Standard

Posted by

Posted on

July 12, 2022

Posted under

God

Why does God seem to Hide Himself?

A previous article discussed why God hides Himself from mankind. God is not visible to people, but He has not hidden Himself. God has revealed Himself to humanity through creation, His Word and His Son. Those who question God’s presence are not usually concerned about their inability to physically see God. They are most concerned about the apparent absence of God’s involvement in their lives.

Times of suffering and trouble causes a person to feel like God has hidden Himself away from them. At times it can seem as if God has forgotten and forsaken a person. King David expressed this in the Psalms. “Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Pslam 10:1) The Bible speaks of God’s hiding Himself from people, but it always does so from the perspective of humanity. The Bible never says that God hides Himself from the knowledge of people or that He prevents people from knowing of Him. Instead, the Bible presents Gods as acting in such a way that men perceive Him as turning away and hiding from them. The hiding of God is the human perception of a situation, not the reality that God has made Himself unknowable.

The Bible most frequently uses the analogy of God hiding Himself when He brings judgment on a person or nation. Isaiah 45:15 speaks of God hiding Himself in judgment on the nation of Israel. In Psalm 30:7 David complains that God has hidden His face from him. This hiding of God is not an actual hiding. God’s hiding is not a removal of His presence or work form the world. Rather, it is a hiding of His goodness from men so they will see nothing but His wrath. The hiding of God’s goodness brings tribulation and judgment. Psalm 104:29 says, “Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled.” When God hides Himself His smiling face is turned to a frown. The experience of God’s hidden face is never an indication God has turned away from men, but that men have turned away from God. However, God never abandons humanity

God always acts toward His children with the greatest compassion. Christian’s may sin and distance themselves from God, but God never hides from His children. Instead, God assures Christians of His constant presence (Hebrews 13:5) and He promises He will dwell in each of His children until they enter heaven. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Even in times of intense trouble, the Bible assures us God allows those troubles in the lives of His children because of His love for them. “The Lord chastens those whom he loves.” (Hebrews 12:6)

Some believe God has hidden Himself from men because He is no longer working in the world the way He once did during Biblical times. If someone looks to see God in miracles, then the absence of miracles in this age may cause that person to think God is hiding Himself. God is not hidden. God has chosen to deal with men today differently than He did in the days of the apostles or the days of Moses. This different manner of working in the world does not mean God has hidden himself. God is still making Himself known to men. Look to see God in the way He reveals Himself today. Just because you cannot physically see God does not mean He isn’t there. Open the eyes of faith and you will find He has been present all along.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

July 5, 2022

Posted under

God

Why does God hide Himself?

God is not visible. Man cannot see God. The Gospel of John says, “No man hath seen God at any time.” (John 1:18) The book of First Timothy says God is, “Invisible.” (1 Timothy 1:17) God Himself told Moses, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20) Why does God not allow man to see Him?

God does not hide Himself from to be mysterious. He hides His glory from the sight of men so they will not die. God’s perfect holiness is so brilliant that no sinful being can survive in His presence. The sun is such a piercing light that none can look directly on it. Filters and screens must be used for frail humans to actually look at the sun. The sun is not hard to see because the sun trying to be coy with humanity, but because man in unable to endure the sight. God’s holiness is far greater than the sun. None can endure the full display of God’s majesty. God in His grace prevents His glory from bursting out on the world and destroying all those who see it.

Though God’s glory is obscured, He did not hide Himself away from men. God has revealed Himself to humanity in multiple ways. At the beginning of history God made Himself known to mankind. After men sinned, God continued to communicate with humanity. The record of the Bible is a record of God revealing Himself to people. Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and dozens of others had direct communication with God. Though God is not speaking directly to people today, He continues to make Himself known to all people. God’s power is on display in all of creation. (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20) God’s goodness is seen all around in His care for creation and provision for humanity. (Psalm 104) Nature never stops telling everyone about God. (Psalm 19:1-3) God has also revealed Himself through His Word. The Bible declares the character of God, details His promises, proclaims His saving grace and unveils His plan for the world. God may not be speaking directly to individuals today, but He is actively communicating with people through His Word. God is still revealing Himself through Scripture. Though people cannot see God, He has not hidden Himself from men. He has revealed to us all we need to know about Him.

Most importantly, God has revealed Himself to the whole world through His Son. God revealed Himself to humanity in various times and manners, but the greatest revelation of God is in the person of Jesus. (Hebrews 1:1-2) Though no man has seen God, Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who has declared Him to the world. (John 1:18) Jesus is the exact image of God (Colossians 1:15), the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person. (Hebrews 1:3) Jesus is God made flesh who lived among men. (John 1:14) God has not hidden Himself. He has made Himself known to all the world.

