Biblical Contradictions: Question#1

Discussion in 'Religion Archives' started by Thoreau, Feb 14, 2012.

  1. Thoreau Valued Senior Member

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    Christians,

    Please explain the following:

    "With God all things are possible" - Matthew 19:26

    "And the Lord was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron." - Judges 1:19

    So, with God all things are NOT possible...?
     
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  3. Syne Sine qua non Valued Senior Member

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    Try reading it in context:

    "17And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah. 18Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. 19And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. " -Judges 1:17-19

    "he" is obviously a reference to Judah, as the context is all about what Judah did, not god directly.
     
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  5. Mind Over Matter Registered Senior Member

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    From Adam Clarke's commentary, "Jdg 1:19 -
    And the Lord was with Judah, and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron - Strange! were the iron chariots too strong for Omnipotence? The whole of this verse is improperly rendered. The first clause, The Lord was with Judah should terminate the 18th verse, and this gives the reason for the success of this tribe: The Lord was with Judah, and therefore he slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, etc., etc. Here then is a complete period: the remaining part of the verse either refers to a different time, or to the rebellion of Judah against the Lord, which caused him to withdraw his support. Therefore the Lord was with Judah, and these were the effects of his protection; but afterwards, when the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, etc., God was no longer with them, and their enemies were left to be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their side, as God himself had said. This is the turn given to the verse by Jonathan ben Uzziel, the Chaldee paraphrast: "And the Word of Jehovah was in the support of the house of Judah, and they extirpated the inhabitants of the mountains; but afterwards, When They Sinned, they were not able to extirpate the inhabitants of the plain country, because they had chariots of iron." They were now left to their own strength, and their adversaries prevailed against them. From a work called the Dhunoor Veda, it appears that the ancient Hindoos had war chariots similar to those of the Canaanites. They are described as having many wheels, and to have contained a number of rooms. - Ward's Customs."

    From John Wesley's commentary, "Jdg 1:19 - Could not drive - Because of their unbelief, whereby they distrusted God's power to destroy those who had chariots of iron, and so gave way to their own fear and sloth, whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand."
     
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  7. Mind Over Matter Registered Senior Member

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    Read the quote again. It says all things are possible. It doesn't say that you are guaranteed whatever it is you are asking God for.

    As for the second quote, I believe that refers to Judah not being able to drive out the inhabitants of the valley.
     
  8. Thoreau Valued Senior Member

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    But God was "with Judah". And "with God" all things are possible.
     
  9. Thoreau Valued Senior Member

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    Eh... still not adding up in my book.
     
  10. Syne Sine qua non Valued Senior Member

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    Pedantic nonsense. By that argument, if god is omnipresent, god is "with" everyone and everything should be possible. Aside from MOM's point about the difference between "possible" and actual or even probable.

    You'll find similar contradictions trying to compare different disciplines of science. It's all about context.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2012
  11. Balerion Banned Banned

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    Just another example of how disjointed and self-contradictory that book is. All things are possible...until we have an actual problem and we can't get over it. Then we blame it on the chariots.
     
  12. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Are you an atheist?

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    jan.
     
  13. Thoreau Valued Senior Member

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    Nope.
     
  14. Rhaedas Valued Senior Member

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    Why does that matter? Anyone can suspend disbelief to try and rationalize a scenario. He's just pointing out an issue with how a passage infers that there are limitations, even with God on your side.

    Atheists don't have to believe scripture to critique it.
     
  15. arauca Banned Banned

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    Are you not pushing it to far ? you are picking things out of context
     
  16. Balerion Banned Banned

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    Are these rhetorical questions? Say what you mean.
     
  17. Syne Sine qua non Valued Senior Member

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    Possible doesn't mean inevitable. Simple as that.
     
  18. pavlosmarcos It's all greek to me Registered Senior Member

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    Saying it's out of context is BS.
    Judges 1, 19 Does mean god is powerless, either way you look at it, if god is the "he" referred too, then he is clearly powerless against iron chariots, and if Judah is the "he" referred too, then god is still powerless as he was unable to help Judah to win the battle.
     
  19. Mind Over Matter Registered Senior Member

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    All things are possible with God according to God's will. If you are building an empire which against God's will then consider the Tower of Babel and what happened there. Furthermore consider carefully that the Book of Judges is a story of the continual degradation of the Nation and so the failure of Judah is actually Judah's failure and not God's.
     
  20. pavlosmarcos It's all greek to me Registered Senior Member

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    How so explain, are you saying that god set Judah up to fail or was god powerless to stop the degradation?
     
  21. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Don't be silly.

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    jan.
     
  22. pavlosmarcos It's all greek to me Registered Senior Member

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    Very informative, Not.

    Do you have anything to actually say.
     
  23. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    How can God be powerless?

    jan.
     

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