Proverbs Part I

Proverbs Part I

     We are finally able to move on from the Book of Psalms to the Book of Proverbs. The Book of Proverbs is loaded with verses repeated over and over, or simply reworded five different ways...but still the same verses. One of the things I found interesting in Proverbs was the number of times that avoiding the evil wiles of women is discussed. Does the Almighty have a problem with women? Pick up and read the Book of Proverbs and you just might think He does. Sure, a mere mortal man wrote the book, but isn't it supposed to be God-inspired?

     Now let us move on to the first posting for the questions for the verses in the Book of Proverbs.

1. Proverbs 1:4-5, 7

     4 for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—

     5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— 

     7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Questions
     1. Okay, simple people just don't get certain things due to their simple minds, right? They do not have the mental capacity to obtain and hold more than a certain amount, correct? It is not that they are stupid, no. A stupid person knows better but chooses differently, right? A stupid person can learn prudence, but can a simple person learn prudence when they don't even have the mental capacity to know much of anything to begin with?

     2. How is the fear of the Lord the beginning of knowledge? Is it because that to the Lord the most important thing is that He have the mighty fear of those around Him?

     3. If the Lord's/God's people serve Him, how does the fear of those who serve Him benefit the Lord/God?

2. Proverbs 1:32-33

     32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

     33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Questions
     1. Didn't we just discuss this? Simple people are not the same as stupid people, correct?

     2. Would you agree that a wayward person is one who knows better BUT who chooses differently? If such is the case wouldn't a wayward person be synonymous with a STUPID person and not a simple minded person?

     3. A simple minded person just does not know any better so how in the fuck can they be considered wayward?

3. Proverbs 2:3-5

     3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,

     4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,

     5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Questions
     1. Insight is birthed from understanding which is itself received by the individual, thus HOW can it be justly stated that one would call or cry out for either?

     2. Why try to draw a parallel between insight and understanding and the fear of the Lord/God? This is far more than just a little stretch, wouldn't you say?

     3. Sooo, is the knowledge of God the fact that He must be feared or that He survives off of fear?

     4. What happens to God/the Lord if no one fears Him?

4. Proverbs 2:16-17
     16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words,

     17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.

Questions
     1. The Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about avoiding the adulterous woman and seems to go great lengths to make it seem as though it is not really a problem with the man so much as it is a problem with the typical wicked woman. Why is this?


5. Proverbs 2:21-22
     21 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

     22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Questions
     1. Sooo, when the Native Americans were torn from their lands was it because God thought they were unfaithful? Does it not matter because they were not His people? But doesn't everyone belong to God?

     2. Sooo, the problems that modern-day Israel has had with maintaining their land are because they are unfaithful?

6. Proverbs 3:5

     5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Questions
     1. Does this mean to NOT trust yourself? How far is one supposed to go with not trusting the self?

     2. Isn't it a dangerous thing to NOT trust yourself? Doesn't trust start with the self?

7. Proverbs 3:11-12

     11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,

     12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Questions
     1. Have you seen how the Lord/God dishes out discipline? 

     2. Sooo, when the Lord/God is committing genocide or commanding genocide He is only doing so out of love?

8. Proverbs 3:13-17

     13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,

     14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

     15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

     16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

     17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

Questions
     1. Sooo, you say wisdom is more precious than silver and gold and then you say that in her hand are riches. That just makes no sense, does it?

     2. If God/the Lord is the ultimate in wisdom and the ways of wisdom are peaceful and pleasant, why in the hell isn't God/the Lord more peaceful and pleasant?

9. Proverbs 3:25-26

     25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

     26 for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

Questions
     1. How is it possible for the Lord to be the one to keep your foot from being snared when in a different set of verses it clearly says the Lord commands His angels to do the protecting?

     2. Sooo, who is it who does the protecting? The angels? The Lord? Both?

10. Proverbs 3:33-34

     33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.

     34 He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

Questions
     1. Does the Lord/God favor the humble and the oppressed because He feeds off of their immense fears?

