Hebrews 4:13, commentary and pictures

Nothing living is hidden from God, but every person and every detail of life stands uncovered and laid open before Him like an open book, and all must deal with and give account to God Himself rather than to human wisdom. This belongs with the Word of God that pierces to soul and spirit and discerns thoughts and intents, and with Jesus the Son of God as the great High Priest in heaven who was tempted as men are yet without sin, so believers hold fast and come boldly for mercy. He sees every act, word, desire and circumstance in public and private, reads hearts, motives, intentions and imaginations, and what is concealed, denied or covered by outward profession remains manifest to Him, for no one can hide from His eye and darkness is as light to Him. Words, actions, motives and imaginings are faithfully chronicled and weighed, and in judgment every case is investigated by Christ to whom all judgment is committed, secret things are brought to light, human estimates are reversed, and repentance decides the eternal outcome. Because all is open, sinners need not stay away but may come admitting weakness, repenting and laying hold by faith to receive mercy, pardon and clothing in Christ's righteousness, and faith that He witnesses every word and action calls for living consciously in His presence in purity and truth.

Words and Setting

Every creature is manifest before God and all things stand naked and opened to His sight, uncovered and laid open before Him like an open book in which nothing of thought, motive, or character is hidden. This opening is like the opening of ancient sacrifices to test their soundness, for Christ as great High Priest searches and inspects every person and every offering to discern whether it is worthy to be presented to the Father. God reads every heart as such an open book, knowing the end from the beginning and seeing through all pretension, self-deception, defective past experience, and human insufficiency to decide what should be done. He uses that full knowledge in mercy rather than for discouragement, sending cautions and warnings to save those in danger of grave mistakes, to keep them from strange courses He has not directed, from plans contrary to His expressed will and word, and from ways that would lead away from Him and bring reproach on His cause, and only those who heed and whose heart and life are right can know with certainty that they walk in the way of the Lord in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. To consider the whole life thus exposed is to see the need for Christ as Saviour and to be called to honest reflection.

No creature and no part of anyone's life or history is excepted, but every person and every detail is fully exposed before Him. Everything is thoroughly known, including actions and the part played in events, even when a person does not understand or acknowledge the part he has acted. He fully knows the heart and the details of past experience, including self-exaltation, heavy responsibilities borne, and whether reproofs were heeded or misrepresented as approval. He knows the truth and never makes an untrue or inaccurate judgment, so that as people draw near to Him the truth about themselves becomes clear. In the setting of Scripture discerning the thoughts and purposes of the heart, studying the Bible reveals people as they really are before God.

Him with whom we have to do means all must deal with God Himself and give account to Him, for nothing in creation is hidden and every secret action is fully visible to the One to whom people are accountable. His instructions are therefore decisive and must be followed rather than set aside for human policy or short-sighted wisdom and judgment. Success or large patronage did not justify building up at Battle Creek against the instruction to scatter the work. Gospel ministers and all who claim to be medical missionaries must study Hebrews 4 if they would be recognized in the heavenly courts as children of the heavenly covenant, watching for souls as those who must give such an account.

The verse belongs with the preceding word about the Word of God as quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit and joints and marrow and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart, which leaves all exposed before God. It belongs together with the truth that Jesus the Son of God is the great High Priest passed into the heavens, touched with the feeling of human infirmities, in all points tempted like men yet without sin, made like His brethren to be merciful and faithful and able to help those who are tempted, so that believers hold fast their profession and come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. This calls for taking seriously the warning against unbelief, for a living growing faith, humility of mind, and sanctification by the Holy Spirit, since hearing must be mixed with faith or the gospel preached will not profit, and lack of faith in the truth of the living God is a fearful sin. It warns against acting carelessly, indifferently, and independently of God, and calls for diligently guarding and cleansing the heart from rubbish and earthliness, for diligent penetrating study of the Word and not surface work, for impressions made on mind and heart by the Spirit, while truth addresses heart and conscience, Satan works to divert the mind with erring thoughts, and all must labor to enter into rest lest any fall after the same example of unbelief. Those preparing for ministry must study it to first give themselves to the Lord for sanctification, maintain a godly example and well-ordered life, and seek from Christ the grace and clearness of comprehension needed for successful work for those for whom He gave His life. It is to be read and studied by young men and young women qualifying for service, together with Colossians 3, 2 Peter 1, Hebrews 4:12, 14-16, and Hebrews 2:17-18.

