All is not Revealed

 

Silence of the Scriptures, Part 1

 

Introduction

In Deuteronomy 29:29, it is written, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

What this means is that everything that is written in the bible is for us; if it’s not there, then it doesn’t matter. People find it hard to believe that God would keep certain things a secret from us; as if it necessary for us to have that knowledge. It’s a shame that people think that if it isn’t revealed to us that we are responsible to find out the answers ourselves. 

 

Bible Examples of “Not revealed”

What was the forbidden fruit? In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden and being tempted by the serpent. Eve informs the serpent that they can eat the fruit of any tree except for the one in the middle; not even touch it (vs. 3). Now, let’s look at verse 6, So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Here, you notice that it’s not revealed the type of fruit that was eaten. It says ‘she took of its fruit and ate’.

However, if you read any mainstream version of this story, with pictures, the fruit is made out to be an apple. Why? Well, since these is no mention of peeling before eating, I guess you can rule out an orange or lemon. However, there are other fruits, besides apples that don’t require peeling: plums, peaches, nectarines, pears, etc.

This point is that God didn’t express why type of fruit other than that it was one not to be touched or eaten. That alone should be enough information for us; the bible student. It’s irrelevant what type it was.

How many wise men visited the manger? In the telling of the birth of Christ, you’ll notice that any nativity scene set up at Christmastime will feature three wise men. Why? Because of the three gifts listed: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh (Mt. 2:11)

There’re two problems with this scene. First, the wise men didn’t visit the nativity scene. Here’s the verse from above: Matthew 2:11, And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Here it says they went into a house (not a manger or barn) and they saw a young child (not infant). You can conclude that a couple of years had past from his birth to the arrival of the wise men. It’s also confirmed in Mt. 2:16, when Herod wanted all male children 2 years and under killed.

Second, just because three gifts are listed doesn’t mean three individuals. Gold is a broad enough gift meaning that more than one could have brought the same gift or, two wise men could have each brought all three. We know it’s more than one because of the plural use of “men”.

Furthermore, if I tell you that all of the gifts, I received for my birthday, were clothes and money, how many people showed up? You don’t know as each gift is a vague term. God didn’t reveal how many wise men showed up and it’s not important for us to know.

 

All Scripture…

As the apostle Paul wrote in (2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. If man is made complete, or ‘perfect’ (in some translations) by all of the scriptures, then we aren’t missing anything necessary to our salvation or reaching heaven.

God is not going to condemn anyone because they didn’t know what the forbidden fruit was. He might, though, if you teach that it was an apple. Why? Because that is adding to the word of God which is condemned in Revelation 22:18-19, For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

 

Conclusion

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:6, Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. There is no need to go beyond what God has revealed in His scriptures, nor do we need to answer that which isn’t revealed. What we have revealed to us in scripture is enough.