The Search For GOD!
There are lots of teachings on
seeking and searching for GOD because there are lots of Scriptures on seeking
and searching for GOD (Father, Son, Spirit), His Word, His Kingdom, His Will
and Purpose for His Church and His Children (His Children make up His Church
and He has a Will and Purpose for His Church and each of His Children). So we
are going to look at some of The Scriptures that tell us to Seek and Search for
Him. At the end of this study is a list of the 19 Old Testament and 8 New Testament
words for seek and search that are found in The King James Version of The Bible
(that is because I only have a Strong’s Concordance for the King James Version).
You can look up these verses in different versions of The Bible and see other
words that should mean the same thing.
All this is about the fact that
GOD has sought us from the beginning, Genesis 3:8-11.
GOD has advised us to seek Him,
Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 6:33.
The reality is that most of us
became a Christian because GOD sought (pursued) us until we came to the place
that we saw His Love and our need. Very few people have become a Christian
because they were searching for GOD.
In the late sixties and early
seventies there was the JESUS movement, it was all about the Great Commission, sharing
(preaching) The Gospel, baptizing people and discipling them. In the late
seventies and early eighties there was the One Way (G) JESUS is The Way, John 14:6,
primary emphasis was personal evangelism. Then there was the “I Found It”
movement which was about personal testimony evangelism. Since then it has been
big meeting evangelism and telling new converts to find a Bible Believing
Church. All of these were about taking The Gospel to people who were not necessarily
looking for GOD or JESUS. The JESUS Movement was the only one that overall was
the complete package.
When I became a Christian in December of 1974 I was not searching for
GOD, on the contrary I had avoided JESUS Freaks. One day for no reason that I
can understand even 50 years later, I decided to go to a Church where my aunt
went. GOD showed me that I belonged there, then I began to understand that I
was a sinner and that GOD wanted me to be saved from sin and death because He
had a plan for my life. So I was baptized, then baptized in GOD’s SPIRIT (The
HOLY SPIRIT), then nine months after I became a Christian I started Bible
College.
Lee Strobel, a prominent Bible
teacher was once a proclaimed atheist, he was not searching for GOD, he decided
to prove The Bible was false and that GOD did not exist. After 2 years of
research he knew that GOD existed and that The Bible was real.
Some search through every type of
religion and spiritual teaching to find GOD because they reject Christianity.
But if their heart is true in seeking The One True GOD He will reveal Himself.
Some people come to GOD at the
most desperate time in their life, they are so desperate that they just call
out to Him something like this, “GOD if You are real, help me!” They are not
even sure there is a GOD or that He cares but they need something that they themselves
and no one else can do, so they hope beyond faith and GOD hears and responds.
The above examples are proof that every
person is born with a need to know GOD and that GOD so Loves us that He makes
it almost impossible for us to not find Him.
Isaiah 65 is about GOD seeking us
:1-5, we reject Him :6-12, there is Judgment :13-15, there should be Repentance
that leads to Salvation :16, then eternal life :17-25.
Numbers 15:37-40 GOD gives us
reminders to not forget Him but to keep seeking Him.
Isaiah 55:6-13 GOD tells us to
seek Him while He can be found (that means there is a time when we cannot find
GOD (Proverbs 1:20-33), He reminds us that we are not like Him, that His Word
is True and His Will, will be accomplished, and all creation rejoices with us
in Salvation (Romans 8:18-23).
Matthew 3:1-12 John The Baptist
told us to repent of our sins and live for GOD for there is eternal judgment.
Matthew 6:25-34 JESUS tells us to
seek GOD’s Kingdom (therefore GOD) and His Righteousness (how He wants us to
live) before the things of this life.
Mark 16:14-18 JESUS told us to
tell everyone about His Salvation and to disciple them into His Kingdom. Why
should we tell everyone, because they are not seeking GOD, GOD is seeking them.
