Can God hide from us?

[Lamb]

Another thread made me want to ask this question of Can God hide from us?

Normally I'd say No but there is the part in the New Testament where the risen Jesus was walking along the road and the apostles with Him did not recognize him. Jesus of course was in plain sight but He was not recognized for being who He was supposed to be.

 

[Arsenios]

Another thread made me want to ask this question of Can God hide from us?

Normally I'd say No but there is the part in the New Testament where the risen Jesus was walking along the road and the apostles with Him did not recognize him. Jesus of course was in plain sight but He was not recognized for being who He was supposed to be.

Christ is always hiding in plain sight...

This is the Age of sorting out where each of us will take ur manner of life...

Satan also hides in plain sight...

The reason for the hiding is very different however...

For Christ-God, the reason is to honor man's freedom to choose Life in Christ-God...

For Satan the reason is to destroy man while hiding among his lies and deceptions...

Christ spoke in parables which permit those choosing evil ways of life to not know the Truth...

Look - The entire effort of Christ was to remain in concealment from the world until "My time has come"...

His "Time" is the Time of death to the world and Life in God buy embracing the Cross and its death in order to ascend to the Father...

The Christ-Child had to flee Jerusalem in order to survive - He hid in Egypt... Satan wanted Him dead...

Christians themselves are "hidden in Christ"...

It is Christians who ARE Christ in the flesh here and now upon this earth...

Christ Risen asked Saul "Why are you persecuting ME?"...

He did not ask: "Why are you persecuting my followers?"

Early Christians were lambs among wolves, hidden and persecuted...


Arsenios

 

[Arsenios]

In fact, to KNOW Christ is to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth...

Spirit and Truth are not visible objects...

Spiritual vision is God's Gift...


Arsenios

 

[Josiah]

Another thread made me want to ask this question of Can God hide from us?

Normally I'd say No but there is the part in the New Testament where the risen Jesus was walking along the road and the apostles with Him did not recognize him. Jesus of course was in plain sight but He was not recognized for being who He was supposed to be.

The Road to Emmaus event.... I see nothing in the text that says Jesus "hide" Himself (although that's possible). I've always understood this these people so filled with grief that they can't see the reality right in front of them. I've heard the view that the Resurrected Christ's body was different, so much so that He is not immediately recognized (remember the same issue on Easter with "the women").

 

[MennoSota]

Isaiah 6
9And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

“‘Keep on hearing,*but do not understand;

keep on seeing,*but do not perceive.’

10Make the heart of this people*dull,

and their ears heavy,

and blind their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears,

and understand with their hearts,

and turn and be healed.”

11Then I said,*“How long, O Lord?”

And he said:

“Until*cities lie waste

without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is a desolate waste,

12and the*Lord*removes people far away,

and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

 

[Arsenios]

Can God hide from us?

Effortlessly...

Because:

Adam and Eve hid from God and covered themselves...

And did not confess their sin...

Nor did they repent in the confession they did not make...

And God honored their deeds...

And banned them from the Garden...

In His great love for man He banished them...

Lest their rule by death...

Should become eternal...

Lest they eat of the Tree of Life...

As man and woman now dead...

To be eternally self-separated from God...

For God had warned them:

"In the day you eat thereof...
You will surely die..."

And they ate...
They did not seek God...
They did not confess to Him...
They did not repent of their sin...
Instead they hid from them...
And covered their nakedness...
For their covering of righteousness...
Had been stripped from them...
Because they ate the forbidden fruit...
And deprived of righteousness...
They were ashamed...
And they hid...
And were ashamed...

We are born into this death as fallen man on this earth...
Hiding from God we accuse Him of hiding from us...

Great question Lamm...


Arsenios

 

[hedrick]

I think the implication John likely intended us to get from that passage is that it requires the Holy Spirit for us to recognize who Christ actually is.

In a sense, Christ is by definition hidden unless our eyes are open.

