Knowledge of God

Proverbs 2 tells us how to find the Knowledge of God.

1. Bible knowledge,  understanding  and wisdom  have certain attributes that are the same and some attributes that are different.  We find these words in verses 2 , 3, 5, 6 , 7, 9, 10 and 11 of Proverbs 2.  Where this chapter says that we just have to listen to God to receive wisdom , it tells us to actively seek knowledge   and understanding . 
1. Many people believe the religious definition of the ' knowledge of God '.  That is: they believe that having the ' knowledge of God ' means that a person can quote Bible verses and give you the address of those verses within the Bible.  True Bible knowledge of God   ( Proverbs 2:5) is a visible change in the physical life of the person (who has knowledge of God ) due to the spiritual working of the LORD  in and through their personal life.
1. Genesis 2:9, 17 is the first place that we find knowledge   and that is the tree of knowledge of good and evil .  Exodus 31:3 is the next place and there we learn that Bible wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge   come from the spirit of God .  This is one of the first places where we learn about the attributes which are shared by wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge .  Of course, knowledge     is the result of ' knowing '.  Therefore, the Biblical usage of know   and knew   are also related to the Biblical definition of knowledge . 
2. Genesis 3:5is the first place in the Bible where we see know   and Genesis 3:7 is the first place in the Bible where we see knew .  3:7 says And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.    There is no doubt about there being a visible change in the physical lives of Adam and Eve due to a change in their spiritual life. 
3. The next place that we see knew   is 4:1 which says And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.  Again, we see a visible change in the physical lives of Adam and Eve due to the spiritual working of the LORD . 
4. Without belaboring the point, people should understand that true Bible knowledge of God   is a visible change in the physical life of the person due to the spiritual working of the LORD . 
2. Bible understanding   shows us how the meaning of what is written, within the Bible, applies to other things written in the Bible and how these written things apply to life.  The first place that we find understanding   in the Bible is Genesis 11:7 which says Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.    The listener could not get the meaning of what was said.  The next place is Genesis 41:15 where Pharaoh said unto Joseph...I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it .  So, we see that Bible understanding   is what allows us to interpret it .  As we see from this section of Genesis and 1Corinthians 2 and 3 and other places, it takes God personally working through the person to give a true interpretation of the Bible.  Just like the knowledge of God , Bible understanding   requires God working through the personal relationship that He has with the person.  However, where God is applying the knowledge of God   to the person's life, Biblical understanding   is the result of God applying that understanding   to the Bible itself.  That is, the Spirit of God uses the Bible to interpret   the Bible and when He does the person receives Biblical understanding . 
3. Bible wisdom   gives us the ability to apply Bible knowledge and Bible understanding to the events and circumstances of life.  The first place that we see wisdom   is Exodus 28:3 where God said that it took wisdom   to make the garments for the priests.  The second time is Exodus 31:3, 6 where we again see that it takes wisdom   to make the parts if the Tabernacle.  While it took wisdom   to do these jobs, the people with Bible wisdom   did not necessarily have the greatest Bible knowledge   or Bible understanding .  The main spiritual gift of most preachers is wisdom , so that they can do the work of God.  While most people believe that they also have the greatest Bible knowledge   and Bible understanding , that is not always true. 
4. We see that Biblical wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge   all require the Spirit of God working through the personal relationship that God has with all saved.  We see that religion provides wrong definitions fore these words.  Therefore, we need to be sure that the definition which we use matches what is actually found in the Bible.  Finally, we see that one of the main differences between Biblical wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge   is what the Spirit of God is applying the word of God to.  With Biblical knowledge , the Spirit of God applies the word of God to the person's personal life to bring forth visible spiritual fruit that could only come from God.  With Biblical wisdom , the Spirit of God applies the word of God to the ministry (work) that God has given the person to do with our main example being God working through a preacher to bring forth spiritual fruit from the ministry.  With Biblical understanding , the Spirit of God applies the word of God to the Bible itself in order to render a true interpretation   of the Bible. 
