Seeing God with the Eye of Faith

KEY VERSE: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.” —Job 42:5

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Job 40:1-9; 42:1-6

IT IS interesting to note that Job had not actually seen God. What he had seen was a whirlwind, which in itself was not particularly mysterious, except for the fact that in this whirlwind the voice of God was heard. And it was through the revealing things which were spoken that Job declared he could now see God.

Moses had a similar experience, as a result of his request to see God in the glory of his person. On that occasion God made it plain that the vast difference in nature between the human and divine made what he asked impossible, but he did arrange for Moses to see him in a way which was far more important. Shielding Moses in the cleft of a rock, he passed by and spoke these words: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.”—Exod. 34:6,7

In this declaration of himself Moses was made aware of those things about God which were vital for their mutual relationship. In a somewhat similar way God has revealed himself to all who have been called to serve him. The knowledge of his divine plan of salvation through his Word, reveals to us a God who is rich in mercy toward his fallen creation, patient and longsuffering with their ignorance and indiscretions, permitting his justice to be expressed against unrighteousness, for the eventual triumph of goodness and truth. With this view of God, we have a practical means of knowing what is his will for us, and how we may serve him acceptably.

Jesus explained this thought well when he spoke with the woman of Samaria: “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23,24) Here he implies that since God is a spirit being he cannot be seen by men, and therefore they must worship him through knowledge of his ways and his attributes.

In a previous lesson it was pointed out that Job and the happenings in his life was a prototype of the experiences of the entire human race. On the basis of what Job had heard about God he had tried to serve him in the best way he could. But through his trials and by virtue of the Lord’s message to him, when he spoke from the whirlwind, he now felt that he really knew God, and that he could see or understand the glorious attributes of his character.

Earlier in his life Job had expressed his belief that at a future time he would experience a resurrection from death: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” (Job 19:25,26) All mankind lost the blessing of life through the fall, but God provided a Redeemer—the Redeemer in whom Job put his trust. Just as Job experienced a restoration of health and possessions, so all who lost life in Adam will have an opportunity to be restored to life through Christ. Then, like Job, having benefited from the experience of evil, all mankind resurrected from the grave will hear God speak to them. Through his revealed will and purpose for their everlasting blessing of life and happiness, they will come to see God in the effulgence of his character, and rejoice in his salvation.

The Prophet Isaiah speaks of this time in these words: “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” (Isa. 40:5) This text is sometimes interpreted as meaning that the personal glory of God will be seen throughout all the world, but its context reveals this is not a correct thought. In Isaiah’s prophecy these words are spoken by a voice, “the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness,” the voice of the Christ, showing the world the way out of their present wilderness condition; a way described as a highway in the desert.—vss. 3,4

The voice cried again and explained the authority and purpose of the new government of Christ that is bringing salvation: “O Zion that bringest good tidings … say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him.” (vss. 9,10) Thus God will be seen through an understanding of his beneficent purposes for mankind, and the loving way the kingdom of Christ will bring them to pass.

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