When God starts asking the questions, it’s not because He is looking for answers.

He doesn’t need answers because He IS...the answer. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) There is nothing that God does not know, as He is omniscient, or ‘all knowing’ (1 John 3:20)

So when God does start asking questions, they are usually directed at us, and it’s not because He needs our advice or input either. God’s questions tend to be rhetorical in nature. The very definition of a ‘rhetorical question’ is a ‘question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer’.

Over the past several years, I have begun to notice more of those questions that God asked, and continues to ask of us today. Let’s examine some of those, and why not begin with the very first two questions we have recorded that God directed at His creation back in the opening pages of Genesis. Interestingly, He asked these two questions AFTER...Adam and Eve 'sinned'...and ate off the one tree God told them to not eat off of, because ‘in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’ (Gen. 2:17)

I think it would be fruitful to give pause after you read each one of these as we go through some of them today...and just let them ‘sink in’ a bit.

And that very first one God asked: “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9). (Yes, He’s talking to you, now)

The next one God asked as a follow up question has really impacted me in a tremendous way the past few years. Adam ‘explained’ to God that he heard His voice in the garden, and was ‘afraid because he was naked, so he hid himself’ (10).

And that’s when God asked Adam: “Who told you that?” (11). This one needs to really ‘marinate’ in our soul for a good bit of time as I have a hunch that might be why Paul advises us to ‘bring into captivity...’every thought...to the obedience of Christ’ (2 Cor. 10:5).

Have you ever noticed how quick people are to just believe everything they see or come across these days without even giving it a second thought? Who cares if it is true anymore...as long as it agrees with or ‘fits the narrative’ of what we already believe. No wonder many who are perishing will believe the ‘lie’ that God actually sends because they have ‘no love for the truth’ (2 Thess. 2:10-12).

But wait; there are more questions. Do you know why God ‘lowered the hedge’ that was designed to protect His ‘vineyard’? He came looking for ‘good fruit’ and found only ‘wild’ or ‘bad’ fruit. This 'fruit thing' seems to be an ongoing theme in our NT. So God asked: “What more could have been done for My vineyard that I have not done in it?” (Isa. 5:4) You might want to read vs. 1-7 for context, and then the rest of that chapter to see how serious God can be when it comes to wanting good fruit. Remember the parable in Luke 13:6-9? And let's not forget the warning in 1 Pet. 4:17 as well.

Friends...this is why I fear so many people do not really understand what God’s ‘salvation’ was, is, and is supposed to do for a fallen world today. Jesus came to set the ‘captives’ free (Luke 4:18). Ever notice how it always seems to be God’s people who get taken into captivity, too? (Isa. 5:13; Jer. 13:17; Lam. 1:3,5,18; Deut. 28:41). What do you think He came to ‘free’ us from? Maybe a quick review of John 8:32-36 will ring a bell, where Jesus explained how ‘sin’ keeps us captive (34) but we shall ‘know the truth, and the truth shall set us free’. 

Go read Hebrews 2:1-3, and then ask yourself what it means to ‘neglect so great a salvation’, and then consider what it is we are hoping to ‘escape ‘ from. Now, I would suggest you go read Hebrews 10:26-36, slowly. What do you think it means to ‘sin willfully’? Granted, it does use that term for those who have ‘come to the knowledge of the truth’; and I would submit to you that many today are still in the dark (regarding this 'truth')... that Jesus set them free from sin, which is why they continue to ...sin.

When pulpits across the land continue to drill it into the hearts/minds of church members that they remain to be ‘sinners’...why would we expect anything less, because that is what ‘sinners’ do- they sin!

We then read there in Heb. 10:36 why we ‘have need of endurance’ (yesterday’s message)...so that “after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise”

The ‘will of God’? Are we supposed to be ‘doing’ something? Would you please go read 1 Pet. 4:1-2 now, and note what happens to ‘believers’ after they have ‘suffered in the flesh’; what do they no longer do? And so they can then ‘do’ what?

Are we not told in Eph. 5:8-17 to not be ‘unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is’? That kind of goes along with a very clear statement given by Jesus in Matt. 7:21, where He says it is NOT...”those who say, ‘Lord, Lord’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who DO the will of the Father who is in heaven”. And why will many be turned away, according to vs. 23 there? They continued to practice sin.

Last three questions asked by the Lord, for today, that you might want to spend some time reflecting on. They really need no additional commentary by me, that is for sure.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’...and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)

“Do you love Me?” (Jesus directed this at Peter, three times in a row, but we would do good to give it some thought ourselves, for sure. (John 21:15-17)

And last, but not least: “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6). It was a simple, ‘yes or no’ question. So...do you?