The Key of Knowledge

Go To Meeting

Eduardo Elizondo—2020

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It's a pleasure to share with you on this wonderful Sabbath and to continue to study the Word of God together.

Jesus Christ was telling the doctors of the Law. Matthew 11:52: Woe to you, doctors of the law! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you prevented those who were entering."

• What is this key of knowledge that they have taken away?
• What did Jesus mean by this key of knowledge?

He was talking to the doctors of the Law and He was telling them, 'Shame on you!' "Woe to you…" It's a disgrace what you have done!

Not only that, he expounds on it and says, "…you yourselves did not enter, and you prevented those who were entering."

There is something that these doctors of the Law and Jews, and I would even go as far as to say 'religion' and 'religionists' have done for the most part and have cause men to take away this key of knowledge. What is this key of knowledge?

Isa. 53—we're going to see a little bit about Jesus Christ. Obviously, this is a prophetic chapter and it's talking about Jesus Christ and what He was going to do and Who He was going to become when He would come in the flesh. This was being prophesied by Isaiah. 

Isaiah 53:11—talking about Jesus Christ: "He shall see of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities."

It was His knowledge that He was justifying many. Everybody who comes to God in repentance is justified, once they have repented of their sins and are baptized, it's by this knowledge.

• What is this knowledge?
• What is this key of knowledge?

This knowledge is so vast and we could not cover it in one hour, but if we can understand a little bit about this key of knowledge that Jesus was talking about and condemning the doctors of the Law for.

He was always against the Pharisees and the doctors of the Law and the scribes because of the things that they did. These were the 'religionists' of His time. What did they do?

Isaiah 5:13: "Therefore, My people are gone into exile because they have no knowledge, and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude is dried up with thirst."

God is saying that His people are going into exile because they have no knowledge. We see that when Christ came, it was the same thing. But there were some people who were taking away that key of knowledge purposely. That's why He said:

Woe to you because you are not letting others enter, because you yourselves are not entering and you are not letting others enter.

But we know that even back in ancient Israel they did not have knowledge.

• What is this key of knowledge?
• What is He referring to?

We're going to read in Matthew that are going to give a little bit of inkling of what He's talking about. Then we'll go ahead and see if we can find out what is this key of knowledge that He was talking about.

Matthew 9:9: "And passing from there, Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and said to him, 'Follow Me.' And he arose and followed Him. Then it came to pass when Jesus sat down to eat in the house that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And after seeing this, the Pharisees said to His disciples, 'Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?' But when Jesus heard it, He said to them, 'Those who are strong do not have need of a physician, but those who are sick. Now, go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance'" (vs 9-13).

This is a key command, He tells them to "…go and learn what this means…" Do this! It was the Pharisees here and the doctors of the Law.

This is the same group of people and the same reason, they have taken away the key of knowledge.

Verse 13: "Now, go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'…."

Matthew 12:1: "At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath Days; and His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck the heads of grain and to eat them. But after seeing this, the Pharisees said to Him, 'Behold, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath'" (vs 1-2).

Who? The doctors of the Law, the Pharisees and scribes, those who set themselves up in the position and they were telling people what is lawful and what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath! Notice Jesus' response:

Verse 3: "But He said to them, 'Have you not read… [pointing back to the Word of God[] …what David did when he himself and those with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God and he ate the loaves of showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but for the priests only?'" (vs 3-4).

So, Jesus is acknowledging that there's something written in His Word what David did that was not lawful for him to do.

Verse 5: "Or have you not read in the Law… [pointing to the writings and the Law] …that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?"

They're doing all this physical work, they're butchering all these sacrifices and doing all these offerings, they're busy and working a lot "…and are guiltless."

Verse 6: "But I say to you, there is One here Who is greater than the temple."

Not just the priests, not just the sacrifices, but the temple itself. Here's another connection to what we just read in Matt. 9. He says:

Verse 7: "Now, if you had known… [past tense because He already told them]… what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless."

Jesus is saying that 'My disciples are guiltless. They're plucking grains on the Sabbath and they are guiltless, and the priests are guiltless. He's talking about Himself when He says, "…there is One here Who is greater than the temple."

It's interesting that He first tells them in Matt. 9 "…go and learn what this means…" and then later on another thing happens and He tells them…

I wonder if they worked together and knew each other, and it says 'doctors of the Law' in Luke and here it talks about the Pharisees.

The Pharisees are the same one that He told to 'go learn what this means,' and then they come back and accuse Him. And He says, '…if you had known what this means…you would have not condemned the guiltless."

What does it mean: "…I desire mercy and not sacrifice…"? Jesus was telling them to go and read that; go and read "…I desire mercy and not sacrifice…"

"…go and learn what this means…" (Matt. 9:13). Let's try to do that right now, today.

This passage is in Hosea, let's turn there. The Pharisees didn't do that, but we can do that. We can learn what this means. "…I desire mercy and not sacrifice…"

It's very interesting when we come to Hosea, where Jesus was pointing the Pharisees to go, and we read what this means.

Hosea 6:6: "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." The knowledge of God!

Then we can see that there's key of knowledge that they have taken away because of what they were doing. This key of knowledge is the knowledge of God!

"…go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice" (Matt. 9:13) He purposely omitted the next part of the verse; Jesus quote only the first half of the verse in Hosea. The second part is the key and what He wanted them to do:

"…and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (v 6).

He even told them Who He was; He said, "…there is One here Who is greater than the temple." Who can be greater than the temple except God Himself? Nobody can! Only God in the flesh Himself would have been greater than the temple. He was revealing Himself to them! If they would have known and gone to the Word of God, if they would have studied what this means and understood that what God really wants is mercy and not sacrifice. He desires the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings!

