The Study Of The Bible Is A Treasure Hunt For Those Willing To Search Out , And Seek The Deep Things of God

There are some conservative Bible teachers who say that when the Bible is silent or doesn’t tell us certain things, that we are not meant to know these things. The Bible also says that the deep things of God are hidden in the text of the Bible for the diligent seeker.

God has determined that He can only be known by those who “grope for Him.” They search for Him with all of their heart and “grope” as one has to in the night when he is searching for the light switch.

Hebrews 11:6 “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Is Silence the Same as Withholding?

Some Bible Expositors argue that if the Bible is silent on a subject, it means God has deliberately hidden these things from us and therefore we are “not meant to know.” Certainly, there are “secret things” God reserves for Himself:

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever…” (Deuteronomy 29:29)

This verse shows that there is a category of divine knowledge God has not disclosed. However, this does not mean that what is revealed is shallow, limited, or cannot be known. Instead, the revealed Word contains treasures waiting to be sought out by the diligent.

The Call to Search and Seek the Deep Things

Scripture repeatedly exhorts believers to study and dig deeper:

Proverbs 25:2 “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.”

God hides truth, not to keep it forever concealed, but to stir up the hunger of those willing to search it out.

Proverbs 2:3–5 “Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:10 “But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.”

Paul writes that God has placed “deep things” in Scripture, which only the Spirit reveals to those who earnestly seek Him.

The “Grope for Him” Principle

Acts 17:27: “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way (grope) toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.”

The imagery here is of a man in darkness feeling along a wall for a light switch. God has designed His revelation in such a way that only those who genuinely long for Him, and persistently “grope” after Him, will find Him. This keeps truth hidden from the casual or hardened heart, but accessible to the diligent seeker.

The Balance Between Mystery and Revelation

There are “mysteries” reserved only for eternity (e.g., why God allows certain suffering, the exact “times and seasons” of Christ’s return). But there is also an invitation to seek out hidden treasures, which God delights to reveal through Scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.

So, when the Bible is “silent,” it may not mean we are never meant to know. Often, it means we are meant to search more deeply, connect Scripture with Scripture, and allow the Spirit to illuminate truths that lie beneath the surface.

Based on what the Bible says, it is not accurate to say, “If the Bible doesn’t tell us, we are not meant to know.”

The better statement is: God has revealed enough for salvation and godliness openly, but He has also hidden deeper treasures for those who will diligently seek Him. His Word is both milk for the simple and meat for the mature (Hebrews 5:12–14).

Scriptural Texts on Hidden and Revealed Truth

God Conceals, but Invites Discovery

Proverbs 25:2 — “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.”

Deuteronomy 29:29 — “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us…”

Seeking That Is Like a Treasure Hunt

Proverbs 2:3–5 “Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.”

Jeremiah 29:13 — “If you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.”

The Spirit Reveals the Deep Things

1 Corinthians 2:10–12  “For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit…so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”

Ephesians 1:17–18 Paul prays that believers would receive “spiritual wisdom and insight” so that they might grow in knowledge of God.

The Grope and the Light

Acts 17:27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.”

Isaiah 45:15 — “Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways.”

Hidden for the Wise, Not the Proud

Daniel 2:22 “He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light.”

Daniel 12:9–10 “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined…but the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means.”

Matthew 11:25 “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.”

Jesus on the Parables and Concealed Truth

Matthew 13:11 “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.”

Colossians 2:3  “In Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Progressive Revelation

John 16:12–13 Jesus said, “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

1 Peter 1:10–12 Even the prophets who spoke of the Messiah’s coming “wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about.”

The Texts of the Bible Reveal Two Complementary Realities:

1. Some things remain hidden by God (Deut. 29:29; Isa. 45:15).
2. Many things are hidden for discovery, not for permanent concealment (Prov. 2:3–5; 1 Cor. 2:10).

The Bible is indeed a treasure hunt: Shallow waters for the lambs and deep waters for the lions. Those who humbly search will find that the Spirit illuminates the “deep things of God.”

Revelation Chapter 11 is precisely the kind of text that illustrates the “treasure hunt” principle — God gives us truth, but in a way that requires careful searching of the Scriptures to discover its fullness. Let me walk you through this step by step, with attention to text, parallels, and evidence for Moses and Elijah.

The Revelation 11 Account Revelation 11:3–6

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days. These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies…They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.”

This description contains clues that lead us back into the Old Testament, where the same powers were wielded by Moses and Elijah.

