against something takes on a negative connotation. I contend by standing for