The world has many ideas about him but are they true?
13 If it is true that you look
favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully
and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very
own people."
17 The LORD replied to Moses, "I
will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know
you by name."
In the
book of Exodus
we have seen that God's people have had amazing experiences with him that
should have led to a close friendship. In
the previous post we saw some of the miraculous ways that God displayed his power and
protection on their behalf, but we also saw almost everyone turned from God as
if his amazing care for them meant nothing.
Despite the equal opportunity to know God, it did not lead to equal outcomes, it seems that Moses was alone in his desire for spiritual growth. The crowd knew God and knew that he was incredible in his kindness and protection but that was enough for them.
Most of God's people are just like that, we know just enough about God and his plan to redeem us and
make us his own children so that we can escape hell but few of us have the
desire to know our Heavenly father beyond that.
We are content to believe in
him from a distance or we settle for knowing inaccurate information about him. Both of these conditions are very dangerous.
What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight and contentment than anything else? Knowledge of God.
-J. I. Packer "Knowing God"
We don't have the privilege of seeing God work like his people did in the
Old Testament, we have to rely on the Bible to really know him. That's the reason that God
preserved his word, the book may be very old but because he never changes we can truly know him by what he has revealed in the Bible.
The outline below is from Going Deeper with God with my thoughts added.
God's Word Shows Us:
God's Holiness
Leviticus 19:1-2 The LORD also said to Moses, 2 "Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
We like to think that this requirement was for the people of the Old
Testament but the command for holiness is in the New Testament and it is
still in effect today. (1 Peter 1:15)
It's interesting that the Bible doesn't give us the command to be holy until
after God's people have been redeemed from Egypt.
God's Wrath and Justice
John 3:36 And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."
We really don't like this topic, we like to dwell on God's goodness, love
and grace, who doesn't like that? But you don't really know God and you have
created your own "god" if you stop there.
The cross shows us a small portion of the wrath of God that will be
experienced by those that are left behind when Jesus takes his church out of
here. The cross was horrible but it isn't the full extent of God's wrath
that is shown to us in the book of Revelation.
God's Grace
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
Thankfully God's grace is equally as huge as his wrath but it is only
available to those that believe in God's rescue plan. We can only
appreciate God's grace and be amazed by it when we have an accurate
understanding of God's holy wrath.
We must go beyond the common grace that everyone on earth experiences.
Common grace is a taste of what God offers that will help you draw closer
to him but it isn't saving grace and it has no redemptive effect. (Romans
8:29-39, Ephesians 1:3-14)
God's Goodness
Exodus 33:19 The LORD replied, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.
It sounds odd that God told Moses that his goodness is something that can
be seen, it seems more logical to us that God's works can be seen as his
goodness, but scripture teaches that God is more beautiful than anything
he has ever done.
God is not a cosmic grandpa handing out treats to his children. God isn't
going to give us everything we want, sometimes he will give us what we
don't want but he is still perfectly good and righteous, and there is no
evil or sin in him. (Psalm 92:15; 1 John 3:2–6)
So much has been done for us but instead of a stronger desire to know God
more and know God accurately we settle for a surface relationship or we
believe about God without knowing the whole truth. I think we have to be
careful if we distort God into something he is not then we have made a
"god" that pleases ourselves.
Knowing God Takes Effort
Developing a deep relationship with God is not a passive experience, it requires a commitment to time spent in God's word, prayer, and actively seeking to understand and apply what God is showing you.Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.Jeremiah 9:24 NLT But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Too many people think that knowing God is a one time event but the Bible shows us that it is actually a lifelong pursuit. Just take a look at the apostle Paul, he is probably the best example of
someone that knew God like Moses did, but after approximately 25 years as
a believer he still yearned for more. (Philippians 2:12-13 and 2 Corinthians 12:1-7)
Satan doesn't want you to know God accurately or with any degree of intimacy
that's why he has so many ways to keep you distracted. He is okay with you knowing God the way that the Pharisees knew him but remember that this group of people received the harshest criticism from Jesus.
Help me Lord to increase in my love and desire to know you more! It is too easy to neglect our relationship and believe incorrect information about you. I want to really know you.
RELATED ARTICLES
What is the biblical account of Shem, Ham, and Japheth?
(gotquestions.org)
Knowing God Personally
(cslewisinstitute.org)
Knowing God
(desiringgod.org)
