Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever… Man has always had a quarrel with God over secret things. In the Garden of Eden there was one prohibition — "Thou shalt not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" — and in the Garden of Eden began the quarrel with God. Now there are certain secrets to be left unto God, and they may be classified under five headings. 1. Secrets in the nature of God Himself. One of the first things that a man has to learn is that his mind has not the capacity of that of God. Just as well might you expect a tiny cup to embrace the boundless ocean as to get God within the compass of man's mind. And this is the very proof of God's superiority to man. If we understood God we should be equal to God. If we could explore the mysteries of this world we could have made it. If we found no difficulties in the Bible we could have written it. 2. Those mysteries which lie in the will of God. A parent always shows his or her wisdom by their reserve. There are many things which a child ought not to know, and these are withheld by a wise parent. Eventually the child has growth, and then the knowledge comes in. Now, God is the universal Father, and there are some things that God sees which would be unwise for Him to communicate. 3. Secrets that have to do with the nature of truth. Truth is a sphere. In other words, you cannot see it all at once. It is a great globe which has two aspects. Looked at from one side, only half is seen, the other part is hidden. Now, man can only see one hemisphere at a time. If he could only learn that truth is greater than his vision takes in at a glance, he would at once surmount many difficulties. Now, many apparent contradictions are found in the Bible, but there is no attempt on the part of the writers to reconcile them. The reason is, that no matter how many explanations we received, we could never take in the grandeur of God's purpose. 4. Secrets that have to do with the nature of man. 5. Secrets that have to do with the nature of language. Words represent things. If we do not understand a word, we can have no conception of the thing which it represents. When we hear the words "tree," "cloud," and "sun," immediately these objects are presented to our imagination. But if I use a word which you have never heard of, it would have no signification to you whatever, Now when God describes a thing which we have never seen, He is obliged to use words that are familiar to us, no matter how insufficient they may be. When Robert Moffat was in Africa he came across a tribe that had never seen an ox waggon. With great curiosity they examined the wheels, axles, and other parts. But most of all they were taken with his kettle. Their curiosity was, however, turned to wonder when Dr. Moffat told them that "in England they placed on the ground iron rods, and on these tied in a row several ox wagons, put a big steam kettle at their head, and away they went!" You see, he had to take something which the natives had seen in order to describe what they had not seen; they then readily caught some idea of the original. Did it ever occur to you that when God tries to make known to us the mysteries of heaven and the heavenly life, that He is obliged to use words which are familiar to us, but do not even touch the reality? Heaven is described as having pearly gates, streets of gold, and jasper walls. God is obliged to thus describe it because no thoughts of man could possibly reach to the reality.Now, what are the things revealed? 1. Facts. We know that there is such a thing as sin, and we know that we can have salvation if we only seek it; but the mysteries of these are not understood. Christ's death and resurrection are well attested — they are facts, but the mystery surrounding them cannot be explained. You cannot understand these mysteries, but you can accept the facts. Admit these facts, and then adapt your own conduct to the fact. 2. Laws. The law is the express will of the sovereign. There may be ten thousand things which you do not understand, but there is not a single law in the Bible which a little child cannot understand, and a willing child obey. The laws of God, which once belonged to Him now belong unto us and to our children forever." What is the lesson? First, we must learn humility. We should all find out and limit the extent of our knowledge. The province of reason is not to explore the mysteries of God, but to answer — 1. Is this the law of God? 2. What does this law mean? 3. What does it require of me?When these have been answered, all that reason demands is satisfied. When we go beyond the reach of reason, Faith must take its place. In addition, we are taught Obedience. This should be unquestioning and unhesitating. Finally, we have the lesson of Blessedness. The blessedness of the man who keeps the law of God is only just inferior to the blessedness of the angels themselves. (J. Pierson, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. |
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