Doubting, as depicted in the Bible, often serves as a significant theme that highlights human frailty and the need for faith in God. Throughout Scripture, various individuals exemplify doubt, providing lessons and insights into the nature of belief and trust in the divine.

1. Thomas the Apostle

One of the most well-known examples of doubt is found in the account of Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. After the resurrection of Jesus, Thomas expressed skepticism about the reports of Jesus' return, insisting on physical evidence. In John 20:24-25 , it is recorded: "Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he replied, 'Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.'" Thomas's doubt was met with a gracious response from Jesus, who appeared to him and invited him to touch His wounds. This encounter led Thomas to a profound declaration of faith, as seen in John 20:28 : "Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!'"

2. Peter Walking on Water

Another instance of doubt is illustrated in the account of Peter walking on water. In Matthew 14:28-31 , Peter initially demonstrated faith by stepping out of the boat to walk toward Jesus on the water. However, when he noticed the strong wind, he became afraid and began to sink. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him, saying, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" This episode underscores the struggle between faith and doubt, even among those closest to Jesus.

3. Gideon and the Fleece

Gideon, a judge of Israel, also exemplified doubt when he questioned God's promise of deliverance from the Midianites. In Judges 6:36-40 , Gideon sought confirmation of God's will by asking for a sign involving a fleece. He requested that the fleece be wet with dew while the ground remained dry, and then the reverse. God graciously accommodated Gideon's request, demonstrating patience and understanding of human doubt.

4. Zechariah's Doubt

Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, exhibited doubt when the angel Gabriel announced that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son in their old age. In Luke 1:18-20 , Zechariah questioned the angel, saying, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years." As a result of his doubt, Zechariah was rendered mute until the fulfillment of the prophecy. This incident highlights the consequences of doubt but also the fulfillment of God's promises despite human skepticism.

5. Israel in the Wilderness

The Israelites' journey through the wilderness is replete with instances of doubt and unbelief. Despite witnessing numerous miracles, including the parting of the Red Sea and the provision of manna, the Israelites frequently doubted God's ability to provide and protect. In Numbers 14:11 , the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them?" Their doubt led to a prolonged wandering in the desert, serving as a cautionary tale of the consequences of unbelief.

These examples from Scripture illustrate the pervasive nature of doubt and the importance of faith. They reveal the human tendency to question and the divine response of patience and encouragement toward belief.Genesis 12:12,13
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see you, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save you alive.
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Genesis 15:8
And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
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Genesis 18:12-14
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
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Genesis 19:30
And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelled in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelled in a cave, he and his two daughters.
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Genesis 20:2,11
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
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Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look on.
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Exodus 3:11
And Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
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Exodus 4:1,10,13
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice: for they will say, The LORD has not appeared to you.
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Exodus 5:22,23
And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, LORD, why have you so evil entreated this people? why is it that you have sent me?
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Exodus 6:12
And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
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Exodus 14:10-12,15
And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.
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Numbers 11:21,22
And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and you have said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
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Judges 6:13,15
And Gideon said to 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 has forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
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1 Samuel 16:1,2
And the LORD said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go, I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
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1 Samuel 17:11,24
When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
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1 Samuel 22:3,4
And David went there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray you, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
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1 Kings 18:7-14
And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Are you that my lord Elijah?
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1 Kings 19:13-18
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What do you here, Elijah?
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2 Kings 13:18,19
And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Smite on the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
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Jeremiah 1:6
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
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Jeremiah 32:24,25
Behold the mounts, they are come to the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what you have spoken is come to pass; and, behold, you see it.
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Matthew 8:23-27
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
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Matthew 11:2,3
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
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Matthew 14:29-31
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
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Matthew 17:14-21
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
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Matthew 28:17
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
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Mark 9:14-29
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
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Mark 16:10,11
And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
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John 14:8-11
Philip said to him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffises us.
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Acts 9:13,14
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem:
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The Time of Doubting and of Spiritual Darkness Constitutes
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remains of deceitfulness in the best hearts; this was exemplified in David ...
//christianbookshelf.org/flavel/on keeping the heart/x the time of doubting.htm

Thirdly, the Peculiar Manner and Circumstances with which the ...
... upon the meanest capacities with great weight and authority, and exemplified in
the ... the wicked; to reclaim those that err, to comfort the doubting, to reprove ...
/.../xii proposition xii thirdly the.htm

Sodom, Capernaum, Manchester
... his Gospel to group together similar events, as we have it exemplified, for instance ...
They might be pardoned for doubting whether the light that shone from Him ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/sodom capernaum manchester.htm

Chapter v
... 6:1-8 the definite departure from what he taught and exemplified is recorded ... There
is no reason for doubting the correctness of the chronology submitted by the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter v.htm

Abram's Horror of Great Darkness.
... In the history of Job the same things are exemplified in still stronger colors. ... of
heaven trusts in God, and conforms to his requirements, not doubting but all ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon v abrams horror of.htm

The Good Man Useful in Life and Happy in Death.
... of his mercy and truth, he resigns them to his care and leaves them with him, not
doubting, but he ... We have this happiness of a dying saint, exemplified in St. ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xxv the good man.htm

"Thou Canst Make Me Clean"
... He who on the mount gave the precept, "Love your enemies," Himself exemplified the
principle ... the case; He had drawn to Himself that perplexed and doubting spirit ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 27 thou canst make.htm

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity the Christian Calling and Unity.
... factions ensue as numerous as the teachers and their creeds; as exemplified in the ...
than that, many weak but well-meaning ones fall to doubting, uncertain where ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/seventeenth sunday after trinity the.htm

Jerusalem
... There was the tendency, exemplified in some of the Psalms, and still more in ... How
do we endanger the future of Christianity by doubting that Jesus identified ...
/.../lake/landmarks in the history of early christianity/ii jerusalem.htm

Acts IX
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in the ... of facts that they could not find an excuse for doubting his testimony ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts ix.htm

Who was Thomas in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

If you doubt your salvation, does that mean you are not truly saved? | GotQuestions.org

Why did David choose five smooth stones before going to fight Goliath? | GotQuestions.org

Doubting: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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