JESUS told us to pray, “Our Father
in Heaven, Holy is Your Name (JEHOAVH), Your Kingdom come and Your will be done
in the earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10). The point of The Gospel in
not going to Heaven, it is to tell those who do not know and believe in GOD
that He Loves them and has a plan for their life. When they believe The Gospel Message
then we must get them baptized into JESUS (The Father, The Son, and The HOLY SPIRIT) and disciple
them into His Kingdom on the earth Mark 16:14-16); so that when we get to Heaven
we will be ready to serve GOD’s Eternal Purpose (whatever that is, Revelation
21-22).
Below are the definitions of the
Hebrew and Greek words translated as seek or search in The KJV Bible and their
Strong’s reference numbers, how many times they are used and their definition.
I have highlighted the verses that refer to GOD seeking us or telling us to
seek Him.
Hebrew:*
Search, Seek = 1239: used 5 times
(to plough or break forth i.e. inspect, admire, care for, consider, make
inquiry, make search, seek out).
Ezekiel 34:11-12 (second seek).
Seeks(eth) = 1243: used 1 time (a
looking after; seek out).
Ezekiel 34:12 (first seeks).
Seek = 1245: used 136 times (to
search out by any method – in worship or prayer; to strive after – ask, beg,
beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, make request, require,
seek, seek for).
Deuteronomy 4:29 (first seek); 1
Chronicles 16:10, 11 (second seek); 2 Chronicles 7:14, 11:16, 20:4; Ezra 8:21,
22; Esther 10:3; Psalm 24:6 (second seek), 27:4, 8 (both seeks), 34:14, 40:16, 69:6, 70:4, 83:16, 104:21, 105:3, 4 (second
seek), 119:176, 122:9; Proverbs 2:4, 14:6, 15:14, 17:9, 18:15, 28:5; Ecclesiastes
7:25, 8:17; Isaiah 41:17, 45:19, 51:1; Jeremiah 2:24, 33, 5:1-2 (both seeks),
29:13, 50:4; Ezekiel 7:25, 26, 34:6-7, 16; Daniel 9:3; Hosea 2:7-8, 3:5, 5:6-7,
15 (first seek), 7:10; Amos 8:11-12; Zephaniah 2:3 (both seeks); Zechariah 8:21-22; Maliah 2:7, 15,
3:1.
Seek = 1556: used 1 time (to roll
– commit, remove, roll away, roll down, roll together, run down, seek occasion,
trust, wallow).
Genesis 43:18.
Search, Seek = 1875: used 66 times
(to tread to frequent; usually to follow for pursuit or search; to seek or ask;
to worship – ask; at all, care for, diligently, inquire, make inquisition;
necromancer, question, require, search, seek for, seek out, surely).
Deuteronomy 4:29 (second seek),
12:5; 1 Chronicles 16:11(first seek), 22:19, 28:8 (seek)-9 (search and seek); 2
Chronicles 14:4, 15:2, 12-13, 19:3, 20:3, 30:19, 31:21, 34:3; Ezra 4:2, 6:21,
7:10; Job 5:8, 10:6, 39:8; Psalm 9:10, 10:4, 14:2, 22:26, 24:6 (first seek),
34:10, 53:2, 69:32, 105:4 (first seek), 119:2, 45, 155; Proverbs 11:27 (second
seeks); Isaiah 1:17, 8:19 (both seeks), 9:13, 11:10, 16:5, 31:1, 34:16, 55:6,
58:2; Jeremiah 29:7; Lamentations 3:25; Hosea 10:12; Amos 5:4-7, 14.
Search = 2664: used 12 times (to
seek; to conceal oneself i.e. let be sought or mask – change, make diligent
search, disguise self, hide, search for , search out).
Proverbs 2:4, 20:27 (Matthew
6:22-23); Amos 9:1-3; Zephaniah 1:12-13.
