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Knowledge of God

Proverbs 2 tells us how to find theKnowledge of God.

  1. Bibleknowledge, understanding  andwisdom  have certain attributes that are the same and some attributes that are different.  We find these words in verses2,3,5,6,7,9,10 and11 of Proverbs 2.  Where this chapter says that we just have to listen to God to receivewisdom, it tells us to actively seekknowledge  andunderstanding. 
    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 Bibleknowledge of God  (Proverbs 2:5) is a visible change in the physical life of the person (who hasknowledge of God) due to the spiritual working ofthe LORD  in and through their personal life.
      1. Genesis 2:9, Genesis 2:17 is the first place that we findknowledge  and that isthe tree of knowledge of good and evil. Exodus 31:3 is the next place and there we learn that Biblewisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge  come fromthe spirit of God.  This is one of the first places where we learn about the attributes which are shared bywisdom, and understanding, and knowledge.  Of course,knowledge    is the result of 'knowing'.  Therefore, the Biblical usage ofknow  andknew  are also related to the Biblical definition ofknowledge. 
      2. Genesis 3:5is the first place in the Bible where we seeknow  andGenesis 3:7 is the first place in the Bible where we seeknew. 3:7 saysAnd 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 seeknew  is4:1 which saysAnd 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 ofthe LORD. 
      4. Without belaboring the point, people should understand that true Bibleknowledge of God  is a visible change in the physical life of the person due to the spiritual working ofthe LORD. 
    2. Bibleunderstanding  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 findunderstanding  in the Bible isGenesis 11:7 which saysGo 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 isGenesis 41:15 wherePharaoh said unto Joseph...I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.  So, we see that Bibleunderstanding  is what allows us tointerpret it.  As we see from this section of Genesis and1Corinthians 2 and3 and other places, it takes God personally working through the person to give a true interpretation of the Bible.  Just like theknowledge of God, Bibleunderstanding  requires God working through the personal relationship that He has with the person.  However, where God is applying theknowledge of God  to the person's life, Biblicalunderstanding  is the result of God applying thatunderstanding  to the Bible itself.  That is, the Spirit of God uses the Bible tointerpret  the Bible and when He does the person receives Biblicalunderstanding. 
    3. Biblewisdom  gives us the ability to apply Bible knowledge and Bible understanding to the events and circumstances of life.  The first place that we seewisdom  isExodus 28:3 where God said that it tookwisdom  to make the garments for the priests.  The second time isExodus 31:3, 6 where we again see that it takeswisdom  to make the parts if the Tabernacle.  While it tookwisdom  to do these jobs, the people with Biblewisdom  did not necessarily have the greatest Bibleknowledge  or Bibleunderstanding.  The main spiritual gift of most preachers iswisdom, so that they can do the work of God.  While most people believe that they also have the greatest Bibleknowledge  and Bibleunderstanding, that is not always true.  The main job of a preacher is to tell people how to apply the “word of God” in their lives. That requires wisdom.  even though they might not know,  nor understanding,  certain things found in the word of God,  especially if they preach wisdom  learned from other men.
    4. We see that Biblicalwisdom, 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 Biblicalwisdom, and understanding, and knowledge  is what the Spirit of God is applying the word of God to.  With Biblicalknowledge, 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 Biblicalwisdom, 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 Biblicalunderstanding, the Spirit of God applies the word of God to the Bible itself in order to render a true interpretation  of the Bible.  Unfortunately, many preachers rely upon the interpretation  of other men,
  2. Proverbs 2:1-5 gives us the attitudes that we need to have in order to receive Bibleknowledge,understanding  andwisdom  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 toreceive 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 speakwisdom  to you, but you still have to listen for thewisdom. 
    4. apply thine heart to understanding  (2:2): You have to work hard (apply thine heart) to get Bibleunderstanding.  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): TheYea    means 'I really mean this'.  Pray and ask God for Hisknowledge  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 forunderstanding.  This is not the same as 'silent prayer'.  Theand  means this is added onto, or only comes after receiving Bibleknowledge  from God.  No one can connect pieces of Bibleknowledge  together (receiveunderstanding) until after they receive the pieces of Bibleknowledge.
    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 calledThe Fear of the Lord.  It basically shows us thatthe 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 cannot 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 word and  means this is added untothe 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 inProverbs 2:6 makeswisdom  (from God) equivalent toknowledge  andunderstanding  (from God).  This makesknowledge  andunderstanding  subsets ofwisdom.  After we put forth the effort required to receiveknowledge  andunderstanding  then God addswisdom  on top. 
  6. Result 3=he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly  (2:7).  Abuckler  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 Whokeepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way.  (God preserves the Bible).  While we are on Hispaths  and doing things Hisway, He will also direct our judgments and our decisions about how to go in life so that we also arepreserved. 
  8. Result 5=Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee  (2:11-20) afterwisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul.  Notice the colon at the end of2:11 that makes2:10-11 equivalent to2:12-15 and to2:16-17.  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 Proverbs2:18-19 warn that there is no recovery from certain sins.  Therefore, we must avoid them, but to do so we mustwalk 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, thewicked  and thetransgressors  of2:21 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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