Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday October 14, 2009

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Isaiah 45

1-5, 14-15  Truly, You are a God who hides Himself…

One of the most precious truths in the Bible is that God is a God who reveals Himself – to Noah/Abraham/Moses/David/prophets.  They knew that God had spoken to them/in many cases, that God was speaking through them.  In reading them/listening to the Spirit, we can hear God speaking to us, revealing Himself.  

Then, in the fullest light of revelation we have this - God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son… Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus is the high noon of revelation.  But here, to Isaiah, He reveals that He is a God who hides Himself.  The Word become flesh we can partially understand, but a God who hides Himself can be confusing.  Revelation means that God is in plain sight.  Hidden means that God is not in plain sight.  A hidden God means that God is in places we haven’t noticed and doing things that we hadn’t before considered.  

Ever played hide-n-seek and can’t find someone and then realize you walked by them 3-4 times?  God is giggling as you pass by.

You dance over me when I am not aware; You sing all around and I never hear the sound…

Isaiah: Expect God to be where you don’t expect God to be.  Expect help/blessing to come from where you don’t expect it to come.  Some would say that they are in a place where God is not.  But could God be hidden in singleness/marriage/disappointment…? 

Jacob discovered a couple of God’s hiding places: 1) in the barrenness of Bethel - God is in this place and I did not know it!  2) in the struggle of Peniel.  In running from/into trouble, he found God.  No matter where you go - barrenness/ struggle: “OK, God, I know You’re here!  God hides in barrenness/disappointment/sorrow.  

A God who hides Himself isn’t scarcer, but more present than ever!  God is in more places than ATMs/McDonald’s/Starbucks.  God is never hidden to the eyes of faith.  Ps. 139 – you can’t hide from God and Is. 45 tells us about the hiding places of God.

(Sometimes when you play hide-n-seek, you know all the hiding places and so no one can really hide).  Ps. 23 – He is there in the valley of the shadow of death.  Elisha to God: Open his eyes!  

Isaiah: God is going to reveal Himself in a way to which you are unaccustomed.  Cf. Habakkuk’s struggle.  We have the wonderful task of finding God in His hiding places.  

1  Cyrus is a Messiah!  Up to this time, this title has only been given to priests and kings chosen of God to minister to Israel.  The title would seem out of place bestowed upon a pagan king.  

God uses people you don’t expect Him to use.  And His use of them doesn’t mean that He approves of their lifestyle.  It seems like we think that God only uses those who sincerely/diligently seek His face – not so.  Sennacherib/Nebuchadnezzar/Alexander the Great.  Is God using Bono to raise the consciousness of the church? 

Not only is God using people you might not expect Him to use, He is working in circumstances you may not expect Him to be working in.  God is hiding in plain sight.  Where you think God should be, He’s not (idolatry); where you don’t expect Him, He is. Lk. 3:1-2; Cyrus

One of the reasons that the Psalms have spoken so powerfully to human hearts for 3,000 years is because David writes so clearly and compellingly of God being in the darkest places of life.  The Psalms are not philosophical speculations on the existence of God, they are the poetry of a man who has experienced the presence of God where you think the presence of God should not be found.  David walked in places no one else would walk for God sustained him.  God was not hidden to David.  The Psalms help reveal God to us.  

Someone greater than David has come and His life and death usher us into the uninterrupted presence of God.  Paul tells us that because of what Jesus Christ has done, God isn’t hiding anywhere.  Romans 8:31-39

Isaiah said: Truly, You are a God who hides Himself…

Because of Jesus, Paul said: Truly, You are a God who can’t be hidden!