Curiosity: To See God
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Curiosity, in the context of a desire to see God, is a theme that resonates throughout the Scriptures. This longing to behold the divine presence is a profound aspect of human spirituality, reflecting a deep-seated yearning for communion with the Creator.

Biblical Instances of Curiosity to See God

1. Moses and the Burning Bush: One of the most vivid examples of curiosity to see God is found in the account of Moses at the burning bush. In Exodus 3:2-4 , Moses encounters a bush that is on fire but not consumed. His curiosity leads him to investigate, and it is there that God reveals Himself, saying, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses' initial curiosity becomes a transformative encounter with the divine.

2. The Desire of Job: Job, amidst his suffering, expresses a deep desire to see God. In Job 19:26-27 , he declares, "Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger." Job's longing to see God is intertwined with his hope for vindication and understanding.

3. Philip's Request: In the New Testament, Philip expresses a direct curiosity to see God when he asks Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us" (John 14:8). Jesus responds by emphasizing His unity with the Father, saying, "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). This interaction highlights the fulfillment of the desire to see God through the person of Jesus Christ.

4. The Beatific Vision: The ultimate fulfillment of the curiosity to see God is promised in the Beatitudes. Jesus proclaims, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8). This promise points to the eschatological hope of believers, where the pure in heart will behold God in His fullness.

Theological Reflections

The desire to see God is not merely a physical curiosity but a spiritual quest for intimacy and understanding. Throughout Scripture, this longing is met with both caution and promise. God tells Moses, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20), indicating the holiness and transcendence of God. Yet, the promise of seeing God is a central hope for believers, as articulated in 1 John 3:2 : "Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is."

Practical Implications

The curiosity to see God encourages believers to pursue holiness and purity of heart, as these are prerequisites for the vision of God. It also invites Christians to seek God through prayer, worship, and the study of Scripture, where glimpses of His character and presence are revealed. The desire to see God fuels a life of faith, hope, and love, as believers anticipate the day when they will see Him face to face.
Nave's Topical Index
Exodus 19:21,24
And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Curiosity a Temptation to Sin.
... at length we are taken captive at his will[3]. He sees that curiosity is man's ... They
never will know what it is to see God, till they obey; nay, though they are ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon v curiosity a temptation.htm

That we must Avoid all Curiosity, and Humbly Acquiesce in God's ...
... In striving to raise our reasonings too high in divine things by curiosity we grow ...
of the Epistle to the Romans, shall clearly see that God's will did not ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter vii that we must.htm

Another Kind of Temptation is Curiosity, which is Stimulated by ...
... any one compelled them to go and see it, or any ... From this malady of curiosity are
all those strange sights ... again, even in religion itself, is God tempted, when ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xxxv another kind of temptation.htm

How a Man Shall have Him in this Work against all Thoughts, and ...
... and specially against all those that arise of his own curiosity, of cunning, and ...
And there will he let thee see the wonderful kindness of God, and if ...
/.../anonymous/the cloud of unknowing/here beginneth the seventh chapter.htm

The Power of God's Word to Convict Men of Sin.
... His curiosity aroused, the Buddhist priest commenced to read it, but when he reached ...
it: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Although he ...
/.../pink/the divine inspiration of the bible/i the power of gods.htm

The Divine Word Our Model.
... We must make use only of that which God sends us to do or to suffer ... hearts, we keep
moving the paper and prevent it writing by our curiosity, to see what it ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/section xii the divine word our.htm

"This Then is the Message which we have Heard of Him, and Declare ...
... If it be only to give entertainment to the curiosity of our minds, as in the
contemplation of ... "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," Matthew ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xi this then is.htm

How we Shall Make Use of Christ as the Truth, that we May Win to ...
... 3. We must beware of carnal curiosity, and of unlawful ... for nought; and as God will
be still God invisible and ... that in his glorious face we may see the invisible ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter xviii how we shall.htm

He is Forcibly Goaded on by the Love of Praise.
... as regards the pleasures of the flesh and an idle curiosity, I see ... Behold, O Truth,
in Thee do I see that I ought ... I beseech Thee now, O my God, to reveal to me ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xxxvii he is forcibly goaded.htm

The Council of Nicaea (Ad 325)
... do, and that the question whether our Lord and Saviour were God or a ... were also present;
even some heathen philosophers went out of curiosity to see what the ...
/.../chapter xi the council of.htm

Resources
What is the Anglican Church, and what do Anglicans believe? | GotQuestions.org

Why do we celebrate Easter? | GotQuestions.org

What does Numbers 32:23 mean when it says, “Be sure your sin will find you out”? | GotQuestions.org

Curious: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Curiosity

Curiosity of Abraham, to Know Whether God Would Destroy the Righteous People Who Lived in Sodom

Curiosity of Angels, to Look Into the Mysteries of Salvation

Curiosity of Daniel, to Know a Vision

Curiosity of Eve

Curiosity of Herod (Antipas), to See Jesus

Curiosity of Jacob, to Know the Name of the Angel

Curiosity of Manoah, to Know the Name of an Angel

Curiosity of the Athenians, to Hear some New Thing

Curiosity of the Babylonians, to See Hezekiah's Treasures

Curiosity of the Disciples, to Know Whether Jesus Would Restore the Kingdom of the Jews

Curiosity of the People of Beth-Shemish, to Look Inside the Ark of the Covenant

Curiosity: A Disciple, to Know If Few Would be Saved

Curiosity: And to See Jesus

Curiosity: General Scriptures Concerning

Curiosity: To Know What John Would be Appointed to Do

Curiosity: To Know What Was Being Done With Jesus

Curiosity: To See God

Curiosity: To See Lazarus, After he Was Raised from the Dead

Curiosity: To Witness the offering in the Holy of Holies

Curious

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Continually (180 Occurrences)

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Curiosity: To Know What Was Being Done With Jesus
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