In the book of Ruth, we read a very moving story of the love of a young lady toward her mother-in-law and the sub-plotted love story of the young maiden and the man who becomes her provider, protector, and husband. Within this love story is a lesson on the power of discernment for the harvest. Ruth went into the fields to glean the left-behind handfuls of grain from the picked-over crops. Of all the fields she could have chosen, she selected the one which belonged to Boaz, who just happened to be a near kinsman and a wealthy bachelor. Although the text does not specifically say that she had any special intuition or insight into the situation, we can feel confident that she had more than blind luck going for her that day. There was obviously divine direction guiding her steps into Boaz’s fields. Once her mother-in-law discovered whose field Ruth had stumbled upon, she discerningly advised her to continue working in the same fields, knowing that God had in mind a bigger plan than just a sack of grain.
If we — like Ruth and Naomi — are hoping for a harvest and are determined to receive the full harvest that God has in store for us, we must develop the ability to discern. Let’s look at a few examples from the ministry of Jesus to see the significance of discernment for the harvest.
When Jesus’ disciples came back to the well at Samaria to find Him talking with a local woman, they were surprised that Jesus had struck up a conversation with this foreigner. But what was probably more surprising was the follow-up conversation He had with them when He challenged them to look at the unripe fields and said, “The fields are white unto harvest.” In the natural, it was still four months early for the grain to be brought into the barns, but Jesus was challenging them to look beyond the natural and see a much more significant harvest. He was asking them to look beyond the acres of grain to the paths leading from the village — paths which were full of Samaritan men coming out to see this prophet who had told the woman all things she had done. He was challenging the disciples to see the spiritual harvest of souls which was already ripe for picking.
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35)
Like these disciples of old, we also need to learn how to spiritually discern if we are going to have a true passion for the harvest. Unfortunately, discernment is an all-too-scarce commodity for most of us. As humans, we so often fall into the same mold as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day who couldn’t see the truth when it was right in front of their faces.
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? (Matthew 16:1-3)
Not only can we not discern the time of the harvest and the nature of the harvest, we — just like the servants in the parable of the wheat and the tares — often cannot even discern the difference between tares we must be weeding out of our fields and the wheat God has given us to harvest.
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. (Matthew 13:29)
It was an inability to discern that caused many of the people who encountered and interacted with Jesus to miss the fact that they were in the presence of the Messiah, the very Son of God. When Jesus came to sojourn among us in a human tabernacle, He fulfilled a number of prophecies which pinpointed at least three different entry points through which He was to step into human history. Micah 5:2 had said that He would hail from Bethlehem, Hosea 11:1 prophesied that He would come out of Egypt, and the Hebrew wording of Isaiah 11:1 seemed to locate him in Nazareth. Because of all the seemingly conflicting prophecies, many of the biblical scholars had simply thrown up their hands and concluded that there was no way to determine where the Messiah would come from, a conclusion which left them in a state of total confusion. In addition to not being able to discern where He was coming from, they were equally at a loss to understand any of His statements about where He was going. They missed Jesus “coming and going,” as the expression goes.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. (John 8:14)
Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. (John 8:21-22)
Even His closest disciples had difficulty understanding Him when He spoke of His going away.
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. (John 13:36)
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4)
But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? (John 16:5)
Much of the confusion was fueled by the duel references in the Old Testament concerning the nature of the Messiah. Some prophecies portrayed Him as a suffering servant, while others described His coming as that of a conquering king. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be able to discern how — as in the Certs commercial — both could be true. Yes, Certs is a candy mint and a breath mint at the same time; and, the Messiah is a suffering servant in His physical nature and a conquering king in the spiritual realm. Additionally, they were not able to discern that the Messiah would actually make two visits to Planet Earth — the first characterized mostly as the suffering servant and the second with all the grandeur and majesty of a conquering king.
Let me bring these thoughts to a practical level by telling you a little story. A young minister made a commitment to work for another pastor. Although the term of employment didn’t last very long, the short relationship generated some hard feelings and ill will on both sides. It was easy to see that the union was not one arranged in heaven and that even though it was short-lived, it generated some long-lasting problems. When I asked the young man why he ever felt that he should enter into this arrangement to start with, he responded that he had seen a vision of the two of them standing on a stage together with their hands joined and raised in victory before a multitude of worshippers. His interpretation of that vision was that it was prophetic of his joining the staff of the other minister so that they could unite their efforts and bring this victorious scenario into reality. As we talked about his vision, I assured him that it was not a conjured up imagination or a false prophecy; however, I warned him that he had unquestionably misinterpreted the word that the Lord had given him.