The Case for Elijah

Fire from heaven (2 Kings 1:10–12) — Elijah called down fire on his enemies. Shutting the heavens from rain (1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17) — Elijah prayed, and no rain fell for 3½ years.

The Prophetic expectation — Malachi 4:5–6 prophesies that Elijah will return “before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

This makes Elijah an almost certain identification for one of the two witnesses.

The Case for Moses

Turning water into blood and sending plagues (Exodus 7–12) — Moses did this in Egypt through God’s power.

The Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–3) — Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, representing “the Law and the Prophets,” testifying that He is the Messiah.

Dispute over Moses’ body (Jude 9) — Michael contended with Satan over Moses’ body, suggesting God preserved Moses for a special future purpose.

Together with Elijah, Moses embodies the two great streams of Old Testament testimony: the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).

Why Not Enoch?

Some argue Enoch could be one of the witnesses, since he “did not see death” (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5). But the text of Revelation 11 emphasizes specific powers (plagues, drought, fire from heaven) that connect directly to Moses and Elijah. Enoch does not fit this description.

The Symbolic Connection: Olive Trees and Lampstands

John calls the witnesses “two olive trees and two lampstands” (Revelation 11:4). This echoes Zechariah 4:11–14, where two “anointed ones” stand by the Lord of all the earth, supplying oil (symbol of the Spirit) to the lampstand (God’s people).

Just as Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor represented spiritual and civil authority in Zechariah’s day, so Moses and Elijah represent God’s testimony to Israel in the last days.

The Pattern of Testimony

Deuteronomy 19:15 “By the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.”

In Revelation, God follows His own law: He sends two witnesses to Israel to confirm that Jesus is the true Messiah.

The Evidence of Scripture Points to Moses and Elijah

• Elijah: drought, fire, prophecy of his return.
• Moses: plagues, water to blood, preserved body.
• Both together: Law and Prophets, appearing with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.

These clues, scattered across Scripture, require diligent study to piece together. They are not spelled out in Revelation 11 directly, but God has hidden them in the text for seekers — confirming your point that the Bible is a treasure hunt for those who study deeply.

It is therefore likely that Bible teachers who refuse to speculate about subjects that the Bible does not specifically state certain things or the identity of people, are either afraid to be found wrong, or criticized, or overly conservative, not willing to do the hard work of digging out the gold nuggets that are in the Bible for the diligent searcher.

1. Those who refuse to speculate on anything the Bible does not state in black and white.
2. Those who recognize that God often hides truth in patterns, types, and connections across the canon, and who are willing to engage in careful, reverent exploration of those truths.

The Risk of Over-Conservatism

Some Bible teachers adopt the maxim: “Where the Bible is silent, we must also be silent.” This position is rooted in caution, but it can lead to a paralyzing conservatism. They fear being wrong, misrepresenting Scripture, or facing criticism from their peers. But in avoiding speculation altogether, they may fail to uncover legitimate insights that God has embedded for discovery.

This mindset can keep the Bible at the surface level, when the Spirit invites us into deeper waters (Ezekiel 47:3–5).

The Call to Dig for Hidden Treasure

Scripture encourages exploration beyond the obvious:

• Proverbs 2:4–5 Seek wisdom “as silver” and search for it “as for hidden treasures.”
• Proverbs 25:2 “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.”
• 1 Corinthians 2:10 The Spirit “searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.”

If God intentionally buried truth like treasure, then responsible speculation is not irreverence — it is faithfulness.

The Role of Holy Spirit-Guided Speculation

“Speculation” has a negative reputation because it is often done carelessly. But Spirit-led, text-grounded inference is actually the method by which: The prophets searched their own writings to understand the Messiah’s sufferings and glories (1 Peter 1:10–12).

The apostles identified Jesus as the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies — though most were not named explicitly. For example: Revelation 11 never names Moses and Elijah. Yet by searching Scripture, connecting miracles, and noting patterns, the identity of the witnesses comes into view.

This is not “wild speculation” but inductive reasoning from biblical evidence.

Why Some Bible Expositors Refuse to Speculate (Possibilites)

• A Fear of being wrong — unwilling to risk bold conclusions.
• A Fear of criticism — concern over academic or denominational backlash.
• Over-caution — mistaking safe teaching for faithful teaching.

But genuine faith is not risk-free. The Bereans were praised not for staying silent, but for testing Paul’s words daily against the Scriptures (Acts 17:11).

A Balanced Approach

We must be careful to distinguish between:

1. Unfounded speculation (which wanders into fantasy or contradiction).
2. Responsible speculation (grounded in Scripture, carefully reasoned, Spirit-illuminated).

