Changes in God’s Revelation
There was a period when God disclosed Himself in quite astonishing and direct ways.
In the Old Testament, He manifested as a pillar of cloud and fire, guiding the Israelites through the wilderness. He showed His presence at Mount Sinai with thunder, lightning, thick smoke, and a loud trumpet to share the Ten Commandments. Elijah was even taken to heaven in a whirlwind, accompanied by chariots of fire and horses. This is just a glimpse of what was happening.
However, since the arrival of Jesus, God’s revelations have become noticeably subtler. Many Christians report personal encounters with God, but these moments tend to be quiet and intimate, rather than grand or spectacular.
John Luke Robertson suggests this could be why some people today struggle to believe in God. In a recent episode of “Unshamed,” he, along with Al Robertson, Zack Dasher, and Christian Huff, explores this idea.
John Luke emphasizes that Jesus’ life and ministry were characterized by a sense of restraint.
“He could have proclaimed ‘I am the Messiah’ at just twelve, but he waited until he turned thirty,” he points out.
Even after beginning His ministry, Jesus often instructed those around Him—including His disciples and those He healed—to keep His miraculous deeds under wraps. The Gospels indicate that when people tried to rush Him or elevate Him too soon, He would respond, “My time has not yet come.”
In facing the crucifixion, He continued this pattern, not openly declaring His divinity when directly asked about it. Instead, He replied in humble ways, like “You said so” or “You say I am.”
“Up until the end, He didn’t reveal Himself dramatically. I believe we’re seeing a similar trend with God nowadays,” John Luke observes.
He recalls an atheist expressing disbelief in God based on the idea that if God truly existed, “He would manifest Himself more clearly.”
Yet, reflecting on history reveals that this quest for more tangible evidence isn’t a new phenomenon. For ages, individuals have sought more dramatic signs of power.
“I just came across a book addressing this,” Christian mentions. “It discusses early historians who questioned why, after the resurrection, Jesus didn’t show Himself to women or ordinary people, or even to figures like Caesar and Pilate?”
In the following segment of the show, the discussion will dig deeper into how the modern craving for spectacular divine revelations traces back to ancient heresies that the early church confronted, misconceptions that still influence skeptical viewpoints today.
To find out more, catch the episode above.
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