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Biblical Passages On Knowing God Intimately

The concept of knowing God intimately is a recurring theme throughout the biblical text. In the Old Testament, the Psalms often express a deep longing to understand and connect with God on a personal level. For instance, Psalm 73:11 poses a rhetorical question, "They say, 'How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?'" [4], highlighting the tension between human doubt and divine omniscience. Similarly, Psalm 44:21 affirms God's intimate knowledge of humanity, stating "would not God discover this, for he knows the secrets of the heart?" [1].

The biblical concept of "knowing God" encompasses more than intellectual awareness; it involves a personal, relational, and experiential understanding. In Hosea 6:6, God expresses a desire for his people to demonstrate "knowledge of God" rather than merely offering sacrifices [9]. This theme is echoed in Proverbs 2:5, which promises that seeking wisdom will lead to "discerning the fear of the LORD and discovering the knowledge of God" [6].

The Hebrew Bible uses various terms to convey the idea of knowing God, often employing verbs that imply a deep, personal connection. For example, the word "yada" (to know) is used in contexts that range from intellectual understanding to intimate relationships, such as marital intimacy (Genesis 4:1). In Amos 3:2, the same verb is used to describe God's intimate relationship with Israel, emphasizing the accountability that comes with such a connection [12].

The New Testament continues this theme, with the apostle Paul writing about the depth of God's knowledge and love. In Romans 1:21, Paul notes that while humanity has some understanding of God through creation, this knowledge is not necessarily accompanied by a corresponding reverence or obedience [8]. The idea of comprehending God's love is further explored in Ephesians 3:18-19, where Paul prays that believers may "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge" [14].

Reformed theologian John Calvin emphasizes the interconnectedness of knowing God and knowing oneself. In his Institutes, Calvin argues that true knowledge of God involves a deep understanding of one's own limitations and sinfulness, leading to a greater appreciation of God's mercy and justice [10, 15]. Calvin also highlights the role of faith in comprehending God's nature, suggesting that faith allows believers to grasp more than they could through their own capacity [14].

In Catholic Scholastic theology, Thomas Aquinas explores the nature of God's knowledge, arguing that God's understanding of himself is perfect and that his knowledge of other things is necessarily tied to his own essence [11]. Aquinas also discusses the limitations of human understanding, noting that while humans can attain some knowledge of God, they cannot comprehend him fully [13].

The biblical passages and theological reflections on knowing God intimately underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of this concept. They emphasize that true knowledge of God involves a deep, personal connection, accompanied by a recognition of one's own limitations and a reverence for God's majesty.

The biblical names that reflect the concept of knowing God, such as Eldaah, Eliada, Deuel, and Jehoiada, all convey the idea of divine knowledge or understanding [2, 3, 5, 7]. These names serve as reminders of the importance of cultivating a personal relationship with God.

Sources

  1. Psalms “Psalms 44:21 (LEB) — would not God discover this, for he knows the secrets of the heart?”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eldaah — knowledge of God”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eliada — knowledge of God”
  4. Psalms “They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” -- Psalms 73:11”
  5. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Deuel — the knowledge of God”
  6. Proverbs “Proverbs 2:5 (NASB) — Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.”
  7. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jehoiada — knowledge of the Lord”
  8. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:21: 1:21 To know God in Scripture usually means to have an intimate, saving relationship with him (see 2 Cor 5:16; Gal 4:9; Phil 3:8, 10). Here, however, they knew God means that people knew about God. All people have some understanding of God through creation, yet they do not do what is right based on that knowledge. Rather than learn more about God, they worship gods of their own making.”
  9. Hosea (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hosea 6:6: 6:6 In one of Hosea’s key verses, God names the most important qualities that should characterize the Israelites’ covenant lives with him. First, the Lord wants his people to show love more than he wants sacrifices. Love (Hebrew khesed) includes faithfulness (see 4:1; 6:4). God is always faithful (Ps 136), and he requires the same of his people. Second, the Lord wants Israel to know him more than he wants burnt offerings. Knowing God is much more than simply knowing facts about God (see “Knowing God” Theme Note). An intimate personal relationship with God is charact”
  10. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 17: “The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign;” i.e. , when he shall exhibit his refulgence, and give a nearer view of it, the brightest objects will, in comparison, be covered with darkness. But though the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves are bound together by a mutual tie, due arrangement requires that we treat of the former in the first place, and then descend to the latter. 53 Judges 13:22 ; Isaiah 6:5 ; Ezek. 1:28 , 3:14 ; Job 9:4 , &c.; Gen. 18:27 ; 1 Kings 19:13 .”
  11. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of God's Knowledge, Art. 5: Article: Whether God knows things other than Himself? I answer that, God necessarily knows things other than Himself. For it is manifest that He perfectly understands Himself; otherwise His existence would not be perfect, since His existence is His act of understanding. Now if anything is perfectly known, it follows of necessity that its power is perfectly known. But the power of anything can be perfectly known only by knowing to what its power extends. Since therefore the divine power extends to other things by th”
  12. Amos (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Amos 3:2: 3:2 The word translated been intimate indicates personal and experiential knowledge that often extends beyond mere intellectual awareness. It can indicate formal recognition and acknowledgment (Exod 1:8; 5:2), personal experience (Gen 2:17), or sexual relations (Gen 4:1). This word is frequently used of God’s relationship with Israel (Hos 5:3) and of Israel’s ideal relationship with God (Hos 2:20). Because of Israel’s privileged status, God would hold them accountable for all their sins, not just some of them. God holds people accountable in terms of what has been gi”
  13. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), How God Is Known by Us, Art. 7: Article: Whether those who see the essence of God comprehend Him? I answer that, It is impossible for any created intellect to comprehend God; yet "for the mind to attain to God in some degree is great beatitude," as Augustine says (De Verb. Dim., Serm. xxxvii). In proof of this we must consider that what is comprehended is perfectly known; and that is perfectly known which is known so far as it can be known. Thus, if anything which is capable of scientific demonstration is held only by an opinion resting on a ”
  14. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: in order to reach it. Nor even when it has reached it does it comprehend what it feels, but persuaded of what it comprehends not, it understands more from mere certainty of persuasion than it could discern of any human matter by its own capacity. Hence it is elegantly described by Paul as ability “to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,” ( Eph. 3:18, 19 ). His object was to intimate, that what our mind embraces by faith is every w”
  15. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 68: much we glorify his name by acknowledging our iniquity: “Then shall ye remember your ways and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your 2069 wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings,” ( Ezek. 20:43, 44 ). If part of the true knowledge of God consists in being oppressed by a consciousness of our own iniquity, and in reco”
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