This was the title of a very popular French entertainment TV show a few years ago. People were ‘framed up’ with the complicity of someone close to them. Most of the time, until the end, people did not realize the trick and usually failed to recognize their friends and relatives under their disguises. But God is a pro in the subject of disguise. He is the specialist of the unexpected. He is unpredictable, so we better not try to predict how He is going to come, do or manifest.
« So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean." But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" 2Kings 5:9-14
Naaman had it all figured out, had he not ? He thought he knew exactly what God was going to ask him to do, something complicated and worthy of the mighty army General that he was. But God did not do what he expected and he became irritated. Just as Jesus asked the scribes and the Pharisees, we could even wonder who had he had gone to see? Had he gone to see the man of God, God’s store depository, The Word (rhema) of God for him in those days or had he gone to see a simple man, a poor guy who would not fail to jump on all the gifts and money that he had brought with him (vs 15-16)? Who had he gone to see? Had he gone to see someone who was going to do what he already knew or had he gone to meet with God Himself? If he had gone there to seek God, why then was he angry about Elisha’s suggestion?
If God should always act as we think or hope, He would cease to be God and we would no longer need Him. It is written: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." And also, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" " (Is 55:8-9, Rom 11:33-34, ESV)
It is therefore useless to try to predict what He will do and how He will do it. If Satan who knows Him well is so frequently outsmarted, then what about us? It is worthless to try to play smart (according to the world) with God because He has hidden these things to the wise and intelligent, and has revealed them to the children (Mat 11:25).
God came down through the prophets; He came down through Jesus; and every day, He rends the heavens down and come, but bundled up in our vain theories about theophany (God’s manifestation), we fail to see Him coming, moving and acting.
The Jews were indeed expecting the Messiah; yet, He arrived in a way so different to their expectations and thoughts that they missed the revelation of the Son. "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." Jn 1:9-11
John was waiting to see a lion, as announced by the angel ; but the Lamb came forth:
"Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne." Rev 5:1-7
The Lamb was the Lion and the Lion was the Lamb. Alleluia!
Similarly, the Nazarenes were waiting for a prince who was not from their village; but there was the carpenter's son…
The Jews served a warrior God, the Lord of Hosts, always ready to exterminate the enemies of Israel. Therefore, the Messiah could have only been a great military leader; and there was only a "sissy" who could neither respond to insults nor call lightning on his persecutors …
Some thought they were refusing to visit an ordinary prisoner or they were refusing water or food to common beggars: they did not realize they were despising Jesus Himself (Mat 25:41-45).
It took time before the disciples on the road to Emmaus and Thomas recognize He who was walking and talking with them (Luke 24:13-32, John 20:24-28).
Let's not be surprised; even though God is the master of disguise, He also said that His sheep know Him, know His voice and follow Him (John 10:14,4). In other words, those who truly have the Lord for Shepherd and those who really wholeheartedly want to do God’s will, always end up discerning His voice and ways behind any costume. Let’s not be surprised…
May your heart be pure enough that you won’t fail to see and recognize Him.
God bless you!
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