The great and terrible revealing

Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. (Luke 12:1-3 NASB)

Our focus verse today is a difficult one for me. Jesus had warned the disciples against hypocrisy, then continued. "There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known." The word translated as "covered up" is sygkalyptō and indicates something that has been completely covered on all sides so that it is totally camouflaged, not visible to the naked eye. The word translated as "hidden" is kryptos and indicates something that is a carefully concealed secret. 

Jesus was talking about those things in our lives that we reserve for ourselves alone. Those thoughts and actions we would never want anyone to know. It includes the things we do (or don't do) as well as those things we've done in the past. I have a few of those secret, hidden things from my past that I would never want someone to know, much less have revealed for all the world to see, and I suspect you do, too. If we are honest with ourselves, we all have things of which we are ashamed, things we want to keep hidden for all eternity.

Jesus warned against those hidden things because, He told those listening to Him, they will eventually be revealed. The word apokalyptō is translated as "revealed" and is a word that indicates that which is completely hidden will be completely revealed. Nothing will be left hidden, no matter how carefully the secret has been concealed. All will be known. The word here is ginōskō and indicates a complete, full knowledge of the matter.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 tells us, "For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."

I don't want all my secrets known, and I certainly don't want all my secrets told. You probably don't either.

Nothing said in secret and nothing done in secret will remain so forever. One day, all will be revealed. Every secret sin will be known. There are a myriad of possible responses to this fact, but only two that I recommend. 

The first is to guard our thoughts and actions, making sure we only say and do those things on which we would willingly allow light to shine. I've seen it said, "If you wouldn't want your mama to see it, don't do it." The problem with that philosophy is that God sees it all. If you don't want God to see it or do it, restrain yourself and don't do it. 

The second response is to give all our secret failures to our Lord, who can wash them white as snow. One of my favorite Scripture passages is Isaiah 1:18-19, in which God pleads with His people to return to Him.

"Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land..." Isaiah 1:18-19 NASB

When we allow God to wash us clean from our sin, He does even more. He blesses us with His best.

Let us, then, join in praying the prayer David prayed after his fall with Bathsheba.

"According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 

Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Psalm 51:2-4 NASB

Sending the Seventy, part 27: The Hidden Things

At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. " (Luke 10:21-22 NASB)

This is a beautiful picture of our Lord, who bubbles over with prayer as He is talking with His disciples. As we have seen in previous posts, the seventy disciples had gone out to the villages and towns where Jesus was headed. They had preached, healed the sick, and had an incredible experience. They returned, filled with joy and excitement over all they had seen and done. Jesus "debriefed" them, then explained that although what they had seen was very exciting, they should be even more excited about having their names recorded in heaven. 

"At that very time", Jesus was so overwhelmed with rejoicing in the Holy Spirit that He began to pray aloud. Praise for His Father poured forth. One of the things for which He praised God was that He had hidden "these things" from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. What were "these things" that had been hidden? The things that were hidden were those about which He had just been speaking, including authority over the power of the enemy in the name of Jesus, spiritual protection in service, and the certainty of eternity. 

For the most part, the religious leaders of the day failed to recognize the deity of Jesus and did not acknowledge the power and authority of Jesus. For people dependent upon the law, the idea of grace was a foreign concept. The "infants", those who were not learned scholars, fluent in the law and the prophets, had grasped the truth of Jesus when those who should have recognized Him did not, and Jesus said it was "well-pleasing" in the sight of God. 

The "infants" were just common men. They weren't fancy or wealthy. They weren't wise or educated. The amazing thing is that God did this intentionally. He chose to come to the common men and women of the day, and He still does. Nothing special or fancy was required to learn the deep truths of God. All who came could know Him. All who come, even now, can know Him just as deeply, just as intimately.

Can we know the "hidden things" of God? Yes, we can. God Himself delights in revealing truth to those who will seek it. In fact, He is well-pleased when we seek and find what He has hidden just for us. If you will seek, you will find all He has set aside just for you. Even better, in the seeking and finding, you will also encounter the pleasure of God. What could be better than that? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.