The Unknown God Part 1: Change Your Perspective

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” Job 42:5

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to their town, but none of them knew what an elephant looked like. Out of curiosity, they decided to inspect the animal by touching it, hoping to learn more about it.

Each man approached a different part of the elephant. The first man, who touched the elephant’s side, exclaimed, “An elephant is like a wall!” The second man, feeling the tusk, disagreed, saying, “No, it’s round and smooth—it’s like a spear!” The third man, who held the trunk, insisted, “An elephant is like a snake!” Another man, feeling the elephant’s leg, declared, “It’s like a tree!” The fifth man, touching the ear, said, “No, it’s like a large fan!” Finally, the last man, feeling the tail, concluded, “An elephant is like a rope!”

Each man was convinced he was right, based on his own experience. They argued, each one holding firmly to his perspective of the “truth” of what an elephant was. The arguments escalated until a wise man passing by overheard them. Seeing the confusion, he explained, “All of you are right, and all of you are wrong. Each of you only touched one part of the elephant and drew conclusions from that alone. If you put all your experiences together, you’ll get a better understanding of what an elephant truly is.”

I believe this was Job’s experience in Job 42:5 when he encountered God in the midst of his trials and exclaimed, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.” He had heard about God from other people’s experiences and rumours but now he came face to face with the real image.

How often do we find that our perception of God is shaped by the experiences of others—our earthly family, our religious background, or the stories of those around us? Have you ever been in a situation where people were talking about you without realising that you were the one they were discussing, and though misinformed, yet they spoke as though they knew everything about you?

This is how God feels when we neglect His own account of Himself through His Word. God desires that we know Him intimately and personally, rather than relying solely on the accounts of others. As God says in Jeremiah 31:34, “No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

God has revealed Himself through the Scriptures and has sent the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us into all truth. The Holy Spirit knows the full picture of God and can reveal Him to you in a way that you can understand. Take time to be in His presence and experience God for yourself today. If you are unsure where to begin, please email admin@klcconline.com, and someone will reach out to assist you.