Friday: Further Thought – Symbolic Acts
The image of the potter and the clay, especially as seen in Romans 9:1-33, brings up the important question of how we seek to understand God’s actions. The fact is, of course, we often don’t. That shouldn’t be surprising, should it? Read Isaiah 55:8.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
As human beings, we simply are very limited in what we can know about anything, much less about all the ways of God.
This point, the limitation of human knowledge, is revealed by what has been called the self-referential problem.
Look at this sentence: The barber of Seville shaves everyone who doesn’t shave himself.
Does the barber of Seville shave himself? If he shaves himself, he can’t shave himself because he shaves everyone who doesn’t shave himself. But if he doesn’t shave himself, then he has to shave himself, for the same reason-because he shaves everyone who doesn’t shave himself. The answer forms an insolvable paradox that reveals the limits of reason. Thus, if reason gets tangled in itself on something as mundane as whom the barber of Seville shaves, how much more so on something as profound as the nature and extent of God’s dealings in the world? What we do have is the Cross, which gives us abundant reason to trust in Him and His love even when what happens in His world makes no sense to us at all.
To many minds the origin of sin and the reason for its existence are a source of great perplexity. They see the work of evil, with its terrible results of woe and desolation, and they question how all this can exist under the sovereignty of One who is infinite in wisdom, in power, and in love. Here is a mystery of which they find no explanation. And in their uncertainty and doubt they are blinded to truths plainly revealed in God’s word and essential to salvation.
-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 492.
Discussion Questions:
- What challenges does the idea of God’s absolute sovereignty present to us in regard to the question of evil? How does the great controversy scenario help us work through the tough questions, at least partially for now?
- What other symbols can you find in the Bible? Why would God use symbols anyway? What are the advantages of symbols?
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1). What challenges does the idea of God’s absolute sovereignty present to us in regard to the question of evil? How does the great controversy scenario help us work through the tough questions, at least partially for now?
*If He is sovereign indeed, Why doesn't He come up with a solution for He is all knowing and all present in the past, present, future? But the Great Controversy helped me understand the patience and perseverance of our Almighty Awesome Creator God for as a Creator and Abba Father he did not like to destroy or kill Satan for He wanted him to repent and that is enough for me for this life until in the Millennium when he will guide me to understand His just dealings with Satan and sin and i will agree and love him completely for His Amazing Grace unmerited to me and others, for even Satan as Revelation 20 and the evil angels and men will agree that their destruction by fire is just by God.
2). What other symbols can you find in the Bible? Why would God use symbols anyway? What are the advantages of symbols?
* The Jonah story of Nineveh, showing God's undying love and interest in the eternity of mankind and not primarily their destruction for He warns before bringing destruction to the wayward and stone hearted unrepentant sinners.
* The advantages of symbols for it is readily understood by the audience for it is everyday life issues and dealings, such as the agricultural symbols and parables.
Symbols are not limited by circumstances, culture or time. God in his infinite wisdom knows how to communicate with his creatures. He also knows how to call are attention and symbols are a great way to do that.
Why does Jehovah use symbols? Because of how our minds work! We remember concrete things like a clay jar or a linen belt more easily than an abstract concept of how an invisible God interacts with us.
Symbols are not always clearly understood by everyone. The apostle Paul used symbols for the " whole amore of God " in Eph.6:10-17, and in verse 19 calls the Gospel a mystery, as well as in Eph.3:3,4,9. Mark 4:11&12 are the most difficult to understand, for me. It sounds very much like Jesus is saying that He doesn't want some to be forgiven. That is just not possible,is it? The word "lest" may be the problem. If the word,so, was used instead of lest,it might be more understandable. It is likely saying that if someone refuses to see or hear, they will not seek forgiveness. If so, it could have been structured a little differently for our,- my, understanding. Jesus refers to the Kingdom of God as a mystery. However there is a distinction as to whom these words were addressed. Who are the outsiders?
To me the mystery only exists to the mind that has not been renewed by God's grace! The human mind in its sinful state is incapable of understanding God's grace to sinners! Not a mystery to the mind that has received the new birth. So Paul can say "to me this mystery has been revealed!