“And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
(Job 19:26-27)
The highest hope of every true believer is to see God face to face. This is the promised privilege of those whom God has made pure in heart. Job, under the weight of trial and decay of his mortal body, declared with certainty, “After my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.”
The Lord affirmed this same truth in Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The Apostle John echoes it with assurance in 1 John 3:2: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
Scripture leaves no doubt—every soul made alive in Christ will one day behold God. Yet inside this truth lies a mystery: God is infinite, invisible Spirit. He fills heaven and earth, is without boundaries, and is beyond the reach of mortal eyes. Isaiah’s vision in chapter 6 affirms this, “the whole earth is full of his glory.” And yet also it describes seraphim standing before the throne, covering their faces in awe (Isaiah 6:2-3). Such imagery points to a visible manifestation of God that inspires both reverence and worship.
The resolution of this mystery is found in Christ. When believers see God in glory, they will behold Him in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fullness of God is revealed in the Son, and the saints will see God by seeing Christ. John’s vision in Revelation confirms that the most glorious sight in heaven is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Paul explains in Colossians 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The Lord Himself said in John 14:9, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”
This means that for all eternity, the redeemed will behold the glory of God shining in the face of Christ. Heaven will be saturated with this glory. As Revelation 21:23 declares, “the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” There will be no corner of that holy realm where the vision of Christ’s glory is absent or dimmed.
The “pure in heart” shall see God with the perfected spiritual sight in glory, one that is not clouded by sin, not hindered by weakness, but enriched by the most perfect knowledge of God ever granted to a creature. As Christ revealed the invisible God during His earthly ministry, so in heaven He will forever display the fullness of the divine nature to the saints. “Delight is to be found in your favor and mercy while we are on the journey of this life, which leads to the goal of beholding your face in glory.”[1]
This is the sure destiny for the believer secured by the blood of Christ. Death will not rob the believer of sight but will usher him into the clearest and most blessed vision possible. Job’s confidence becomes the Christian’s confidence—though the body returns to dust, the soul will rise to behold the Lord face to face, rejoicing in unbroken fellowship for all ages to come.
Contemplations:
- The blessed rest of glory. Lord, what is the joy of the saints in heaven? It is that of Your children, made perfect, now released from the burden of the flesh, freed from all the corruption in themselves and delivered from all the effects of evil in others. What blessedness this will be!
- Longing for heaven. I cannot wait, Lord, to no longer wander in this earthly desert of strife, brokenness, and disorder. I look forward to being received into that pure, harmonious, holy society, where all those who belong to the bride of Christ reflect Your exalted character and where God Himself is pleased graciously to preside.
- In anticipation of eternity. I am in awe when I consider that all my hopes will one day be transformed into pure enjoyment, and my faith replaced by the beatific vision of the Lord Christ. Blessed be the day in which I will honor and exalt and enjoy You forever!
- When faith shall be sight. Lord, help me live even now in light of that coming sight by turning my eyes away from sin and fixing them on Christ by faith. For I know that in that day faith shall be turned to sight and hope shall be transformed into joy.
Prayer (Thanksgiving)
Almighty God, my heart is stirred with longing when I think of the day when I shall see You. Even now, while I walk in this world by faith, there is a holy yearning within me for that moment when faith will give way to sight, and I will behold my Redeemer face to face. You have said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Make me pure in heart through the cleansing blood of Christ and the sanctifying work of Your Spirit, that I may be fitted for this eternal privilege.
I thank You for the unshakable promise of Your Word, that though this body wastes away, in my flesh I shall see God. Death cannot rob me of this hope, for the resurrection will clothe me with immortality and prepare me for unending communion with You. I praise You that my eyes will behold Christ—the exact image of the invisible God, the radiance of His glory, the One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.
Lord, I thank You for the glimpses of Your glory that You grant me now in the beauty of creation, in the sweetness of Christian fellowship, in the preaching of the gospel, and in the quiet moments of prayer. Yet I know these are but faint shadows of the glory that will be revealed. In heaven, there will be no veil, no sin to cloud my vision, no sorrow to distract my worship, but only the clear and constant sight of Christ my King.
Thank You that in that blessed place, there will be no darkness, for the Lamb will be its light. Thank You that no stain of sin will follow me there, and no pain will hinder my joy. Thank You that all my smallness, all my weakness, and all my misunderstanding will be swallowed up in the perfect knowledge of You. Thank You that I will join the chorus of saints and angels, adoring You without weariness, beholding You without end.
Lord, let this hope shape my living now. Teach me to set my affections on things above, to fix my gaze on Christ, and to live in holiness, knowing that I will one day stand before You. Let the vision of heaven keep me steadfast in trial, patient in suffering, and humble in blessing. Help me to see every moment here as preparation for the eternal moment there.
I adore You, Father, for the grace that has made this hope mine. Keep me faithful until the day I see You as You are. And when that day comes, let my first sight be filled with worship, my first breath be filled with praise, and my first word be the glad cry of eternal gratitude to the Lamb who was slain for me.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Further Scripture References:
Matthew 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Psalm 17:5; Revelation 1:7; Philippians 3:21
[1] Saint Augustine, Expositions of the Psalms 1–32, ed. John E. Rotelle, trans. Maria Boulding, vol. 15, The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2000), 184.
