What has God revealed, and what has He kept secret? The answers might surprise you. He has revealed much more than most realize.

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The first part of Deuteronomy 29:29 is intriguing:
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God.”
What are those secret things? Why are they secret? Will we ever be able to understand those secrets?
God created us with curiosity, and He knew humans would be drawn toward mysteries and fascinated by hidden things.
But that first part really isn’t the main point of Deuteronomy 29:29. Consider the contrast in the rest of the verse:
“But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
While the Bible does mention secrets and mysteries, it’s really about what God has revealed—what He wants us to know and why it is so important.
As we will see, God has revealed much more than most people realize. He has revealed everything we need to know—and a lot of things we want to know.
God’s religion has some mysteries, but it isn’t a mystery religion. Moses noted that God’s law “is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off” (Deuteronomy 30:11). Paul quoted from this section and found comfort that God’s message of salvation is not inaccessible but near (Romans 10:6-9). We can believe it and express it.
Though many are currently blinded to the revelation in the Bible, that is not because it is written in secret code or requires mystical knowledge not contained in Scripture.
God gave the Bible to make His truth plain.
What is revealed?
The Bible isn’t written in the format of an encyclopedia or a “frequently asked questions” page, but when studied carefully, it can serve as an instruction book for God’s human creation.
Here are some of the essential things God reveals in the Bible (along with helpful related resources):
- How to live a fulfilling life (see “Life More Abundantly”).
- How to be saved—to receive eternal life (see “How to Be Saved”).
- How to please God (see “How to Please God”).
- What God promises (see “God’s Promises: Rock-Solid Hope and Assurance”).
- The outline of future events (see How to Understand Prophecy).
Prophecy is one area of God’s revelation that has been of great interest, speculation and confusion.
The Bible tells us, “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
But that doesn’t mean that every detail of prophecy was understood by the prophets themselves or will be understood by God’s people before the time the information is needed.
For example, when Daniel did not understand a prophecy given to him, he was told, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9). Even then, “none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” (verse 10).
Peter noted that to the Old Testament prophets “it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:12).
So clearly there are things revealed in the Bible that not everyone can understand—yet. Still, God gives us everything we need.
Everything we need to know
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the purpose of the Bible and the benefits we gain from studying it.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
God has recorded and preserved for us everything we need to become spiritually mature. Regularly studied and rightly understood, Scripture prepares us to become more and more like our loving Father in every aspect of life.
God’s instructions are given for our benefit: “You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments . . . that it may go well with you and with your children after you” (Deuteronomy 4:40; see also 10:13).
The Bible guides us: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
God’s instructions provide guardrails and rewards: “Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:11).
For more on this, see the articles in our section “The Practical and Priceless Benefits of Bible Study.”
Revealed things can be ignored or hidden
But what about the scriptures that talk about mysteries, hidden wisdom and the general blindness of people to God’s truth? (See “Spiritual Blindness and Spiritual Veils.”)
Though God’s revelation is not written in secret code, the Bible does tell us there are reasons most people don’t understand much of it.
One reason is that most ignore it or only give it a passing glance. These ancient books can certainly be daunting to modern readers. If people don’t see the relevance of the Bible, they won’t give it the focused attention and study it requires.
Another reason is that many people aren’t willing to believe it or do what it says. God tells us, “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psalm 111:10). The implication is that those who do not obey will not have a good understanding.
The Bible tells us that behind these and other pitfalls to understanding is an evil spirit who doesn’t want us to know God’s wonderful plan for us.
The apostle Paul explained, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
The Bible also tells us Satan has actually deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9).
This deception keeps people from the most important key to understanding: the gift of God’s Holy Spirit.
Paul wrote, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
There are things the human mind can’t comprehend. However, God has a plan to remove the deception and blindness through offering His Holy Spirit to each person according to His perfect timing.
Paul also wrote, “‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (verses 9-10).
What does the Bible say about how we receive the Holy Spirit and how we know we have it? See our article “How Do You Know You Have the Holy Spirit?”
What are the secret things of God?
God has revealed everything we need to know, and even some of the deep things of God, yet there are still “secret things” of God. These include:
- Specific prophetic timing that we can’t know yet. For example, Jesus said of His return, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36; see “When Will Jesus Return?”).
- Things beyond our comprehension.
Even with access to God’s Holy Spirit, we can only begin to think like God on the spiritual plane. God said, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God does want to close that gap. He wants us through diligent Bible study and committed practice to learn to think and act more like Him day by day. How can we do this?
- Allow God to write His laws on our hearts and minds (Hebrews 8:10).
- Use His Spirit to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
- Seek to not be conformed to the selfish and evil ways of this world, but to be “transformed by the renewing” of our minds (Romans 12:2).
- Strive to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
By doing so, we fulfill His purpose for our lives—to become His children!
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
What God has revealed and will reveal is so incredible, so inspiring, so awesome, that it is beyond human comprehension! But it can belong to us forever! Study this further in our booklet God’s Purpose for You: Discovering Why You Were Born.
Sidebar: God’s Religion Is Not a Mystery Religion
Many ancient religions were mystery religions.
According to World History Encyclopedia, “Mystery cults, or mystery religions, were ancient religious associations characterized by secrecy and initiation rites . . . Members of mystery cults were required to maintain the secrecy of the cult’s rituals and knowledge, which added to the cult’s prestige.”
The religion of the Bible, however, did not involve secret rituals. Even ceremonies restricted to members or priests or the high priest are explained in the Bible for all to read.
For example, even though only the high priest could enter the holiest part of the temple, and then only once a year, what he was to do and what he would see there is all described in the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:2-34; Hebrews 9:1-7).
And not only that, but the Bible tells us what it all means. This annual ceremony represented Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to pay the penalty of our sins, so we can inherit eternal life as children of God! (See Hebrews 9:8-15; 2:10; “The Day of Atonement: Removing the Enemy, Reconciling All to God.”)
The Bible warns about mystery religion (Revelation 17:5; “Mystery, Babylon the Great”).
Instead, we are to seek “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3; see “Christianity Made Simple”).