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If you are so angry with your own people, you yourself ought to punish them."
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When I had finished speaking, the angel who had come to me on a previous night was sent to me again.
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He said, "Listen carefully to me, and I will teach you more."
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"Please go on, sir," I said. So he continued, "Are you worried about the people of Israel? Do you think you love them more than God, who made them?"
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"No, sir," I replied. "I spoke as I did because I was so confused and upset. I am always troubled whenever I try to think about the ways of God Most High or to understand even a small part of what he does."
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"You cannot understand!" he answered.
1 And I asked, "Why not, sir? In that case, why was I born? Why didn't I die before I was born? Then I wouldn't have seen the sufferings and troubles of the people of Israel."
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The angel said to me, "I will answer you if you can do the following things: Tell me how many people are yet to be born; collect scattered raindrops for me; make dead flowers bloom again;
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open the rooms where the winds are locked up and make them blow for me; show me the picture of a sound. If you can do these things, I will answer your questions about the sufferings of the people of Israel."
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I answered, "Lord and master, no one can do these things, except God, who is not confined to this world.
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How can I give you any kind of answer? What do I know?"
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He continued, "You could not do even one of the things that I asked you to do. How can you expect to understand God's judgments or why God has promised his love to his people?"