It Only Seems That Way

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Listen to this article

Having just finished another read through of Jeremiah and Lamentations, it is clear that Israel as a nation, committed many sins continually that dishonored God. The nation was warned by the prophet Jeremiah as well as others that judgment was coming. Still, Israel persisted in their rebellion, choosing idolatry/spiritual adultery rather than remaining true to God. The opening chapters of Ezekiel tells us as much too.

What is fascinating to me, from reading through the various laments of Jeremiah and other prophets, is that it certainly appeared as though God was completely deaf to Israel’s cries when calamity in the form of God’s judgment (via King Nebuchadnezzar as one example), came upon that nation. But it’s not as though God had not warned them. In fact, He repeatedly warned Israel that if they did not change their ways, turn their backs on idolatry and began treating people with true justice and concern, God’s judgment would most certainly come to them. They routinely ignored all the prophets, sometimes even killing those who got under their skin because they did not want to hear their message.

It reminds me of today. Censorship is out in front and at an all-time high. Dissenting opinions from the accepted narrative are met with anger, ridicule and censure. The CEO of Telegram was just arrested when his private plane touched down in France and faces 20 years in prison. There are rumors that at least one ABC agency of the United States federal government worked to ensure his detainment. Why though? Oh, there are all sorts of excuses like there was criminal activity happening on Telegram. In reality, it’s far more likely that our government (as well as foreign governments), did not like the fact that people could go to online social media and say what they wanted to say. It’s called free speech and there is a growing movement to not only condemn it, but to severely limit what can be posted online through all social networks.

These same agencies will also likely go after Elon Musk or the CEO of Gab as well. The CEO of Rumble (a free speech You Tube alternative), has already gotten out of Europe to avoid being arrested. It will be more difficult for this type of thing to come to America, yet it is happening. I’ve read of two cases in the USA where people attending city council meetings were actually arrested for what they said or for going over their allotted time limit. We can probably expect to see more of this so it is advisable for readers to choose their battles.

But my overall point to all this is that at times like this, it seems as though God isn’t doing anything against evil, that He remains aloof and silent. In fact, if we scan through Scripture, we see how God seemed to simply allow all the evil and heinous activity leading up to the Flood to occur without checking of it. This also occurred with Sodom and Gomorrah. Beyond this, there is a very similar type of thing going on now that will ultimately lead to the pouring out of God’s wrath prior to His physical return to this planet.

Why does it appear that in most cases, God is simply silent or unconcerned? Why does it appear as though the evil people in the world control the rest of the world and they have full stomachs and never have a need they cannot fill? But for the rest of us, we often struggle to make ends meet, we are on the receiving end of globalist schemes and from every corner, we are pressed down and often forced to do things “their” way or pay the consequences. Why doesn’t God step in sooner to right wrongs and correct evil and inaction?

The Bible talks about numerous mysteries in Scripture. There is the mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7). There is the mystery of faith (1 Timothy 3:9). There is the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3; Romans 16:25), mystery Babylon (Revelation 8:2), and the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16), among others. Some of these mysteries are more fully explained in Scripture for us, while others are not.

There is one particular mystery that is not so easy to explain, compared with the ones just noted. This is the mystery of God in Mark 4:11, Colossians 2:2-3, Ephesians 1:9-10, 1 Corinthians 2:7 and Revelation 10:7. I’d like to focus on this latter mystery and flesh it out as much as we can.

…but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7; emphasis added)

This is an interesting concept here. At some point in the future, the mystery of God will be perfectly and completely fulfilled. The apostle John is speaking about the time of the coming Tribulation period, where God will ultimately pour out 21 judgments of His wrath onto the world. Even a cursory reading of Revelation tells us this coming time is not going to be pleasant at all. Billions of people will die from numerous things like starvation, animals, wars and pestilence/disease. Despite these judgments, people will simply not repent. They do not even want to acknowledge God, much less get right with Him. For the people going through that, it seems better to them to continue in their rebellion and idolatry than submit to God’s rule. What they will fail to realize is that they will ultimately submit to His rule either the easy way or the hard way. They will be given the opportunity to willingly submit to Him or will be forced to submit to Him.

The folks at Got Questions dot org explain the mystery of God in this manner.

The mystery of God is the consummation of God’s plan in bringing His kingdom in Christ to fulfillment. The kingdom had long been prophesied, but the how and the when and the by whom was not clear until the time of Christ. It is in Christ that God has been manifested to all of mankind. As Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).[1]

The Bible explains to us that God’s Kingdom over which Jesus will rule will come to fruition and is progressively revealed in Scripture. It will be brought to this earth despite the opposition of humanity, demons and Satan. It is also interesting to note that God’s plan for the ages includes His specific timings.

In other words, God has His purposes and plans that He always brings to fulfillment, but they are only brought to fulfillment when the time is right. In the interim, it can most definitely appear as though God isn’t doing anything, that He isn’t engaged and doesn’t care. This is often what we see with our eyes, but faith is supposed to direct our attention from circumstances to God Himself. Faith loses out if all we focus on is what we actually see or hear as faith and sight are in constant conflict.

