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3 Times God's Plans Seemed Crazy (But Weren't)
3 Times God's Plans Seemed Crazy (But Weren't)
In a world that often demands logic, reason, and predictable outcomes, the ways of God can sometimes appear utterly baffling to the human mind. His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways, as declared in Isaiah 55:8. Indeed, His divine strategies frequently defy earthly wisdom, seeming illogical, impractical, or even downright "crazy" from a fleshly perspective. Yet, it is in these very moments of apparent absurdity that God's perfect wisdom, omnipotence, and unwavering faithfulness are most profoundly displayed. When His plans seem to contradict all human understanding, it is precisely then that we are called to lean not unto our own understanding, but to trust Him with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5). Let us explore three remarkable instances in scripture where God's plans seemed utterly insane to human observers, only to reveal His magnificent and infallible purpose.
The Call to Build: Noah and the Ark
Imagine a world that had never known rain, where a mist rose from the earth to water the ground (Genesis 2:6). Now, picture a man named Noah, living in such a world, being commanded by God to build a colossal wooden vessel, an ark of immense proportions, unlike anything ever conceived. The divine instructions were precise: make it three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high (Genesis 6:15). This massive undertaking was to be built on dry land, far from any significant body of water, and its stated purpose was to survive a global flood – an event entirely unprecedented and unimaginable to the people of that time.
From any human standpoint, Noah's project was nothing short of lunacy. Building a ship of that size would have consumed decades of his life, requiring immense labor, resources, and unwavering commitment. Furthermore, his contemporaries would have mocked and ridiculed him mercilessly, seeing no logical reason for such an endeavor. The very idea of a flood covering the entire earth would have been dismissed as the ramblings of a madman. Yet, Noah, a man of faith, did not waver. He trusted God's word above all else.
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
His obedience, born of faith, was credited to him as righteousness (Hebrews 11:7). When the flood came, as God had promised, the ark became the sole refuge, preserving Noah, his family, and two of every living creature. What seemed crazy to the world was God's perfect plan for salvation and a new beginning. Noah’s unwavering faith in a seemingly absurd command proved God’s ultimate wisdom and foresight, demonstrating that His ways are indeed higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts.
The Call to Shrink: Gideon's Army
Centuries later, Israel groaned under the oppressive yoke of the Midianites, who, along with their allies, swarmed the land like locusts, destroying their crops and livestock. God raised up Gideon, a man initially hiding in fear, to deliver His people. Gideon managed to muster an army of 32,000 men to confront the innumerable Midianite host. From a military perspective, even this number was a formidable challenge against such overwhelming odds. However, God's plan was far from conventional.
Instead of bolstering Gideon's forces, God commanded him to drastically reduce them. First, He told Gideon to send home anyone who was fearful, reducing the army from 32,000 to a mere 10,000. While still a significant force, this was a perplexing instruction when facing an enemy described as "without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude" (Judges 7:12).
But God was not finished. He then instructed Gideon to take the remaining 10,000 men to the water and observe how they drank. Only those who lapped water like a dog were to be selected. This bizarre test further winnowed the army down to a mere 300 men. Imagine Gideon's thoughts: from 32,000 to 300, facing an enemy that covered the valley! Every military strategy, every shred of human logic, screamed that this was a suicidal mission. It was militarily insane.
And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
God's rationale was clear: He desired to demonstrate His power alone, ensuring that no man could boast in his own strength. With just 300 men, armed with trumpets, pitchers, and lamps, Gideon's small band attacked. The result was a chaotic and terrifying rout for the Midianites, who turned their swords against one another in confusion, fleeing in disarray (Judges 7:22). What seemed like a recipe for disaster was God's perfect design to showcase His omnipotence and teach His people that victory comes not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).
The Call to Die: Christ's Crucifixion
Perhaps the most profoundly "crazy" plan of God, from a human perspective, is the central tenet of Christianity: the redemption of humanity through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, on a cross. For millennia, humanity was lost in sin, separated from a holy God. The problem was immense, the chasm seemingly unbridgeable. How would God reconcile a sinful world to Himself?
His solution was not through a display of overwhelming force, a grand philosophical treatise, or a legion of angels. Instead, God's plan involved His eternal Son, the Creator of the universe, condescending to be born as a helpless infant, living a life of perfect obedience, and then submitting to the most humiliating and excruciating death imaginable: crucifixion. The King of Glory, scourged, mocked, and nailed to a tree, dying as a common criminal. To the Jews, it was a stumblingblock; to the Greeks, foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23).
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Humanity would have devised countless other ways to achieve salvation – perhaps a grand sacrifice by the holiest man, or a worldwide display of God's power forcing submission. But God's wisdom far surpassed human reasoning. The cross, a symbol of shame and defeat, became the ultimate display of God's infinite love and justice. Through Christ's voluntary sacrifice, the penalty for sin was paid in full, and a way was opened for all who believe to receive eternal life (John 3:16).
What seemed like the ultimate defeat was, in reality, the ultimate victory over sin, death, and the grave. The resurrection three days later confirmed that God's "crazy" plan was perfect, powerful, and eternally triumphant. The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1:25).
Trusting the Master Planner
These three accounts – Noah building an ark for an unseen flood, Gideon shrinking his army to an impossible number, and Christ dying a criminal's death for the salvation of the world – stand as powerful testaments to God's incomprehensible wisdom and perfect sovereignty. In each case, His plan defied human logic, seemed counter-intuitive, and yet accomplished His divine purpose with absolute precision and glory.
For the believer today, these stories serve as profound reminders. When God's path for your life seems unclear, illogical, or even "crazy," remember that His ways are higher than yours. When His commands challenge your understanding or demand a step of faith that seems to contradict all common sense, recall Noah's obedience, Gideon's trust, and Christ's ultimate submission. God is not limited by human perception or earthly wisdom. He is the Master Planner, and His plans, though they may seem crazy to us, are always perfect, always purposeful, and always for our ultimate good and His eternal glory.
Therefore, let us cast aside our limited understanding and embrace the profound truth declared by the prophet Isaiah:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
May we ever trust in the God whose "crazy" plans are always the wisest, most powerful, and most loving path to His perfect will.
This article was generated by AI to serve as a helpful starting point for study. The Scriptures are always the ultimate guide. Explore them directly on our Study page.