Weird things God has asked people to do

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ArtsieSteph

Senior Member
Apr 1, 2014
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Arizona
#1
I know that for sure it's been said that God's understanding and knowledge (obviously) is higher and wider than ours. Omniscience. But I have also notice that God has had people do weird things in the old testament....

What are some things that you have found odd that God asked of man?

For me it was the one in Hosea where he specifically asked Hosea to take a harlot wife. Or at least that was the family business from what I know of. To me that is super weird. And like if God said "hey marry that guy that is in a biker gang" or something it would be very very confusing to me.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,095
6,479
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#2
I hesitate to answer because of the word "weird." For me, it has a very negative connotation, and I do not believe God would act in such a way, but that is probably because of our age difference. So I would like to offer an example that I would describe as "difficult."

One example would be God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son on the alter.
 

Tommy379

Notorious Member
Jan 12, 2016
7,589
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#3
I think about God demanding strange stuff in return.... Like giving Samson great strength, but he can't cut his hair, or making Abraham a father of a whole new nation, but all the males had to cut the skin off their pee pee. Hey Adam, all this is yours, but if you eat that fruit, you'll die.

Hoses is the least strange in the old testament. I just saw it as an allusion to salvation through Christ.

It seems like when God gives gifts, he likes something in return, sometime what he wants makes me think, whut... really.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#4
I know that for sure it's been said that God's understanding and knowledge (obviously) is higher and wider than ours. Omniscience. But I have also notice that God has had people do weird things in the old testament....

What are some things that you have found odd that God asked of man?

For me it was the one in Hosea where he specifically asked Hosea to take a harlot wife. Or at least that was the family business from what I know of. To me that is super weird. And like if God said "hey marry that guy that is in a biker gang" or something it would be very very confusing to me.
I keep wondering when the Lord won't choose the weird. lol

Did you see the names Hosea gave to his kids? And, the kicker! He lived another 60+ years. No doubt, God wanted him to stick with her, so how did that work out?

Other weird moments:
-- Hey, Noah? I know you don't know what a flood is, but make a boat.
-- Abraham, I'm going to call you away from your country and people, promise you a whole new land, but you're never going to get that land. 430 years from now, your descendants will.
-- Hey, Abraham and Sarah, how about becoming parents in your 90s?
-- Moses, I know you have a speech impediment, but talk to the Pharaoh.
-- Moses, lift up your walking stick, and see what I do. (Done twice -- to part the sea and to win a battle.)
-- Moses, hit that rock so you can have some water.
-- Hey, little shepherd boy, see that giant warrior over there? Yeah, the one you can see above anything else. Kill him.

Time to go shopping, but I really do see God likes to have his people do the weird. lol
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,095
6,479
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#5
Truth there, but a huge difference between giving gifts/blessings, and agape love. :)

Just saying.......and, I agree, some of the things were strange.......
 

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,998
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#6
I think about God demanding strange stuff in return.... Like giving Samson great strength, but he can't cut his hair, or making Abraham a father of a whole new nation, but all the males had to cut the skin off their pee pee. Hey Adam, all this is yours, but if you eat that fruit, you'll die.

Hoses is the least strange in the old testament. I just saw it as an allusion to salvation through Christ.

It seems like when God gives gifts, he likes something in return, sometime what he wants makes me think, whut... really.
1 Corinthians 13:12 comes immediately to mind. :)
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
16,538
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#7
God asked Isaiah to walk naked for three years...
 

ComeLordJesus

Senior Member
Dec 26, 2017
372
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#8
I know it must look weird but don't forget that Hosea is a minor prophet and God is going to use his ministry as an object lesson. He is to lay emphasis on a nation that was "married" to the God of Israel and "stepped out" on Him. Spiritual idolatry is likened to adultery throughout the Old Testament. (Num.25:1-8).


The book of Hosea is going to deal primarily with the temporary rejection of Israel as a cast off wife (2:1) who will later be reconciled to her husband (Isa.54:5).
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#9
I know that for sure it's been said that God's understanding and knowledge (obviously) is higher and wider than ours. Omniscience. But I have also notice that God has had people do weird things in the old testament....

What are some things that you have found odd that God asked of man?

For me it was the one in Hosea where he specifically asked Hosea to take a harlot wife. Or at least that was the family business from what I know of. To me that is super weird. And like if God said "hey marry that guy that is in a biker gang" or something it would be very very confusing to me.
Cooking food over human dung (changed to cow per prophets request)

Carrying a sewage pipe down a city street.

Sacrificing long awaited son

Wandering 40 years. In a desert that should have only taken a few months,,

Are afrw I found in the Bible interesting.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#10
I know it must look weird but don't forget that Hosea is a minor prophet and God is going to use his ministry as an object lesson. He is to lay emphasis on a nation that was "married" to the God of Israel and "stepped out" on Him. Spiritual idolatry is likened to adultery throughout the Old Testament. (Num.25:1-8).