All Things Exposed

God who sees all has existed in perfection from all eternity and is now what He has ever been, without change and with no variableness or shadow of turning. Though men can see only a little way ahead, nothing is hidden from His view, and from His throne above earthly distractions He surveys all things and orders by His providence what He sees is best. He is not distant from anyone but as Father and Governor of the universe sees and considers every person and all that they do. Not for a moment has any transaction of any human being been unknown to the Lord in His providence. He is infinite in knowledge and in all wisdom concerning the real condition of every man, knowing it fully even when a man does not see his peril, for men are the work of His own mind through Christ Jesus and all thoughts are open before Him. His eyes are in every place to the ends of the earth and under the whole heaven, the ways of man are before His eyes, and He searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts and knows everything that comes into the mind.

He sees actions in every circumstance and temptation and understands how people will respond to what they encounter. Every word, action, motive, thought, and purpose is open to His sight, and He sees how people use their time while hidden works of darkness will be brought to light. Even the most trivial acts are seen, and thoughts, feelings, intentions, and purposes concealed from other people are known and recorded in heaven. Every thought of the mind, every emotion of the soul, every word of the tongue, and every act performed, with the motives that prompted them, are naked and opened for inspection and pass in review for a reaping of good or evil in the not far distant reaping time. Nothing about any person is hidden, for God knows and understands every act and word and every secret of the heart lies open before His searching gaze. Every deed and secret thing, and every thought, word, action, purpose, and motive, is open to His sight, and He knows whether people act to glorify Him or exalt themselves, so each must answer to Him for how time and means are used.

Nothing is hidden from Him, for He sees the heart's thoughts and intentions and all are accountable to Him. No creature is hidden, for everything including the thoughts and purposes of the heart lies fully exposed, an experience those who have received great light may and must have. Nothing in the human mind, including every thought and the motives behind action, is hidden from Him, and He understands how people will respond to what they face, including temptation and every circumstance. Every creature and all things are fully exposed, including the thoughts and intentions of every person. No creature or hidden thought is concealed, for God sees beyond outward appearance and searches every heart and mind. Every thought and secret sin is fully exposed to His gaze, and His purity condemns lust.

Sins may be concealed from other people but not from the Maker, so outward religious appearance cannot hide deceit, impurity, corruption, or hypocrisy from Him. The eye of God is upon every person as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and no profession will cover deceit, impurity, corruption, or hypocrisy, so sins must be put away now while probation lingers and mercy's voice is still heard to stand perfect in His grace and prepared for the day of God. He sees the heart and knows whether religion is only an outward profession or whether the carnal mind has been subdued and the heart cleansed, for He requires truth inwardly and not a mere notion of religion or an outward form. No sin can be hidden from Him even when concealed from other people, for He sees every person and knows the thoughts and purposes of the heart. Everything is fully exposed including the heart beneath an outward profession, and outward appearance or a mere notion of religion cannot take the place of inward truth and a subdued carnal mind. No thought, intention, or action is hidden, for outward appearance and private conduct are both fully known even when others do not see what is happening.

No one can hide from God's all-seeing eye any more than anyone can free himself from the claims of God's law, for God is ever present to assert His supreme authority and take cognizance of all works good or evil, so every person remains accountable to Him to the close of time. Wherever they are and whatever they do they are in the presence of God, no part of conduct escapes observation and no ways can be hidden from the Most High, and He keeps a faithful record of words and actions which every person must meet. Unlike human laws, which are often broken without detection and without punishment, the law of God cannot be broken in secret, and the deepest midnight is no cover for the guilty one. Even when a person thinks himself alone there is an unseen witness to every deed, the very motives of the heart are open to divine inspection, and every act, word, and thought is as distinctly marked as though there were only one person in the whole world and the attention of heaven were centered upon him. Not one of the human family can hide from God, for a person may turn his face from God so that he cannot see God, as Adam did, but he cannot place himself where God will not see him, since darkness is as light to God and He knows every secret thing.

