10 Verses That Say God Wants to Be Know
If you've ever wondered whether the idea of "knowing God" is just a one-time thing John 1 says, or whether it's actually a pattern across all of Scripture — here's your answer. From the very beginning of the Bible to the very end, God keeps doing the same thing: moving toward people, on purpose, so they can know him.
Here are ten places where you can see it for yourself:
Genesis 3:8–9 — After Adam and Eve sinned, God didn't just stay away. He came walking through the garden, looking for them. Even after everything went wrong, God moved toward people, not away from them.
Exodus 33:11 — God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Long before Jesus, God was already showing what it looks like for him to be close, not distant.
Exodus 40:34 — When the tabernacle was finished, God's presence filled it and dwelt there, in the middle of the camp. This is the same word John uses in John 1:14 — the pattern was already there.
Psalm 139:1–4 — God knows everything about you — your words before you say them, your thoughts before you think them. This isn't a God who's far away and uninterested. He's already paying attention.
Isaiah 7:14 — Long before Jesus was born, God promised a son who would be called "Immanuel" — which means "God with us." The plan to move in close was announced ahead of time.
Jeremiah 29:13 — God told his people, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." He wouldn't say this if he intended to stay hidden.
John 14:9 — Jesus told his disciples, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus — that's exactly what he came to show you.
Romans 5:8 — "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God didn't wait for people to clean themselves up before moving toward them.
Ephesians 2:13 — "You who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." This verse names the exact problem — distance — and the exact solution — Christ bringing you near.
Revelation 21:3 — At the very end of the Bible, God's dwelling place is with his people, forever. The same pattern that started in the garden and continued in John 1 ends with God permanently at home among his people.
And this means: the closeness you read about in John 1 isn't an exception. It's the whole story of the Bible, from beginning to end. God has never been the one keeping his distance.
Together We Press On — John 1:1–5, 14