LAB154 Can A Christian Complain to God?
Jeremiah 12:1
LAB154 Complaining in the right spirit
#Christ
#Spirit
#Complaint
Published March 8th, 2017
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Main point summary
How to Complain Rightly
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Jeremiah 12:1
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m Righteous are you, O Lord,
Lord, you have always been fair
1)The complaint is first of all made to the righteous, fair, just, good God. The complaint is not to question God's righteousness. From DG webpage: The “LORD” When you see LORD spelled in all caps, it signifies the use of God’s personal name, Yahweh. Revealed in Exodus 3:14 (“I AM”) this name is not a generic title (e.g. king, boss, president) but his personal name (e.g. John, Paul, Peter) given to those in covenant with him.
when I complain to you;
whenever I have complained to you. 1
2) There is the acknowledgement that God has been just, fair, righteous whenever a complaint has been raised.
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yet I would plead my case before you.
However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. 2
3) The complaint is honest about its perplexity. Yet the complaint is still brought before God, trusting Him to hear the confusion well. Translator's NoteHeb “judgments” or “matters of justice.” For the nuance of “complain to,” “fair,” “disposition of justice” assumed here, see BDB 936 s.v. רִיב Qal.4 (cf. Judg 21:22); BDB 843 s.v. צַדִּיק 1.d (cf. Ps 7:12; 11:7); BDB 1049 s.v. מִשְׁפָּט 1.f (cf. Isa 26:8; Ps 10:5; Ezek 7:27).
n Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are wicked people successful? 3
4) The complaint asks why, for understanding, for insight, wisdom, light. Here the perplexity is the tension of the wicked having success.
Why do all o who are treacherous thrive?
Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?
4b) The complaint express the fullness of the question.
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Refer to: http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/can-a-christian-complain-to-god
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