Are You Missing the Secrets Hidden in the Bible?

There are amazing secrets hidden in the Bible. These secrets change the way we read Scripture and help us comprehend the incomprehensible. But these secrets come with a severe warning: you cannot understand them or even seek them out. These mysteries are only revealed by the Holy Spirit in the fullness of time. I’ll prove it to you in less than 10 minutes. 

What Is “Sod?”

Throughout his letters, Paul mentions a “mystery” or “secret” that has been revealed to him and the apostles. He explains that this secret is something that was hidden before this moment, but now has been exposed. Now, because of this veil that has been removed, the message of the Gospel is changed. Paul is using the fourth level of Hebraic Biblical interpretation called “sod.” This is a level that is very special, and isn’t accessible to us today. But we need to understand the idea as we read the New Testament. Sod explains a lot of weird things in the Bible. Things like Jesus saying to eat His body and drink His blood. 

Eat Me

There are things in the Bible that seem to make no sense. Unfortunately, many of those things have become so mundane and commonplace in Christianity, that we miss them altogether. For instance, in John 6 Jesus says that He’s the “manna from Heaven” that came down in the wilderness. His listeners didn’t understand. In fact, they became really uncomfortable. So, Jesus went further and started telling them that if they don’t eat His flesh and drink His blood, they’re just like the walking dead (John 6:53). On this side of the story, we think we understand what Jesus is saying. But stop and think about these religious Jews being told to violate everything the Torah stands for through an act of cannibalism. Is it any wonder why the story ends with most of these “disciples” walking away from Jesus?

The Word Became Flesh

John opens his Gospel with a poem that includes the revelation of another secret. “The Word of the LORD” that comes to God’s people throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, was Jesus of Nazareth.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it…Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. (John 1:1-5, 14 NET)

A figure appears throughout the Hebrew Scripture, hidden by the title “the Word of the LORD.” This figure has physical characteristics. It walks. Eats. It’s seen and disappears again. John reveals that this Word was actually Jesus. He was a part of creating heaven and earth. Jesus is YHWH in physical form. And He’s existed for all eternity.

The Mystery of the Church

In a previous episode, I showed that Paul’s entire ministry was built on one of these mysteries. Before Christ, it seemed that the Kingdom of God was reserved to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel was God’s nation. Anyone could worship YHWH, but they needed to become part of Israel to receive full status. But at some point after the Damascus Road incident (Acts 9), a “sod’ was revealed to Paul: circumcision was a matter of the heart, not the flesh. And all who surrender their lives to Jesus and pledge their allegiance to YHWH receive equal status in the Kingdom of God.

Looking back, these secrets seem obvious. Jesus wasn’t encouraging cannibalism. He was using the bread and wine as symbols for His redemptive work. The Word of the LORD from the Hebrew Scriptures was a shadow of the incarnation of Jesus Christ; Jesus is all over the Old Testament. And when Paul and the Apostles looked back at the Hebrew Scriptures, they saw promises that multitudes from every nation, tongue, language and people would one day be a part of God’s people. If they converted to becoming Jews through circumcision, these prophecies could no longer be fulfilled.

Time For A Warning

Here’s the big warning: these secrets aren’t uncovered. They’re only revealed by the Holy Spirit, and they aren’t for us to seek out. When God chooses to reveal them, He does. And you and I aren’t the Apostle Paul or John the Revelator. Don’t go looking for these things, because you’re not supposed to find them. But also, be encouraged. There are secrets in the Bible you’re not meant to understand. And that’s okay.