Introduction
The importance of knowing the God of Scripture far outweighs merely knowing scriptures about God. More than a collection of sacred texts, the Word is an invitation of divine intimacy with a Creator who is intentional and deeply personal in His love for us.
To engage with Scripture as information is to risk missing its true purpose. For the knowledge of God is not confined to intellectualism but meant for a more holistic transformation. The study of Scripture, therefore, is not an academic exercise but a spiritual journey—one that renews the mind, softens the heart, and aligns the soul with the very heartbeat of God.
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day knew the Scriptures inside and out yet missed the living Word standing before them[1]. In the same way, if our pursuit of the Word is limited to mental ascension, we remain unchanged. But when we approach Scripture with a hunger to know Him—to hear His voice, to understand His ways, and to walk in His presence—then the Word becomes living and active within us, forming our identity, strengthening our faith, and drawing us ever deeper into the love of the One who first called us by name.
It is insufficient to study Scripture as an academic text; we must allow it to draw us into the presence of the One who spoke it. If our view of Him is shaped by intellectualism, we risk missing His heart. But if we determine Scripture to be the window through which we behold His glory, our pursuit of Him becomes the very essence of our lives.
Knowing God is His Greatest Gift
Above all other urgencies facing the human condition, there is none so great today, or at any other point in time, as knowing God. This experience of knowing Him is not a one-time encounter or mental assent but the efficacy of our Christian message—God seeks to engage with man in a way personally intimate and totally transforming.
The root of all our problems is not that He has forsaken us or is uninterested in our situation, but rather we have yet to know Him sufficiently to allay our fears and abide in His Eternal Presence. In losing sight of God we in fact lose sight of who we are, for we are no less than made in His image. God relates to us other than intellect or understanding, but rather on the basis of faith—that we choose to believe He is who He says He is.
This venture into the knowledge of God should be at the heart of all our endeavours and motivation. God wants our hearts, because He wants us to know His.
This is our first call, to know God and make Him known. From this place of abiding, we can hear the song of heaven and harmonise to its rhythm. Indeed, in repose, we can hear this sacred message of intimacy flowing from His heart.
It is the most precious thing in all the world to be awakened by the whisper of God, to come into realisation, that in this generation today, He is looking for those who like heralds, will run with the message of His Eternal Purpose. The purpose, which was set into motion, long before He ever spoke into the darkness “Let there be light”, and long before redemption ever became necessary, is there to be found within the pages of His Word.
If the knowledge of God is the ultimate aim of our existence, then Scripture becomes the sacred pathway by which He reveals Himself to us. The Westminster Shorter Catechism states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” This is an intimate, lifelong journey into the heart of our Creator, rather than a distant or impersonal pursuit. God’s desire has always been for us to know Him, not just about Him. True knowledge of God remains outside human wisdom, strength, or wealth, but in a relationship with the One who is the source of all truth.
The psalmist writes, “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple”[2]. This illumination is not reserved for the intellectually elite but given to all who seek Him with open hearts. C.S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”[3] Likewise, whilst the Word of God reveals Him to us, it also enables everything to be seen in its true light—our identity, our purpose, and our destiny in Him.
God is the Ultimate Revealer
Hebrews 1:1-2 reminds us that God has spoken “at many times and in various ways”—through the prophets and ultimately through His Son, Jesus Christ, the very Word made flesh[4]. To truly know God, then, is to pursue Him through His self-revelation—in written Word and the living Word, Jesus Christ. Yet, these “various ways” of God’s self-revelation also include His creation. The stars and universe bear witness to the Revealer of Mysteries who chooses to make Himself and His Eternal Purpose known. Long before written Scriptures, before the Law and the Prophets, before ink touched parchment, the heavens were already proclaiming the divine story.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2 NIV
The Mazzaroth[5]—the ancient ordering of the constellations—was not given for superstition or mere navigation but as a celestial testimony of God’s redemptive plan.
From the beginning, the night sky was a canvas upon which He inscribed His purposes, visible to all who had eyes to see.
