Knowing God - Part 4

In examining the quest to know God better, we have realized first of all that such an endeavor is dependent upon God's choosing to reveal Himself. Second, we saw that God has chosen to reveal Himself primarily through the Bible. Third, we saw that the names of God as found in the Bible reveal much about what God is like.

I believe that each of the studies mentioned above, as well as each of the ones to follow, are purposefully revealed through specific Scriptures that instruct us about how to know God. There is one tool for which I did not find specific Scriptural instruction; it is, however, a very logical method to use. It seems not only to be a very practical way to fulfill God's instruction to know Him, but it is also obvious that God deliberately included this aspect in His Word to facilitate our knowing Him.

This very helpful method is to study the characteristics of God as declared in the Bible. God openly declares things about His nature. For example, He is loving, kind, merciful, faithful, powerful, wise, and forgiving. In practical terms, utilizing this method would follow a procedure very similar to studying the names of God. To get started, we could write down a list of characteristics that readily come to mind. We could very easily find a list in a book or other resource. We could also simply start to read the Bible (Psalms is a good place to start) and jot down the characteristics that we see.

Once a list is compiled (or at least started), a concordance is very helpful in identifying verses to consult for a particular characteristic. Not every verse that contains the word love will be about the love of God, but usually the concordance gives enough context to indicate who is being described. With a list of verses to study, we can then begin to read and ask the question "What does this verse tell me about the love of God?" It is possible to find study books that will do this work for us, but there is much more profit when we do the study for ourselves.

Often God clearly states His characteristics; at other times He uses Bible stories to illustrate His characteristics. He gives real life examples to demonstrate that what He has declared about Himself is true. He shows that He exercises these characteristics in the lives of actual people. I have identified four categories of actions that reveal what God is like.

First, we can know God through His mighty acts. God is known by the precise, mighty, and amazing acts that He does in which He clearly shows His power. God repeatedly reveals that the plagues in Egypt were designed so that people would know about Him. Exodus 9:14, for example, states, "For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth." God's purpose was achieved. The Egyptian people learned (Exodus 12:33). Moses' father-in-law learned (Exodus 18:11). Even far-off Rahab learned (Joshua 2:9-11). Israel was supposed to learn (Deuteronomy 4:35). In fact, God intended for the entire earth to learn of God because of His mighty acts (Joshua 4:24).

Second, we can know God by His great deliverance. God is able to give deliverance when no one else can or even thinks it possible. When He does so, the deliverance that unquestionably comes from God reveals the character of that great God. David depended on this fact when, as a young shepherd, he faced the giant whom all the soldiers feared (I Samuel 17:46). When Ahab faced a coalition of thirty-three kings who were poised to destroy Israel, God's prophet declared, "Thus says the Lord, 'Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord'" (I Kings 20:13). When Hezekiah faced a similar threat from the Assyrians, he called out to God to reveal Himself through deliverance (Isaiah 37:20). If God's amazing deliverances are intended to teach even unbelievers about Him, surely they are designed so that His own people will also know Him.

Third, we can know God by His abundant blessing. God promised His blessing on Israel for this very purpose. "I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly and will treat you better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 36:11). God can give blessings that no one else can give; these reveal not only His power, but also the richness of His love (Isaiah 41:20). God's amazing covenant with David revealed the unique excellence of God (I Chronicles 17:19). God's blessing on the undeserving reveals His transcendence above external influences (Ezekiel 20:44). Truly, God's abundant blessing reveals His greatness not only because no one else could do it, but also because no one else would do it.

Fourth, we can know God by His great and severe judgment. Ezekiel declared God's message to His people, "For My eye will have no pity on you, nor will I spare you, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your abominations will be among you; then you will know that I am the Lord!" (Ezekiel 7:4). This is just one of more than forty similar statements found in Ezekiel. God reveals Himself by dealing with His children's own sin and also with the sin of those who would damage them (Ezekiel 20:38). God is further revealed as following His judgment with complete restoration (Ezekiel 39:28). Through such judgment God displays His holiness (Ezekiel 36:23) and magnifies Himself (Ezekiel 38:23).

I close with two final thoughts. First, looking only at these four factors provides a balanced view of God that many people lack. Many see God either as all love and no judgment or as an impersonal tyrant who is ready to jump on the slightest offense. An accurate view of God discredits both of these erroneous theories.

Second, it is important to realize that the primary venue in which we are to see these four revelations is the Bible. When we look at our personal lives, we do not have the whole picture. When we are in the midst of the process of what God is doing, we easily err in our conclusions. We determine what God is like by focusing on what He has done or not done in our lives; unfortunately, we are analyzing based on incomplete information. When we read stories in the Bible, we get the whole picture as God intended it. Examining God's actions in the narratives of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Esther, and many others reveals valuable truth about the nature of God.

"All Your works shall . . . make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom." (Psalm 145:10-12 NASB)