Why doesn't God make Himself known again?

hi non-religious,

I have one question for you to ponder and hopefully you'll write your answer on this thread when you have worked it out.

How would you expect that God would make Himself known to mankind? Not just today, but to those living last week, last year, last decade, last century, last day, week and month and year and decade and century of the last millineum? Consider carefully your reply.

You have mentioned a booming voice from heaven. Ok, let's try that one. When I woke up this morning there was heard this booming voice from heaven which was heard over the whole of the earth which said... Oh, wait it would have been three in the morning somewhere and many of those people might have been asleep and not heard God's voice. Ok, we'll still see if we can make this work and all those people on the dark side of the earth as God spoke to me at 7 in the morning where I am are just the losers in this. Oh, oh, wait no I've got it! Once an hour every day of every week of every month of every year God will speak from heaven in a booming voice,
"I am God!" There, that works. Is that what you meant by the 'booming voice from heaven' plan?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

non-religious said:

So, I was just pondering on the thought that if God was/is so interested in people believing in Him and avoiding an eternity without Him. Why does He not, in a loud and booming voice declare that Jesus is His Son and that He is very much real?

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He is, can't you hear him?

non-religious said:

Using a text that is thousands of years old, has numerous translations, possible contradictions etc.. makes it difficult for many to even contemplate believing. Would it therefore be more compassionate to make a belief in Him more easy? Surely, the amount of people that would respond to a loud, booming voice from the heavens would be insurmountable?

Any thoughts?

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People do not believe because of a book. People believe because God's Spirit moves them to believe. The book helps them understand more about God as they grow in the Spirit.

non-religious said:

So, I was just pondering on the thought that if God was/is so interested in people believing in Him and avoiding an eternity without Him. Why does He not, in a loud and booming voice declare that Jesus is His Son and that He is very much real?

Using a text that is thousands of years old, has numerous translations, possible contradictions etc.. makes it difficult for many to even contemplate believing. Would it therefore be more compassionate to make a belief in Him more easy? Surely, the amount of people that would respond to a loud, booming voice from the heavens would be insurmountable?

Any thoughts?

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Doesn't the testimony of 1.1 billion Christians and their changed lives due to Jesus Christ make an impact on you? These are the "greater things" that Jesus spoke of in John 1:50, that believers will do over and above what Jesus did. How so? By our testimony alone we can change lives. Jesus accompanied His gospel with signs and wonders to confirm these words were from God. We don't need to. Our changed lives are the confirmation.

Let's see, God led his people out of Egypt. In doing so he:

Parted the Red Sea

Appeared as a pillar of wind

Appeared as a pillar of fire

Had a booming voice like Thunder

Appeared as a burning bush

And how did we react? We danced around a golden sculpture made of gold.


So yes, even if God makes his presence known, it still doesn't mean people will get it.

I think the Exodus story is a good example of the dismissive-ness of human nature.

Even in or modern culture, there are those who believe 9/11 was a conspiracy concocted by George W. Bush. There are those who insist the moon landing was faked. Some believe that dinosaurs aren't real. Heck, there's a "flat-Earth" society.

So even if God did show up and say hi, how many people would continue to dismiss, disbelieve, and deny what they saw?

TheMatthewStanley said:

Its like watching a movie, except the movie is your life.

If somebody says to you right before going into the theater "Darth Vader is Lukes father", you gonna have a bad time.

If, instead, you just read the blurb, you'll find the experience much more enjoyable.

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Sorry, but you're going to have to explain that one.

At the creation of the world God showed Himself to the only two people. Half of them were fooled by a serpent and the other half was fooled by the half fooled by the serpent. After this they blamed God for being fooled. God knows from the beginning that appealing to the flesh of man will not bring people to Him. However, working through someone's spirit can change their life.

A quick, but limited comparison, do you find a birthday card from a loved one or a phone call to be more intimate and loving?

non-religious said:

So, I was just pondering on the thought that if God was/is so interested in people believing in Him and avoiding an eternity without Him. Why does He not, in a loud and booming voice declare that Jesus is His Son and that He is very much real?

Using a text that is thousands of years old, has numerous translations, possible contradictions etc.. makes it difficult for many to even contemplate believing. Would it therefore be more compassionate to make a belief in Him more easy? Surely, the amount of people that would respond to a loud, booming voice from the heavens would be insurmountable?

Any thoughts?

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He is doing just that. It's called the Church.

-CryptoLutheran

Many of your replies are "If God made himself known, not everyone would believe it to be true." Then you back this up with biblical stories. After this, nothing further is said. Are we then supposed to come to the conclusion, "Since not everyone would believe it to be true, God won't / shouldn't make himself known"? Come on guys. Anyone can see that's not a valid argument.

Besides, even if I gave that to you, we can certainly agree that someone would believe in God after he proclaimed himself. And if that one soul is saved, we should all rejoice and everything was all worth it.

God should definitely make himself known. And if he does, like someone pointed out, he should do it for an extended period of time in different locations so that a grand majority of people (and heCK, why not all) see him in his glory. Hey, and why not just repeat this every year for all eternity. It'll be like some sort of holiday. God viewing day.

Why are we arguing against wanting this?

TheMatthewStanley said:

Ok, consider the apostle Thomas. He didn't believe Jesus was really resurrected.

It's only after Jesus showed him proof, that Thomas believed him... even tho Jesus was telling him this all along.

