Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (vs 4).I suspect the most asked question God has had to deal with in human history would be the question "How"? Scripture is replete with people asking the "how" question. It might not appear in the exact words "how", nevertheless, a question that implies "how" was asked.
Accepting spiritual truths is a battle to the human mind and we all need the aid of the Holy Spirit to illumine our minds to understand His word.
Nicodemus was just one of the many people who analysed spiritual truth on the level of natural reasoning, and got it wrong. He represents us. We have faith in God, but we struggle to take Him at His words and promises. We look at our condition and we are not able to come to terms with spiritual realities. When an angel appeared to Zacharias with the promise of the birth of John The Baptist, the "how" question was asked: "...Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years."(Luke 1:18). In some few verses down the chapter, Mary, the mother of Jesus, asked the same question: "...How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"(vs 34).
In Matthew 19:25-27 when Jesus explained the workings of God in salvation, the Apostles couldn't take it: "When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?", then came Jesus' response; one of the most popular texts in Scripture: "...With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." That response from Jesus was not enough, so Peter, disciple cum talkative pressed further: "...Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"
If you can take it(and not tag me blasphemous), God's word and promises sometimes are preposterous. From a human perspective, they are simply laughable. You would love this discourse; such great sense of humour our God has to get this recorded in Holy Scripture.
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.(Genesis 18:10-15).Unspiritual to laugh at God's promise I suppose. But Sarah, considering her condition, could not even bring her mind to think of sex, much more a child. The woman's body was "dead"! She had no need for a sexual experience: "After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" Sarah didn't only laugh, she lied when confronted with her unbelief:" Nay; but thou didst laugh". I would be uncharitable to Sarah, if I don't tell you before Sarah laughed, Abraham had already laughed:
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?"(Genesis17:17).Great lesson here; even in unbelief, God is still faithful. Glory to God if you have insight into spiritual truths. Don't be puffed up. You contributed nothing to it. It has nothing to do with your intellect or abilities. It is all by the grace of God. You want wisdom from God and insights into spiritual truth? Pray and ask God's Spirit for it. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5).
To Be Continued
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