There is no doubt that the entire Bible is the revealed will of God. Notwithstanding, I see what He says in Jerem. 9:22-23 as the key to understanding and walking in His total counsel. “Thus says the LORD, Do not let the wise man boast in his wisdom! Do not let the mighty man boast in his might! Do not let the rich man boast in his riches! But the one who boasts will boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD Who exercises loving kindness, judgment, and acts of loving kindness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the LORD.” Absolutely, it is when I know someone and relate with him intimately that I can understand the person. In the same vain, before we can understand God and be His delight, we must personally know Him as Savior and Lord. Whatever position we have attained in life should not blindfold us and play down the knowledge of God. Our priority in life is to know God and worship Him all the days of our life. Our knowledge of Him is not just theological but also the reality of His manifest presence. We read of people who had the experiential knowledge of God in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. For instance, Adam and Eve knew God face to face. They had one on one encounter with their Maker. They walked and talked with Him in the garden of Eden daily. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the Prophets and the Apostles had the same spectacular experiences with God. The utmost thing in the heart of God is to have an intimate relationship with His people. Knowing God as the LORD, Who exercises loving kindness, means to recognize Him as having all authority in heaven and on earth; and that He demands absolute surrender. Hence having been born from above into His Kingdom, one needs to submit to His authority. In other words you make His will your command.
The wording of a song says, will you be poured out like wine upon the altar for me? Will you be broken like bread to feed the hungry? Will you be sold out to me that I may do just as I will to become Light and Life and have my word fulfilled? His Lordship over us is imperative so that Satan will not have any advantage over us. We should be submissive and not be rebellious like the devil and his cohorts. The word loving kindness that the King of glory exercises, is translated from the Hebrew word “Chesed” This is no doubt a weak translation. Actually, “Chesed” is a covenant term meaning covenant loyalty. It means that the LORD is absolutely committed to keeping His covenant with His own. Our faith in the resurrected and glorified Christ Jesus automatically brings us into covenant relationship with the Living God. He is a covenant keeping God and we are His covenant children. Deut. 7:9. The reason He wants us to have a walking knowledge of Himself, is that we may enjoy the full benefits of His Son. Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then we are heirs: indeed heirs of God, and fellow-heirs of Messiah, provided that we suffer together to the end so that we would also be glorified together.” Be warned, the Living God is also a God of justice and judgment; in fact to do justice and judgment is more acceptable to Him than sacrifice {ritual motion without righteous emotion}. Without mixing words, the Bible teaches us how to walk in covenant. Deut.28 declares the covenant blessings and curses. Kindly read through and see how gracious and fearful God is! Rev. 15:4 buttresses this truth by saying, “Who shall not fear thee O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgment are made manifest.”
God’s integrity is demonstrated in His loyalty to bless without reservation those who are obedient and to rebuke or punish the disobedient and unrepentant ones. As our covenant partner, He is all out to bless and reveal Himself to us daily. He is always there for us to protect and win our battles for us. We also have health assurance with Him. As we worship Him and habitually dwell in His presence, He blesses our food and our drinks and destroys every disease. Read Exodus 15:26, 23:25 and I Peter 2:24 for more insight. My life is a case study of God’s covenant loyalty. He is always a present help for me. My faith is also enhanced by the experience of the Israelites in II Chronicles 20:20-24. When their enemies came like a flood to destroy them, they sought the Lord passionately and He gave them a strategy for victory. As they were in the presence of God, the Holy Spirit told them not to use the arm of flesh but just to declare the covenant commitment of God as they faced their enemies. In obedience and faith, they went praising God saying, give thanks to the LORD for His steadfast love {CHESED}, or more compellingly – His steadfast loyalty – endures forever. As they did that, God supernaturally destroyed their enemies with a landslide victory over their adversaries!
Do you know Christ? You need to know Him, because He is the answer to our longings. Now is the time for us to, 1]. Highly value the knowledge of God. 2]. Earnestly desire God’s knowledge. 3]. Diligently seek after His knowledge. This is imperative because without the knowledge of Him, we are doomed no matter how wise, powerful or rich we are. But glory be to God, Who promises to reveal Himself to whosoever seeks Him wholeheartedly. Moses had these qualities and this was why God revealed His way, acts and glory to him. Moses said, “Now therefore, I plead with you, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me Your way now, so I shall know You, and I will find favor in Your sight and will see to it that this nation is Your people. And He said, My Presence will go with you and I shall give you rest.” As if this was not enough, Moses again said, “I beseech You, show me your glory.” And God said, I shall make all my goodness pass before you…” Exodus 33:13-14, 18-19. I am pretty sure that Moses had a growing hunger for God, the reason being that, when he first encountered Him at Horeb the mountain of God; he saw His glory and heard His voice. It is amazing that he was still hungry for more of God’s abiding Presence and fresh manifestation of His glory after all he had experienced. This is God’s desire for us and I want to encourage every one of us to pursue God with passion.