The book of Hosea is going to deal primarily with the temporary rejection of Israel as a cast off wife (2:1) who will later be reconciled to her husband (Isa.54:5).
We're the wife still. This is what God got when he married us -- we're always stepping out on him, and he continues to love us.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
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#13
Israel is the bride of Jehovah. The church is the bride of Christ. One is rebellious and the other chaste a pure through the blood of the Savior.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
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#14
shortly after hubs and my 'conversion', we were put into a situation by some
so called Christian Friends' who 'dropped-off' a family of witches and warlocks into our
laps because they were to terrified to deal with them - some of the things that we witnessed and learned
were and would be for many quite a challenge to even believe - our Saviour saw us through
all of the events, and the learning experiences definitely made us much more stronger and wiser
than we ever could have imagined we could be capable of...
it really was quite a 'trip' that we never could have previously made without His Holy gifts
and the strength and Faith that He blessed us with...
this was many years ago, and many of the things that our Heavenly Father has put us through since,
can't even compare to those intense times...

how grateful we are now to not only recognize how He was teaching/refining us, but what those early
experiences have led us to into this very day, are truly amazing...

How we Love and Praise our Holy Saviour, there really are just not words that can truly describe
our relationship and feelings for Him...
 
Dec 12, 2013
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#15
I do not recall God asking David to kill Goliath.......
 
Dec 12, 2013
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#16
God having the prophet build a mock up of Jerusalem and lay siege to it.
God having the prophet walk naked before the people with his butt uncovered.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#17
God ask us to live our enemies...of someone hits us, turn the other cheek.


If someone forces us to walk with them one mile, walk an extra one voluntarily....bless those who curse us....

If someone steals clothes from us,give them the coat also.
 

DJ2

Senior Member
Apr 15, 2017
1,660
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#18
"Hey Peter"
"Yes Rabbi"
"Go catch a fish and pay the tax with the coin in its mouth"
"Say what?"

OR

"You must eat of my flesh and drink of my blood"
"Say whaaaattttt!?"
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#19
I know that for sure it's been said that God's understanding and knowledge (obviously) is higher and wider than ours. Omniscience. But I have also notice that God has had people do weird things in the old testament....

What are some things that you have found odd that God asked of man?
Speaking from personal experience, I had an issue with my boundary lines after building a shop at the rear of my property, of course my attorney advised me to but the burden on the title insurance company which has the responsibility to defend my property deed against issues such as were being raised. Long story short, after 6 months without a decision by the title insurer on my claim which was reassigned to a new attorney a couple of months earlier who wouldn't respond to any inquiry, telephonic, fax or written by me or my personal attorney. So one morning while talking with the LORD about the situation and my sense of frustration and hopelessness in resolving the matter, I basically told him all I knew to do was to try to get around the ins. attorney's caller id was to call the number of the Paralegal who had notified by email that my claim was being reassigned to another claim attorney. But I told the LORD that I knew what was going to happen, I would call her, she would ask who was calling, she would tell him I was calling and he wouldn't be available. And the LORD told me to google the Paralegal's name.

So I called the Paralegal, and she asked who was calling and proceeded to tell me that she would check and see if he was in his office, so after of few moments on hold she informs me that the attorney is not in his office and if she could take a message. So I tell her that it wasn't necessary but if she didn't mind, could I ask her a question to which she agreed to. So I asked her if she was the same Miss Nebraska USA titleholder in 2006. She replied, "How did you know that?" What could I say except I guess that I have a friend in Jesus. And it just so happened that our brief conversation lasted long enough for the attorney to make it to his office.

For me it was the one in Hosea where he specifically asked Hosea to take a harlot wife. Or at least that was the family business from what I know of. To me that is super weird.
I always thought that though our sins be as scarlet, that in the blink of eye the LORD can make them white as snow.

Besides, wasn't Hosea the original Backstreet Boy?


And like if God said "hey marry that guy that is in a biker gang" or something it would be very very confusing to me.
And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Luke 16:9
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,417
3,468
113
#20
I know that for sure it's been said that God's understanding and knowledge (obviously) is higher and wider than ours. Omniscience. But I have also notice that God has had people do weird things in the old testament....

What are some things that you have found odd that God asked of man?

For me it was the one in Hosea where he specifically asked Hosea to take a harlot wife. Or at least that was the family business from what I know of. To me that is super weird. And like if God said "hey marry that guy that is in a biker gang" or something it would be very very confusing to me.
A lot of the things in the Bible we read God telling His prophets or people to do that look strange can often be seen a symbolic representations of other things..

Like the story of the first Passover when God ordered His people to kill a Lamb without blemish and smear the Blood of the lamb over their door lintel so as to save their household from the angel of death which came during the night..

to an unbeliever it can really sound weird.. But to those who know about the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world .. Jesus who was without sin ( blemish) and His sacrifice on the cross we can see that the Passover lamb was a symbolic representation of a future happening..