I also agree that it would be a nice feature for Lilypond to be able to automatically combine a number of single bar rests into a multiple bar rest, but it should be possible to turn the feature off.
(Lilypond; to be; able to automatically combine a number of single bar) (Lilypond; to automatically combine; a number of single bar)
Lilypond Lilypond
to be to automatically combine
able to automatically combine a number of single bar
a number of single bar