There is a personal knowing-an encounter with God is an essential experience everyone should have. This implies a knowledge and understanding of the holy God. Oftentimes when God speaks, He is very direct and emphatic; He speaks with no mincing words. In the bible, God made His desire known to the children of Israel and His intent He clearly spelt out through the instrumentality of His prophets and priests. Again, they wandered away from God but in His infinite mercy, He reached out to them (Hosea 2:19-20). A wooing is definitely needed, they were first to be betrothed to God in righteousness and justice. Uncleanliness must be removed because they are dealing with an holy God. He will bring judgment on their enemies and deal with sins in their lives (1 Peter 4:2-3, Isaiah 5:16). The second stage of this phase of betrothal is betrothal of love and mercy (Exodus 33:6-7). God assures them that He would be betrothed to them in loving kindness and mercy. No one can truly love and care like God for His loving kindness is far greater and surpasses the love that exist between a man and a woman. Then, the betrothal of faithfulness and this is God's promised faithfulness to the children of Israel. Man may be unfaithful and unreliable but not God, for He is ever constant. However, this sequence is necessary and must be followed because it is a precursor to the true knowledge of God. A true knowledge of God is indispensable for everyone, in fact, it is the Spirit that rested on Jesus (Isaiah 11:2). And when someone has the knowledge of God, automatically he would have the fear of God.
But the sons of Eli were deficient of the knowledge of God. They were corrupt, they did not fear God because they did not know Him (1 Samuel 2:12). Due to anomalies in their priestly duty, a new priest is needed. Eli, their father unfortunately could not see very well. The dimness of his eyes (mostly due to advanced age) prevented him seeing the actual state of things in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:22-23, 3:1-2, 4:15). God had to call Samuel before the light went out completely in the tabernacle-before total darkness (physical and spiritual) covers the land (1 Samuel 3:2-3). But trouble ensued when the old prophet who knew how God speaks didn't know that it was God calling Samuel. The young man Samuel too was inexperienced; he didn't know and cannot rightly discern God's voice. So, he needed the intervention of the old prophet. Although Samuel was staying with this re-known priest of God, yet, he did not know God. This infers that closeness to a man of God notwithstanding is a guarantee for knowing God. Each and everyone will have to know God personally. But non conducive spiritual environment (contamination and pollutions), spiritual drought and so on hamper the knowledge of God. God withdraw Himself and there was gloominess and dryness as the word of God became scarce. Sins make the word of God to be rare (1 Samuel 3:1, Job 32:8) but God was trying to make Himself known to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:4-7). Eli eventually perceived that it was God after three times of God calling Samuel.
Unfortunately, the children of Israel too had a vague knowledge of God. They wanted the ark to defend them when they do not know the God of the ark. They substituted God with an ark (1 Samuel 4:3-4) failing to realize that the evil (continuous and steady sins) of the sons of Eli-Hophni and Phineas will prevent God from fighting for them. God does not defend evil. He's too holy to behold iniquity either among the priest or the laity. When God sniffs slightest sin, He departs. Both the children of Israel and the Philistines misconstrued God. The Philistines cursed and railed themselves because of the presence of the ark in the battle field. The children of Israel were rejoicing because they've brought the ark to the battle field not knowing that God cannot be confined into a vessel. The presence of the ark notwithstanding, 30,000.00 Israelites foot soldiers died and their defense-the ark was captured by the enemy (1 Samuel 4:10-11, Proverbs 1:7, 28-29). God is not under any obligation to assist them until they know Him as their God.
God got Moses attention through the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-6), called him and he responded here I am not knowing that it was God calling him. God needed to introduce Himself to him. Due to his initial response, God made an elaborate description of Himself to Moses because he did not know God (Exodus 3:4&6). He reassured him again and again affirming that He is the Lord though He had not been known by that name (Exodus 6:3). But prior to this time, Moses had acted as the defender of the Jews, he killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2:12). At another time, he wanted to help and resolve quarrel between two Israelites (verses 13-14, &17), there and then he discovered that his evil (killing) was known. So, he left Egypt, fled from the wrath of Pharaoh and stayed with Jethro. Now that God wanted him to go back to Egypt and bring back the children of Israel out of the bondage, he has a lot to deal with and he needed to know God. Firstly, he had no reputation, and in order to convince the children of Israel-his credibility must not be questioned, he must be sure who is sending him (Exodus 2:14). Besides, he needed to know God for himself. He has a desperate urge to know God more now and it's critical because of the enormity of his task. The gravity of his assignment necessitated his deeper knowledge of God (Exodus 3:11, 33:13, Daniel 3:10). The nature of exploits and wonders God would later do through him in Egypt requires a genuine knowledge of God (Exodus 6:6). More importantly, Moses needed to know God in order to avoid misrepresentation of Him that can cause confusion, contention or trouble. God knew all these, so he revealed Himself to Moses (Exodus 3:14-15). Although his mother who raised him for the Pharaoh's daughter must have told him about the God of the Jews, yet, his most vital responses to God undoubtedly reveals a need to know God and how to present Him to the children of Israel (Exodus 3:13, 4:1, 10).
