Topical Bible: Seeking God: Commanded

◄ Seeking God: Commanded ►

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The act of seeking God is a central theme throughout the Bible, emphasized as a command for believers. This pursuit is not merely encouraged but is presented as an essential aspect of a faithful life. The Scriptures provide numerous instances where seeking God is explicitly commanded, highlighting its importance in the relationship between God and His people.

Old Testament Foundations

The command to seek God is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 4:29, Moses instructs the Israelites, "But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul." This verse underscores the necessity of wholehearted devotion in the pursuit of God, promising that such earnest seeking will lead to finding Him.

The Psalms frequently echo this command. Psalm 105:4 exhorts, "Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always." This call to seek God continually emphasizes the ongoing nature of this pursuit, suggesting that it is not a one-time event but a lifelong endeavor.

Prophetic Encouragement

The prophets also reinforce the command to seek God. In Isaiah 55:6, the prophet urges, "Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near." This verse implies a sense of urgency, indicating that there are opportune times for seeking God that should not be missed.

Jeremiah 29:13 further assures the exiled Israelites, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." This promise of finding God is contingent upon the sincerity and intensity of the search, highlighting the importance of a genuine and heartfelt pursuit.

New Testament Continuation

The New Testament continues this theme, with Jesus Himself commanding the pursuit of God. In Matthew 6:33, He instructs, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." Here, seeking God is prioritized above all earthly concerns, with the assurance that God will provide for those who place Him first.

The Apostle Paul also emphasizes this command in his teachings. In Colossians 3:1, he writes, "Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." This directive to focus on heavenly matters is a call to seek God and His will as the primary aim of the believer's life.

The Promise of Reward

Throughout Scripture, the command to seek God is often accompanied by the promise of reward. Hebrews 11:6 states, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." This verse highlights the faith required in seeking God and assures believers that their diligent pursuit will not go unnoticed or unrewarded.

Conclusion

The command to seek God is a foundational aspect of biblical teaching, woven throughout both the Old and New Testaments. It calls for a sincere, wholehearted, and continuous pursuit of God, promising that such a search will lead to a deeper relationship with Him and the fulfillment of His promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 55:6
Seek you the LORD while he may be found, call you on him while he is near:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of True Love, by which we Arrive at the Knowledge of the Trinity. ...
... the love of our neighbor seems to be commanded for perfection ... Behold, "God is Love:"
why do we go forth and ... and the lowest parts of the earth, seeking Him who ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 7 of true love by.htm

The Necessity of Diligently Seeking the Saints' Rest.
... your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he ... speak
against a holy, laborious life, this is my answer, God hath commanded it ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter vii the necessity of.htm

The Passover visit
... The Hebrews went out from Egypt an independent nation. The Lord had commanded that
the Passover should be yearly kept. ... God was seeking to give light to ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 8 the passover visit.htm

"The Prophets of God Helping Them"
... For three weeks Gabriel wrestled with the powers of darkness, seeking to counteract
the influences at work on the mind of ... God had commanded that Jerusalem ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 46 the prophets of.htm

That Sometimes Some Laudably Desire the Office of Preaching, While ...
... rash ones infer how great guilt is theirs, if they fear not to be preferred to others
by their own seeking, when holy men, even when God commanded, feared to ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter vii that sometimes some.htm

Prayer and the House of God
... instructed out of God's Book concerning God's Law ... When Ezra, returned from Babylon,
was seeking the reconstruction ... Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/xiv prayer and the house.htm

1 Thessalonians i. 10-Aug
... praised, and does praise, on this account he says, that, not seeking money, nor ... The
Gospel indeed we proclaim, because God commanded it; but so much do we love ...
/.../homily ii 1 thessalonians i.htm

A Slave Girl who Helped Her Master
... But you can clearly see that he is seeking a quarrel with me ... So he went down and
dipped himself seven times in the Jordan as the man of God commanded; and his ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a slave girl who helped.htm

Obedience: Its Place in Holy Scripture.
... we are indeed going all lengths with Him, seeking utterly to ... God sums up all His
dealings with the fathers in ... sacrifices, but this thing I commanded them, Obey ...
/.../murray/the school of obedience/i obedience its place in.htm

Christ's Reprehension of the Pharisees Seeking a Sign his Censure ...
... XXVII."Christ's Reprehension of the Pharisees Seeking a Sign ... their weightier duties
when He commanded them: "Thou ... thy strength, the Lord thy God, who hath ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxvii christs reprehension of the.htm