Getting Knowledge
Knowledge comes from God (Exodus 31:1-3) “And the Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses
saying. See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship”.
The Psalmist said in Psalms 119:65-68 “You have dealt well with Your servant, O
Lord Yahweh according to Your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge; for
I have believed Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now
have I kept Your word. You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes”.
Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, after the birth of John was filled with the
Spirit and prophesied saying “and you, child, shall be called the prophet of the
Highest; for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His way. To give
knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).
Paul places the revelation of God in Christ as the source of knowledge. God has
made known the “mystery of His will” to the one who is “in Christ”. The spiritual
person is taught by the Spirit of God and responds to the truth as it is revealed in
Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 2:12-14) “now we have received not the spirit of the world;
but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to
us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom
teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned”. There is emphasis on relationship and encounter as essential elements
in the concept of knowledge.
This cannot be gained by unaided human reason; it is knowledge of the heart, not
the mind alone. It is acquired only as God shows Himself to people in nature and
conscience. Mental knowledge by itself, as good as it may be, is inadequate.
Christian knowledge of God is not based simply on observation or speculation but is
the result of experience in Christ. This knowledge is contrasted sharply with natural
wisdom. Paul is quick to point out that the mystery of God’s redemptive plan has
been made known and there is now no room for ignorance. Knowledge, then, is the
whole person standing in relationship with God through Christ.
Solomon asked God for it (II Chronicles 1:7-12) “in that night did God appear to
Solomon, and said to him, ask what I shall give you. And Solomon said to God, You
have showed great mercy to David my father; and have made me to reign in his
stead. Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established; for
You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give
me now wisdom and knowledge; that I may go out and come in before this people; for
who can judge this Your people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon,
because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor
the life of your enemies, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom
and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people, over whom I have made
you king. Wisdom and knowledge is granted to you, and I will give you riches and
wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you,
neither shall there any after you have the like”.
Now we know that Solomon wrote the Proverbs and in Proverb 1:7 it says “the fear
(reverence) of the Lord Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise
wisdom and instruction”. We need to learn to reverence the Lord. The word “fear”
has two meanings, this is not the cowering kind of fear, but a fear that shows utmost
knowledge and respect of who God is, why He created you, and what He wants you
to accomplish with your knowledge.
Lets look at Proverbs 2:1-10 which says “my son, if you will receive my words, and
hide my commandments with you. So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply
your heart to understanding. Yea, if you seek after knowledge, and lift up your voice
for understanding. If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures.
Then shall you understand the reverence of the Lord Yahweh, and find the
knowledge of God. For the Lord Yahweh gives wisdom, out of His mouth comes
knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a
buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves
the way of His saints. Then shall you understand righteousness and judgment, and
equity, yea; every good path. When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge
is pleasant to your soul”.
Also in Proverbs 5:1-2 it says “my son, attend to my wisdom, and bow your ear to my
understanding. That you may regard discretion, and that your lips may keep
knowledge”. The key here is that the word of God is where we can get knowledge.
Solomon also is the writer of Ecclesiastes and he says in Ecclesiastes 2:26 “for God
gives to a man that is good in His sight wisdom, and knowledge; and joy; but to the
sinner He gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that He may give to him that is
good before God”.
Paul writes in II Corinthians 2:14 “now thanks be to God, which always causes us to
triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every
place. And in II Corinthians 4:6 it says “for God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
Paul prayed for the churches (I Corinthians 1:4-5) “I thank my God always on your
behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. That in every thing
you are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge”. Again in Ephesians
(1:17-18) “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling,
and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”. In Ephesians 3:16-
19 he says “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love. May be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.
And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with
all the fullness of God”.
In Colosse he prayed (Colossians 1:9-10) “for this cause we also, since the day we
heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the
knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That you might walk
worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in
the knowledge of God”. We too should make it a practice to pray for others.
God does not want even one to perish, but that they all should come to the
knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:1-4) “I exhort therefore, that first of all
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. For
kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the
truth”. He gave us pastors, teaches, prophets, evangelists and apostles to prefect
us (Ephesians 4:13) “till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ”. This is God’s desire for us to conform to the image of His dear Son, in fact
He predestined it (Romans 8:29).
We are told to grow in grace and knowledge (II Peter 1:2-8, 3:18) “grace and peace
be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.
According as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue.
Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you
might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and
to virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But
grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be
glory both now and for ever. Amen”.
God tells us in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because
you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to Me;
seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children”. Now
many people quote the first part of that verse that God’s people perish for lack of
knowledge. But He warns us not to reject knowledge. We have been told to “study
to show yourselves approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Remember that we are warned by
Peter in (I Peter 5:8) “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour”.
Don’t walk in the futility of your mind, don’t turn your brain off. We are told to renew
our mind by the word of God. Yet, some people never think, never study, never
question, never learn. They go through the church motions thinking that is enough.
Get your mind right with God, not only your heart but your mind too. Get plugged in
to the knowledge and the understanding and the wisdom of God. Read Proverbs 3
which states that wisdom is the principle thing.
If we want to be the new creature in Christ, we’ve got to renew our mind with the
knowledge of God. We’ve got to put on the new man, begin to think the thoughts of
God and walk in His ways. That’s when we have knowledge and understanding and
wisdom.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 8, 2010
Knowledge comes from God (Exodus 31:1-3) “And the Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses
saying. See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship”.