11. Proverbs 6:16-19

     16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

     17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

     18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

     19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Questions
     1. Make up your mind, is it six or is it seven?

     2. Doesn't God/the Lord Himself fill at least three of these traits?

     3. Hasn't the Lord/God shed innocent blood time and time again?

   4. Hasn't the Lord/God devised wicked schemes, like when He purposely hardened Pharaoh's heart?

     5. Hasn't the Lord/God stirred up conflict by purposely pointing out differences between His people and others?

12. Proverbs 9:13

     13 Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. 

Questions
     1. Isn't an unruly woman different from a woman who is simply a simple minded person?

     2. An unruly woman is a woman who knows better. A simple minded woman does NOT know any better. Why in the hell does the Book of Proverbs consistently try to make these two into the same goddamn thing?

13. Proverbs 10:3

     3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

Questions
     1. Sooo, if we go according to this verse all of those who starved during the Holocaust were unrighteous? There were loads of people who went hungry then, right? Weren't many of those people the LORD'S people?

     2. The Nazis were ravenous wolves if there ever were any, and those mother fuckers got a huge chunk of what they wanted for quite a while. In fact, the little bastards are still hanging around, aren't they? Sooo, when will the cravings of the wicked, such as the Nazis, going to be thwarted PERMANENTLY?

     3. Does the Lord only temporarily thwart the cravings of the wicked? Why?

     4. Is the Lord/God only referring to the afterlife and NOT how things go here in the real world? Does the Lord mean that in the afterlife the righteous will not go hungry, but here in the real world many righteous will suffer and starve while the wicked will reap the riches of the earth?

14. Proverbs 10:12

     12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

Questions
     1. If love conquers all wrongs then WHY doesn't God/the Lord use love to conquer all instead of bloody wars?

15. Proverbs 13:11

     11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Questions
     1. Do you think that Bernie Madhoff knew this?

     2. Do you think that the filthy rich televangelists know these verses?

16. Proverbs 13:24

     24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

Questions
     1. Does hitting children really teach them anything other than it is okay to hit other people?

     2. Why are children so badly treated in the Bible? Remember when Abraham came that close to sacrificing his son at the request of God? How about the Son of God being sacrificed?

17. Proverbs 13:25

     25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Questions
     1. Does this verse mean in the afterlife and not in real life?

     2. How many wicked folk in the present times go to sleep with their bellies full?

     3. Sooo, are the hungry homeless of the earth all unrighteous?

18. Proverbs 14:4-5

     4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.

     5 An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.

Questions
     1. Are these verses really examples of the wisdom of Solomon? Where there are no oxen the manger is empty? No shit, Sherlock.

     2. An honest witness does not deceive? Really? Isn't that like saying a glass with water in it is not empty? Seriously.

19. Proverbs 15:3

     3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Questions
     1. Well, since God/the Lord IS supposed to be Omni-Present I suppose it could be said that His eyes are everywhere. BUT, is that what this verse means?

     2. Does this verse mean that the Lord has eyes everywhere because he has his little angel slaves slinking around keeping tabs on everybody?

20. Proverbs 16:4

     4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Questions
     1. Isn't this one of the oft favored verses of Christians when they cannot explain something? Don't worry, the Lord/God has it all worked out in the end, right?

21. Proverbs 17:28

     28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Questions
     1. This is not fucking wisdom. Just because a fool is thought to be wise and discerning because he has kept his trap shut does not make him wise or discerning, right? Even a sleeping dog left to continue sleeping is STILL a sleeping dog and nothing else, correct?

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Judges Part II: Just a Few Questions

The Spiritual Path You Pick

The spiritual path a person chooses is just as important as their general life path. Much like a person's general life path can be cluttered with useless habits and harmful behaviors and poor self-control, so do these things also apply to the spiritual path a person chooses. 

Whether a person chooses spirituality as a way to understand themselves better, the people around them better, or the purpose of life better these things are all vulnerable to the things you choose to bring with you on your spiritual path.

