“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:10).

When I read the Bible, I often like to meditate upon the unspoken and implied connections made between verses of Scripture. Recently, I observed one such connection between sin and the knowledge of God. The Lord has been showing me a very sobering truth about it: If we are struggling with sin and apathy, it is because we do not yet know the Lord Jesus as we ought!

I was a bit taken aback by the above statement when I first pondered it. Yet, it is quite true! If we are struggling with sin today, it’s undoubtedly because we are not beholding the Lord Jesus as we ought! Instead, we too often find ourselves divided; We alternate between those fleeting pleasures of sin and the true knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord of all (Rom. 7:22-25). And why do we wander back and forth between these two loves? Perhaps it’s because we do not yet know Jesus as He can truly be known? Perhaps we do not yet know Him as the Love of all other loves (Song. 5:9)?

“If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Cor. 8:2).

This got me thinking about the knowledge of God in more general terms. What is meant by this phrase, “the knowledge of God“, as found throughout Scripture? Are we meant to seek after it and find it? How does it appear in everyday life? And what fruit is to be grown from pursuing it? These are important questions for any Christian. As always, let’s allow the Bible to speak for itself.

What is the knowledge of God?

The original Hebrew word used predominately throughout Scripture for “knowledge” is “da’ath” and means, “knowledge, perception, skill, discernment, understanding, and wisdom“. The Greek word most commonly used in the New Testament, “epignosis“, means, “precise and correct knowledge of things ethical and divine; moral wisdom“. These definitions speak for themselves – little exposition is necessary. Clearly, Biblical “knowledge” must be far weightier than how the world defines it. It doesn’t just refer to a collection of data within one’s brain.

Job 21

The Book of Job gives us further insight on the actual identity of this knowledge:

“They [the wicked] spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (Job 21:14-15).

Here, Job tells us that the knowledge of God is, in fact, the knowledge of His ways. The Hebrew word used for “ways” here means, “Road, distance, journey, mannerisms, habits, character“. In other words, the knowledge of God is knowledge of His nature: It is an inward awareness of His character, His personality, and the desires of His heart! It is a deep concern for all that makes His heart tick, even as a bride knows her husband (Eph. 5:25-32). It should be significant to us that the wicked are repulsed by this knowledge: They plead with the Lord to depart! This is because finding the knowledge of God also involves a deep desire to absorb His loving qualities as our very own (Jer. 15:16; Job 23:12).

Hosea 4

Hosea too connects the knowledge of God with the knowledge of His ways:

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land” (Hos. 4:1).

Here, Hosea shows us a glimpse of what the knowledge of God looks like. It is knowledge of His ways: truth and mercy. Knowing Jesus isn’t knowing mere facts about Him – it isn’t just a historical knowledge. It isn’t even found in an outward display of Christian affections (Hos. 6:6; Prov. 21:3)! The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had more “knowledge” than anyone else – and yet God refused them! Clearly, then, we see the true knowledge of God to be something far deeper – far more substantial. Finding this “knowledge” is to experience God’s loving and merciful nature for oneself (Jn. 17:3). Like Moses found, it is an immersion into the gracious character of God for oneself (Ps. 103:7). This cannot be but a head-knowledge, a mental rationalization, nor a theological understanding alone (Matt. 7:21-23; 15:8-9). Rather, it must include a growing, personal, and inward realization of the beauty, all-sufficiency, and preciousness of Jesus Christ as Lord of all! Jesus said that such an intimacy with God is the very meaning of eternal life!

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:20).

This is why the Bible likens such knowledge to “riches” (Job 28:12-28)!

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33).

To be continued…