Why God is hard to Find
Quran, Koran, Holy Quran, Holy Koran, Human condition,
end times, expected behavior, Biblical standard, hope for peace
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What have we done that is so bad our Creator has forsaken us? Jesus predicted that at the end time, if not earlier many would come claiming to represent Him and saying that He was the Christ, the Messiah, but most of these would be deceivers. (Mat 24:5) What we see in the world today is many different Christian groups, saying different things about His past, present and future activities. Can they all be right? Doesn't it make more sense that they are all wrong, since they all differ? Perhaps one is 'right' or at least closer to the truth. Can we know which?
Sifting through all the denominations can be a daunting task. However in spite of what we might have been taught or come to believe the word of God is not intended to be mysterious or unfathomable. Certainly the original instruction was intended to be clear to that generation. Certainly our Creator would give us the same benefit.
"For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it." (Deu 30:11-14)
That original instruction was based on the Ten Commandments that the Creator called His covenant . He gave it to ancient Israel for their good.
"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 "and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? "(Deu 10:12-13)
It was also to stand out as an example of wisdom and understanding. Was He not as smart or wise as He thought?
"Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments , just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?" (Deu 4:5-8)
The Creator apparently had great hopes for ancient Israel. What went wrong? The problem was not that the Law of God was flawed, but the people simply wouldn't obey it.
8 'Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah–– 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."'
(Heb 8:8-10)
The 'fault' was with the people, 'because they did not continue in My covenant'. Therefore He ignored them.
Does that sound familiar? Isn't that our complaint too! Where is God when we need Him?! Why doesn't He help us? How can He let this happen?
We have been told that we have a new covenant from God that does away with the original. But what does the word of God say? With this new covenant He will 'put My laws in their mind and write them in their hearts'. Does this sound like He has rejected His law? He is not intent on us having just good intentions, but doing good deeds, doing what is right. The intention is really that His Law will be part of our nature and we will conduct ourselves to that standard. He will not have to ignore us the way He ignored ancient Israel!
"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."(Isa 59:1-2)
We have ignored His instruction so He ignores our pleas. Part of the problem is that we have come to believe that the Creator has rejected His original instruction. It was somehow bad for us. In fact the Creator is not so bumbling as to have made this entire universe and all the beauty, bounty and variety on this earth, but found himself off the mark when it came to instructing men how to live in peace and survive well in His creation. The problem is that we have ignored His instruction.
Many of us don't think we can understand the Bible. When we read it we don't clearly see the meanings that our teachers and parents taught us. Have we ever considered that maybe they didn't really know? There are some keys that can help make things understandable. There is only one way to be sure you know your Creator. Read His word yourself very carefully and determine your beliefs by what it says, not by what you were taught or by what you think it ought to say. Generally, start in the beginning. Would you expect to understand a movie if you only saw the last third?
There is nothing wrong with consulting with other people to help you understand. But consult with people who have a variety of perspectives. If you only consider from one perspective you will obviously be significantly influenced by that perspective whether or not it is true to the word of God.
The New Testament was written to people that lived 2000 years ago. Their culture was very different and we cannot assume that they looked at things the way we do. Seek the historical background. The messages, stories and instruction were specifically written to those that lived when the scriptures were composed. The Hebrew Scriptures are even farther removed from our culture. We need to seek to understand how they would have understood the text.