There are a few instances in the bible where there was almost banter
between God and His people, a back and forth, seeming competition with God.
Of course He wins, but He likes the back and forth to some degree.
Maybe because it’s honest, laid bare before Him and He can teach us?
This back and forth communication style between Abraham and God went as God was about to rain fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah:
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
And Abraham drew near, and said,
Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city:
wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place
for the fifty righteous that are therein?
That be far from thee to do after this manner,
to slay the righteous with the wicked:
and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee:
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,
then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
And they two went back and forth down to 10…
And he spake unto Him yet again, and said,
Peradventure ten shall be found there.
And He said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.
And the Lord went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. Genesis 18:17, 23-26,32-33
The back and forth happened with those in the Bible
who had developed a sturdy relationship with God.
God was working on alleviating the fear Jacob had…
And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers,
and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. Genesis 31:3
Knowing God is with us, carries a lot of weight.
Wrestling, reasoning and striving.
Jacob’s Ladder Dream, where he first learned of and heard from the Lord,
the promises God gave to Abraham:
And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said,
I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father,
and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest,
to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,
and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east,
and to the north, and to the south:
and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee,
until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. Genesis 28:13-15
Jacob had heard clearly from the Lord that he would inherit the promises
of Abraham and Jacob was Abraham’s seed which included the promises.
Still, Jacob wrestled with God.
What were they wrestling about?
Jacob was still afraid of his brother Esau’s anger
as Esau had wanted to kill Jacob the last he knew over the birthright blessing.
And Jacob was left alone;
and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
And when He saw that He prevailed not against him,
He touched the hollow of his thigh;
and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him.
And He said, Let me go, for the day breaketh.
And he said, I will not let thee go, except Thou bless me.
And He said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:
for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.
And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?
And He blessed him there.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Genesis 32:24-30
God was wrestling with Jacob about his own faith.
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph;
and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. Hebrews 11:21
Jacob believed God through his life unto his death
while imparting blessings of faith to those whom God had directed him
and they continued to carry that faith and the promises of God even until today.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18
Reasoning with God? The word reason carries a lot of weight.
To reprove, to correct, to argue, to decide, to judge, Hebrew meaning.
Let us put things on the table so they can be seen clearly.
God is not trying to make us look like fools, even in His sight.
He wants to purge the sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
His ways are higher and His thoughts are higher.
He might have to explain things to us
and we might want to share our thoughts that we think are hidden,
but thoughts that don’t necessarily fall in line with His word.
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them
who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:11-12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12
This does not mean you have things to do for your Salvation.
It means you have to become satisfied with your life in God unto Him.
That means He knows you and you both know you are pleasing Him.
You have received some sort of assurance from God
that you are living your life for Him.
From the Amplified:
work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].
The more you delve into God’s word sometimes,
the more intricate it turns out to be.
Never easy, but always interesting.
More to learn, more to know.