Hidden treasures…

 Hidden treasure….

Recently, I went with one of my daughters to Baker City, Oregon.

We toured the Geiser Grand Hotel with one of my grandsons and his friend.

The ceilings were beautiful with all of their decorative designs in full view…was reminded of ceilings in a building how housing the Young life in our former town

Several years ago, we renovated an old building in Elko, Nevada with those same type of ceilings, but we had to completely cover them up with a false ceiling due to fire code or some city regulation…it was hard at the time to do that because of the hidden beauty…which is still tucked away behind something false and very industrial looking…oh, well….

There are many “hidden treasures” in the Word…there are 84 references with the word “hidden”…a few follow…

Cain felt hidden from God as he was driven away…

A child king…

 Athaliah Reigns in Judah ….Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death. And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land. Joash Made KingBut in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. And they went about through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, as the  spoke concerning the sons of David. This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers, and one third shall be at the king's house and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the . Let no one enter the house of the  except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the . The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.” The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions. And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God. And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king.”2 Chronicle 22,23 (my children listened to this Story told dramatically by Ethel Barrett when they were growing up…)

Hidden gods…  

Job laments…

“Why is light given to him who is in misery,and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not,and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,whom God has hedged in?Job.3.20-23

 David and Solomon speak of hidden things…in Psalms and Proverbs…

We are not hidden from God’s presence…

Jesus speaks of hidden treasures many times…

 The Parable of the Hidden Treasure“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:“I will open my mouth in parables;I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Matt.13.44,Matt.13.35

 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to  light .Luke.8.17

Paul speaks of “hidden”…in Colossians…

 Paul's Ministry to the ChurchNow I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 1,2, 3

I personally like this one in Colossians…we are hidden with Christ and then we will appear… the beauty of it all…shown forth…

Thank YOU…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_ceiling