The latter is what Jesus Himself did when He opened the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, showing them truths they had never seen (Luke 24).

Luke 24:27  “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Luke 24:44-48 “Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.

These two texts reveal to us the fact that our initial knowledge of certain scriptures of the Bible, may not reveal all that the Lord is seeking to tell us. It is by a continuation in comparing other parallel texts from the Bible, that a greater revelation of what God is saying, is understood.

Just because we don’t see a definition for a text in the original statement, does not mean that the Lord does not want us to know what He is saying. As with these two verses from Luke 24, sometimes we must continue to study and seek further texts from the Bible, before we understand what the Lord is saying. This no more clearer that in the Revelation 11 statement of the two witnesses. We find out who these men are by seeing what they do.

We find a similar principle in the testimony of John the Baptist when He sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus a question about His identity:

The identity of Jesus is made clear by the things He has done.

John the Baptist wanted to know if Jesus was the Prophet, Priest, and King who was foretold by the scriptures. He asked Jesus, “Are you the Coming One?”

Matthew 11:2-5 “And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 1. The blind see and 2. the lame walk; 3. the lepers are cleansed and 4. the deaf hear; 5. the dead are raised up and 6. the poor have the gospel preached to them.”

Jesus said that His identity is linked to what was prophesied of Him and how He fulfilled these predictions:

1. The Blind See:

Isaiah 29:18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.

Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Matthew 9:29-30 Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened.

2. The Lame Walk:

Isaiah 35:5-6 … Then the lame shall leap like a deer

Matthew 15:30 Then great multitudes came to Jesus, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.

3. The Lepers are Cleansed:

Leviticus 14:11 “Then the priest who makes him clean shall present the man who is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.”

Luke 5:12-14 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

4. The Deaf Hear:

Isaiah 29:18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book…

Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Mark 7:32-37 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

5. The Dead are Raised:

Isaiah 26:19 Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise.

John 11:43-44 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

6. The Good News is Preached:

Old Testament Prediction:

Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

New Testament Fulfillment:

Luke 4:16-21 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

How did John the Baptist and all the people of the first century know who Jesus was? By the things He said and did. This is the same principle we use in determining the identity of the two witnesses of Revelation. The identity of the two witness is understood by the additional texts that tell us what these two men will do: Call down fire from heaven (Elijah), turn water to blood (Moses). These are the only two men in the Bible who had this power, who also represent all the “Law and the Prophets,” and are also described by the Transfiguration texts of the New Testament:

Matthew 17:1-3 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Bible teachers who refuse to explore what Scripture implies but does not spell out may miss the treasures God has hidden for seekers. While respect for scripture demands caution, faith demands courage to search, connect, and propose — even at the risk of criticism. The diligent searcher will sometimes be wrong, but he will also uncover gold that the fearful will never see.

Exegetical Teachers on Moses & Elijah as the Two Witnesses

John MacArthur

“The question always comes, ‘Who are they?’ We don’t know. The best guess is they are Moses and Elijah… The description fits them best because Elijah called down fire and stopped the rain, and Moses turned water into blood and brought plagues. They also appeared with Christ at the Transfiguration. But we cannot be dogmatic.”

• Source: The Two Witnesses, Part 3 (Sermon on Revelation 11, Grace to You).
• Link: Grace to You – Revelation 11:3–6

John F. Walvoord

“The powers given these witnesses are similar to those exercised by Moses and Elijah. Like Elijah, they can withhold rain (1 Kgs 17:1; Jas 5:17). Like Moses, they can turn water to blood and bring plagues (Exod 7–12). Their appearance with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration lends further weight. Many expositors have identified them as Moses and Elijah, though the evidence is circumstantial… What is certain is that they will be real persons empowered by God.”

• Source: The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Commentary, 1966; also summarized in his essay “The Two Witnesses and the Seventh Trumpet”).
• Link: Walvoord.com – The Two Witnesses

David Guzik

“Many have attempted to identify these two witnesses. Suggestions range from Elijah and Moses to Elijah and Enoch. The miracles described here, however, are reminiscent of the ministries of Elijah (shutting heaven so it will not rain; calling down fire) and Moses (turning water into blood; striking the earth with plagues). Together, they represent the Law and the Prophets, bearing witness to Christ.”

• Source: Enduring Word Commentary – Revelation 11.
• Link: Enduring Word – Revelation 11

Warren Wiersbe

“The description of their miracles would certainly remind us of Moses (plagues, water to blood) and Elijah (fire, drought). It is significant that these were the two men who appeared with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. They represent the Law and the Prophets, bearing witness to the Messiah.”