Search, Seek = 2713: used 22 times
(penetrate, to examine intimately; find out, make search, search out, seek,
seek out, sound, try).
Job 5:27, 13:8-9, 28:27-28; Psalm 44:20-21,
139:1, 23; Proverbs 23:3, 25:2; Jeremiah 17:10, 29:11-13.
Search = 2714: used 7 times (examination,
enumeration, deliberation; finding out, number; searchable, unsearchable,
searched out, searching).
Job 11:7, 36:26; Isaiah 40:28.
Seek = 7125: used 1 time (an
encountering – accidental, friendly or hostile; adv. Opposite; against - he come; help, meet, seek, to seek, seek in
the way).
Numbers 24:1.
Seek = 7636: used 3 times
(interweave; a netting for the hair).
Proverbs 1:28, 7:15, 8:17.
Seek = 7836 used 5 times (to dawn
i.e. be up early at any task – earnestness; to search for painstakingly – to do
something betimes**, enquire early, rise – seek, betimes, seek diligently –
early, in the morning).
Job 8:5-6; Psalm 63:1;
Proverbs11:27 (first seeks); Isaiah 26:9, Hosea 5:15 (second seek).
Search, Seek = 8446: used 27 times
(to meander; guide about – for trade to reconnoitering; sent to decry, be
excellent, merchant, search out, seek, spy out).
Numbers 15:39.
Other search and seek words:
Seek = 579: used 1 time (contraction
in anguish; to approach – to meet; befall, deliver, happen; seek a quarrel).
Search = 1240: used 4 times (inquire,
make search).
Search, Seek = 2658: used 4 times
(to pry into, to delve, to explore; dig, paw; search out, seek).
Search = 2665: used 1 time (something
secret i.e. a trick; search).
Search = 4290: used 1 time (a burglary;
unexpected examination; breaking up; secret search.
Search = 4959: used 2 times (to
feel of; to grope; feel, group, search).
Search = 7270: used 1 time (to
walk along – reconnoiter, to be a tail bearer – slander; to lead about –
backbite; search, spy out, teach to go, view).
Greek:*
Search = 350: used 1 time (to
scrutinize i.e. investigate, interrogate, determine; ask question, discern, examine,
judge, search).
Acts 17:11.
Seek = 1567: used 3 times (to
search out i.e. investigate, crave, demand, worship; enquire, require, seek
after – carefully, diligently).
Acts 15:17; Romans 3:11; Hebrews 11:6.
Search = 1830: used 1 time (to explore,
search diligently).
1 Peter 1:10.
Search = 1833: used 1 time (to
examine; to test thoroughly by questions i.e. ascertain or interrogate – ask,
enquire, search),
John 5:39.
Seek = 1934: used 9 times (to
search for, inquire for; to demand, to crave; desire, enquire, seek, seek after,
seek for).
Matthew 6:32, 12:34; Luke 12:30;
Romans 11:7.
Search = 2045: used 6 times (to
seek i.e. to investigate; search).
Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1
Peter 1:11; Revelation 2:23.
Seek = 2212: used 66 times (to
seek, specifically to worship GOD, or in a bad sense to plot against life; be
about, go about, desire, endeavor, enquire for, require, will seek after, for,
means.
Matthew 6:33 (Luke 12:31), 7:7,
28:5; Mark 16:6; Luke 11:9, 13:24, 15:8, 17:33, 19:10, 24:5; John 6:25, 34:36, 8:21,
8:37, 40, 50, 13:33; Acts 15:16-17 (Amos 9:11-12); 17:26-27; 1 Corinthians
1:22-25.
Other search and seek words:
Seek = 327: used 1 time (to search
out, seek).
*Strong’s Concordance with Hebrew and
Chaldee Dictionary and Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, MacDonald
Publishing
** Betimes = 1. in
good time : early 2. archaic : in a short time : speedily 3. at times :
occasionally. (Word History First Known Use 13th century.) Merriam-Webster
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