Seeing God

No one has seen God at any time.

The only begotten Son,

who is in the bosom of the Father,

He has declared Him.

John 1:18

This seems to be another theme in John's gospel, but really extends into the heart of every person. We want to see God. We want to view His visible presence, hear His audible voice, feel His tangible touch. We want to know God, we want to believe in God, and we think seeing will help us with both of those. Unfortunately, the Bible is clear--no one was seen God and lived.

I suppose this means no one has seen God in all His divine glory. I mean, Adam and Eve walked with Him in Eden. Abraham washed His feet and fed Him. Jacob wrestled with Him. Moses met with Him on Sinai, and was then shut up by the hand of God into a cleft in the rock while God's glory passed in front of Him and God's voice called His own name. Moses actually glowed from the experience. Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul, Stephen, John...these all saw Him seated on His throne. But in all actuality, no one has truly seen with their eyes the entirety of all there is to God, and certainly not all of His glory. As God told Moses, if you saw me, it would kill you.

Even at the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus was still being asked by His disciples, "Show us the Father." What He said to them was this--if you have seen me, you have seen the Father, for I and the Father are one. Jesus was the only begotten Son of God the Father, and when John was writing his gospel, he knew exactly where Jesus was--returned to the bosom of the Father from whence He first came. Jesus had gone back to be one with the Father.

But while Jesus was here, He declared the Father to His disciples, to His people, and the world. Do you want to know God? Do you want to believe in God? You don't have to see Him to experience Him. Just get to know Jesus, and in knowing Him, you will also know the Father, for they two are One!