The sons of Issachar, renowned for their wisdom and discernment, “understood the times and knew what Israel should do”[6]. They read the signs of the heavens, without astrological gaze but prophetic insight, perceiving God’s hand moving in their day. So it is even now. Every clear night, the stars continue to shine forth their message, infusing the world with light and wonder, whispering divine truths to those who seek understanding. The great constellations tell a story—one of a promised Redeemer, of a victorious King, of a Bride prepared for union. The lion of Judah (Leo), the virgin who brings forth the Seed (Virgo), and the great warrior who crushes the serpent’s head (Ophiuchus[7]) all speak of Christ’s triumph and the culmination of history.
Indeed, the stars shine with a testimony that belongs to eternity, yet they invite us into their wonder. When Abraham stood beneath the same sky we behold today, God commanded him, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them… so shall your descendants be”[8]. Yet this was more than a promise of lineage—it was an invitation to see with eyes of faith, to understand that just as the stars shine in their appointed places, so too will God’s purposes be fulfilled.
To those who seek Him, the night sky becomes a sacred text, a reminder we are part of something far greater than ourselves. The stars are not silent; they are a celestial choir proclaiming history is moving toward a divine culmination—the King is coming, and the Bride must make herself ready. As Daniel prophesied, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever”[9]. The wise still look upward, reading the wonders of God, understanding the times, and preparing the world for the return of the Bridegroom King.
God Speaks Prophetically
The way God reveals Himself is inherently prophetic. He is not bound by time, nor does He react to unfolding events—He declares them long before they come to pass. As He Himself proclaims, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come”[10]. God’s purposes have always been determined not newly formed. However, our understanding of them unfolds progressively, and at times, these truths are restored.
Some revelations are new to us because we are stepping into the time of their fulfilment, whilst others are ancient truths being brought back to light after generations of neglect or distortion.
This is the nature of divine revelation—it is both progressive and restorative. What God has spoken from the beginning is being unveiled in its time, but it is also being remembered. The truth has never changed, but our ability to perceive it does.
Some revelations seem new because we are entering a season where God’s purposes are being fulfilled in ways we have not yet understood. Other times, we encounter ancient truths—truths once known and walked in but have been obscured or lost over time—now being restored. As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”[11]. What we call “new” revelation is often a return to the ancient paths[12], restoring foundations buried beneath the tradition and religion of later generations.
A clear example of this dual unfolding—revelation and restoration—can be found in Acts 15. The Jerusalem Council was faced with a definitive dilemma: God was pouring out His Spirit upon the Gentiles in an unprecedented way. Yet, as they searched the Scriptures, they discovered this had always been foretold. James, standing before the assembly, quoted the words of Amos: “After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name”[13]. What was unfolding before their eyes fulfilled words spoken centuries earlier. Their challenge lay less in accepting that God had spoken and more in recognising His word was being fulfilled in ways they had never anticipated.
This was also a restoration. The inclusion of the Gentiles belonged to God’s redemptive purpose from the very beginning. Israel had once been called to be a light to the nations[14], but over time, that calling had dimmed in their understanding. The Jerusalem Council therefore found itself grappling less with a new revelation and more with the recovery of a truth long buried.
The prophet Amos affirms this principle: “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets”[15]. God desires His people to understand His ways, but revelation is given according to His timing. Some things are being revealed for the first time because their appointed hour has come. Others restored as God brings His people back to what was once known.
Today, we are witnessing a similar unveiling. Some truths long hidden are coming into the light, not because God has changed, but because we are stepping into the times spoken of long ago. Other truths, once known and walked in by previous generations, are being recovered. Like the Jerusalem Council, we must be diligent to search the Scriptures, allowing revelation to confirm what God has already spoken, rather than resisting it simply because it does not fit our preconceived understanding. The prophetic nature of God’s revelation calls us to humility, urging us to seek His wisdom and remain attentive to how He is fulfilling and restoring His eternal purposes in our time.
Selah
Principles
- The importance of knowing the God of Scriptures far outweighs knowing scriptures about God.
- To glean from the Word is not measured by how much we’ve read, but by whether we paused long enough for the Spirit to impart its life within.
- Knowing God is our highest calling and the foundation of our true identity, purpose, and destiny.
