God Wants Man To Know Him

July-August 2021 — Grace & Truth Magazine


God Wants Man To Know Him

God Speaks To Man
God wants us to know Him as Creator. “And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good’” (Gen. 1:11-12 ESV ). The L ORD God planted a garden at Eden in which man could live, a place where every tree grew (2:8-9). But when Adam and Eve sinned, they were driven out of that garden, and the weeds took over (3:17-18).

Outside of Eden, mankind became wicked, and “the LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (6:7-8). God told him how to make a barge-like boat – the ark – and to use it to spare people and animals from the flood He was about to produce. We here see God as the Deliverer.

Before the flood, Noah fathered Shem, Ham and Japheth. Shem had descendents after the flood, including Abram and Sarai, later named Abraham and Sarah (17:5,15). God fulfilled His promise to this old couple, giving Abraham, at the age of 100, a son by Sarah, who was then 90 years old. With the son, the Lord would establish an “everlasting covenant” (vv.16-19).

God Used Dreams And Visions
A dream is a series of events occurring during sleep. A vision is similar, but the word implies something supernatural that conveys a revelation. “The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not ... your very own son shall be your heir’” (15:1,4). “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs ... and they will be afflicted for four hundred years” (v.13). Later, Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson, had dreams (37:5-10). All that God had said was fulfilled in time, revealing even more about Himself.

God Is Revealed In The Book Of Nature
“What can be known about God is plain to [men and women] because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Rom. 1:19-20). However, men have been “futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (vv.21-23). Man has sought to pervert, by making their own gods, what God says in His creation. We need to go to the Scriptures to find out about the true God – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

God Revealed Himself In Written Revelation
God is revealed in Scripture. Moses and the elders of Israel went unto the “mountain” in the wilderness of Sinai, from where the LORD had called them (Ex. 24:12). Only Moses was allowed to “come near to the LORD” (v.2). This prophet then went and “told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD” (vv.3-4).

When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave to him the “two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God” (31:18). The content, placed on scrolls, is called the Torah and is part of what we call the Old Testament. God has revealed Himself in other books or scrolls – but only in the books of Scripture, written by the prophets, both Old and New Testament authors.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim. 3:16), distinguishing it from other writings. The King James Version says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Pneumatikos is the Greek term for “inspiration.” The Scriptures were written in the language of the author, and in general we do not have the original documents.

Despite what some say, the King James Version is not the original text. However, it is Scripture, “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (v.16 ESV), just as the original would be. There are several other popular versions of the Scriptures. Before using any one of them for in-depth study, it is wise to read its preface. It is also advisable to determine whether the translator used a literal – “a word for word” – method or a dynamic-equivalence approach. This second type is “a thought for thought” way to put Scripture in today’s terms and wording. One should ascertain the theological views of the group who did the translating to figure out if there may be bias from their beliefs. In some instances, a version may not be a translation at all; it may be just a paraphrase of the translators’ views of Scripture.

God Is Revealed In Oral Prophecy
God is revealed when a believer uses his or her gift of prophecy (Rom. 12:6) to speak a message from Him. Scripture clearly says about using a gift of prophecy that “whoever speaks” is to do so “as one who speaks the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11).

To prophesy is a very important function of brothers. We are told to “earnestly desire to prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:39). Why? Speaking such a message is very important, for its purpose is to build up the body of Christ in their relationship with Him. It uses Scripture to speak to a need. On the other hand, if what is said is just a lecture on Scripture, it merely serves to impart knowledge.

The Purpose Of Meeting Together
Acts 2:1 tells us the disciples were “all together in one place” as they waited for the Lord’s promise for that time to be fulfilled. We also gather together, “to stir up one another to love and good works ... encouraging one another, and all the more as [we] see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25). Such times are opportunities to worship God “in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24). How truly important are these meetings in responding to God’s desire for us to know Him. May we all seek to know Him more!

By Alan H. Crosby

And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. —John 17:3
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. —2 Peter 3:18