“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 ultimate hope and expectation of the believer is to see God face to face, for the promised privilege awarded those who have been given new hearts, pure hearts, is to behold him throughout eternity. As righteous Job says, “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.” In Matthew 5:8 Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” And the Apostle tells us 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.” So it is clear from Scripture that one day every born-again Christian will see God.
At the same time we must remember that God is infinite, invisible spirit. He is everywhere, unlimited, and not bound to heaven alone. In truth, “the whole earth is full of his glory,” (Isa. 6:3). But Isaiah envisions the Lord also surrounded by seraphim who continually praise him while they cover their eyes. This action would not make sense if he were invisible to them[1] (Isa. 6:2).
This is a great mystery, though not an impossible mystery to solve, at least in part. Because when we see God in heaven, we will be seeing the fullness of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So the saints do see God, but it is in the person of the Lord Christ.
John the Apostle was allowed a tour of heaven that he might pen the account of things to come in his Revelation. Do you recall the greatest sight he saw in heaven? It was the Lamb, slain before the foundation of the world! Why? “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” (Colossians 2:9). “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father,” Jesus said of himself in John 14:9. So we know that seeing Christ is the same as seeing the Father.
The glory of God and of his Christ permeates heaven, which the saints will behold for all eternity. There is no place in heaven one could look and not see the glory of the Lord, the fullness of God in Christ shining forth. In fact, his glory is so bright there that no other light source is necessary; the Lamb is the light of heaven! (Revelation 21:23).
This beautiful vision – the fullness of God in the face of Jesus Christ – is reserved for those elect saints, the “pure in heart” who will then see God with their spiritual eyes of understanding. Being blessed with the most perfect, full, and clear knowledge of God and everything divine, we will see in the face of Christ the invisible God manifested fully. As he did on earth, so in heaven – the person of Christ makes the invisible God fully visible to the saints for all eternity!
Contemplations:
- Lord, what is the joy of 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 injurious effects of evil in others. What blessedness this will be!
- 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 and continuously to preside.
- 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. I feel myself being joyously lost in your overflowing, unbounded love, and all my little differences of opinion entirely washed away by the rolling tides of your invariable truth which I will honor and exalt and enjoy forever!
Further References for Job 19:26-27:
Matt. 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Psalm 17:5; Rev. 1:7; Phil. 3:21
[1] Keep in mind that Isaiah in that vision was seeing Christ seated on the throne of his glory, cf. John 12:41.