The reason men do not see God’s revelation of Himself is because of sin. Sin has darkened the minds and blinded the hearts of everyone. (Ephesians 4:18) Satan is actively working to blind and keep blinded the eyes of all people. (2 Corinthians 4:4) They way to see God is to believe. Through faith we know God and see Him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 21, 2022

Posted under

Old Testament, The Bible

Why did God command Israel to destroy the Canaanites?

Some of the more troubling passages in the Old Testament are God’s commands to Israel to completely destroy the Canaanite nations. In Deuteronomy 7:2 God commands, “And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them.” God gave no exceptions. The Israelites were not to allow the Canaanites to stay in the land. They were not to make treaties with them or make them their servants. They were to drive them completely out of the region. If a nation waged this kind of war today their actions would be called war crimes and genocide. A previous article discussed the justice of God in condemning the Canaanties and why the Israelite’s actions were not criminal or immoral. Why did God condemn the Canaanites? What did they do that was so bad?

The Bible points to several reasons for God’s command to destroy the Canaanites. In Genesis 15 God told Abraham his descendants would not be given the land of Canaan for four hundred years because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” God’s command to annihilate the Canaanites is directly related to their sins. The destruction of the Canaanites was the just judgment of God on them for their wickedness.

What sins did the Canaanites commit? The Bible’s describes the Canaanites as irrepresible idolaters. The idolatry of the Canaanites was of the grossest kind and involved frequent child sacrifices. (Leviticus 18:21) For example, the Canaanites offered their children to Molech. The idols of Molech were often formed in the shape of a bull with a hollow interior. The statue was heated with fire. Parents would place their child inside the idol, burning the child to death. Child sacrifice appears to have been a regular feature of Canaanite idolatry. The idolatry of the Canaanites also involved ritual fornication and prostitution. Baal was a fertility god who the Canaanites believed needed to be awakened by the sexual activity of his worshipers. These vile practices attempted to make fornication and prostitution sacred. The Canaanite religion was immoral and violent. God judged them through Israel for their depraved worship of false gods.

God’s displacement of Canaan for Israel was also merciful. He drove out the Canaanites so the worship of His name would be at the center of the world and all the world would know He is God. God chose Israel so the entire world would know Him. God brought Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan so the entire world would know His power. (Joshua 4:24) In 2 Kings 8 King Solomon declared that the whole world would hear of God’s great name. In His wisdom, justice and mercy, God judged Canaan for their sin and placed His people in a central location so the world would know that He is God.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 3, 2022

Posted under

Current Events

What is the Bible’s Response to Violence?

America has once again been stunned by outbursts of unthinkable violence. Mass shootings are happening far too frequently. Murder remains a regular feature on the evening news. Every time someone shoots up a school or unloads into a crowded restaurant, Christians need to address these tragedies with compassion and thoughtfulness.

Christian love demands we show genuine concern for all affected by these awful crimes. Whether the victims schoolchildren, gangmembers or police officers, the Christian must respond with heartfelt compassion for all who suffer at the hands of others. The wanton taking of a human life is always a horrible evil. Every person is created in the image of God. To harm a person is to attack the image of God. Every murder is a direct affront to the dignity and glory created in every person by God. Christians must clearly denounce any murderous act as a horrible evil without attempting to justify, excuse or mitigate the wickedness of the attack.

Horrendous deeds remind us the corruption of sin has filled this world with evil. The first person on the earth killed his brother. One of his descendants bragged about killing a man. Within a few generations the earth was filled with wickedness. God said, “The earth is filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:13) Murder is the inevitable result when men forsake God and pursue their own desires. Murder strikes down fellow human beings who bear the image of God. Murder destroys life and desecrates the image of God. Murder is a great evil which has been around since the earliest days of human history.

Even those who might be inclined to deny any moral absolutes acknowledge mass shootings are a terrible evil. The Christian need not argue about whether the problem is caused by guns, mental illness, religion, lack of religion or the shooter’s upbringing. The Biblically informed believer can say with confidence that whatever the immediate contributing factors to individual acts of violence, the tragedy occurred because everyone is corrupted by sin. The present excess of violence, hatred and destruction shows that sin is all too real.

The problem of evil drives us to seek a solution. The Christian knows the only hope for mankind is Jesus. Gun control, mental health solutions and better education may be worthwhile goals, but they are unable to solve the problem of sin. Those with murder in their hearts will find a way to execute their desires. The only solution is a heart transformed by Jesus. In Christ evil desires begin to be replaced with good. Only in Jesus does humanity find hope for genuine righteousness and an end to the evils of this world.

Above all else, the Christian must never forget that in the end God will overthrow man’s wickedness. Psalm 2 says, ” Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD . . . He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Wicked men will rage against God and man, but in the end Jesus will punish all evil and will establish His righteous kingdom.