God wants to be known. He is knowable, and our eternal state depends upon our knowing Him:
Jesus is speaking to God the Father. "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3)."
Knowing God and His Son Jesus is the heart of this whole issue of eternal life. We’re not talking about a casual awareness, but the kind of knowledge that comes through experience and relationship.
When we know Him, think as He thinks, are burdened with what burdens Him, we know His will.
The Desire to Know God
Moses had that desire to know God.
"Then Moses said to the Lord, '...Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight'" (Exodus 33:12-13a).
Every new revelation of God stirred up a hunger for more. Moses pleads, "I beseech You, show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). God’s glory is who He is, what He possesses, and what He is like. God’s glory is God in His essential being. Moses longed to know all that a human being can absorb about an infinite God.
The Revelation of God’s Attributes
When God showed Moses His glory, it was His mercy, His grace, His long-suffering, His love, His truth, His forgiveness, and His righteous wrath against sin that Moses witnessed.
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed His name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished’” (Exodus 34:5-7a).
God also reveals to us in other Bible passages that He is triune, spirit, eternal, immutable, sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, just, jealous, wise, good, and true.
The Response That’s Required
Obviously, we do not know everything there is to know about God. With our finite minds, we cannot fully comprehend even what He reveals to us. But what we do grasp of what He has revealed can enrich our lives on earth immeasurably and bring us greater pleasure than any other pursuit in life. It will bring us into personal touch with the living God.
As we get to know God, we need to accept what God reveals about Himself. And we must commit to a total involvement with Him. If we really know God, we are going to respond in obedience.
"The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4).
Get the book based on this series:
The Joy of Knowing God
(get it on Amazon)