[Sorry, I was thinking of a different episode in John. But the same applies here. Note in John that after the resurrection, Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener until her eyes are opened.]

 

[Arsenios]

I think the implication John likely intended us to get from that passage is that it requires the Holy Spirit for us to recognize who Christ actually is.

In a sense, Christ is by definition hidden unless our eyes are open.

[Sorry, I was thinking of a different episode in John. But the same applies here. Note in John that after the resurrection, Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener until her eyes are opened.]

Indeed, He spoke Her name...

Mary - [Magdalene]...

The woman who had 7 demons cast out from her...

Perhaps the most sinful of all the followers of Christ...

The very first person to see the Resurrected Christ...

And perhaps the only one prior to His ascending to His Father...


Arsenios

 

[Pedrito]

==============================================================================================

Can God hide from us?

==============================================================================================

With respect to the nation Israel and individuals in pre-Christian times, we find[emphasis added]:

Deuteronomy 31:17-18:
17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?
18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

Deuteronomy 32:20:
And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be : for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

Job 23:9: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him :

Job 34:29: When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

Psalm 10:1: Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Psalm 13:1: To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

Isaiah 1:15: And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Isaiah 8:17: And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

Etc.

==============================================================================================

With respect to individuals in the Christian era [emphasis added]:

(There appears to be none.)

==============================================================================================

It would seem that in our day and age, God does not hide from believers (John 10:28-29, Philippians 1:6).

However, it would further seem that one who initially responds with faith and gains that protection, can choose to turn their back and walk away (1 John 5:16-17, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 6:26-29, 2 Peter 2:20-22).

==============================================================================================

 

[TurtleHare]

God really can't hide from us cuz we know that men can know that a god exists by looking at nature and knowing there is a god except that they don't know the true God who is the Savior, that part is hidden until faith shows the men that it is God.

 

[Jerlene]

I feel like just like God is everywhere when we believe, he's hiding when we don't. I know for me when I lose someone close to me, it's easy for me to blame God. When I do, I tend to get so angry that I wonder if there really is a God at all. In the end, I know that there is. I just hid him away from my reality for a little while.

 

[MennoSota]

I feel like just like God is everywhere when we believe, he's hiding when we don't. I know for me when I lose someone close to me, it's easy for me to blame God. When I do, I tend to get so angry that I wonder if there really is a God at all. In the end, I know that there is. I just hid him away from my reality for a little while.

Grief brings such pain that the unhealed areas of our heart often block out our vision of God. It is in that deep pain that the Spirit of God prays when we cannot utter a word. God is healing us, but that searing pain just blinds us from seeing.
I am so grateful that God remains faithful and is present even when we have too much pain to see him.

 

[Arsenios]

Isaiah 6
9And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

“‘Keep on hearing,*but do not understand;

keep on seeing,*but do not perceive.’

10Make the heart of this people*dull,

and their ears heavy,

and blind their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears,

and understand with their hearts,

and turn and be healed.”

11Then I said,*“How long, O Lord?”

And he said:

“Until*cities lie waste

without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is a desolate waste,

12and the*Lord*removes people far away,

and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

Yes, they must turn to be healed...

Thank-you Menno...


Arsenios

 

[Arsenios]

I think the implication John likely intended us to get from that passage is that it requires the Holy Spirit for us to recognize who Christ actually is.

In a sense, Christ is by definition hidden unless our eyes are open.

[Sorry, I was thinking of a different episode in John. But the same applies here. Note in John that after the resurrection, Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener until her eyes are opened.]

The disciples on the Road to Emaeus did not recognize Him until "The Breaking of the Bread"...

"Take... Eat... This IS my Body which is broken for you for the remission of sins..."

Etc etc...


Arsenios

 

[MennoSota]

Yes, they must turn to be healed...

Thank-you Menno...


Arsenios

Indeed, the chosen ones of God do turn and are healed.
The election is first, Arsenios. It's good to remember that. Those who are dead in their trespasses and sins cannot turn and be healed.