In choosing what you wish to believe it is imperative that you consider what this belief that you choose changes within you. Does this belief encourage compassion and joy and appreciation? Does this belief encourage separation, destruction, intolerance, and cruelty? Does this belief convey no hope for mankind save for ONE particular belief, no chance for man to on his own make anything better for himself, and that the truth of free will is actually a believe-this-way-or-die philosophy?

Be very discriminating in what you choose to believe for it will not take very long for you to receive the consequences of your search for the divine. 

How does your belief tell you to treat people? How about people who believe differently than you? Does what you believe demand control of your finances, your creativity, your love, your life...or your will? Do you choose to believe there is absolutely ZERO hope for mankind outside of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any religion for that matter? Does what you believe tell you that you cannot change yourself, but that only GOD/Jesus can do that? Does your belief tell you that there are terrible fears and darkness just waiting around every corner, eager to pounce on you and devour you and then vomit you into hell before you can find a way to Jesus and accept Him into your heart?

Don't be so careless, and for some this is done innocently enough, with your belief. Belief does not possess power so strong as to change the truth, but that does not mean it is not powerful. Crack open a history book and you will find ample proof of the fluctuating power within belief. Belief is not a toy and should not be squandered on ANY belief even remotely similar to hate, sorrow, genocide, abuse, racism, bloodshed, meanness, separation and so many more negative things.

A good rule to live by or at least consider is this: if the belief you are choosing (or are thinking about choosing) does not affect you in a positive, building upward manner...well, then it is likely not something you should spend your precious stores of belief upon. If the belief dazzles you with grand stories of free will and then tries to scare the crap out of you by teaching you had best use that free will to choose one particular answer, one particular way to believe...well, then it is likely not something you should allow into your spiritual front door.

Never ever forget to question everything. Remember, when it comes to belief you do not have the luxury of verifiable fact. If you did, well, then it would not be belief.

Perception is key when it comes to spiritual beliefs, but this MUST be your perception and NOT that of others. Here, I am relaying the questions that I have in regards to the Bible, God, and Christianity. It is true some of the questions can be answered or explained away, but those are the teeny, easy-to-answer questions. It is really the bigger questions that are never answered that gnaw at a person's belief. For me, these questions all together are why I no longer believe in the truth of the Bible or in God. Some of the questions are silly or absurd. Some of the questions take more pondering than others. Some of the questions are very difficult to consider, let alone try to find an answer to.

While I provide my questions I do not provide my answers. I want to know what your answers to some of these questions are, especially if you are a believer. I want to know what makes you believe what you believe, absurdities and all. At the end of each post is a comments link. Click it and give your answers to the questions.

1. Judges 3:1-2, 4
1 Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.

2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.

4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

Questions
     1) Sooo...here we have one verse saying that the nations which were left were for the purpose of teaching the people of Israel war, correct? Then there is another verse that says the nations are there to test Israel to see whether or not they will listen to the LORD/God, correct? So, which one is it?

     2) In Joshua 1:2 the LORD/God says He is about to give to the people of Israel the promised land, but He says NOTHING in regards to there being nations that would be left over for teaching war or for testing the devotion of people of Israel. Why doesn't God/the LORD inform the people of Israel this part of His plan?

     3) Joshua 1:5 notes God/the LORD as saying no one would make a stand against His people, but did God mean this to apply only to the lifespan of Joshua or the lifespan of the people of Israel? Either way God still mentioned nothing of allowing remnants of other nations to hang around for testing or teaching, right? Is this purposeful oversight by God wrong?

     4) Okay, so God promises His people this really amazing land that is already inhabited with very generous boundaries, promises that no one residing in the promised land will be able to make a stand against the people of Israel, and promises to always help and be with His people (of course by this point you should know that last promise just isn't happening). None of these promises come to fruition, right? I mean, the boundaries are not what God said they would be, some of the inhabitants are making a stand, and the help and company promised by God for His people is random and spotty, correct? 

