Why does God seem hidden today when He was so evident in the Bible?

Now this consideration corrects the mistake many make in looking for, and demanding, the active intervention of God today. Nothing is more common than to hear the exclamation — "Why does not God step in and put a stop to all this." And prayer is continually being made asking for such divine interference. It is generally on the plea that, if God is sovereign, it is surely to be expected that He will do so. Perfectly true it is that in His wise and holy providence He at all times marks all things, over-rules all happenings, and works throughout all history the counsel of His will. But His government today is not immediate, or in any sense direct. The character of our times, and the general course of events show that it cannot be so. Operative in providence He ever is; actively intervening in history He is emphatically not, today. He cannot be so regarded, nor appealed to on that ground. "When God ariseth to judgment" there will be no dubiety or mystery about His actions. It will be no indirect, unseen, control that He exercises. The time for His active participation in events will have arrived, and the shaping of their course taken directly into His own hands. We cannot say what are the features that determine the stage of maturity when God will so interfere. It is not for us to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in His own power. But as showing that it is more than a simple question of it being open to God at any time, in His providence, to intervene, let us remember that there are other factors in the situation, factors very commonly not taken account of at all.

Doubt, however, exists in the minds of not a few Christians as to this hope in spite of the plainness of Bible testimony. The age in which we live was ushered in by the most wonderful displays of divine power and goodness, first in Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, and, secondly, in the coming of the indwelling Spirit on the day of Pentecost. After ample testimony had been rendered to the fact of the Spirit's presence by signs and wonders, these visible manifestations of divine power ceased, and for these long centuries heaven has been absolutely silent, and the world has pursued its way without any divine interference. God has said all He had to say in the way of grace, and for the present, while the Gospel is still being preached by His heralds, He contents Himself with indirectly over-ruling the affairs of men.

Doubt, however, exists in the minds of not a few Christians as to this hope in spite of the plainness of Bible testimony. The age in which we live was ushered in by the most wonderful displays of divine power and goodness, first in Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, and, secondly, in the coming of the indwelling Spirit on the day of Pentecost. After ample testimony had been rendered to the fact of the Spirit's presence by signs and wonders, these visible manifestations of divine power ceased, and for these long centuries heaven has been absolutely silent, and the world has pursued its way without any divine interference. God has said all He had to say in the way of grace, and for the present, while the Gospel is still being preached by His heralds, He contents Himself with indirectly over-ruling the affairs of men.

Dispensations vary, but the ways of God both in providence and government do not vary, but proceed upon principles which remain the same whatever the dispensation. We are assured, therefore, that God is still at work behind the scenes in a similar way today. And our assurance of this is fortified by a further consideration: viz., that while His people are marked by faithfulness, power and brightness, He is pleased to make His presence amongst them very manifest; and on the other hand, when there is defection, weakness and failure, it suits Him to withdraw the manifestations of His presence in large measure, and perhaps altogether, as in the book of Esther. Defection, weakness and failure certainly mark the professing church today.

It is not at all contended that the Holy Ghost necessarily works in every way as of old, and still less in the same measure of power. In the latter part of the New Testament we do not read much about miracles -very I little - less and less too as time passes on. We can understand that, in the opening of a new dealing of God, there should be, in His goodness, a wonderful working and display of these mighty answers to awaken the attention even of careless men. But, as the truth of His presence was established, and the new communications of God were gradually written, and there was thus not merely the evidence of outward tokens, but positive scripture committed to human responsibility, we can easily see that external vouchers were no longer so requisite, and that the Spirit of God (grieved, as we know, by much found in those who professed the name of Christ) might gradually withdraw, not Himself, but the manifestation of mighty signs, and refuse to put outward ornaments upon that which dishonoured the Lord Jesus.

True the outward signs were much in evidence in apostolic times, inasmuch as then God was publicly accrediting the Church which He had just founded. Now that stage is over and it is these less sensational and more hidden and important things which abide. We may draw an analogy between this and the human body, the most important and vital organs of which are hidden away beneath the surface.

That signs were given, and wonders wrought in the early moments of the church is most unquestionable; but were these to continue any more than the apostles themselves? This would be to lose sight of much unfolded in later inspiration, in those Epistles particularly which mark the corruption and apostasy of the last days. If the Lord Jesus is the same, and the presence of the Spirit ever-abiding, yet who would contend that the ways of God, as to outward power, are the same at the close of the church's history as at the beginning? It was not so with Israel even in Ezra's day — much less at a later; and shall it be expected of the church in its present ruin state, however truly God's purpose and our moral responsibility remain unchanged?

It is noticeable that as dispensations wear to their close, there is less and less public intervention on part of God. Israel's six hundred thousand take their journey from Egypt to Canaan accompanied by the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night; and every stage of that wondrous journey is marked by miraculous interventions of God. It is far otherwise in the days of Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah. They, too, take their several wilderness journeys from the land of captivity to the land of Jehovah, but no visible and overshadowing cloud protects them by day, and no pillar of fire lights their way by night. They must be content to use the ordinary means of travel such as the time and country supply. Moreover, as the days advance, the outward circumstances grow weaker. Zerubbabel leads back a goodly company of forty-two thousand; with Ezra there are only one thousand and eight hundred, and now Nehemiah must be content to travel alone. In his day if any escaped from captivity, it was as solitary individuals. Yet if there are no outward and direct interventions of God, if the circumstances are weak, it becomes a greater occasion for the exercise of faith. Hence we see faith becomes brighter as the day becomes darker.

Sometimes He works actively and obviously — sometimes the finger of God is very manifest (see the finger on the wall in Dan. 5:5). Yet sometimes He acts indirectly in a way we do not immediately detect. He is, so to speak, acting behind the scenes. Yet He is moving the scene. That is what we usually describe as ‘providence’. He is acting in a hidden way.

This, nevertheless, does not in any way render it invalid - that would be impossible. The word of Christ is - He shall dwell with you; and the Spirit is as able to accomplish the will of God in His children now as in the time of the apostles, though it may not be shown in the same manner. But it is more blessed, says the Lord, to have our names written in heaven than to cast out demons: and by the true work of God in souls, and in all His ways, He manifests His presence in the assembly, and in Christians who depend on Him, and are filled with Him, just as much as He did in the days of the apostles. It is not proper that it should be shown outwardly in the fallen church as in the faithful assembly long ago established by God Himself, as though He sealed its fall with His approbation. But God changes not, and His grace and power are the same, and are as available as ever for all that is necessary and all that is suitable to the state of the church; and He still does all that is requisite for His glory and our full blessing. He works in His own with the same power according to the circumstances in which they are placed.