” … because they will all know me from the least to the greatest of them.”
-Hebrews 8:11
That is a simple but astounding statement. As Hebrews 8:11 is talking about how Jesus, our great high priest, has made a way for us to be in relationship with God, Verse 8 says because of what Jesus has done, all people who place their faith in Jesus get this. All people. Men, women, the least, the greatest, all people who place their faith in Jesus can know God. Just let that soak in.
By God’s grace through Christ we know Him. May we grow in our knowledge of and our love for Him.
Hebrews 8:11 Is A Humbling Reminder
I think about this in my life. Like, who am I that I can know God? Who are you that you, in your life, can know God? We can know God. This is amazing truth. You think about Jeremiah 29, 23 and 24, “Let him who boasts, boast in one thing.” Not in how much money he makes, not in how successful she is, not in accolades or accomplishments in the world.
Don’t boast in those things. Do not boast in those things. Don’t boast in all the stuff this world has that you’ve gotten. No, that is so small. “Let him who boasts, boast in this that he knows God, that he understands and knows Me.” This is the greatest boast in the world, that you or I know God. So make this your boast, and make this your aim to know Him more, and more, and more.
A Prayer Based on Hebrews 8:11
What is more important that this? Nothing. So we pray, oh God, we praise You for this privilege of knowing You, of talking to You right now, You’re listening to us right now, You know us by name, we know You by name, we speak to You, we can come to You any time, we have knowledge of You, we have relationship with You, we are known by You. This is breathtaking, oh God. Thank You for making this privilege possible, Lord Jesus.
So make it our boast. God help us not to live for lesser things. Lord, help us not to live for accolades, accomplishment, the accumulation of possessions, more pleasures in this world, fame from this world. Oh God, all of that is so small. You alone are great. We want to know You. Help us to grow in our knowledge of you. God, I pray for this in my life, I pray for this in others who are praying with me right now. And God, please help us to know You, help us to grow in our knowledge of You, our understanding of You, and help us to meditate on Your word day and night. Help us to know You more deeply, more fully.
Knowing God
There’s nothing greater than knowing You. We want to know You more, and more, and more, and more. Your glory is infinite, so there’s more of You to know, will be more of You to know for all of eternity. We want to know more today than we did yesterday. God, we want to know You more tomorrow than we do today. We want to know You more next year than we do right now. God, please, increase our knowledge of You, our intimacy and relationship with You, for this privilege You have given to us that all of us may know You.
With joy, gratitude, humility, we pray this, in Jesus’ name. This is a people who know you in Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
