Open Heaven 13 August 2023: When God Asks a Question
MEMORISE: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said; Who is this that darkeneth counsel without words? Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Job 38:1-3
BIBLE READING: 1 KINGS 19:9-14 (KJV)
And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lordpassed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a]a still small voice.
13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
Read Yesterday’s Open Heaven Devotional here
In our Bible reading for today, God asked Elijah the same question twice: “What doest thou here, Elijah?” God is not talkative; if He asks the same question twice, there must be a reason behind it. Usually, when God asks you a question, it is a test.
In John 6:5-7, when Jesus saw the crowd, He turned and asked one of the disciples where they would find food to feed the people.
The Bible added that the question was to test him, for He already knew what He would do. The teacher knows the answer; He only tests the student when He asks a question.
In Genesis 3:1-7, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and hid behind a tree, God had already seen them. Yet He asked, “Adam, where art thou?” When Adam said “We heard Your voice and were afraid because we were naked”.
He asked further, “Who told you that you’re naked?” He knew already, but still He asked to see what they would say.
Unfortunately, they were pushing the blame and so they got the punishment they deserved. In Genesis 4:3-10, God asked Cain where Abel was.
When Cain said he didn’t know, God responded, “His blood is crying to me from where you killed and buried him”. God knew where Abel was from the onset, yet He asked Cain where he was and sadly, Cain never told the truth.
When God asks you a question, especially concerning a sin that you committed, fall on your face and beg for mercy. That question is a test to see if you are really repentant or not.
If, on the other hand, He asks you a question that is not pertaining to a sin you committed, my advice is that you ask the Holy Spirit to help you answer.
In our Bible reading for today, God asked Elijah the same question twice and he gave the same answer both times. I believe God asked the second time because He had hoped Elijah would answer differently.
I feel that if Elijah had not answered the questions with frustration, he wouldn’t have been asked to anoint his replacement yet.
In Ezekiel 37:3, Ezekiel was wise. God asked Him, “Can these bones live?” He did not know how to answer, so he responded, “You know, Lord”. God’s questions are tests; ask the Holy Spirit to help you answer them when they come.
PRAYER POINT: When God asks you a question, He knows the answer already; He is just testing to see if you are ready fora promotion.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 31-32
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – The Whisper of God – written by Pastor Enoch Adeboye
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Open Heaven 13 August 2023
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