How does Psalm 17:15 connect with 1 John 3:2 about seeing God? Beholding His Face: Psalm 17:15 and 1 John 3:2 “ “As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.” ” (Psalm 17:15) “ “Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.” ” (1 John 3:2) David’s Hope, John’s Assurance • David looks ahead to “when I awake,” a clear hint of bodily resurrection (cf. Daniel 12:2). • John speaks of the moment “when Christ appears,” the same future resurrection/ glorification event (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Common Threads • Direct vision of God: “behold Your face” (Psalm 17:15) parallels “see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). • Transformation: David expects full satisfaction; John states “we will be like Him.” • Righteous standing: David “in righteousness”; John calls believers “children of God.” Seeing God—Literally • Moses spoke with the LORD “face to face” (Exodus 33:11) yet longed for more (Exodus 33:18–23). The ultimate, unhindered sight awaits resurrection. • Jesus promised, “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3). John’s verse shows that promise fulfilled. • Revelation 22:4 crowns the Bible’s storyline: “They will see His face.” Psalm 17:15 and 1 John 3:2 both anticipate that scene. Transformation Through Vision • 2 Corinthians 3:18—beholding the Lord’s glory now shapes us “from glory to glory,” a present foretaste. • Philippians 3:20–21—our lowly bodies will be transformed to be like His glorious body; that is John’s “we will be like Him.” Satisfaction Guaranteed • “I will be satisfied in Your presence” echoes Psalm 16:11: “fullness of joy in Your presence.” • The believer’s deepest longings resolve not in earthly pleasures but in the unveiled vision of God Himself. Living in Light of That Day • Identity: Remember we are already “children of God.” • Purity: 1 John 3:3 follows, “Everyone who has this hope purifies himself.” A clear motive for holy living. • Hope: Grief, fear, and disappointment fade against the certain prospect of seeing Christ’s face. In Psalm 17:15 David plants the seed; in 1 John 3:2 John shows the bloom. Both point to the same literal, future moment when every believer will awaken to behold the Savior’s face and find complete, eternal satisfaction. |
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