“And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.” (Isaiah 29:11,12)
The Bible is a closed book to those who have closed their heart to its Author. “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalm 97:11) Isaiah recognized that a “deep sleep” had come over the prophets and rulers of his day. They had eyes but could not see, ears but could not hear. They handled the law, but did not know God. They drew near to Him with their mouths, but their hearts were far from Him.
God opens up with us when we open up with Him. “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (Psalm 25:14) If we would know God we must be willing for Him to know us. We cannot live a double life – playing church one day and eating at the table of devils the next. “Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” (Isaiah 29:15)
Here is the clear New Testament word on fellowship with God:
“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6)
To walk in darkness is to walk in unrepentant sin. It is to be under the deception that we can walk in light and darkness at the same time. There is a time to confess our sin, a time to be forgiven, and a time to be cleansed of all unrighteousness. When our hearts are turned toward God we will discover that He is faithful and just to work all these things into our life. God would give us a full-orbed experience in Him. He would have us seeing our lives in scripture. There would always be something there to comfort, encourage and exhort us. Such is the table He spreads before us when He is our Shepherd and we are hearing His voice.
It is God’s deep desire that we know Him intimately. Is it our desire that He know us intimately? God’s Word will be an “open book” to us when our lives are an open book to Him.