Seen in History

Nothing is hidden from God, for He sees every creature and every detail of human action, and Gehazi could not deceive Him by hiding his words and conduct from Elisha, because God revealed them to the prophet. Even when guilty people conceal their crime from men and try to bury the evil deed forever from human sight and knowledge, it remains fully exposed before God with whom they must deal, as David proved when he tried to hide his wrong yet his secret sin was seen by God. Awareness of God's presence guards against temptation and inspires purity and truth, as it did for Joseph amid Egypt's corruption.

Wherever they are and whatever they do, people are in the presence of God, and no part of conduct escapes observation and no ways can be hidden from the Most High. God sees and hears all that people do and say and keeps a faithful record of words and actions which every person must meet, and unlike human laws, which are often broken without detection and without punishment, the law of God cannot be broken in secret and the deepest midnight is no cover for the guilty one. Even when a person thinks himself alone, there is an unseen witness to every deed, and the very motives of the heart are open to divine inspection. Every act, every word, every thought is as distinctly marked as though there were only one person in the whole world and the attention of heaven were centered upon him, and cherishing this habitual impression causes fear to sin, which the young especially are to remember.

He sees and hears every deed, including Herod's revelry, his command to execute John, and Herodias's insults. Herod's fear and guilty conscience reflected his conviction that God had witnessed his crime and that John's warning that nothing could be concealed from God was true. At the Passover supper Judas thought his betrayal was hidden and acted as though innocent, but Jesus knew the thoughts and intentions of every heart and every heart is open to Him. No part of a person's life is hidden from God, for even the secrets of a guilty past are open before Him.

Felix realized that God saw his crimes and that he would be judged according to his deeds, and this awareness filled him with dread. The knowledge of God becomes a reason for dread when a person faces judgment according to his deeds. Nothing in anyone's life is hidden from God, for He knows people's lives and daily work in every station and in every circumstance. He is aware of both secret sins and selfish motives and of good deeds, including charity, kindness, and generosity.

Recording and Judgment

Nothing is hidden, for the eye of the Lord rests upon all the work and all the plans and all the imaginings of every mind, seeing beneath the surface and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart as an open book. There is no deed of darkness, no plan, no imagination of the heart, no thought of the mind concealed from Him, but every act, every word, and every motive is faithfully chronicled in the records by the great Heart-searcher who says, I know thy works. He is present in every place, with unseen messengers present even in the workroom and the sleeping room, where an angel writes down how precious moments are used. Words and actions and motives are thus recorded, including frivolous talk, foolish jesting, jealousy, envy, and reckless speech, and God takes the measure and weight of influence upon imperishable tablets. He will expose every word and every action and the hidden works of darkness, and the thoughts, intents, and purposes of the heart will be laid bare before Him with whom all have to do and to answer.

His eyes as a flame of fire search every church in the world and pierce every heart, with all things open before Him with whom all must deal. As discerner of the thoughts and intents and purposes of the heart, He measures the temple and the worshipers, weighs all actions in the golden scales of heaven, and registers the result in the books of record. No deed of darkness can be screened from His view, and sin undetected by man and unsuspected by human minds is noted and registered by the great Heart-searcher.

In the investigative judgment every deed, thought, and motive laid open before Him bears witness, for He knows the inner life and keeps an exact record of every sin and unfair dealing. Deeds done openly or secretly, concealed from others or denied before them so that no sign appears, remain exposed to Him who sees through appearances of piety and every disguise and judges character without error. Darkness and secrecy cannot hide anything, and unrepented and unforsaken sins remain in the record as testimony against the sinner and are not pardoned or blotted out.

All judgment has been committed by the Father to Christ, whose all-seeing eye lies open to the most secret things invisible to men, knowing the desires and motives of every heart as well as actions. In the last great day He will judge every case and make His investigation, weighing each character for purity of motive and whether desire to please self outweighs desire for righteousness and God's glory. Human judgment will have no place in the decisions of that day, for His estimate of service looks at what human observers cannot see and reverses human estimation. Many whom men placed first He will place last, and those whom men put in the lowest place He will take out of the ranks and make first.

