Psalm 16:11 - "You will show me the path of life, in Your presence is fullness or extreme joy, and at Your right hand, or sitting next to you, there are pleasures that are forevermore."
You'll find many of these verses in the Bible. He's saying... and he's obviously experienced a measure of it on the earth. He said: when you come into the presence of the God, there is an immense joy that comes. There is a deep sense of pleasure and fulfilment that comes that makes everything else seem very, very trivial. Here's another one that he wrote...
Psalm 36:8 - "They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures."
He's saying: God's ability to bring pleasure to us is like a river that can't be stopped. You can see the trouble in finding language to describe the depths of intimacy, and what it will mean to be in His presence - most amazing. Now when Paul writes about it, writing about intimacy, he writes and says: it's a prize that you win. So yes, we're given a relationship with Jesus now, but you can neglect that relationship. You can take it for granted. You cannot really do anything to build it - or you can pursue a greater intimacy.
Philippians 3:8 - "I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ my Lord, and I've suffered the loss of everything and count them rubbish, that I may gain Christ."
Notice two statements in there: the excellence of the knowledge of Christ; and everything else is just junk. I want to win this prize of gaining Christ! The key thing in there is that intimacy is given to us in a measure; but the fullness of it is a prize to be won. He says... and he's just listed all his achievements, and how great he was, and then immediately he says: but really - that's all junk, compared to this! It's all comparative. People looked at him, and he looked like he had his life all together; he looked like he's really reached the peak. He's a Rabbi - highly respected. He's got a high place in society, and in the system; but he said: it's all junk compared to this. This is really something! I've had a taste of this - and this has ruined my life; that the more we taste the Lord, the more it ruins our life.
There's an example of it there, and another scripture that refers to intimacy is found in the promise to the church at Pergamon. This promise is made also to overcomers - they had to overcome something in that church; and this is what he said: "he that is near to here, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches" - which is really a common statement in the Book of Revelation. What he's saying is: you need to develop a heart that listens and responds to God.
Revelation 2:17 - "To him that overcomes, I'll give him some of the hidden manna to eat".
Now you see again, the use of a picture language. If you're not familiar with the pictures or stories in the Bible, then it doesn't mean anything. But when you look, just look up 'manna' in the Bible. Notice he says: I will give him 'hidden manna' to eat. You've really got to ask the questions: what is manna; and what is hidden manna? What does he mean by it?
Well, the first reference to manna is found in the Old Testament, in the Book of Exodus 16:15, and manna was a food that was supplied supernaturally by God, to nourish the people of Israel. It was supernatural food. Jesus is saying: I'm offering supernatural food to you. In Exodus 16:15, when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another: what is it, because they didn't know what it is; and Moses said: it's the bread the Lord has given you to eat.
In Psalm 78:24-25, the manna was called: 'the bread of heaven'; and 'angels food'. In other words, whatever it was they ate supernaturally sustained them. It was a provision of God that kept them healthy, kept them alive, kept them vibrant in a difficult journey through a wilderness. Jesus Himself said: Moses gave you that manna; but actually, I'm the real manna. He uses this story of manna, saying: actually, the real manna is a person - I'm the bread of life! He's talking then about intimacy with Him - it’s like a supernatural food for us.
What's hidden manna? Is there any reference to 'hidden' manna? Well, the word 'to hide' - hidden means just 'to conceal'. So, is there any place where manna was hidden or concealed? It tells us that, after the manna was gathered up, they put a portion of manna in a pot - and they concealed it, or hid it, in the Ark of the Covenant - in the Holiest of Holies of the Tabernacle. It was a reminder to Israel, of God's miracle provision. So in the Ark of the Covenant, which was a wooden box covered in gold, in which were placed the 10 Commandments (the word of God) - the hidden manna, secret food, hidden supernatural food - and Aaron's rod that budded supernaturally; all of these things are supernatural. The tablets were supernaturally given, the manna was supernaturally given; and Aaron's rod was a dead stick that suddenly leaved, and had fruit and budded, budded and had fruit - so all of that is supernatural.