The Veiling of God's Face

 "He holdeth back the face of His throne, and spreadeth His cloud upon it." Job 26: 9

       A hiding of God's sovereignty is a startling thing. We can understand a hiding of His beauty, for the beauty of the minor chord may only appear in the symphony. We can understand a hiding of His counsels, for we in our ignorance might not see the good of them. But we should always like to see His sovereignty. The most startling thing about the hiding here spoken of is its deliberateness. If it were merely said that man cannot fathom God, we should accept it as a truism. But it is God Himself who here designs the unfathomableness. There is a double act of concealment. He first ''holds back the face of His throne," and then "spreads a cloud over it." It is an elaborate movement for veiling; and it disturbs us. But consider what is veiled. Is it really the throne of God? No, it is only the face of the throne. The face of the throne is that which looks forward; it is God's sovereignty seen in advance. He will not reveal that. He will reveal the side of His throne - He will give strength for the present need. He will reveal the back of His throne - He will let us see His providence in retrospect. But He will not show us the face of His throne; He spreads a cloud over the future glory.
       And is this not well for thee, O my soul! Thy Father does not wish to compel thee to come in; He would have thee come by thine own will. Therefore He conceals the glory. How could any man resist the glory - the face of the throne of God! Would not such a vision rob thee of thy freedom! Who would not climb the hill of God if it were always crowned with sunshine! If there is too much light there can be no test of love. It is easy for thee to seek thy God when thou seest the rainbow of emerald and the blaze of sapphire. But if the rainbow were extinguished, if the sapphire blaze were quenched, if the face of His throne were covered, couldst thou seek Him then? If it were  to be proclaimed that there would be no judgment-seat, no books opened, no partition between the right hand and the left, would virtue be to thee still as beautiful? Couldst thou choose her in plain attire? Couldst thou love her without God's adoption ring? Couldst thou wed her with no material dowry? Couldst thou cherish her with no hope of reward? Couldst thou work for her, toil for her, sacrifice for her, though through the midnight air there came no murmur of the approaching song "Good and faithful servant, well done"? Then hast thou vindicated the silence of God; then mayst thou bless thy Father that He has held back from thee the face of His throne.