When God speaks to you, His word is intended to produce definite results in your life. God does not speak to entertain– though His words may have some humour in them. The Bible says, “… ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”” (Matt 4:4). Every word of God is life. Jesus is God’s word personified, and in Him is life and that life is the light of men (Jn 1:4), that dislodges darkness from their lives. This is why the Bible says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (Jn 6:63).
God’s will is for you to know Him personally through His word. Concerning Samuel, the Bible says, “The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.” (1Sam 3:21 NIV). Prior to that time, “…Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” (1Sam 3:7). The Bible states the outcome of those encounters Samuel had with God, in the following words : “And Samuel’s word came to all Israel. …” (1 Sam 4:1). God had an assignment for Samuel. However, he could not undertake it until he knew God. Nothing is as important to God as to reveal Himself to humanity. God wants people to know Him.
The foregoing account of Samuel’s encounters with God shows that it is impossible to know God apart from His word. However, this is not a reference to how much of the Bible you have studied or memorized, but to how much revelation of God you have received from the Bible and retained by obedience. Many people desire to have peace, to receive healing for their bodies, to experience victory in certain areas of their lives etc. These are all good desires, and God wants you to have them. In fact, this is what His redemptive names are all about—-His desire for you to know and experience His nature. Nevertheless, you can only see your desires fulfilled through His very great and precious promises, which the Bible tells us, His divine power has given us to enable us participate in the divine nature (2Pet 1:3-4).
For instance, when God spoke to Israel on their journey from Egypt and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” (Ex 15:26), He wanted them to know Him as their healer or physician. Similarly, God wants you to know Him intimately as your healer, guide, peace, victory, provider etc.
“Immanuel”, which is translated, “God with us” is the highest expression of God’s passionate and compassionate desire to reveal Himself to humanity. Therefore, Jesus who, as well as being the word of God, is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15) appeared on earth, as Immanuel, for this purpose—to unveil God to mankind. This is why John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” This is the Incarnation by which, the second person of the Trinity assumed human form in the person of Jesus Christ and is fully divine and fully human. God wants you to behold His glory—the majesty, splendour and weight of His presence, which is full of grace and truth—-for as you do, you will be transformed. In Christ Jesus, God has come down to man, so that man, in turn, can come up to Him. Shalom.