Every act, word, thought, motive, and defect of character, fully visible to Him even when concealed from others, is recorded and will be exposed at the judgment, when young and old alike will see the faithful record of their lives as it is. Right thoughts and deeds and each victory over temptation are remembered and recorded in heaven, while evil deeds are also faithfully recorded and bring punishment unless repented of, confessed, and washed away by atoning blood. At that time secret thoughts and dealings are brought to light, including how talents entrusted were misused instead of used for God's glory, how what was entrusted was handled, and how property was transferred, revealing character and fitness for eternal life. No dishonest act escapes detection forever, for every human deed good or evil stands open to His sight and justice, every person and every deed fully exposed, with those accepted after repentance and written in the book of life entering God's city and every sin faithfully recorded receiving just punishment.

Christ Who Searches

Christ is the one who searches hearts and tries the reins, before whom no creature is hidden and with whom all must answer, so that every secret sinful practice stands fully visible in His sight. He inspects sacrifices and service to see whether they are worthy to be presented to the Father, and He exposes the true condition of the churches, seeing their faults, errors, neglects, failures, departures from truth and shortcomings, including the pride and self-sufficiency of those who think they need nothing. Every action and every motive of the heart is fully visible to Jesus Christ, who knows every weakness and every sin. He hears every word a man speaks and marks its effect upon the souls of his wife and children, so that one who has done wrong in his home should cast his helpless soul upon Christ, and those who serve Him must seek purity of heart and reject guile while relying on Christ to resist sin.

The Holy Spirit as Christ's representative in the world is the searcher of the thoughts and purposes of the heart, with nothing hidden from its sight. This searching work is greatly needed in schools and was eagerly sought in the schools of the prophets. Its transforming influence brings even the thoughts into harmony with the will of God and gives efficiency for restoring the moral image of God in man and establishing a living connection between earth and heaven.

God reads every heart as an open book, knowing the end from the beginning and seeing through all pretension, self-deception, defective past experience, and man's insufficiency to decide what should be done. He uses this full knowledge in mercy, not for discouragement, to send cautions and warnings to save those in danger of making grave mistakes. Those warnings are given to keep men from doing strange things He has not directed, from persisting in plans contrary to His expressed will and word, and from taking a course that would lead them away from Him and bring reproach upon His cause. He desires every man to know His will, and only those who heed His warnings and whose heart and life are right can know of a certainty that they are walking in the way of the Lord in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Because every creature and all human unworthiness are fully known to God, this is no reason for a sinner to stay away, for anyone who comes to Christ, admits weakness, and asks for divine grace is not turned away. The eye of God is upon every person as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, so sins may be concealed from men but nothing can be hidden from the Maker, and no profession will cover deceit, impurity, corruption, or hypocrisy from Him. Sins must therefore be put away now, while probation lingers and mercy's voice is still heard, so as to stand perfect in His grace, wanting in nothing, and be prepared to stand in the day of God waiting for the appearing of the Lord. Standing before Him in sinful garments would be terrible, but through Christ's sacrifice a sinner may be pardoned and stand pure, clothed in Christ's righteousness.

The sinner must see himself as he is in God's light and realize that following wrong principles has marred the work God gave him to do. Refusing to change to avoid admitting wrong makes conviction useless and prevents true reformation, while willingness to see all the Lord presents brings shame, distress, humiliation and remorse for working against his own spiritual health, the spiritual health of others, and Christ. Looking into the Word as into a mirror shows his character as it is and makes him abhor himself, humble himself before Jesus, behold the sacredness of the Saviour's office and the perfection of His character, look to Jesus, and receive God's relief. When people by faith lay hold of Christ in His office work as Mediator and Intercessor, they become aware of their own deficiency, and their hearts are opened before Him with whom they have to do. With contrite and broken heart Christ is formed within as the hope of glory, which is the understanding of the mystery of godliness, and the Lord and His Spirit break in upon the soul with life and joy while the soul is quickly made sensible of its own deficiency, with everything laid open before Him.

