Encountering God

Who is God is the pressing question on so many minds?

We needn’t journey too far into a conversation about religion amongst a random group of people to soon realise that we are very opinionated individuals. Whatever “god” fits into a person’s lifestyle seems to win their vote. I recall as a schoolboy on Sunday’s lining up in different groups for the different denominations services. Greek orthodox, Roman Catholics, Methodists, and whatever else was on offer that resembled religion were accepted. All claimed that they were on the right path. It was no different in my two year National Service stint in the Marines.

Let us not be fooled into making any brash assumptions concerning God or His character. However we most certainly have seen the Father in and through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Reject the Lord and you reject God, full stop!

One third of the Godhead left the portals of heaven and went through the normal throes of life like any other infant, born of a virgin woman, Mary impregnated by the Spirit of God. Just imagine the uproar as she claimed that she had been with no man and yet she was pregnant; God confounding the wise opinionated perceptions of man’s logic. A clue to understanding who God actually is, the impossible made possible. God showing that He is not bound to mankind’s limitations. And we are given this verse from the Apostle Paul which highlights the point; “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness." (1Corinthians 3:19) – God is not bound by the same laws we are, He is beyond that, He is far greater!

By design we all look for something greater than ourselves and the problem many have with their interpretation of who God actually is, they bring him down to their level instead of meeting Him on His level. God is Spirit and we are made up of flesh and blood, sold to sin. Our nature is the opposite of His. We are miles apart in character and the Lord Jesus proved this when he lived as a man. He had it in his power to destroy those who arrested him and eventually had him crucified whilst having it in his power to terminate them all and yet he allowed it to happen; “Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”” (Matthew 26:52-53) - We on the other hand instinctively fight for our rights. We cry, “unfair, we have rights you know”. 

The Apostles walk and lived with the man Jesus Christ and they experienced his miraculous powers as he performed miracle after miracle whilst living on earth. He gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, walked on water and performed numerous other incredible feats. Those who witnessed it were in awe and many flocked to see him. Wherever he went he was surrounded by the masses. Sadly many came to tickle their sense and get a handout, from healings to food but their encounters were temporary and they missed the most important reason for Christ’s arrival and that was to forgive them of their sins. True repentance eluded them and their lives continued as they always had once the Lord was out of sight. However there were others who were miraculously changed and sold out for Him. Take the Apostles, one day living life as they always had and then eventually preaching the gospel, forgetting what they once achieved in their lifetimes and even in spite of the persecution they faced from there on in. History teaches us that all but John were eventually martyred. Even Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed the Lord could no longer live with his crime and he took his own life.

Without change in a person’s life the notion of religion is but a fantasy and no more. If we claim salvation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sin and we continue to live like we always have, we deceive ourselves. It is a form of religion that is dead. A true encounter with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will transform us into new individuals; “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2Corinthians 13:5)

Moses is a man that fought for that reality and although God is Spirit he longed to catch a glimpse of God. Here is the account; “Moses said, "Please show me your glory." And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live." And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."” (Exodus 33:18-23)

Lets us glean some important truths from this passage of scripture…

Moses’ encounter was like no other this side of heaven, and although many people witnessed the Lord Jesus in the form of a man with His glory veiled by flesh, Moses was in God’s presence on a much higher level, God revealing part of His glory, sensational, what an encounter that must have been. Amazingly, although Moses had been on the mount for some time he couldn’t get enough of God’s glory and so he looked for more. Is that our daily determination I wonder. But one thing is for sure when we, like Moses, have encountered God’s glory, even though veiled, we will hunger for more of it, that is a given!

We also learn that God is Sovereign (self-governing) and is the final decision maker with His creation, there are no polls that determine the outcome of any decision He makes. He alone has it in His power to bestow mercy on an individual and unless you find His covering you will be doomed for eternity. Therefore we must make every effort to observe His instructions in and through His word, the Bible.

What blessed me with Moses’ encounter was the more he was given the more he requested. He teaches us to strike while the iron is hot. If we find grace from the Lord we need to capitalize on it. I am persuaded that God will bless those who are greedy to witness His glory.

There is much more I could say about our awesome God but for now time has run its course so I will leave you with this thought: God is so majestic that even Moses could not look at His face and live. It would be impossible to come into the fullness of God’s glory as a human being and survive.

In conclusion, all those who like to “box” God into their little worlds will one day experience His wrath and see Him for who He actually is. However today is a great day as the grace of God is still on offer to the world and all its inhabitants, use it wisely, and while we have breath we have hope, so share the Gospel to a dying world while it is yet the day, night is coming and then it will be too late for our loved ones.

Signing off

Tyrone