A GOD THAT HIDES HIMSELF Human innovations are powerless when it comes to comprehending the living God. God is transcendent to, or above, this world and its wisdom. As valuable as academic pursuits may be, they have no determinative value in appropriating "the knowledge of God." They do not give the believer the advantage. Prior to the giving of the Law, Zophar the Naamathite challenged Job. While his assessment of the patriarch's condition was incorrect, his observation about the living God was on target. "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" (Job 11:7). Natural resources are not sufficient for the task of understanding God! No searching of His understanding Isaiah referred to God's transcendency another way. "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding" (Isa 40:28). Of itself, human logic is not capable of trafficking in Divine thought. This does not mean that we are shut up to ignorance. Our efforts, however, must be undergirded by Divine involvement. -- Tomorrow:
"Truly, Thou art a God Who hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior" -- Isaiah 45:15
The impotency of world wisdom
No one, no matter how perspicacious, is capable of having a Divine perspective, or insight into God's eternal purpose, apart from Divine initiative. If God did not reveal His intent, it simply would never have been known. What is more, if He does not shed light upon what He has revealed, it cannot be understood and appreciated. That is why the apostle prayed for the illumination of the very people to whom he proclaimed truth (Eph 1:17-20).
Again, Paul wrote of these things. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Rom 11:33). The intent of this exclamation is not to declare God's ways cannot be comprehended. Rather, if God's "judgments" and "ways" were not revealed, they could never be discovered by mortals. That condition is owing to the transcendency of the Lord. I continue to be amazed at the appropriateness of this observation to nearly all spiritual subjects. Whether speaking of salvation, sanctification, peace, or joy, human effort without God Himself is futile.
We do not have to apologize to the worldly-wise about this matter. When it comes to the things of God, we are out of the domain of earthly knowledge. His judgments are"unsearchable;" i.e., they cannot be properly examined, deciphered, or ingested into the human spirit by earthly wisdom alone. His "ways" are "past finding out" because they extend beyond the perimeter of the world's wisdom. The logic that permeates them is of a higher order, and thus out of reach of the "natural man."
In the kingdom of God, for instance, he is "greatest" that is "last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35). The way to be "exalted" is to "humble yourselves" (James 4:10). The way to become wise is to "become a fool" (1 Cor 3:18). Earthly reasoning will never bring you to these conclusions. They simply are of a higher order; and they are but the vestibule of true learning!
All of this should confirm to our hearts that God can, indeed, hide Himself. A transcendent God can easily hide Himself. A God that can be deciphered by human logic cannot be hidden.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I know by experience that You are greater than my natural capacities of reason. With Moses, and in the name of Jesus, I therefore ask You to show me Your glory.