Are You Lacking in the True Knowledge?

By Dennis Edwards:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.[1]

What is this lack of knowledge that the Lord is talking about? First we need to understand what knowledge is when used in the Bible. One author made the following summary: 

The word “knowledge” in the Bible denotes an understanding, a recognition, or an acknowledgment. To “know” something is to perceive it or to be aware of it. Many times in Scripture, knowledge carries the idea of a deeper appreciation of something or a relationship with someone. The Bible is clear that the knowledge of God is the most valuable knowledge a human being can possess. But it is also clear that simply being aware of God’s existence is not sufficient; the knowledge of God must encompass the deep appreciation for and relationship with Him.[2]

Another author expresses knowledge in the Biblical sense in this manner:

The Hebrew root “yada,” translated "know"/"knowledge, " appears almost 950 times in the Hebrew Bible. It has a wider sweep than our English word "know," including perceiving, learning, understanding, willing, performing, and experiencing. To know is not to be intellectually informed about some abstract principle, but to apprehend and experience reality. Knowledge is not the possession of information, but rather its exercise or actualization.

Thus, Biblically to know God is not to know about him in an abstract and impersonal manner, but rather to enter into his saving actions. To know God is not to struggle philosophically with his eternal essence, but rather to recognize and accept his claims. It is not some mystical contemplation, [3] but rather an intimate relationship.

When we look in Proverbs we find that the beginning of understanding or knowledge is the fear of the Lord. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.[4]

In another Proverb we read,

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.[5]

And another:

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.[6]

The Lord was telling His people that they had rejected knowledge. They had lost their fear of the Lord. In other words, there was no fear of God in the land and the people went about their own way. Therefore, because of their lack of fear of the Lord and lack of obedience to His commandments, which were not grievous, God was rejecting them. 

In the Old Testament we read that when Jehoshaphat began to re-teach the tribe of Judah from the book of the Law of Moses, that

And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.[7]

So sometimes the fear of the Lord falls upon the people because of some event that takes place. A tsunami, an earthquake, a hurricane, a tornado, a war, or the re-dedicating to God’s Word may be events that cause people to have a fear of the Lord.

In the New Testament we read,

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.[8]

If we stop fearing the Lord by rejecting God in our knowledge, we end up being reprobate fools believing lies. Apostle Paul writes, 

because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.[9]

In fact Paul tells us that these two facts, people not retaining God in their knowledge and people believing lies, are indications of decadency and would be prevalent before Christ’s second coming.

In the Psalms we read,

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.[10]

Jesus makes the same point when he tells the parable of the houses built upon the sand and the rock. He states that whosoever hears His word and follows its instruction, would be a wise man.[11]

In Proverbs we find the Lord stretching forth His hand unto his people, but no man regarding it.[12] He says, 

Ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.[13]

Because we do not listen and desire the Lord’s instruction and knowledge – when finally we are in trouble and in need of His help, He says,

They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.[14]

Why? Because 

They hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. [15]

In another Proverb we see that if we receive the Lord’s words, if we seek His knowledge as one that searches for a hidden treasure,

Then shall thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.[16]

The idea of desperately seeking for the Lord and finding Him fits exactly with the Lord’s words through Jeremiah when he said,

Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.[17]

Jesus said something very similar, when He said that they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.[18] He also framed the first and most important commandment as 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.[19]

In Isaiah we read,

Ho, every one that thirsts, come ye to the waters, and he that has no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.[20]

In other words, like Jesus said, we are to seek the Lord and relationship with Him to be satisfied. I can’t get no satisfaction with the things of the world, because God has made me a spiritual being. Only relationship with Him, which cost no money, can bring satisfaction of heart, mind and spirit. We are made in His image. [21]

God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.[22]

Apostle Peter tells us to

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.[23]

We need to separate and make holy our relationship with God. It needs to be the single most important aspect of our lives. If we truly do that, put God first and make that relationship with Him special, then we will learn the fear of the Lord. With the fear of the Lord we will learn knowledge or right doctrine, so that we can properly defend the faith with reasons and answers for those seeking them.

In Isaiah we read, 

Whom shall He teach knowledge? And to whom shall He make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast.[24]

Apostle Peter says that new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby.[25] So God's Word needs to be to us like a baby on its mother's breast. We need to be in relationship with God's Word. We need to be sucking from God's Word. We need to find our spiritual nourishment from God's Word. If we are constantly feeding on God’s Word and being obedient to His voice through His Word, then we will get understanding, knowledge and wisdom. 

Paul goes on to say,

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.[26]

Isaiah tells us,

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.[27]

In other words, only with a thorough understanding of God’s Word, because it has become our life-blood, can we really have knowledge and wisdom and learn doctrine. 

In Psalms we learn it’s important to meditate upon God’s Word day and night. We read that blessed is the man whose 

delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night.[28]

In the book of Joshua we read, 

But this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shall meditate therein day and night.[29]

Paul tells his disciple Timothy to 

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.[30]

But if we continue reading from each of the above passages, we read that the person whose puts God first by spending time in His word and meditates there on gets the following blessing:

whatsoever he does shall prosper,[31]

for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success,[32]

that thy profiting may appear to all.[33]

Do you want to have good success? Do you want to be seen profiting by your peers? Do you want to prosper? Do you want true knowledge and understanding? Do you want wisdom? Then put God first in your life. Put God’s Word first in your life. Put your relationship with God first in your life.

Put love first in your life, for God is love.[34] Get your priorities straight and God will work everything else out. He’s promised to. He said, 

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.[35]

Have a great week! I love you!

[1] Hosea 4:6 

[2] http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-knowledge.html 

[3]http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/know-knowledge.html 

[4] Proverbs 1:7 

[5] Proverbs 9:10 

[6] Proverbs 4:7 

[7] 2Chronicles 17:10 

[8] Romans 1:28 

[9] 2Thessalonians 2:10-11 

[10] Psalm 119:99-100 

[11] Matthew 7:24 

[12] Proverbs 1:24 

[13] Proverbs 1:25 

[14] Proverbs 1:28 

[15] Proverbs 1:29 

[16] Proverbs 2:5 

[17] Jeremiah 29:13 

[18] Matthew 5:6 

[19] Mark 12:30 

[20] Isaiah 55:1-3 

[21] Génesis 1:27 

[22] John 4:24 

[23] 1Peter 3:15 

[24] Isaiah 28:9 

[25] 1Peter 2:2 

[26] 2Timothy 2:15 

[27] Isaiah 28:10 

[28] Palm 1:2 

[29] Joshua 1:8 

[30] 1Timothy 4:15 

[31] Psalm 1:3 

[32] Joshua 1:8 

[33] 1Timothy 4:15 

[34] 1John 4:8 

[35] Matthew 6:33