- God is the Revealer of Mysteries, declaring His purposes from the very beginning.
- What God has spoken from the beginning is being unveiled in its time, but it is also being remembered. The truth has never changed, but our ability to perceive it does.
- Scriptures
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40 NIV
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV
“He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:22 ESV
“(14) I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does [it], that men should fear before Him. (15) That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.” Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 NKJV
- Quotes
“To know God is, at once, the easiest and the most difficult thing in the world.”—A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
“A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about Him.”—J. I. Packer, Knowing God
“The man who truly knows God will find that his temporal problems diminish in comparison.”—A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
“I want the presence of God Himself, or I don’t want anything at all to do with religion…”—A. W. Tozer, The Counsellor
“God waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.”—A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
Pause for Reflection
- How can I ensure the scriptures draw me closer to knowing God more intimately, rather than just learning about Him?
- What areas of my life reflect a deep knowledge of God, and how has that helped me in difficult times?
- What mysteries might God be inviting me to discover about Him through His Creation?
- How can I seek the Lord with fresh eyes to see what I haven’t seen before? What lens do I need to view and understand His Eternal Purpose?
A Prayer of Preparation
Heavenly Father, I come before You today with a humble heart, eager to receive from Your Word. Thank You for all the years I have known You and for the many times You have revealed Yourself to me. Yet, I long to know You deeper. I ask for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, that I might apprehend Your calling with greater assurance of faith than ever before, motivated by a deep and personal love for You as my Father, and Jesus as my Bridegroom King.
As I prepare my heart and mind to receive this teaching, I humbly ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth and open my eyes to see what You are speaking to me through the Scriptures. Prepare me, Lord, to understand Your heart, Your Eternal Purpose, and the revelation of Your Bride. Let Your Word penetrate deeply within me, transforming my thoughts and desires. May I be strengthened, encouraged, and empowered to get ready for the Great Day of Jesus’ Return, that I may be faithful to run the race set before me.Amen.
[1] John 5:39-40
[2] Psalm 119:130 NIV
[3] The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses, essay “Is Theology Poetry?”
[4] John 1:14
[5] The term Mazzaroth appears in Job 38:32 and is commonly understood to refer to the ordered constellations or appointed heavenly signs. Scripture affirms that the heavens were created not only to mark seasons and times (Gen. 1:14) but also to declare the glory and purposes of God (Ps. 19:1–4). Several Christian commentators have argued that the ancient constellations originally conveyed a redemptive narrative, later distorted through pagan astrology. Notably, E. W. Bullinger (The Witness of the Stars, 1893) presented the Mazzaroth as a celestial testimony to God’s eternal redemptive plan, culminating in the promised Seed and ultimate triumph of the Messiah. Whilst Scripture forbids divination and astrological determinism, it consistently upholds the heavens as a God-ordained witness to His sovereignty and purposes in history.
[6] 1 Chronicles 12:32 NIV
[7] Some commentators who view the Mazzaroth as conveying a redemptive narrative draw particular attention to the constellation Ophiuchus (“the Serpent-Bearer”), which appears in close proximity to Scorpio and Serpens. In these interpretations, Ophiuchus is understood symbolically as a figure of the promised Deliverer, engaged in conflict with the serpent—echoing the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman crushes the serpent’s head whilst being wounded in the heel. E. W. Bullinger (The Witness of the Stars) and earlier writers such as Joseph A. Seiss (The Gospel in the Stars) suggest that Ophiuchus visually portrays this redemptive struggle, standing as a celestial sign of Messiah’s victory over Satan. Whilst such readings are theological rather than scientific, they reflect an ancient Christian conviction that the heavens, prior to later pagan distortions, bore witness to God’s redemptive purpose in Christ.
[8] Genesis 15:5 NKJV
[9] Daniel 12:3 NIV
[10] Isaiah 46:10 NIV
[11] Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV
[12] This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'” Jeremiah 6:16 NIV
[13] Acts 15:16-17 NIV, quoting Amos 9:11-12
[14] “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,” Isaiah 42:6 NIV
[15] Amos 3:7 NIV