2. Proverbs 2:1-5 gives us the attitudes that we need to have in order to receive Bible knowledge , understanding   and wisdom   from God.  Ezekiel 12:2 condemns those who close their mind and will not receive instruction from God.  In the gospels we hear Jesus say that His instructions are for those with the correct attitude ( Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9, Matthew 13:43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16 ; Luke 8:8; 14:35).  We have several steps here that have to be taken in the order given. 
1. God says to receive my words   ( 2:1 ).  That means that we must accept what we are taught from the Bible, not just in your head, but into our heart with the intention of having God change our life with His Word. 
2. hide my commandments with thee   ( 2:1 ): Keep commandments from God's Word in your heart, live by them and don't let anyone or anything steal them away. 
3. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom   ( 2:2 ): If you do the prior two things you will be able to hear God speak wisdom   to you, but you still have to listen for the wisdom . 
4. apply thine heart to understanding   ( 2:2 ): You have to work hard ( apply thine heart ) to get Bible understanding .  Find every place that the Bible talks about a subject and meditate on them until you know how different pieces of Bible knowledge fit together and you know in your heart, not just in your head. 
5. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge   ( 2:3): The Yea     means ' I really mean this '.  Pray and ask God for His knowledge   every time you start to read the Bible (James 1:5).  Ask God to show you the same truth in several places in the Bible so that you understand the Bible subject from more than one angle. 
6. and liftest up thy voice for understanding   ( 2:3): Pray aloud for understanding .  This is not the same as ' silent prayer '.  The and   means this is added onto, or only comes after receiving Bible knowledge   from God.  No one can connect pieces of Bible knowledge   together (receive understanding ) until after they receive the pieces of Bible knowledge . 
7. ( 2:4 ) If thou (you personally) seekest (search diligently with lots of effort) her (knowledge and understanding) as silver (more functional than gold), and searchest for her as for hid treasures (by faith in the promise, keep looking after others quit) : This all takes a lot of effort and doing things God's way.  However, if we do it God's way, then we will get the results promised by God. 
3. Result 1 = Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD   ( 2:5): Please see the study called The Fear of the Lord .  It basically shows us that the fear of the LORD   is there to help us to stop our sinning and to avoid the consequences of sin in or life and the lives of those that we affect.  We can not increase our relationship with anyone, including God, while we continue to deliberately offend them (by sinning).  Also, deliberately offending people, including God, isn't the best way to get them to do good things for us. 
4. Result 2 = and find the knowledge of God   ( 2:5): Again, the and   means this is added unto the fear of the LORD .  We can receive the ' knowledge of religion ' without ' stopping our sinning ' but we receive these things from God as a direct result of ' stopping our sinning '.  The two help us to build our personal relationship with God.  All of the promises in the rest of this Proverb are dependent upon our receiving these two things from God.  Many people won't receive these things because they refuse to meet God's requirements. 
5. The colon in Proverbs 2:6 makes wisdom   (from God) equivalent to knowledge   and understanding   (from God).  This makes knowledge   and understanding   subsets of wisdom .  After we put forth the effort required to receive knowledge   and understanding   then God adds wisdom   on top. 
6. Result 3= he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly   ( 2:7).  A buckler   is a small shield that is easy to keep with you all of the time for personal safety.  God will protect us personally attacks from the devil even while everyone around us is falling if we do what God tells us to do in this Proverb ( them that walk uprightly ). 
7. Result 4 = He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints   ( 2:8 ) God is the one Who keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way .  (God preserves the Bible).  While we are on His paths   and doing things His way , He will also direct our judgments and our decisions about how to go in life so that we also are preserved . 
8. Result 5= Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee   ( 2:11-20 ) after wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul .  Notice the colon at the end of 2:11 that makes 2:10-11 equivalent to 2:12-15 and to 2:16-17.  God will help us to avoid the two main sources of trouble and things that can result in a miserable life, slavery and death.  Notice that Proverbs 2:18-19 warn that there is no recovery from certain sins.  Therefore, we must avoid them, but to do so we must walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous   ( 2:20 ). 
9. Result 5= For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it   ( 2:20-21 ).  We will pass on an inheritance if we obey this Proverb.  God won't destroy all of our life's work.  However, the wicked   and the transgressors   of 2:21 include God's people (not just the lost) who refuse to obey this Proverb.  Remember, this was written to God's people.  While the lost may read it, the major audience is those people who claim to be saved. 

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