In trying to clarify the incident, I turned to the biblical story of Joseph after Potiphar’s wife’s false indictments landed him in prison. While there, two of the fellow inmates each dreamed a dream. Likely these men did not know of Joseph’s record as a dreamer; otherwise they would certainly not have turned to him for interpretations of their dreams because his dreams had cost him his family and his liberty and had nearly cost him his very life. In addition, nothing in any of his dreams had come to pass! Regardless of the circumstances, these two men opened their hearts to their cellmate and spelled out the images they had seen in their night visions. For the butler, there had been three branches of grapes which he squeezed into juice to serve Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted the dream as a sign that in three days the butler’s head would be lifted up so that he would be re-established in his position in the king’s court. Inspired by the favorable interpretation of his companion’s dream, the baker spelled out the details of his own dream of having three baskets of pastries on his head which the birds began to peck and eat. He must have been elated to hear Joseph’s interpretation as he said that his head would also be lifted up in three days. However, the similarity between the two interpretations ceased at this point in that the baker’s dream was signifying that he would be hanged within three days. The fascinating point in this story is that both dreams had exactly the same interpretation but totally opposite meanings. Each dream meant that the dreamer’s head would be lifted up in three days; however, one’s head was lifted up in a position of authority while the other’s head was to be lifted up in a noose. Precisely the same wording in the original Hebrew as well as in the English translation took on radically different — in fact, totally opposite — meanings depending upon the situations into which they were spoken.
After relating the story to the young man, I asked him if God had spoken to him to work for the other pastor or if it was possible that the vision could have been a directive to work with him. I suggested that the vision of the joined hands, unlike the story of Aaron and Hur who held up the hands of Moses, could be seen as a joint effort rather than employer-employee relationship and the fact that they were raised in victory was a picture of the accomplishments which could be achieved though mutual support rather than a unilateral relationship. Unfortunately, this young man’s lack of discernment may have cost him his harvest.
The lesson to be learned is that we must be cautious in our interpretations of the directions the Lord gives us. When these directives fail, we need not assume that they were false prophecies or deceptions; rather, the problem may be in our lack of discernment as we apply them to our lives. If we miss our directions from the Lord, we may also miss the harvest He has planned for us.
As Paul made his final journey to Jerusalem, he was confronted on at least two occasions by well-intending believers who had truly heard from God, but were advising him to do exactly the opposite of the God-ordained plan for his life. The two stories are recorded in Act chapter twenty-one:
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem…And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. (verses 4, 10-14)
Had Paul listened to those who wanted to talk him out of going to Jerusalem, he would have avoided the imprisonment, hardships, and eventual execution which the prophecies foretold; however, he would have also missed the opportunity to pen the eternal Word of God recorded in his prison epistles, the occasion to witness to the Roman rulers of his time, the inroads for ministry to the very household of Caesar, and the crowning desire of his ministry — to preach in Rome, the very center of the current world influence.
Let’s also take a look at a couple significant events in the lives of the disciples in order to gain a little insight into how easy it is to miss the point of the revelations God is giving us. First, let’s climb with them to the top of the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew chapter seventeen records the story of how they saw the Lord transformed before their very eyes and witnessed the supernatural visitation of two long-deceased Old Testament figures:
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. (verses 1-9)
Of course, there is Peter’s obvious bumbling about building three tabernacles which would have been totally contrary to the impetus of the moment. First, the point of Transfiguration was to send them forth to the world, not to get them to settle into a sanctuary; secondly, the appearance of the Old Testament leaders was to show their supportiveness to Christ, not their equality to Him. If there were to be any tabernacles built at all, there would have been only one to Jesus — not three. But the real punch line of this story is in the following verses.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. (verses 10-13)
Twice, Jesus has spoken directly to them concerning the coming crucifixion and resurrection: in verse nine, He commanded them not to tell the vision to anyone until after the son of man had risen from the dead; then in verse twelve He referred to the suffering of the son of man. Yet neither of these prophetic words seemed to register with them. Even though these close disciples had been privileged to experience a touch of heaven itself, their minds were still too carnal to hear what Jesus was saying plainly to them. They were so interested in solving the theological issue of Elijah’s return that Jesus’ prophetic revelation went right over their heads.
In Mark chapter eight we read an even more startling story of the disciples’ failure to comprehend:
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. (verses 27-33)
When Jesus proposed the question concerning the identity of the son of man, He was essentially offering them a multiple choice question. Based on Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him,” it would be easy for some to say that the son of man was the Messiah. Looking at Ezekiel 3:17, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me,” others might see the son of man as a prophet. Still others could turn to Psalms 8:4, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” and understand the term as a reference to an ordinary human being. The answers which the disciples gave proved that people were choosing all the above answers. Peter, under divine inspiration chose answer A.
