Understanding God Part 1: God Purposely Provided A Veil
Today The Truth Is Veiled By Men
Much Like The Veil Of This Waterfall
Much Like The Veil Of This Waterfall
(Picture courtesy http://www.forestwander.com)
God has veiled everything from man and this “hiding” has always been related to His purpose. God unveiled creation by letting man know, “In The Beginning God.” Men however, find different answers to creation and in a sense place another veil which is sufficient to confuse many people. The truth about creation is still there but men have to see through the “waterfall.” Yet, God warns man that the fool says in his heart, “there is no God.” God wants man to see past the obstacles other men have placed in front of the truth.
Starting in Genesis 3.15, He veiled the plan He had for mankind. God revealed His plan for man very gradually and it culminated in the church. According to Peter in 2 Peter 1.3 we have all things pertaining to life and Godliness. So during Peter’s lifetime all we need had been revealed. The veil related to God’s purpose is GONE and the solution to man’s problem revealed.
2 Peter 1:3
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
So, even though God has revealed his purpose in Christ a veil remains in relation to men seeing the truth due of their own choice. As we will see below people will choose to not listen, to even avoid the message. God has devised a perfect test and men/women chose God or no God. Those who choose no God often just become more and more distant from God while those who select God see increasingly more clearly.
The following is provided to help you see how God used the veil throughout history.
God tore down the veil of the Old Covenant Tabernacle with the death of Christ. In the temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies, the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence from the rest of the temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin.
Isaiah 59:1-2
1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7) to enter into God’s presence for all of Israel and make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16).
Jesus Death on the Cross Tears The Veil
Luke 23.44-46
44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.
Throughout early history God hid His plan of reconciliation (a mystery) but now in Christ the mystery is revealed
Ephesians 3.8-11
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Today, the truth is before man but is hidden only by man’s attitude, man’s selfishness, and of course man’s short-sighted desire to have everything he can, NOW.
2 Corinthians 4:3,4
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
The veil is as light or as dark as a person wants it to be. God controlled the veil until Christ and now each person decides if God will be hidden from him or her.
Of course as we try to understand God, some of the principles regarding how God has dealt with man are discussed in, “Divine Basics.” These are very helpful, very revealing about God’s nature.
Another Veil, Courtesy of the World
One last thought about a veil. The world that we live in, that is the things that are said, suggestions that are made, the little laughter or head shaking sigh that occurs at the mention of God or Godly things is a veil for you. What does the “world” really know about matters of God and life. What you commonly see is deceived people deceiving others. The idea of God and the bible are utterly ridiculousness to much of the world. Frequently there is great support for this idea and often in casual ways. Television shows, movies, news broadcasts all participate and its easy to eventually also become supportive. It seems to be what everybody is doing – rejecting God and the bible. What is behind this opposition to God and the bible? There are usually two things:
1) God’s rules as seen in the bible cause problems for people
2) Religious groups claiming to be Christian present God incorrectly and manipulate the scriptures to present THEIR views as truth
Two related posts will follow shortly:
> Beginning to understand God
> Understand God: Astonishing Differences From Your Thinking – Available February 2011
