Knowing the Difference Between Knowing the Works of God and God Himself

Exodus 33: 12-15

John 6: 60-67

Let’s ask ourselves a question, Do we know the works of God, what he does or do we know God’s way, who he is.?” Some of us know full well the works of God but we do not know the ways of God. If that’s the case, we will never know God personally.

The Israelites saw up close the works of God. They witnessed the ten plagues, they saw the Red sea open up for them.

They were well aware of the pillar of cloud by day and the fire by night as they traveled. They saw God at work when they were released from bondage. But did they know God?

So, do we just know God’s ways or do we know him personally?

Exodus 33: 1-4

In their travels God said, You can go and I will give you the provisions you need. I will protect you along the way. I will send an angel with you, but I will not be present with you.

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Exodus 33: 12-15 This shook Moses up. He was about to face something that he could not do alone. He was to lead God’s people into Canaan. This was a great responsibility. Moses said, “No Lord, that can’t happen that way.

I’m not going to settle for an angel. If you don’t go, I’m not going. Don’t send us, but go with us. I want you, Lord.

I don’t want protection or just provisions without you being there.

I don’t want just a Blessing, but I want you. I don’t want that land without you.

There are a lot of people that would be satisfied with God’s protection and having God provide for them even though God is not present with them. They don’t care about God being with them as long as he provides.

Exodus 33:11 “The LORD would speak to Moses' face to face, as one speaks to a friend

Vs 7-11 –Moses had entered the tent or tabernacle of Meeting.

Back at the Red Sea, then people were trapped. The Red Sea ahead of the. Pharoah’s men are behind them. All the people saw was what was happening at the time. They did not understand the ways of God. That happens too often to us. We only see the works of God. And then we panic. We don’t see the ways of God. They don’t have a relationship with God. The reason is that they know God.

Hebrews. 3: 7-11 So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,   do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’

So I declared on oath in my anger. They shall never enter my rest.

Understanding the ways of God will be rest and peace into too, our lives. God knows the troubles you face.

The Israelites saw God’s work for forty years but they found not rest because they didn’t understand how God works. Because of that, they did not enter they never entered into His rest.

The Israelites knew God only by His works. They could see what God could do. Moses had seen a great many of God’s works. He witnessed the burning bush. He saw the water come from the rock. Moses knew something that the Israelites failed to understand. He knew God’s ways.

Psalm 103: 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel

We see this happening in the New Testament as well. Throughout Matthew, Mark and John, the people saw the miracles of Jesus and they followed him. They believed in Him. Jesus understood that the people were just drawn to him because of the miracles. They didn’t know him.

They followed him when he feed the 5000.

But when Jesus started talking about knowing His ways and knowing Him, they left him. They liked the miracles, but when Jesus started talking about eating His flesh and drinking His blood they walked away.

Isaiah 55: 8-9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

How do we understand the ways of God? It doesn’t happen through looking around to see what God is doing. An intimate and close relationship with God does not come by watching God at work. It comes by spending time with God face to face.