He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (ESV)
There is an infinite amount of knowledge concerning God that we have yet to attain. In fact, we will spend an eternity getting to know God because his attributes are inexhaustible and all his ways are past finding out. Paul informed us of this fact when he wrote, Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33 ESV) The Greek word for inscrutable that Paul uses means, past finding out or untraceable.
In the book of Job we read, God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. (Job 37:5 ESV) And, Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. (Job 36:26 ESV) David wrote, Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. (Psalm 145:3 ESV)
Even though the fullness of God is far beyond our comprehension, God has not left us without help. Paul wrote But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 ESV) God has revealed “these things” through the Spirit in the scriptures, the Bible. Peter wrote . . . knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV) The reason we don’t know God as well as we could is that we don’t spend quality time reading and studying the scriptures. The Bible is the very word of God. And God has revealed himself there.
In the scriptures God has also revealed to us what is good and what he requires of us. In Micah 6:6-8, God through his prophet told his people, “I don’t want your burnt offerings. I take no pleasure in your thousands of rams and rivers of oil. I don’t desire your firstborn for the sin of your soul. I want you!” Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John14:15 ESV). God doesn’t want our offerings if he doesn’t have our hearts. He is concerned with the inward person much more than the outward person. When God has us we will do what is good and what he requires of us.
God has neither hidden himself nor his requirements from us. Moses said to Israel, “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 ESV) The same is true for us as well (Romans 10:8-9).
Though we may never have full knowledge of the attributes and character of God, he has not been silent; he has made himself known. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son . . . He is the radiance of the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature. (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV) What is good and what God requires of us is revealed through the words and works of Jesus Christ his son. See Jesus; see God (John 14:8-9).
Do you read and study the Bible? Have you seen Jesus?
Scriptures for meditation:
Deuteronomy 29:29
Matthew 23:23