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GOD
on
Vacation?
Why does God hide himself? Why hasn't the a/1-
powerfu/ God
of
the universe come down and put
an
end to our unsolvable problems and endless
F
ORGET,
for a moment, about
what you think is or is not ím–
possib1e, and imagine your–
self to be an enterprising, skillful
reporter. You are willing to go to in–
credible 1engths to land a top-notch
story - and this time you've really
got one.
You, of all people, have somehow
been granted an interview with
God.
Assuming you can find the nerve
to speak, what will you ask Him?
Surely not picky doctrinal questions
which have narrow audience a ppeal
and won't sell copy. No, you would
want to give your readers so1id an–
swers to basic questions - the ques–
tions which have puzzled men for
centuries.
Perhaps you wou1d begin with
this:
"Would you please exp1ain why
you have the reputation for being a
recluse, a sort of Howard Hughes of
heaven? Why haven't you come out
and revealed yourself and put an
end to centuries of religious contro-
PLAIN TRUTH Morch 1973
human sufferings?
by
Charles
f .
Vinson
versy? You know, sorne people have
facetiously proclaímed you to be on
vacation- or even dead! Cou1d you
p1ease explain why?"
How Would God Answer?
To begin with, He might chide
you a little for going to all the
trouble of setting up a persona l in–
terview when you could have gotten
your answers by carefully reading
His book.
"A good reporter always does his
homework. But since you're here
anyway, I'll answer your question,"
God replies. "1 have not been, nor
am 1 now, as you put it, 'on vaca–
tion, a recluse or even dead.' In fact,
in the beginoing .... "
You begin scribbling furiously to
catch the words clarifying the his–
tory of Ood's relationship with man.
In the beginning of His relationship
with man, your notes read, God -
like any parent - was absorbed in
His newly created family, teaching
them, molding their eovironment,
showiog them how to live the good
life. And, contrary to sorne popular
religious opinions, He was actually
very pleased with His creation. In
fact, viewing it as a total package,
God described it as "very good"
(Genesis 1:31).
He tells you about the moment
He placed the newly created man
and woman in a beautiful park-like
garden where they were free to 1ive
within the bounds of God's instruc–
tioos. One thing was explicitly for–
bidden to them. They weren' t to eat
the fruit from a tree symbolically
called "the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil" (Genesis 2: 17).
Things went well in the garden
for a short period of time, and prob–
ably would have indefinitely, if not
for the presence of a rebellious spirit
being who was named Satan. Satan
had previous1y attempted to over–
throw the government of God, but
had emerged from the battle second
best (Ezekiel 28: 12- 17). Now, Satan
was again m.istakenly convinced
that he could thwart His plan, God
tells you. Satan knew very weU that
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