     5) Is the reason that God is making the claim that the resistance of the original inhabitants is to teach His people war and to test their devotion because He secretly needs to provide excuses as to why His promises didn't pan out?

2. Judges 3:5
5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Questions
     1) Sooo...never mind all of the verses that note these people being absolutely destroyed, laid low by the children of God with the people of Israel citing routing victory, right? Is that what this means?

     2) Why are there so many instances where the people of Israel decimate a people/enemy and then the same people/enemies pop up later on? Is God's version of utter destruction different than the modern-day understanding of the same?

     3) What happened to the people of Israel receiving their promised land and not having to worry about complications in seizing the land since the inhabitants would not be able to make a stand?

3. Judges 3:8-10
8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

10 The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

Questions
     1) The LORD SOLD His people? Sold as in exchange for money or for some kind of good or service? Doesn't the word 'sold' imply an exchange of some sort? If so, what did God/the LORD receive in exchange for selling His people? Did He get a fair price? What would a fair price be to God? Isn't life invaluable? If so, why is God putting a value on life?

     2) Why is God so angry so much of the time?

     3) If the LORD allows His spirit to be upon one man so this man can help to lead the people of Israel, wouldn't it then makes a hell of a lot more sense to allow the spirit of the LORD upon all the people? This way all the people know exactly what they should and should not be doing according to the LORD, right? Wouldn't this save time and save lives?

4. Judges 3:12-14
12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms.

14 And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

Questions
     1) For as hard as the people of Israel are said to have fought for the land they were promised, why does God allow so much of it to be revoked so quickly? 

     2) Is it possible that since the LORD could not follow through with His grand promise of all the land that neither could He destroy all of the inhabitants? What would this say about the immutable power of God?

     3) If God allowed the people of Israel to be taken/subdued coincidentally about the time His people realized that they couldn't take possession of all of the land, is it possible that God allowed their capture under the guise they were not following instruction because He was really trying to distract the people of Israel so they would not recognize His lies, His over-inflated promises, and His frightening lack of power?

5. Judges 3:31
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.

Questions
     1) Sooo...some guy takes a stick used to poke oxen in order to get them moving and kills 600 men with it? Was this all on the same day at different times, on different days at different times, or on the same day at the same time? Did he kill off the men one at a time?

6. Judges 4:7
7 I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.'"

Questions
     1) Why does the LORD's interpretation of "I will give them into your hand" never seem to mean what it is apparently supposed to mean?

     2) What is God's own, personal interpretation of delivering the enemy into the hands of the people of Israel?

7. Judges 4:9
9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Questions
     1) Do you realize that this verse is not a celebration of the worth of a woman? Do you realize it is meant to be offensive in the sense of a lowly woman getting the glory of killing Sisera, something that SHOULD have been done by a man? It is an insult through and through, you do see that, right?

8. Judges 6:4-6
4 They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey.

5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in.

6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD.

Questions
     1) So the people and their camels were so numerous they were like swarms of locusts? Can't a locust storm number in the hundreds of millions?

     2) Did the people and their camels number in the hundreds of millions?

     3) Aren't there only about 14 to 20 million camels (roughly speaking) in the world today? How many were around in the Bible times? Even if you multiplied that by ten you would still fall well short of the assessment that the people and camels numbered like a swarm of locusts, right?

     4) Why are there so many Bible descriptions that are horribly, shamelessly exaggerated?

9. Judges 6:13
13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

Questions
     1) Isn't it about damn time someone ask this freaking question?

10. Judges 6:20-22
20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so.

21 Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.

22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.”

Questions
     1) Why does the angel of the LORD, or the LORD, or God need human food? Why does the angel burn the food up? Is this how angels eat, by burning things up?

     2) If the LORD/God is everywhere all of the time why didn't He come and take the snacks His people left out for Him? Why send an angel if God is already there?

11. 6:36-40
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,

37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”

38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.

