“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
If people have been asleep at the Sermon on the Mount, they just woke up. Perhaps they had to ask a neighbor, “Did He say “see God?” The Jewish mind would immediately go to Exodus 33:20 where God said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” Later the Apostle John would write, “No man hath seen God at any time”. Doesn’t Scripture teach seeing God is impossible?
The Lord is referring to those who have mourned over their sin been forgiven, are merciful to others, who seek righteousness and receive mercy from God. After God shows His mercy to them, they show mercy to others (love your brother). As they do they can see God’s presence as He acts through them in the world. This is what Paul wrote about in Ephesians 1:18. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance.”
See God The Greek word see can be translated appear. It means to gaze upon with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable. It is only used one other time in the New Testament. In Acts 1:3 Luke writes “To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Who were the only ones who saw the risen Savior? Believers! The unsaved world does not see God’s miracles.
What can we learn? We read of Moses who saw God face to face. This does not mean that he physically saw God. God is spirit and we will never see a form or being. He is too great, too powerful, too magnificent for man to see with physical eyes. When Moses saw God face to face it refers to His awareness of the intimate presence and conversation with God. This is the reward the Lord says occurs for those who are pure in heart before God. We see God acting in our lives.
This relationship is seen in several ways. First, we see it through the Holy Spirit bringing God’s truths to out heart as we study His Word. When we seek God in purity, the Holy Spirit reveals God so that our hearts burn within us from the knowledge of Him. Second, we see God through His creation. With the eyes of a believer we look at what God has created and see His handiwork. This is what David wrote in Psalm 19:1. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Third, we see God in the way He controls events to work His will in our lives. Accidents or circumstances are really God ordained to guide us in our lives. We see our loving Father lead us. Finally. we see God through His Son. Because we cannot see God physically He sent His Son to reveal God to us. As we see Christ we are able to see God. This is what Jesus told Philip, “He who has seen me has seen the Father”. When we see Christ we see God’s glory. John 1 says “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. . . No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He (Christ) has made him known (to us)”.
Often we are told in scripture ”he that has ears, let him hear”. Listening to God is important to get to know Him. As we desire to live lives for Him unstained by sin (pure in heart), our eyes are opened so we see His presence in all we do. Why is this such a blessing? When we see God acting in our life it builds our faith and reduces our fear. Sin clouds the vision of God, purity of heart reveals Him clearly to us.