So if Jesus gave Thomas a can of Dr. Pepper and said. "You totally have to try this, its awesome"

And Thomas was all like "Wow, sure Jesus, you totally know what you're talking about when it comes to fizzy drinks"

but only believed him after tasting it himself, its as if he doesn't take Jesus' word seriously.

The movie example is kind of different, the experiences you gain from life are much more meaningful when you figure them out yourself, rather than have someone spoil the ending.

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I'm still kind of lost as to how this answers the topic question. God doesn't explicitly show us himself because he would ruin the "experience of life?" Do I have it???

BuffMonkey5 said:

God should definitely make himself known. And if he does, like someone pointed out, he should do it for an extended period of time in different locations so that a grand majority of people (and heCK, why not all) see him in his glory. Hey, and why not just repeat this every year for all eternity. It'll be like some sort of holiday. God viewing day.

Why are we arguing against wanting this?

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I'm with you. If someone's eternal destiny were in the balance, and I had the power to change it, I'd certainly let people know about me.

Having said that, I think He already has made Himself known:
Rom. 1:20 --> "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"

John 14:9 --> "Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'?"

Furthermore, Jesus also said that even if someone were to come back from the dead, people wouldn't believe (Luke 16:31).

Personally, this is a question I'd like to know the answer to: "Why not continue to make Yourself known in ways that we can readily perceive?" For that matter, another question is, "Why use selfish, cowardly, fallible humans to convey this all-important message to others instead of having supernatural angels going around proclaiming the truth about You?"

Fortunately, we do have the inerrant Word of God to come to the rescue, but what about those people who don't have that luxury?

It's obviously still a mystery to me. Just being honest :-(.

ViaCrucis said:

He is doing just that. It's called the Church.

-CryptoLutheran

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Of course the church ain't always crash hot at passing on the message without adding an awful lot of extraneous noise.

dysert said:

I'm with you. If someone's eternal destiny were in the balance, and I had the power to change it, I'd certainly let people know about me.

Having said that, I think He already has made Himself known:
Rom. 1:20 --> "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"

John 14:9 --> "Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'?"

Furthermore, Jesus also said that even if someone were to come back from the dead, people wouldn't believe (Luke 16:31).

Personally, this is a question I'd like to know the answer to: "Why not continue to make Yourself known in ways that we can readily perceive?" For that matter, another question is, "Why use selfish, cowardly, fallible humans to convey this all-important message to others instead of having supernatural angels going around proclaiming the truth about You?"

Fortunately, we do have the inerrant Word of God to come to the rescue, but what about those people who don't have that luxury?

It's obviously still a mystery to me. Just being honest :-(.

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Hey, man. These are really good questions. This whole business is pretty mysterious, huh?

non-religious said:

Thanks for the responses

I'm not really getting the answer that I am looking for.

Millions of Christians around the world, do not any more validate the so-called truth of Christianity, than all the Muslims do Islam. Millions of people can/will be very wrong. I appreciate the wonders of creation, the inner voice believers hear, the Church, the traditions etc...

Those are things that are already applicable to believers or those on the brink of belief. I am talking about the vast majority of the earth's population who do not have a relationship with God or are following the wrong path. If an audible voice from the heavens declared that Jesus is the Way, then the consequence of such a declaration will absolutely bring millions to a belief and trust in God.

So why on earth would God not do that?

Does He desire that all be saved? If so, wouldn't it be more beneficial to make His presence known, in a way that is not easily accepted by traditional Christians? A loud, booming voice would absolutely do that?

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I'm mystified as to why you believe that would convince billions of anything? They would still deny the voice, just as they denied the resurrection. As Abraham told the rich man in hell:

non-religious said:

So, I was just pondering on the thought that if God was/is so interested in people believing in Him and avoiding an eternity without Him. Why does He not, in a loud and booming voice declare that Jesus is His Son and that He is very much real?

Click to expand...

If you don't believe the Bible, why would you believe a "loud and booming voice"? And how would you know this "loud and booming voice" is God?

What would be the point of doing this? Isn't God's effectual call...erm, effectual?

Surely, the amount of people that would respond to a loud, booming voice from the heavens would be insurmountable?

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Surely not. The Bible says that men already have two witnesses of God and yet, they still hate Him.

Your entire premise is false, as it assumes that it's up to us to seek God and that men would seek God if only they would hear from Him, but that's precisely the opposite of what Jesus said. Jesus said that it isn't men who seek God, but God who seeks and calls men.

non-religious said:

In this day and age where current events are broadcast throughout the world, it would be a very different prospect entirely, if God revealed Himself via the loud and booming voice

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On what do you base tis statement? The spoken word was trusted throughout the first-century world, as was the written word. That was how news was transported. So if someone spoke of Jesus' resurrection, it got the attention of everyone, even the skeptics. With today's instant communications and innovative technology, a "loud voice booming from heaven" would be assumed by nearly everyone (even believers) to be satellite- or hypersonic airplane-based loud speaker, or a compressed atmosphere device that could theoretically make the voice heard throughout the world. Assuming people will pay any attention to a miracle of this type and not credit it to a man-created event, even if such an event is beyond our technological skill set, would be giving way too much credit to the human susceptibility to God's influence. Hearts are hardened, and would not except even such a miracle. Besides which, God left it in our hands to spread the gospel, when Jesus gave the Great Commission to His church.

non-religious said:

If God has the power to save and call all, but refuses and only calls a few, thus consequently sending the masses to hell. What does that say about the God you serve?

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That He's sovereign.