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When God Reveals a Divine Revelation…And We Wish He Hadn’t

When God Reveals a Divine Revelation…And We Wish He Hadn’t

Last updated on: July 1, 2026 at 6:27 pm by Lee Ann B. Marino

When God Reveals a Divine Revelation…And We Wish He Hadn’t 2026-07-01T18:27:02-04:00 Lee Ann B. Marino

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Almost 16 years ago, I sat in a Burger King in Puerto Rico. We’d just had one of the best conferences I’ve ever experienced. Even though I don’t speak any Spanish, the event went off without a hitch. It was a weekend full of divine revelation, God’s word delivered to the women of Puerto Rico. As I sat there with the other women involved in the conference (including my apostle), I heard them all say I would definitely return as a speaker for next year’s annual event.

I knew I wouldn’t be returning. I couldn’t tell you why. Nothing in the natural realm suggested it. The circumstances suggested I was wrong. Yet, I knew by the Spirit…and I was right.

Sometimes God gives us divine revelation that we can’t easily explain, nor do we understand it. That doesn’t make it any less valid. They are also revelations that change the course of lives, futures, and destinies.

person holding their finger to their lips

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

The Sound of Silence

Simon & Garfunkel’s song The Sound of Silence speaks of the hours immediately following the death of President John F. Kennedy. People didn’t know what to think because they didn’t have the right information. The world was enveloped in hushed, awkward silence as they waited to hear about his death. People knew, but they couldn’t speak, because they needed confirmation.

How often do we live with the sound of silence…as we wait for God’s revelation to manifest?

Betrayal to come

As I spoke of earlier, I knew I wouldn’t be returning to that conference. A few months later, the Lord revealed to me that my leader would betray me. No one would see it coming, but it would come to be. Her motive would be jealousy, envy, and pride. She would make accusations and behave dishonorably. God even revealed it would directly connect to my upcoming women’s conference. She would assign the matter to a lie, something things were not about.

God revealed it. It would be. Just as God revealed, it happened.

It wasn’t fun, comfortable, or what I wanted. I loved my leader. Even though God pushed me to move forward by divine revelation, I didn’t want to leave her ministry. Even before this time, God would send divine revelation through knowledge of things in different situations. There were times when I would look out and see the coming instability, even though nothing foretold its advance.

I had this divine revelation. What was I going to do with it? I couldn’t confront anyone with it. Nothing suggested anything was to happen at that time. I could have shared the vision (I only told one person), but most wouldn’t have understood it. The only foresight came by the Spirit.

God gave me a vision I wish He hadn’t. I know I needed to know, but knowing didn’t make it easy. All I could do was wait in silence. I knew what was to happen, but I couldn’t talk about it. I lived with this sense of knowing, yet felt a strong sense of hushed silence. There was no confrontation, no vocalization. All I could do was continue on as normal, remain constant, and remain honorable. I was called to continue to be who I was…and wait.

Divine revelation among the biblical prophets

My experience with divine revelation makes me wonder about the experiences of the biblical prophets. Much of the time, the prophets saw things they wish God had not revealed. We often fail to see this in their experiences.

They were confronted with the destruction of their people
Watched them walk into exile
Saw only a remnant return
Heard of their future fall into idolatry
Watched nations rise and fall, kingdoms wax and wane, occupations come and leave
Foresee fearful and troublesome futures for the world and God’s people

While they did write or proclaim their warnings, the prophets always lived with that awkward silence – sometimes years in the making – for their spiritual eyesight to align with natural circumstances. All they could do was wait, sometimes weep, sometimes pray, and always remain who God called them to be.

Isaiah’s prophecy

See now, the Lord, the LORD Almighty,

is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support:

all supplies of food and all supplies of water,

the hero and warrior, the judge and prophet, the soothsayer and elder,

the captain of fifty and man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.

I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them.

People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor.

The young will rise up against the old, the base against the honorable.

A man will seize one of his brothers at his father’s home, and say, “You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!”

But in that day he will cry out, “I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.”

Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence.

The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.

Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. (Isaiah 3:1-9, NIV)

There’s no way Isaiah looked at this prophecy with a gleam of hope. Coming war, occupation, and a world marked by chaos and disorder was nothing to celebrate.

Jeremiah’s prophecy

The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

The word of the LORD came to me again: “What do you see?”

“I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north,” I answered.

The LORD said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the LORD.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 1:11-19, NIV)

Jeremiah was called “the weeping prophet” for a reason. The promised destruction to come was immediately tied to Israel’s constant obsession with foreign gods. Still, Jeremiah didn’t look over the revelation to come with glee. Instead, he dealt with the difficulties of waiting for a painful revelation to manifest.

Ezekiel’s prophecy

He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” As He spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me.

He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against Me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.

And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which He unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. (Ezekiel 2:1-10, NIV)

Ezekiel was warned about the difficulties he would face in his prophetic ministry. He didn’t have the message that would wow crowds or make people feel good about the future. Heavy and intense, he lived with a message warning of the consequences of rebellion.

Understanding divine revelation

Sometimes we minimize spiritual gifts. We treat them as if they are fun and exciting all the time. While they are definitely interesting and exciting, we often overlook their intense and often difficult responsibilities. There is a reason the words “oracle” and “vision” in the Old Testament mean, by extension, “burden.” When God shows us things about circumstances, people, even the future that we would rather not see, He is giving us a necessary burden we must often bear alone. It is something that remains between God and us until it manifests.

And, in the meantime…we wait.

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About Lee Ann B. Marino

Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.Min., D.D. (”The Spitfire”) is “everyone’s favorite theologian” leading Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z as apostle of SAFE Ministries. Her work encompasses study and instruction on leadership training and development, typology, Pneumatology, conceptual theology, Ephesians 4:11 ministry, and apostolic theology. She is author of over thirty-five books, host of the top twenty percentile podcast Kingdom Now, and serves as founder and overseer of Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT and Chancellor of Apostolic Covenant Theological Seminary. Dr. Marino has over twenty-five years of experience in ministry, leadership, counseling, mentoring, education, and business. You can read more about the author here.

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