They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people, and consulted against Thy hidden ones.
The enmity of the wicked against the Church
I. The enmity which the wicked bear to the Church of God, and from whence it proceeds.
1. This proceeds from the craft and policy, the malice of the Devil, who, being a competitor with God for dominion in the world, and whose whole design it is to defeat Him in the good that He would do for mankind, doth perpetually labour to put a stop to whatever may be offered toward the delivering of the souls of men out of his snare.
2. It proceeds from the restless temper of wicked men, whose minds are set upon mischief, and that do catch at all opportunities for it.
3. It proceeds from the interest of wicked men (Psalms 83:3).
4. It may proceed from the excellency of a Church, when it doth outshine them in the best and truest perfections, and that true goodness and substantial piety is there taught and practised.
5. It may proceed from the disposal of Divine Providence, that for the punishing of the sins of a Church, doth not only suffer others to aft]let her, but turn their displeasure that way.
II. In what ways they show this enmity, and what course they take to afflict and destroy the Church.
1. Slandering their adversaries, and raising false reports of them.
2. Dividing the Church, and setting one part of it against the other.
3. Downright force.
III. The confidence they have of success. This may proceed from the review which they have of their own policy and strength, and from the observation which they make of the weakness of their adversaries; weak, perhaps, of themselves; weaker, perhaps, with their divisions; weak because they are secure, and not aware of an assault; and weak because they have made no provision against it. Confident again they may be of success because the design lies out of sight.
IV. The course by which the Church and people of God may and shall be secured. Which is fervent prayer to God, and entire dependence upon Him. (J. Williams, D. D.)
Thy hidden ones.
God’s hidden ones
1. We may find God’s hidden ones where possibly you would least think of looking for them, amongst those who are about us most--the children. I often think of Charles Lamb’s plaint over the wrongs and woes of children.
2. We may find God’s hidden ones amongst the struggling souls so plentifully to be met with in society. Society, as such, frequently seems as if it were impossible for it to believe in penitence or amendment, as if it were impossible for it to exercise forgiveness, or hope, or charity, What God thinks of these hard-pressed, sin-tormented souls; how He cares for those who fail in the crisis, who sink in the depths, who lose name and character, and heart and hope, do we not see in His revealer and interpreter to mankind, His best gift to the world, the Lord Jesus Christ?
3. We may find God’s hidden ones amongst the poorer, the obscurer, the unheard-of members of our Christian communities. Many a poor soul consigned to the free seats or the galleries loves the worship and work of the Church far more than those known of most or seen of all. Many a cottager, in proportion to his time or his means, denies himself more, contributes more, than those who take the Chief seats, or are saluted as leaders.
4. We may find God’s hidden ones in regions or atmospheres that may to us seem least likely to produce them. I have heard of some worthy Christian men who, if you had told them that God’s good Spirit taught the Romans, or the Greeks, or the Assyrians, or the Egyptians in ancient days as well, as the Jews, would have been tempted to charge you with blasphemy; or, if you had expressed the conviction that God was as much in Asia or Africa at this moment as He is in Europe or America, would have thought you well-nigh an atheist.
5. We may find the hidden ones of God without, as well as within, the pale of the Church. Where there is no declaration of faith on the lips, there may still be true loyalty in the heart; that where there is no outward profession, there may still be the sincerest inward service. (J. T. Stannard.)
The obscurity and security of good men
They are “hidden “in two senses--
I. In the sense of obscurity. The Divine motives that actuate, the sublime aims that inspire, the supernal joys that fill the souls of the genuinely good, are hidden from the eyes of worldly men. The world “knoweth us not.”
1. The characters of good men are misjudged by the world. They have often been treated as fiends rather than as angels, hence martyrdom.
2. Their moral superiority is unappreciated by the world.
II. In the sense of security. “In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion.” “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence.” Your “life is hid with Christ in God.” The “hidden “things are generally the most secure, the “hidden “roots, the “hidden “springs, the “hidden “substances, etc. “Hid with Christ in God.” What enemy’s hand can reach them there? (Homilist.)
