This attribute refers to the inexplicable and mysterious ways of God. It raises the most painful question of all: Why does a loving and wise God allow certain terrible tragedies to occur? As an example, here is a young, spirit-filled pastor. He has spent a number of years diligently preparing for the ministry. His wife has sacrificed to help put him through school. But now all this is paying off. His church is experiencing an amazing growth. Souls are saved weekly. New converts are baptized each Sunday. Additional Sunday school buses are purchased, and a new building is planned. A skeptical community slowly finds itself being profoundly influenced by this vibrant and exciting pastor and his people. Suddenly, without any warning, the minister is killed in a freak accident. Shortly after the funeral the still-confused and stunned congregation extends a call to another man. But the new minister shows little compassion and less leadership ability. Soon the flock is scattered and the once-thrilling testimony of a growing and glowing work is all but stilled.

How many times since Abel’s martyrdom at the dawn of human history have similar tragedies taken place? One need only change the names, places, and rearrange some of the details. But the searing and searching question remains: Why does God permit such terrible things?

In the words of an unknown songwriter:

Come, Thou almighty King, help us Thy name to sing.
    Help us to praise! Father all glorious, o’er all victorious,
    Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days.
    To Thee great One in Three, eternal praises be, hence, evermore!
    Thy sovereign majesty may we in glory see,
    And through eternity love and adore.

A clue (and only a clue) to this perplexing, penetrating, and painful question is seen in the tenth chapter of Revelation:

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Rev 10:7)

Dr. W. A. Criswell meditates on the mystery of God’s long delay:
The mystery of God is the long delay of our Lord in taking the kingdom unto Himself and in establishing righteousness in the earth. The mystery of God is seen in these thousands of years in which sin and death run riot. There is no village and there is no hamlet without its raging, and there is no human heart without its dark, black drop. There is no life without its tears and its sorrows. There is no home that ultimately does not break up, and there is no family that does not see the circle of the home dissolve in the depths of the grave. There is no life that does not end in death. The pages of history from the time of the first murder until this present hour, are written in blood, tears and death. . . . Oh, the mystery of the delay of God! That mystery has brought more stumbling to the faith of God’s people than any other experience in all life.

The infidel, the atheist, the agnostic and the unbeliever laugh and mock us, and God lets them mock and laugh. . . . Our missionaries are slain, our churches are burned to the ground, people in this earth by uncounted millions and millions are oppressed, living in despair, and God just looks. He seemingly does not intervene; He does not say anything, and He does not move. Sin just develops. It goes on and on. Oh, the mystery of the delay of the Lord God! But somewhere beyond the starry sky there stands a herald angel with a trumpet in his hand. (Sermons on Revelation, p. 199)

Until the sound of that blessed trumpet, the suffering saint of God can arrive at no better conclusion than once offered by the patriarch Abraham: “That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen 18:25).

No, the Bible does not give us answers to all our questions, but it does provide comfort and reassurance in the hour of trial down here with the promise that someday inside that shining celestial city among the stars, God himself will explain the why of all things!

A. M. Overton beautifully summarized all this when he wrote:

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
    My heart may throb and ache.
    But in my soul, I’m glad I know—
    He maketh no mistake.

        There’s so much now I cannot see,
    My eyesight’s far too dim.
    But come what may, I’ll trust and pray—
    And leave the rest to Him.

        For by and by the fog will lift,
    And plain it all He’ll make—
    For then I’ll see, and then I’ll know—
    He made not one mistake!