Walking in His Sight

Faith that God witnesses every word and action calls for living consciously in the presence of the infinite God, for every creature and all things are fully exposed to His sight. This awareness shields from temptation and inspires purity and truth, making the soul aware of His presence. Principles, purposes, words and deeds should therefore be pure and unselfish, since He reads every thought of the mind and aspiration of the soul. Such living calls for sober-mindedness, because God is the Judge who weighs moral worth while heavenly beings watch the character being developed. Looking to Him, trusting Him and relying on Him as Father belongs to this walk, for He sees and knows every act, word, desire, intent and purpose.

Remembering that life is lived standing in the constant presence of Jesus Christ, who knows every thought and act, every impulse of the heart, every purpose of the soul and every imagination open to His inspection, gives strength to overcome as His willing servant when faith is severely tried through heaviness and manifold temptations in daily spiritual life. Realizing His full knowledge calls for genuine reverence for His person, with courtesy, tenderness, kindness and respect to all, daily cultivation of character after the divine similitude, prayer for a humble heart lived out in word and spirit, and overcoming a stubborn, unyielding disposition in the Lord's own way. Since nothing is hidden and everything is open before God's eyes, workers must cherish integrity and show it in how they treat others, and all work should be done with awareness of His full knowledge as though His eye were directed upon each one. Students in the same accountability should work conscientiously and build character with sound materials, and the truth that no action is hidden from His all-seeing eye should humble the heart and shape conduct.

The God with whom all have to do is great and terrible and holy, holy in the glory encircling the Father, whose approaching light makes the body tremble and shake like a leaf for fear of being struck out of existence, and He is to be known in His holiness of which many have only faint views. His holy and reverend name must therefore not be taken in vain nor spoken without realizing it is God who is spoken of. Prayer to Him must not use careless and irreverent expressions, which grieve the tender Spirit of the Lord and cause petitions to be shut out of heaven. Irreverence and inattention during worship are seen by Him who sees every thought and action, and they are recorded in heaven's books.

Since He already knows a person's life, prayer need not recount its history to inform Him, for nothing is hidden and every secret and deepest thought is open to His sight. Yet cherished impure thoughts need not be spoken or acted out to defile and bring the soul under condemnation, for sin is already present in the heart, and God who never sleeps sees every action and reads every thought. People are responsible for indulging vain thoughts, and unchecked imaginations that can lead to sinful acts must be carefully controlled and surrendered, because every act, word, thought and motive is fully open to God including what is believed kept secret. The required work is therefore not outward surface improvement but setting the heart in order, humbling before God and imploring His grace, breaking and rending the heart instead of like hypocritical Pharisees doing things to appear devotional and righteous in others' eyes or being over-anxious for brethren to think one right when one is not. This means being circumspect in the family, watching no longer for others' wrongs but overcoming one's own wrongs and battling strong internal foes, dealing justly with widow and fatherless and throwing no flimsy covering of deception over acts whose motives will not bear the construction put upon them, for all words and acts are open to inspection and motives, intents and purposes stand revealed with the most secret things not hid.

Those who serve Him stand accountable before Him to whom no creature or thought is hidden, so preparation and conduct must be sincere. Those deciding to become workers for God must give evidence of conversion, showing sound virtuous character, purity of heart and speech without guile, and having Christ by their side to succeed, since every sinful practice however secret is open to His view. Ministers must work faithfully knowing they will render a strict account, examining motives rather than laboring for wages or merely to please themselves, for every act and even intents and purposes of the heart are fully revealed. No secret use of power is hidden; He sees deception, selfishness and covetousness and treating people as machines to be controlled, and position or authority cannot shield from His judgment, for He sees vanity, selfish purposes and abuse of authority in handling sacred responsibilities. He sees beneath the surface, and those who restrict resources to serve their own plans will answer to Him when every case is plainly revealed. Duty is to be done in harmony without letting self rule, dealing justly without oppression, and exercising no vanity, selfishness or abuse of power.

His knowledge of what people do calls them to perform daily duties faithfully and do what is right with unselfish motives, as if His eye were visibly upon them, for He observes and investigates every act. He sees every thought and notices every action, blessing what is done with sincere purpose for advancing His work, so that even small gifts given in sympathy and love can do good here and bring reward hereafter. Every business account and transaction is fully visible to Him and examined by His unseen agents, with no injustice, evil or wrong overlooked or excused, calling for highest integrity and fairness in every dealing between people. Dishonest conduct is recorded in heaven, and overreaching and oppression come under His justice, for He sees every action and reads every thought and aspiration. Victory is measured not by outward appearance or human praise but by goodness, mercy, compassion and faithfulness to His law.