• Source: Be Victorious: In Christ You Are an Overcomer (Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT, Rev. 11:3–12 section).
• Publisher link: David C. Cook Publishing

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“We must dig and mine, until we obtain the hid treasure.”

This is a well-quoted Spurgeon line often cited in memory. It appears in collections of his “treasures” sayings.

Source: Spurgeon “Treasures” aphorism collection. (GraceGems.org reproduction)

Context note: The phrase expresses the conviction that one cannot glean the full riches of Scripture by cursory reading; one must dig for hidden truths.

“Many of the chosen of God are not yet manifested … Precious stones will yet be found … Blood-bought multitudes remain to be gathered in.”

Source: Sermon God’s Jewels, Sermon 2970, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit.

In this sermon Spurgeon compares God’s people to jewels—some hidden, to be discovered—emphasizing that not all of God’s elect are yet revealed, and that diligent seeking is involved.

“The Scriptures warrant searching … The door of the Word can only be opened with the key of diligence!”

Source: Spurgeon treasure-theme aphorism (GraceGems).

“The Unsearchable Riches of Christ”

While not explicitly the “hidden truth” motif, the sermon title itself underscores that Christ contains inexhaustible depths—implying that diligent seekers may continue to explore Him.

Augustine’s “New in Old / Old in New” Maxim

St. Augustine, Quaestiones in Hept. 2.73 (PL 34, 623) as the source of the Latin phrasing “Novum Testamentum in Vetere latet, Vetus Testamentum in Novo patet” (i.e. “The New lies hidden in the Old; the Old is revealed in the New”).

That attribution is echoed by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which in note 107 cites St. Augustine, Quaest. in Hept. 2, 73: PL 34,623; cf. DV 16 as the source of the saying “the New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.”

Thus, the maxim is widely attributed to Augustine via Quaestiones in Heptateuchum, question 2.73, in the Patrologia Latina volume 34, page 623.

Other Augustine Texts Speaking of Hidden Grace

While I didn’t locate a perfect match in Latin for the full poetic maxim, I found Augustine making the same general theme in his writings:

In his Anti-Pelagian writings, Augustine says: “This grace hid itself under a veil in the Old Testament, but it has been revealed in the New Testament…”  That is in line with the idea that certain truths were concealed in the Old but revealed in the New.

In On Christian Doctrine (Latin: De Doctrina Christiana) Augustine directs interpreters to look beyond the literal to deeper, figurative senses (“hidden meaning”) in Scripture. Augustine refers to “obscure / figurative” expressions that require spiritual insight to understand their deeper meaning (e.g. in Book III of De Doctrina Christiana)

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry frequently speaks of hidden treasures and the need for industrious study. Here’s an illustrative quote:

On John 7:38 (in his commentary): “The treasures of the world are hidden in the sand … the blessings of the new covenant are our preparative for eternal life … we are told to labour for it, as if it were to be got by our own industry … and sold upon that valuable consideration…”

Source: Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, his exposition on John 7:38 (via CCEL)

Henry often alludes to the doctrine that Scripture has layers—things clear for the simple, things hidden for mature reflection.  In his Concise Commentary preface or in commentary notes, Henry indicates that Scripture has “enough in it that is easy to nourish the meanest to life eternal, but enough also to demand the industry and humility of the greatest scholars.”  That line is quite apt: it recognizes that some truths are easy, others require deeper “industry.”

Sources and Citations

Hidden/revealed & diligent seeking

• Augustine, Quaest. in Hept. 2.73 (Latin dictum; discussion & ref.).
• R. C. Sproul, “Ancient Promises,” Ligonier.
• C. H. Spurgeon, “Obtaining Promises,” Spurgeon.org (see “inexhaustible mine… hid treasures”).
• John Piper, “Why God’s Will Isn’t Always Clear” (Prov 25:2).
• Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary (Prov 2).
• David Guzik, “Study Guide for Proverbs 2,” Blue Letter Bible.

Revelation 11—Moses & Elijah case (with balance)

• John MacArthur, “Two Witnesses, Part 3,” GTY.
• John F. Walvoord, “The Two Witnesses and the Seventh Trumpet,” walvoord.com. 
• Grace Bible Church (sermon article summarizing Moses/Elijah reasoning). 
• Evidence Unseen, “Who are the two witnesses?” (Moses & Elijah in Jewish/Christian tradition).  (For contrast) Beale et al. summarized positions: symbolic identification of the witnesses with the Church.

Categories: Robert Clifton Robinson