God’s hidden ones
I know few studies that may be made more profitable to Christian people than the names and titles which are given to them in the Book of God. They are called the “flock of God,” to intimate His care and their sure supplies; “trees of God,” to intimate their hidden life, their growth and fruitfulness; His “jewels,” to denote their preciousness and rarity; the “family,” the “children,” the “household” of God, to denote His Fatherhood and their happiness and home; the “priesthood of God,” that they may be holy and separate, and present daily sacrifice to Him; “soldiers,” in order to inspire them with courage to fight the good fight of faith. In the text they are called His “hidden ones.” The name implies--
I. The safety of God’s people. Out of God and away from Him, man is exposed, without screen or shelter, to the storms of conscience, the tempests of sorrow, the blast of death, the winter of judgment and of doom. All round the world this shelterless condition is felt. Adam felt it, and tried to hide himself among the trees. The heathen fears the anger of the gods, and screens himself by cruel offerings to idols of wood and stone. Self-righteousness makes a fancied refuge for itself, but all in vain. BuS God Himself hath opened a hiding-place: His own infinite mercy, as manifest in the atoning death of Christ.
II. The concealment of the Christian.
1. The godly are for the most part hidden, unnoted, and unknown. They are not appreciated. The spirit of the world is at enmity with them--refuses to rank them amongst those whom it delights to honour. It altogether undervalues them, and has little but sneers, contumely, and contempt to give.
2. Besides this, the bulk of God’s people in this world are hidden in the obscurity of their condition. In the main, Christianity dwells among the brushwood. It is composed of the rank and file, and has its dwelling, as it had in Christ’s time, in the homes of the poor.
3. Some of God’s children are hidden by persecution. In the olden time, the faithful ones were hidden among rocks, and dens, and caves of the earth.
4. Many loyal and faithful disciples of Jesus are hidden by a constitutional diffidence. They shrink from any and all publicity. These hidden ones, quiet, silent, and reserved, may be doing a holy work in secret spheres.
5. Then, again, the Lord has His hidden ones, who are hidden by age, by sickness, and by the iron wall of duty, from which they cannot, ought not to break away. Depend upon it, this is a large and noble army.
6. Then I would not forget how many of the Lord’s loyal disciples are hidden from each other by the thick, man-spun veils of opposing creeds.
7. Many of ,God’s hidden ones are hid away in the shelter of the restful grave.
III. God’s appreciation of His people. Nobody troubles to hide what is counted worthless. It either has an intrinsic value, like gold, or a circumstantial value, like an old letter or a lock of hair. Believers in Jesus are dear to Him, precious to Him. He hides them, guards them, keeps watch over them. “Where do you keep your jewels?” some one asked of a Roman matron. “In my heart,” said she, and straight brought her children into view. They were her precious things, hid in her heart. “Thy hidden ones!”
IV. The ultimate manifestation of God’s people. Hidden, are they? Well, but “He that hides can find.” The jewels are hidden in the casket till they are wanted; then they are brought out to flash upon the breast and to beautify the brow. The royal regalia is hid away under lock and key until another coronation-day comes round. (J. J. Wray.)
God’s hidden one
I. Why are they called God’s hidden ones?
1. Because He has put them out of the reach of their adversaries, and concealed them in a place of safety.
2. Because He gives them quiet and peace, even in the midst of turmoil and sorrow. The more of trial you have to endure, the more of communion you shall have to enjoy. This is the happy, happy case of a tried child of God.
3. Because they are not understood. He who has been made to live unto God lives a life that is quite incomprehensible to ordinary men.
4. Because they are obscure.
5. Because all the saints are at present unrevealed.
II. What is their special honour?
1. He knows whom He chose and redeemed; He knows whom He has called; He knows whom He has justified. He has hot done any of those things in the dark. He has a familiar acquaintance with all that His grace has done for you.
2. Though you are hidden, you are not hidden from the Lord. You are hidden by Him, but you are not hidden from Him. He can read your thoughts; He knows the troubles that are yet to come as well as those that have come; He reads you as I read the pages of this Bible.
3. Some of God’s hidden ones are among the very choicest of His children. I think there are some who are so very dear to God that He keeps them to Himself.
4. Hidden as you are, He has engaged to keep you. His Very hiding of you shows that He means to keep you in safety. You shall never perish, for “He keepeth the feet of His saints.”
III. What then?
1. Let us rejoice that the Lord has more people than we knew.
2. Let us look for these hidden ones wherever we are.
3. Since God has hidden ones, let us take care never to act or speak so as to grieve them.
4. Although God has His hidden ones, let not one of us hide himself more than is needful. (C. H. Spurgeon.)