How does Exodus 5:22 connect to other instances of questioning God in Scripture? Setting the Scene in Exodus 5:22 “So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, ‘Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?’ ” (Exodus 5:22) • Israel’s burdens have just increased after Moses’ first audience with Pharaoh. • Moses brings raw confusion to God: “Why trouble? Why send me?” • The question rises from faith that God is good and powerful—even when His plan seems hidden. A Pattern of Honest Questions Throughout Scripture • Job – “Why did I not perish at birth?” (Job 3:11). Later: “Why do You hide Your face?” (Job 13:24). • David – “How long, O LORD? Will You hide Your face forever?” (Psalm 89:46). • Asaph – “Has His loving devotion ceased forever?” (Psalm 77:8). • Jeremiah – “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” (Jeremiah 12:1). • Habakkuk – “How long, O LORD, must I call for help and You will not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2). • Gideon – “If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13). • Elijah – “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life.” (1 Kings 19:4). • John the Baptist – “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?” (Matthew 11:3). Each moment echoes Moses’ cry: God’s servants wrestle with an apparent mismatch between God’s promises and present pain. Common Threads in the Questions • They come from believers already in covenant relationship. • They arise in crisis, when obedience seems to make matters worse. • They are spoken directly to God, not merely about Him. • They reveal trust underlying the tension: only a God expected to act can be interrogated this way. God’s Responses: Reassurance and Revelation • To Moses (Exodus 6:1–8) – God reaffirms His name, covenant, and forthcoming deliverance. • To Job (Job 38–42) – God reveals His sovereign wisdom; Job’s perspective enlarges. • To David & psalmists – God often gives renewed confidence mid-psalm (e.g., Psalm 13:5-6). • To Habakkuk – God discloses His justice timeline and ends with a prophet rejoicing (Habakkuk 3:17-19). • To Gideon – God provides signs and a narrowed army so His power is unmistakable (Judges 7:2). • To John the Baptist – Jesus points to fulfilled messianic works (Matthew 11:4-6). In every case the Lord answers, not always by explaining suffering, but by unveiling more of Himself and His redemptive plan. Takeaways for Today • Scripture treats honest questions as part of faithful living; Moses stands in a long, godly line of questioners. • God’s character and promises remain literal bedrock; He invites transparency while moving history toward His stated ends. • When circumstances darken after obedience, Exodus 5:22 encourages bringing perplexity straight to the throne, expecting God to speak and act in line with His written word. |
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