Nothing is concealed from God the great Searcher of hearts, so children should recognize wrong practices as sins against the pure and holy God, not merely things exposed to others, and repent because they have displeased and dishonored Him. This truth is to be taught to children so they understand He sees conduct and knows thoughts and learn to live to please Him, with parents accountable to guide and correct patiently and kindly, not in anger. Parents must examine whether they have given whole hearts to God and whether devotion is fixed on Him rather than worldly things, appreciating His countless blessings until affections are set on things above. The heart is the citadel and stronghold of the whole man and life; until it is wholly on the Lord's side the enemy finds his stronghold there which no human power can dislodge, and the Lord alone can reclaim it, so keeping practical religion out misrepresents Christ and may leave children unconverted and unready for eternal life. Jesus Christ knows every weakness and every sin and hears every word a man speaks and marks its effect upon wife and children, so one who has done wrong in the home should cast the helpless soul upon Christ.

The physician must work knowing God watches, guarding thoughts and keeping confidences rather than disclosing secrets that would harm God's people, since all things are exposed to His sight. Students must remember that every word, thought and action is open to His all-seeing eye and nothing they do is hidden. No action including transfer of property is hidden from Him who knows every heart and fully sees motives and purposes, and its motives will be tested in judgment. A choice to turn from light given, including choosing food to gratify appetite, is seen and recorded with every purpose and motive exposed, hindering growth in grace and heavenly knowledge and keeping from sharing the divine nature. The unseen but all-seeing One takes the measure and weight of influence with every deed lying exposed before Him with whom each has to do, nothing hidden that will not be revealed and the record engraved with accurate pen on imperishable tablets, declaring the self-serving unconsecrated life weighed in the balance and found wanting for robbing Him of heart, mind, soul, strength and service to neighbor, a weight of unfulfilled obligation only Christ fully knows, teaching what it means to be a Christian and removing all claim to exact what others owe.

Judging belongs to Him alone and He has not laid it upon any man, for He will scrutinize every talent and judge every man's work. No finite man is to judge others, for man's judgment is biased by peculiar traits of character, and no man is to bind another's conscience or pass judgment upon God's holy Word by defining what is inspired and what is human, for there is no such narrowness with God. He knows every heart and sees the truth about false accusations and motives behind them, and as Judge over all a person can entrust the cause to Him and leave wrongdoers to answer for what they have done. He discerns thoughts, intents and purposes, seeing and reading every hidden motive and secret of the soul, weighing character not in balances of human opinion but in balances of the sanctuary and registering each as guilty or not guilty according to the true heart, so open defects do not make one more guilty than one whose defects are concealed. Those who condemn others for known faults while excusing their own hidden faults stand worse before Him and are regarded as greater sinners.

God is the One with whom His people must deal, so His instructions must be followed rather than set aside for human policy or short-sighted wisdom, and success or large patronage did not justify building up at Battle Creek against the instruction to scatter the work. People answer to God, not to human policy or short-sighted judgment, and His stated instructions are decisive and to be followed as given. He knows every purpose of the heart with nothing hid, and in great mercy shows a person just where he stands spiritually, so to reject that light and become embittered is to betray the Lord Himself rather than any human messenger.

Remembering this constant divine scrutiny should humble a person to the dust, for every action of life and even every motive of the heart is open to His gaze with nothing hidden. No part of life is hidden, for He knows life's secrets including thoughts and purposes of the heart, making people accountable and calling for confession and repentance when wrong is done, with characters recorded in heaven for which answer must be given. His eye sees every act and searches every part of the mind, detecting self-deception and hypocrisy, and His law tests human actions with full accountability to Him. Every person and every detail of history is fully exposed before Him who knows the truth and never makes an untrue or inaccurate judgment, and as people draw near to Him the truth about themselves becomes clear.

When a Christian gives a lawful oath, it is right to call on God as witness that testimony is true, because every thought is open to His sight and all live in His presence and He knows the exact truth.