The shocking part of this story is that Peter is not only witnessing the supernatural as he did on the Mount of Transfiguration, but this time he is actually participating in it first-hand. In this passage, he is operating in the revelation gifts in his discernment that Jesus is the Christ. However, when Jesus speaks plainly to him concerning His death and resurrection, Peter rebuked Him and tried to disavow the coming events. Even though Jesus acknowledged in Matthew 16:17 that it is only by revelation from God Himself that Peter could know that Jesus is the Christ, He doesn’t hesitate to accuse Peter here of thinking human thoughts rather than the thoughts of God and even goes so far as to address him as Satan after he faltered over the revelation of the crucifixion.
Even though we may wish to console ourselves with the fact that even the closest disciples of Jesus were subject to the same lack of discernment we are often plagued with, we really cannot find much solace in these stories. If Jesus scolded Peter so harshly, need we think that we will somehow avoid reprimand? But more importantly, we must be keenly aware of the detrimental effect our lack of discernment will have as we make wrong decisions and take false moves.
The Bible is replete with stories of those who were able to see what others looked at but failed to discern or simply overlooked. One very powerful story comes from the life of the prophet Daniel. When the finger of the Lord inscribed a message on the wall, none of the highly educated men present in the banquet hall could understand or decipher its meaning. The professionals were called in to unravel the mysterious communiqué, but they too were at a loss. Finally, the elderly sage Daniel was beckoned. When he looked at the inscription, he found words that everyone present was able to read: “mene,” “tekel,” and “upharsin” — the names of coins that each person present was likely carrying in his pocket. However, there was one thing different when Daniel read the words: he saw that each word had another meaning when used in everyday usage. Instead of seeing the words grouped together as pocket change, he was able to discern that there was another meaning which could be conveyed. With this in mind, he prophesied the immanent demise of the wicked kingdom.
In Daniel chapter five, the queen mother gives a description of Daniel as she tells her son why the prophet should be called in for consultation:
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. (verses 11-12)
Yet, if we follow the story of Daniel as he continued his prophetic ministry under the next regime in which he served, we will see the story of a future vision which left him perplexed and questioning:
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. (verses 7:13-16)
This prophet who had such a glowing reputation as an interpreter of dreams and visions — and lived up to it — finds himself at a loss to sort out his own revelation and had to seek angelic assistance in determining the meaning of the divine message. Herein we see one of the first principles we must learn concerning understanding those supernatural messages we receive from the Lord: if there is any doubt, seek outside counsel. In most cases, we will likely not have an angel standing close by to consult with, but it is fairly certain that God will have placed wise and godly advisors and counselors in our lives to help us through these questioning periods. In Ephesians chapter four, the Apostle Paul tells us that this is the purpose of the five-fold ministry in the church:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (verses 11-14)
In the second chapter of his first epistle, the Apostle John assures us that we have an even better source of instruction through the internal abiding of the anointing of the Holy Spirit:
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (verse 27)
But it is the Apostle Peter who, in the first chapter of his second letter, relates to us from his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration and directs us to an even more sure way to know the prophetic voice of God:
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (verses 16-21)
He insists that he was not deceived by other men’s stories but was an actual eyewitness to the supernatural visitation on that mountain; yet, he still affirms a more unquestionable source than his own incomparable experience: the written Word of God.
So we see that we have three filters through which we must pass each dream, vision, and prophetic word so that we can rest assured that we are interpreting it accurately: godly counsel by the leadership God has placed in our lives, the witness of the Holy Spirit inside of us, and the confirmation of the Word of God. But notice one additional thing which Solomon shares about the revelatory nature and power of the written Word as he writes to his son in the opening chapter of the book of Proverbs :
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. (verses 1-6)
As he pens this missive, which is to eventually become part of the canonized Word of God, the wise man insists that what he is writing is the actual source of understanding for all wisdom and the answer to all of life’s mysteries and questions.
Let’s think back a moment to the encounter when Jesus rebuked Peter for his lack of discernment. There were two accusations levied against the apostle in that story. First, he was accused of being Satan; next, he was rebuked for thinking human thoughts rather than God’s thought. Herein we can see the two hindrances to being able to truly discern supernatural wisdom accurately: our human nature and demonic deception. The Apostle Paul addresses both of these issues in the second chapter of First Corinthians. First, he discusses the diabolical delusion:
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (verses 6-8)
Here, he explains that the devil cannot understand the truths of God no matter how plainly they are spelled out before him. He had available to him all the Old Testament prophecies describing the divine plan for Christ’s crucifixion; yet, because he was not able to decipher them, he actually fulfilled God’s plan by the actions through which he intended to destroy it. Had he had any comprehension, he would not have orchestrated the crucifixion. Paul goes on to say in II Corinthians 4:4 that he perpetrates this same blindness concerning the Word and will of God upon the humans who allow themselves to become subject to him.