The Psalmist said in Psalms 119:65-68 “You have dealt well with Your servant, O
Lord Yahweh according to Your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge; for
I have believed Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now
have I kept Your word. You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes”.
Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, after the birth of John was filled with the
Spirit and prophesied saying “and you, child, shall be called the prophet of the
Highest; for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His way. To give
knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).
Paul places the revelation of God in Christ as the source of knowledge. God has
made known the “mystery of His will” to the one who is “in Christ”. The spiritual
person is taught by the Spirit of God and responds to the truth as it is revealed in
Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 2:12-14) “now we have received not the spirit of the world;
but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to
us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom
teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned”. There is emphasis on relationship and encounter as essential elements
in the concept of knowledge.
This cannot be gained by unaided human reason; it is knowledge of the heart, not
the mind alone. It is acquired only as God shows Himself to people in nature and
conscience. Mental knowledge by itself, as good as it may be, is inadequate.
Christian knowledge of God is not based simply on observation or speculation but is
the result of experience in Christ. This knowledge is contrasted sharply with natural
wisdom. Paul is quick to point out that the mystery of God’s redemptive plan has
been made known and there is now no room for ignorance. Knowledge, then, is the
whole person standing in relationship with God through Christ.
Solomon asked God for it (II Chronicles 1:7-12) “in that night did God appear to
Solomon, and said to him, ask what I shall give you. And Solomon said to God, You
have showed great mercy to David my father; and have made me to reign in his
stead. Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established; for
You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give
me now wisdom and knowledge; that I may go out and come in before this people; for
who can judge this Your people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon,
because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor
the life of your enemies, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom
and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people, over whom I have made
you king. Wisdom and knowledge is granted to you, and I will give you riches and
wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you,
neither shall there any after you have the like”.
Now we know that Solomon wrote the Proverbs and in Proverb 1:7 it says “the fear
(reverence) of the Lord Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise
wisdom and instruction”. We need to learn to reverence the Lord. The word “fear”
has two meanings, this is not the cowering kind of fear, but a fear that shows utmost
knowledge and respect of who God is, why He created you, and what He wants you
to accomplish with your knowledge.
Lets look at Proverbs 2:1-10 which says “my son, if you will receive my words, and
hide my commandments with you. So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply
your heart to understanding. Yea, if you seek after knowledge, and lift up your voice
for understanding. If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures.
Then shall you understand the reverence of the Lord Yahweh, and find the
knowledge of God. For the Lord Yahweh gives wisdom, out of His mouth comes
knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a
buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves
the way of His saints. Then shall you understand righteousness and judgment, and
equity, yea; every good path. When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge
is pleasant to your soul”.
Also in Proverbs 5:1-2 it says “my son, attend to my wisdom, and bow your ear to my
understanding. That you may regard discretion, and that your lips may keep
knowledge”. The key here is that the word of God is where we can get knowledge.
Solomon also is the writer of Ecclesiastes and he says in Ecclesiastes 2:26 “for God
gives to a man that is good in His sight wisdom, and knowledge; and joy; but to the
sinner He gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that He may give to him that is
good before God”.
Paul writes in II Corinthians 2:14 “now thanks be to God, which always causes us to
triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every
place. And in II Corinthians 4:6 it says “for God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
Paul prayed for the churches (I Corinthians 1:4-5) “I thank my God always on your
behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. That in every thing
you are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge”. Again in Ephesians
(1:17-18) “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling,
and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”. In Ephesians 3:16-
19 he says “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love. May be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.
And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with
all the fullness of God”.
In Colosse he prayed (Colossians 1:9-10) “for this cause we also, since the day we
heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the
knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That you might walk
worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in
the knowledge of God”. We too should make it a practice to pray for others.
God does not want even one to perish, but that they all should come to the
knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:1-4) “I exhort therefore, that first of all
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. For
kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the
truth”. He gave us pastors, teaches, prophets, evangelists and apostles to prefect
us (Ephesians 4:13) “till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ”. This is God’s desire for us to conform to the image of His dear Son, in fact
He predestined it (Romans 8:29).
We are told to grow in grace and knowledge (II Peter 1:2-8, 3:18) “grace and peace
be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.
According as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue.
Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you
might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and
to virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But
grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be
glory both now and for ever. Amen”.
God tells us in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because
you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to Me;
seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children”. Now
many people quote the first part of that verse that God’s people perish for lack of
knowledge. But He warns us not to reject knowledge. We have been told to “study
to show yourselves approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Remember that we are warned by
Peter in (I Peter 5:8) “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour”.
Don’t walk in the futility of your mind, don’t turn your brain off. We are told to renew
our mind by the word of God. Yet, some people never think, never study, never
question, never learn. They go through the church motions thinking that is enough.
Get your mind right with God, not only your heart but your mind too. Get plugged in
to the knowledge and the understanding and the wisdom of God. Read Proverbs 3
which states that wisdom is the principle thing.
If we want to be the new creature in Christ, we’ve got to renew our mind with the
knowledge of God. We’ve got to put on the new man, begin to think the thoughts of
God and walk in His ways. That’s when we have knowledge and understanding and
wisdom.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 8, 2010
