Doubters (2)

Examples of those doubting their effectiveness to serve God

Moses

Exodus 3:11 KJV 1900

And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

See also Ex 4:1; Ex 4:10–13; Ex 6:12; Ex 6:30; Nu 11:13–15

Gideon

Judges 6:15 KJV 1900

And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

See also Jdg 6:17; Jdg 6:36–40

Elijah

1 Kings 19:3–4 KJV 1900

And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

See also 1 Ki 19:10; 1 Ki 19:14

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1:6 KJV 1900

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

See also Je 15:10

Those temporarily doubting God’s promises

Genesis 15:8 KJV 1900

And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

See also Ge 17:17–18; Ge 18:12–15; Lk 1:18

Those doubting God’s power

Abraham and Isaac doubt God’s protection

Ge 12:12–13 Fearing for his safety, Abraham resorts to deception.

See also Ge 20:2; Ge 26:7

Moses and Israel in the desert

Exodus 5:22–23 KJV 1900

And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

See also Ex 14:10–11 The Israelites doubt God’s protection at the Red Sea; Nu 11:21–22 Moses doubts God’s provision of food; Nu 13:31–33 The ten spies doubt God’s power to give victory in Canaan; Nu 20:7–12 Moses strikes the rock twice.

Others doubting God’s deliverance

1 Sa 17:11 The people of Israel are dismayed by the challenge from Goliath; Is 7:2 King Ahaz, afraid of the coalition of Syria and Israel turns to Assyria for help; Mt 14:29–31 Peter, walking on water, is afraid and begins to sink; Ac 12:14–15 The early church does not believe that God has released Peter from prison.

Believers questioning God

Questioning God’s actions

Judges 6:13 KJV 1900

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

See also Nu 11:10–12; Nu 14:3; Jos 7:7–8

Questioning God’s commands

1 Sa 16:2 Samuel; 2 Ki 4:42–43 Elisha’s servant; Is 7:12 Ahaz

Jesus Christ’s disciples:

Mark 6:37 KJV 1900

He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

Jn 11:39 Martha; Ac 9:13–14 Ananias

Believers with doubts about Jesus Christ

Mt 11:2–3; Jn 20:25

See also Mt 28:17; Mk 16:11–14; Lk 24:25