Pharaoh was actually right to hold back the children of Israel because he didn't know God (Exodus 5:2). He overburdened them and laid more work on them regarding God's word to him as false words (Exodus 5:9). Moses, on the other hand is getting to know God more seeing the real display of His attributes-His omniscient (Exodus 3:18-19), His omnipotence (Exodus 3:20 &17) and omnipresence (Exodus 3:16) during his discourse with Him about the captivity and release of the children of Israel (Exodus 3:19-22), and he was encouraged to believe God. How could He have known everything that is happening to the children of Israel in Egypt if He is not the almighty God. Moses was convinced and persuaded that he was dealing with the God of heaven. For Moses, it is no longer the assignment that matters but God who is behind the scene. His appellation alone-the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:15-16) ginger him and he was more courageous to go. Similarly, Jacob had several encounters with God, yet, he didn't know Him. At Bethel, he set a pillar to worship God because there he dreamt and God appeared and spoke to him (Genesis 28:16-18). Later when God appeared to him, because he didn't really know God, he wrongly took Him for an angel (Genesis 31:11-13). He played pranks to save himself from the wrath of Esau-his brother, he prayed in serious unbelief because he didn't know God ( Genesis 32:6-21). Afterward, he realized he needed God's intervention, so, he had to wrestle with God, and when he had encountered God, he knew Him, then he got his name changed to Israel (Genesis 32:24-30, Hosea 2:23).
Paul the Apostle after his encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus constantly longed for more of God. He had a great passion for God and his goal is "That I may know Him" (Philippians 3:10). Though one would have thought that he 's already having a deep knowledge of God. The issue of knowing God evidently became an important element of his prayer for the churches (Colossians 1:10, Ephesians 1:16-17). His request for them in prayer would be incomplete without an increase in their knowledge of God. Paul knew the significance of knowing God because he has been graced to have an insight into the mysteries of God. Mary Magdalene also longed for her master and would not leave the tomb until she sees her risen Lord. Paul discovered that the Athenians object of worship has an inscription "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD" he, being a God's vessel to disperse knowledge (Proverbs 15:7a) used that opportunity to reveal to them the God they desire to worship without knowing (Acts 17:20-31). Compelled by the Spirit of God, Paul rebuked the spirit of divination operating in a girl hailing and announcing him because he could easily discern that though the girl had knowledge but not by the Spirit of God.
There is tendency for people in these last days to follow errors and lies because the true knowledge of God is scanty and in some places lacking. Many false prophets and teachers are now emerging who deceives, exploit, and lead people astray into damnable errors, and those who follow them will have the same end and judgment. The bible says many will follow them because they lack true knowledge of God (2 Peter 2:1-3& 15-17). Nature itself and the world system have made it in such a way that if someone is devoid of the knowledge of God, he will seek to have the knowledge of the devil. Interestingly, no one can stay neutral! Satan on the other hand makes it easy for those seeking him to have contact with and have access to myriads of false teachers and prophets parading themselves about (2 Peter 2:18-20). They have as clients those who have not known God at all (Isaiah 44:18-19); backsliders-who once knew God but abandoned him, these are untaught, unstable, always twisting the word of God (2 Peter 3:16). Judgement would be worse for backsliders-those who once knew God but abandon Him than for those who never have the knowledge of God though trapped and snared by these false teachers. Holy Spirit is given to convict the world of sins and whenever He convicts, He brings the knowledge of God so that people may know, fear and serve God faithfully.
Paul the Apostle after his encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus constantly longed for more of God. He had a great passion for God and his goal is "That I may know Him" (Philippians 3:10). Though one would have thought that he 's already having a deep knowledge of God. The issue of knowing God evidently became an important element of his prayer for the churches (Colossians 1:10, Ephesians 1:16-17). His request for them in prayer would be incomplete without an increase in their knowledge of God. Paul knew the significance of knowing God because he has been graced to have an insight into the mysteries of God. Mary Magdalene also longed for her master and would not leave the tomb until she sees her risen Lord. Paul discovered that the Athenians object of worship has an inscription "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD" he, being a God's vessel to disperse knowledge (Proverbs 15:7a) used that opportunity to reveal to them the God they desire to worship without knowing (Acts 17:20-31). Compelled by the Spirit of God, Paul rebuked the spirit of divination operating in a girl hailing and announcing him because he could easily discern that though the girl had knowledge but not by the Spirit of God.
There is tendency for people in these last days to follow errors and lies because the true knowledge of God is scanty and in some places lacking. Many false prophets and teachers are now emerging who deceives, exploit, and lead people astray into damnable errors, and those who follow them will have the same end and judgment. The bible says many will follow them because they lack true knowledge of God (2 Peter 2:1-3& 15-17). Nature itself and the world system have made it in such a way that if someone is devoid of the knowledge of God, he will seek to have the knowledge of the devil. Interestingly, no one can stay neutral! Satan on the other hand makes it easy for those seeking him to have contact with and have access to myriads of false teachers and prophets parading themselves about (2 Peter 2:18-20). They have as clients those who have not known God at all (Isaiah 44:18-19); backsliders-who once knew God but abandoned him, these are untaught, unstable, always twisting the word of God (2 Peter 3:16). Judgement would be worse for backsliders-those who once knew God but abandon Him than for those who never have the knowledge of God though trapped and snared by these false teachers. Holy Spirit is given to convict the world of sins and whenever He convicts, He brings the knowledge of God so that people may know, fear and serve God faithfully.