39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”

40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Questions
     1) Of all of the tests that Gideon can think of in order that the LORD prove to him that he is indeed the chosen Gideon picks morning dew and fleece? Why doesn't Gideon ask something useful like how many men will be needed to fight, what the weapons were, how big the enemy is, information on the enemy, logistics...anything that would make sense, right? THOSE kinds of questions would prove to be far more useful inasmuch as providing proof is concerned, correct?

12. 7:2-3
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.

Questions
     1) Sooo...is the real reason why God/the LORD allowed some of the inhabitants of the promised land to fight back successfully against the people of Israel because in His heart of hearts He wanted the so-called glory of war for Himself?

     2) Sooo...God/the LORD does NOT want the people of Israel to be strong enough on their own, but just weak enough to where they will always have to ask the bipolar God/LORD for help?

13. 7:5
5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.”

Questions
     1) Why didn't God just show which guys were suitable for war and which ones were not instead of wasting time on bullshit games that leave a huge amount of room for error? I mean, don't you think it is possible for a very good soldier to kneel and drink, and don't you think it is possible for a horrible soldier to scoop the water up to his mouth?

14. 7:12
12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.

Questions
     1) Why does God's Word insist on utilizing examples that can be nothing more than exaggeration? When God is talking about the number of locusts and the number of grains of sand on a beach is He trying to impress people with His grand knowledge of things humans would not be very likely to investigate?

     2) There are approximately 800 billion grains of sand in a cubic meter, so how in the hell can these people and their camels number as the grains of sand on a beach, let alone a cubic meter?

15. 8:16
16 And he took the elders of the city, and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them taught the men of Succoth a lesson.

Questions
     1) Is this where the mob guys who beat people up to teach them a lesson gleaned their discipline philosophy?

     2) Did the LORD approve of this wretched behavior because the bad guys were being punished?

16. 8:19-20
19 And he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”

20 So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise and kill them!” But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a young man.

Questions
     1) Sooo...what is it with God/the LORD and this never ending cycle of killing, killing again, killing some more, and then for good measure killing even more? 

     2) Sooo...after killing these guys for killing his brothers, can the brothers of the guys he just killed then have a right to come and kill him for killing their brothers who were the sons of their mothers?

     3) Is this the kind of bond that God wanted for fathers and sons? Why in the blazing blue would any good father encourage or coach or press or command their son to kill another human being? Was it okay with God since those being killed were the enemy?

17. 8:27-28
27 And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

28 So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.

Questions
     1) Sooo...were the Midianites really subdued, like, for good? Are we going to see the Midianites pop up later in the Bible even though verse 28 here clearly says they raised their heads no more?

     2) Why does the land have rest for forty years? Does it have anything to do with the rains causing the flood falling for forty days and nights, or Jesus being tempted in the desert by Satan for forty days and nights? Why does God seemingly like the number forty A LOT?

     3) Did God invent numerology because of His obsession with certain numbers?

18. 8:33-35
33 As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

34 And the people of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side,

35 and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

Questions
     1) Does God think that addressing His people in a crude manner will help to improve their situation or their disobedience? Has a man ever improved his marriage by calling his wife a bitch, or a wife make her marriage better by calling her husband a mother fucker?

     2) Is it possible that the people of Israel knew full well they were 'forgetting' the LORD, that perhaps they were doing it on purpose in an effort to try to break away from a God who was prone to rages and making promises He just could not keep?

19. 9:23-24
23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

Questions
     1) Sooo...the treachery did not start until the LORD put it there?

     2) Why is God sending an evil spirit when, since God is already everywhere, He could very well do this seeding treachery thing all on His own?

     3) Why is it that God is supposed to be everywhere but everytime He wants something done He almost always sends someone else to do it? 

20. 11:29-31, 34-35
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites.

30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand,

31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”

34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.

35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow.”

Questions
     1) Sooo...this guy is filled with the mighty Spirit of the Lord but can't even foresee the hideousness of his careless vow?

     2) Don't these verses hint that, sure, the Lord will help you but you WILL pay dearly and very likely in blood?

     3) Why does God like things slaughtered and then burned?


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