There is coming a point in future time when God Himself will absolutely destroy mystery Babylon, the economic and religious system that undergirds this world’s economy and ideology. The people who push it, support it and root for it, will be shocked to learn that one day, their economic system they so favored, treasured and even worshiped, will be destroyed (Revelation 14:8). God does that. But when? I have absolutely no idea, but it clearly suggests that His timing comes into play and nothing in all of Creation will stand against it when it is slated to occur.

Dr. Thomas Constable notes the following about Revelation 10:7.

The “mystery of God” probably refers to previously unrevealed details of God’s plans for humanity that He was about to make known. Specifically, it refers to what will take place so the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of Christ (11:15). The mystery is finished…in the sense that God would then have no more to reveal about these kingdom plans beyond what He revealed to John… (from Constable’s Notes)

John MacArthur states this in reference to the same verse.

Here the mystery is the final consummation of all things as God destroys sinners and establishes His righteous kingdom on earth (MacArthurs’ commentary on Revelation)

The reality here is that everything about God’s will and plans is predicated on His timing for each event. Why did God reveal certain things but not all things through His prophets in the Old Testament? In fact, when it comes to God’s salvation and ultimate plan for this earth and all of Creation, why have things been revealed to us progressively at all? We get a little bit of info here, more info there, etc. God revealed certain things and then built on those revelations over time. What we have in God’s Word is much more than what the prophets of the Old Testament had. Yet we still do not have all the details including the timing do we? The more God tells us, the more He indirectly tells Satan.

Even though we have far more information than those who came long before us, we still lack knowledge of His timing. We can discuss aspects of Eschatology and come down on certain points that we believe are firmly taught in Scripture. However, none of us can determine when certain things will happen. Timing is just as important to God’s will as His will is in the first place because His will is inextricably bound in His timing.

It is because we don’t know when things will happen, we can become jaded or even very casual about God, His Word and His plans. We can even start acting like the unbelieving world by saying, “…Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation?” (2 Peter 3:4).

If we start to ask that, we will see things as unbelievers see things. Of course we know that Peter answers the question he posed by telling us that “…With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9).

Peter provides us with a great reason why it only seems like God either doesn’t care or is powerless to do anything, when neither is the actual case. God waits mainly due to His patience in not wanting anyone to perish. This is the exact same reason why He kept warning of judgment coming to Israel and other nations throughout biblical history. Eventually, He carried through with His promise of judgment after providing enough time for people to change their minds about God. His judgments were always devastating and deserved. We are approaching another global judgment in which God will glorify Himself through His wrath. Eventually and ultimately, His coming judgments will lead directly to the physical return of Jesus where He and He alone will be the only Ruler of this earth.

It is important for us to understand that if we stop seeing by faith and instead, see the world through the same eyes that the world sees it, we will lose our interest in the things of God. We will lose our heavenly expectancy regarding His return and our being with Him forever.

We can somewhat explain the subject of salvation. We can explain many other things we learn in Scripture. However, we cannot explain all aspects of exactly how God’s will and timing work. We don’t know everything and if we could understand everything about God, His plans and His timing, He probably would not be a God worth worshiping. I mean absolutely no disrespect there. I’m simply saying that His thoughts are not inherently our thoughts, His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

There is absolutely no way we can zero in on the whys, the wherefores and especially the timing of everything to do with God’s will. We are finite and He is infinite. But, if we allow ourselves to be distracted by all that is happening in this world, it will actually become easy to lose faith in Him as the world’s attitude begins to permeate our world view.

Why has this world continued for the thousands of years it has? Why is the Tribulation still in front of us? Why does God allow evil to seemingly increase exponentially in our day? I don’t know all the answers but clearly, these things are happening or will happen because God has a purpose in allowing it.

In truth, it only seems as though God is not involved in this world. He is clearly involved and directing all of humanity’s affairs but often does so from our perspective naturally, not supernaturally. It doesn’t look supernatural to us at all most of the time, but that doesn’t mean He is not working. Much of what occurred in the Old Testament seems to have occurred naturally as well, even though we are told God was behind many of those seemingly naturally occurring events. Other times, He did something that was clearly supernatural (like the parting of the Red Sea). The bottom line is that He will bring His will to conclusion just as He has planned.

Of course, as I’ve said before, the Christian’s job remains the same as it has always been. We are to be beacons of light in this world, sharing knowledge of God’s salvation, graciousness, righteousness and love to those who do not know Him. Yes, it will become more difficult to do so because the average person is becoming very militant and unhinged in their utter rejection of God. Still, we must persevere and as God told the prophet Ezekiel, we must do this whether they listen or not.

[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/mystery-of-God.html

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Source: https://studygrowknowblog.com/2024/08/28/it-only-seems-that-way/