Why does God keep some things hidden until later?
God keeps some things hidden because it is His prerogative to keep them secret until it is time to reveal them. Scripture shows the Twelve did not understand Christ's plain words because the saying was hid from them, and Paul later revealed a mystery previously kept in God's mind.
In Luke 18:31-34, Jesus told the Twelve plainly that He would be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, spitefully entreated, spat upon, scourged, put to death, and rise again the third day. Yet they understood none of these things because the saying was hid from them. Les explains this demonstrates God's prerogative to keep things secret and hidden until it is time to reveal them. Later, Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 speaks of revealing a secret or mystery never revealed before. Les emphasizes that the doctrines and revelations that came through Paul were for the most part kept secret in the mind of God until He revealed them to the apostle Paul.