The second issue Paul addresses is our carnal inability to comprehend spiritual truths:
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (verses 13-14)
We can see many examples of this problem throughout the scripture. In Daniel 8:27, we learn that while the prophet was receiving such powerful revelations from God that his physical body was actually overwhelmed, those around him were at a loss to comprehend what was happening to him — much less what the Lord was speaking to him. “And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” In II Kings 6:17, the prophet Elisha had to pray that his servant’s eyes would be opened so he could see the army of the Lord that was assisting them. In John 12:29, we read the story of the people’s response when God spoke in an audible voice from heaven; some said that it thundered, and others said that it was an angel, but no one recognized it as the very voice of God Himself. When Jesus supernaturally spoke to Saul on the road to Damascus, the men with him saw the blinding light but didn’t hear the voice of the Lord. (Acts 22:9)
And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. (Luke 18:34)
They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. (John 8:27)
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. (John 10:6)
For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. (Acts 7:25)
Generally, the inability to discern the messages from God is associated with having a sinful heart that is unwilling or undeserving of spiritual knowledge.
Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. (Psalms 106:7)
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. (Isaiah 44:18)
For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:15)
For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Acts 28:27)
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. (Hebrews 5:11)
One other reason given in the scripture that we may not be able to discern spiritual truth is that we are not yet ready to receive it. “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.” (John 12:16) “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” (Psalms 73:17) “Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:12)
In Daniel 9:2, we read, “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Daniel had been a brilliant student all his life; in fact, the story recorded about his early school days testifies that he was ten times smarter than all his classmates. (Daniel 1:20) Yet it was only as an octogenarian that he was able to read and understand a message which was recorded in plain language at least three times in the writings of the prophet Jeremiah. (25:11-12, 29:10) The simple reason is that until it was time for the deliverance of Israel from their captivity and their return from their exile, there was no need for the message to be revealed. It was an idea whose time had come, and there was no reason for the vision to be unraveled in advance of its due date. Daniel 10:1 confirms, “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.”
If we keep reading in the book of Daniel, we will discover that one vision he received was for a time so far distanced from his own personal ministry that the Lord directed him to seal the message for the time being with anticipation that the proper time for its understanding would come at a specific point in the future. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (verse 12:4) A similar command is given to John the Revelator in the tenth chapter of the Apocalypse:
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (verses 4-7)
The disciples who walked along the Emmas Road with the risen Lord are described in Luke 24:16 as having their eyes “holden” so that they would not recognize Him. Apparently, the Lord had a specific purpose in revealing Himself to them through the breaking of bread. To avoid spoiling the impact of that revelation, He prohibited them from being able to recognize Him until, with split-second timing, He opened their understanding.
God intends for us to seek for the answers to the mysteries which present themselves in our lives. “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” (Proverbs 25:2) In both the Old and the New Testaments we are challenged over having not understood or queried into the meaning of these spiritual questions.
Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? (Isaiah 40:21)
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. (Matthew 13:51)
God desires that we have complete and comprehensive understanding. “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” (Daniel 2:21) In the opening chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul prayed one of the most significant apostolic prayers in the New Testament, that they would be able to receive this kind of supernatural revelation:
(I) cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (verses 16-19)
In what seems almost like an answer to this kind of prayer, the story of the Old Testament character Job concludes with his testimony that he has had supernatural direction to speak forth the mysteries of God even though he could not mentally comprehend them:
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. (verse 3)
Of course, we can always ask for revelation to be given and are, in fact, instructed to do so. However, we must not be afraid to admit that we don’t understand and to inquire of the Lord for understanding.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)
But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:32)
But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying. (Luke 9:45)
As we personally and spiritually mature, this process of discerning the mysteries of God should become easier and our comprehension keener.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (I Corinthians 13:11)
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
In the same way that God may chose to keep a revelation hidden from some, He seemingly hand-picks others to comprehend His mysteries.
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (Matthew 13:11)
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: (Mark 4:11)
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. (Luke 8:10)
Great at joy came into the community and the lives of the individuals when the Word of the Lord was clearly explained to the people during the time of the resettlement after the return from the Babylonian captivity.
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. (Nehemiah 8:12)
Our lives will be similarly brought to fulfillment and fullness when we, too, learn to clearly discern His messages to us and when we become like the children of Issachar for our present generation.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. (I Chronicles 12:32)
We can rest assured that God is eager to reveal His plans and direct us into His harvest if we are only open to hearing Him and discerning correctly what He is saying.
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)