Library Home>Authors>Reuben Archer Torrey>The New Topical Textbook>Seeking God. (#142415)

Seeking God.

From: The New Topical Textbook

By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 2 min. read • grade level: 12

Commanded. Isa. 55:6⁶Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6). Matt. 7:7⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matthew 7:7).

INCLUDES SEEKING

His name. Psa. 83:16¹⁶Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. (Psalm 83:16).

His word. Isa. 34:16¹⁶Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them. (Isaiah 34:16).

His face. Psa. 27:8⁸When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. (Psalm 27:8). Psa. 105:4⁴Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. (Psalm 105:4).

His strength. 1 Chron. 16:11¹¹Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. (1 Chronicles 16:11). Psa. 105:4⁴Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. (Psalm 105:4).

His commandments. 1 Chron. 28:8⁸Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. (1 Chronicles 28:8). Mai. 2:7.

His precepts. Psa. 119:45, 94⁴⁵And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. (Psalm 119:45)
⁹⁴I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts. (Psalm 119:94).

His kingdom. Matt. 6:33³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33). Luke 12:31³¹But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Luke 12:31).

His righteousness. Matt. 6:33³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33). Christ. Mal. 3:1¹Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1). Luke 2:15,16¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. ¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. (Luke 2:15‑16).

Honor which comes from Him. John 5:44⁴⁴How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? (John 5:44).

Justification by Christ. Gal. 2:16, 17¹⁶Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. ¹⁷But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. (Galatians 2:16‑17).

The city which God has prepared. Heb. 11:10, 16¹⁰For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10)
¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16). Heb. 13:14¹⁴For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. (Hebrews 13:14).

By prayer. Job 8:5⁵If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; (Job 8:5). Dan. 9:3³And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: (Daniel 9:3).

In His house. Deut. 12:5⁵But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: (Deuteronomy 12:5). Psa. 27:4⁴One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4).

SHOULD BE

Immediate. Hos. 10:12¹²Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12).

Evermore. Psa. 105:4⁴Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. (Psalm 105:4).

While He may be found. Isa. 55:6⁶Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6).

With diligence. Heb. 11:6⁶But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).

With the heart. Deut. 4:29²⁹But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29). 1 Chron. 22:19¹⁹Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 22:19).

In the day of trouble. Psa. 77:2²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. (Psalm 77:2).

ENSURES

His being found. Deut. 4:29²⁹But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29). 1 Chron. 28:9⁹And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1 Chronicles 28:9). Prov. 8:17¹⁷I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17). Jer. 29:13¹³And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13).

His favor. Lam. 3:25²⁵The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. (Lamentations 3:25).

His protection. Ezra 8:22²²For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. (Ezra 8:22).

His not forsaking us. Psa. 9:10¹⁰And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. (Psalm 9:10).

Life. Psa. 69:32³²The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. (Psalm 69:32). Amos 5:4, 6⁴For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: (Amos 5:4)
⁶Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el. (Amos 5:6).

Prosperity. Job 8:5, 6⁵If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; ⁶If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. (Job 8:5‑6). Psa. 34:10¹⁰The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. (Psalm 34:10).

Being heard of Him. Psa. 34:4⁴I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4).

Understanding all things. Prov. 28:5⁵Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things. (Proverbs 28:5).

Gifts of righteousness. Hos. 10:12¹²Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12).

Imperative upon all. Isa. 8:19¹⁹And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? (Isaiah 8:19).

Afflictions designed to lead to. Psa. 78:33, 34³³Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. ³⁴When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God. (Psalm 78:33‑34). Hos. 5:15¹⁵I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (Hosea 5:15).

None, by nature, are found to be engaged in. Josh. 14:2²By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. (Joshua 14:2), with Rom. 3:11¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (Romans 3:11). Luke 12:23, 30²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. (Luke 12:23)
³⁰For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. (Luke 12:30).

SAINTS

Specially exhorted to. Zeph. 2:3³Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. (Zephaniah 2:3).

Desirous of. Job 5:8⁸I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: (Job 5:8).

Purpose, in heart. Psa. 27:8⁸When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. (Psalm 27:8).

Prepare their hearts for. 2 Chr. 30:19¹⁹That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. (2 Chronicles 30:19).

Set their hearts to. 2 Chr. 11:16¹⁶And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. (2 Chronicles 11:16).

Engage in, with the whole heart. 2 Chr. 15:12¹²And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; (2 Chronicles 15:12). Psa. 119:10¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. (Psalm 119:10).

Early in. Job 8:5⁵If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; (Job 8:5). Psa. 63:1¹<<A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.>> O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; (Psalm 63:1). Isa. 26:9⁹With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9).

Earnest in. So. of Sol. 3:2, 4²I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. (Song of Solomon 3:2)
⁴It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. (Song of Solomon 3:4).

Characterized by. Psa. 24:6⁶This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:6).

Is never in vain. Isa. 45:19¹⁹I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. (Isaiah 45:19).

Blessedness of. Psa. 119:2²Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. (Psalm 119:2).

Leads to joy. Psa. 70:4⁴Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. (Psalm 70:4). Psa. 105:3³Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. (Psalm 105:3).

Ends in praise. Psa. 22:26²⁶The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. (Psalm 22:26).

Promise connected with. Psa. 69:32³²The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. (Psalm 69:32).

Shall be rewarded. Heb. 11:6⁶But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).

THE WICKED

Are gone out of the way of. Psa. 14:2, 3²The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. ³They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalm 14:2‑3), with Rom. 3:11,12¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:11‑12).

Prepare not their hearts for. 2 Chr. 12:14¹⁴And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. (2 Chronicles 12:14).

Refuse, through pride. Psa. 10:4⁴The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. (Psalm 10:4).

Not led to, by affliction. Isa. 9:13¹³For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 9:13).

Sometimes pretend to. Ezra 4:2²Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. (Ezra 4:2). Isa. 58:2²Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. (Isaiah 58:2).

Rejected, when too late in. Prov. 1:28²⁸Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: (Proverbs 1:28).

They who neglect denounced. Isa. 31:1¹Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! (Isaiah 31:1).

Punishment of those who neglect. Zeph. 1:4-6⁴I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; ⁵And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; ⁶And them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired for him. (Zephaniah 1:4‑6).

Exemplified. Asa, 2 Chr. 14:7⁷Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. (2 Chronicles 14:7). Jehoshaphat, 2 Chr. 17:3, 4³And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; ⁴But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. (2 Chronicles 17:3‑4). Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:5⁵And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. (2 Chronicles 26:5). Hezekiah, 2 Chr. 31: 21. Josiah. 2 Chr. 34:3³For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. (2 Chronicles 34:3). Ezra, Ezra 7:10¹⁰For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. (Ezra 7:10). David, Psa, 34:4. Daniel, Dan. 9:3, 4³And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: ⁴And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; (Daniel 9:3‑4).

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.

Previous Article

The New Topical Textbook

• Scorning and Mocking.

• Scorpion, the.

• Scriptures, the.

• Sealing of the Holy Ghost.

• Second Coming of Christ, the.

• Seeking God.

• Self-Delusion.

• Self-Denial.

• Self-Examination.

• Self-Righteousness.

• Self-Will and Stubbornness.

• Selfishness.

• Sidonians, the.

• Simeon, the Tribe of.

• Simplicity.