Seeing God

He who has seen Me has seen the Father. – John 14:9

Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Yet the apostle Paul spoke of God as One "whom no man has seen or can see" (1 Timothy 6:15-16). I have often thought about this seeming contradiction. How can we reconcile our Lord’s statement with the words of Paul?

I believe we must first recognize that God in His essential being is pure Spirit (John 4:24), and therefore is invisibly present everywhere in His vast creation (Psalm 139:7-12). But we read in the Bible that on various occasions God appeared to people in a visible way (Genesis 18:1-3). He created a burning bush from which to challenge Moses (Exodus 3:2). And in today’s Scripture reading, the glory of His presence was revealed, and "there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone" (Exodus 24:9-10). God can appear in any form He desires, even while He Himself remains invisibly present throughout the universe.

One day in heaven the unseen, infinite God will graciously make Himself visible to us. But even then we’ll be unable to look upon His full glory. Instead, we will see Jesus and live in His light (Revelation 21:23). But seeing Him will be seeing God, for He is God. What a blessed prospect!

– Herbert Vander Lugt

No mortal can see God and live,

His brilliance would destroy all sight,

But Jesus’ glory we shall see

For He as God is truth and light.

– Dennis De Haan

To see God, look to Jesus.

The Bible in one year:

• Job 5-7

• Acts 8:1-25