That knowledge of God was right there in front of them, for them to know! The good news for us, brethren, is that we have God right in front of us right now in our Bibles; that knowledge of God, that is the key of knowledge, knowing Him!

Obviously, that is tremendous and infinite! The knowledge of God is infinite and His Word is infinite! It can be studied for years and years and never come to a full 100% of understanding of all of it. But the knowledge of God is that key of knowledge!

• Why is the knowledge of God the key of knowledge?
• What were the Pharisees doing?
• What were the doctors of the Law doing?
• What were they doing that did not allow people to enter?

Jesus said, 'You do not enter yourselves, and you don't allow others to enter.'

• Why? Because you're not knowing God! You're not coming to know God!

That is the key of knowledge, the knowledge of God!

Once we understand a little bit more of this knowledge of God, we understand a little bit more what it really means to know God and have this key of knowledge, it's a relationship with God, not just the knowledge. It's knowing God.

It's our relationship with God; it's knowing God. That why it says, 'the knowledge of God'; it's:

• Do you know Me?
• Do I know you?

That's the most important thing in our lives! What we have is the precious opportunity to do exactly what Jesus Christ told these Pharisees to do.

I have to be honest with you, I grew up in the Churches of God since I was three years old, my father was baptized. But there is some part of that mentality that was inculcated to me personally since I was very young, of similar things about religion. To a certain extent—and I know we have all gone through some of this—it hampered our growth and development and knowledge. But it's part of the process; nothing catches God by surprise!

But when we come to understand that it is that personal intimate relationship with God that is the key of knowledge. That is the knowledge of the Lord, the knowledge of God. That's exactly what He desires. Then everything begins to make sense and things start to connect about:

• the Word of God
• the experiences that we had
• our trials and difficulties
• the future that God has for us
• the promises
• all of these wonderful things

It is God Who is doing it! This is an active relationship. That's exactly what He desires!

The book of Psalms is one of the books that most expresses the feelings of God in all kinds of different ways. The feelings of man and what this relationship is all about. The book that pictures that intimate level of what it is might be the book of Psalm as to what this really is, the heart of the matter. God says, 'David is a man after My own heart!' It does reflect that relationship and the purpose that God has for each and every one of us; to get to know Him in an intimate relationship!

That's one thing that Fred is always point us to. He's always pointing us to God. He says, 'Go to God and ask Him, you pray and study, because that is the key of knowledge. That's why Fred is enabling us to have that key of knowledge, to understand and have a deep personal relationship with God that matters. That is living and active in everything!

Psa. 139 really expresses a lot of what it really comes down to, this relationship.

Psalm 139:1: "O LORD, You have searched me and have known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You measure my going about and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways, for there is not a word on my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, You know it altogether" (vs 1-4).

• Do we believe this?
• Do we know?
• Do we believe with all heart that God knows everything that happens to us?

Nothing catches God by surprise! It all has a purpose and Rom. 8 says that it all works together!

• Do we believe this?
• Do we feel this?

Verse 5: "You have enclosed me behind and in front, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it" (vs 5-6).

How can we attain to the Creator of the universe, the Creator of everything that there is has called us personally? Has not only called us, but He has created us from conception. He created us for a purpose; He knew who we were from the womb! It's amazing.

Verse 7: "Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?"

When we understand that we cannot get away from God, and we don't want to get away from God. Jonah did, but we don't want that.

Verse 8: "If I go up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in the grave, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the farthest parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me" (vs 8-10).

This goes both ways; we cannot hide from God, but we don't want to. Even in the furthest most parts of the sea, He will hold us. That's a promise! It may not be written as a promise, but that's exactly what it is. "Even there Your hand shall lead me…" So, no matter what happens, no matter what circumstances happen in our lives:

• He is with us
• He will lead us
• He will guide us

He holds us in the palm of His hands IF—there is one condition—we yield to Him, come to Him and seek Him with all our heart! IF we seek the knowledge of God with all of our heart, mind, soul and being!

This is the key; this is exactly what Jesus was telling the doctors of the Law! They had taken away the key of knowledge!

So, the key of knowledge is for us to come to God and have that relationship as a father with a child. The father wants to teach the child, and the child comes to the father. We're being guided by Hi Word, guided by Jesus Christ by His Word when we study and pray. We are guided by the key of knowledge. God can and will reveal all of these things to us IF we come to Him!

It very interesting how God wrote. It says: Acts 17:28: "For in Him we live and move and have our being…"

It's kind of like the first ten verses of Psa. 139, whether we like it or not, we are created in Him; He created us and we have His handprint all over us, because He made us, He fashioned us with His hands. He didn't speak us into existence like the rest of the creation. He fashioned us with His hands from the clay, each and every one of us. He did it with Adam and He carries through. It's automatic and it carries on through.

He fashioned us that way, and it's amazing when we understand that that relationship is really going to take our spiritual growth and development to the next level. It's only that relationship with God. It's throwing ourselves into His arms, and into the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Master, to teach and guide us in everything. It's that relationship that enables it.

It's amazing when we think about it. How were the Ten Commandments written? In such general form, Exo. 20, one-by-one. It says to keep the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy and it says you and your servants shall not work. And 'you shall not have any other gods before Me.'

• What does that mean?
• How do we apply that?

It's very general!

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. It's very specific, but at the same time it's very general.

There is not a specific list of every single do and don't for the Sabbath Day. There are guidelines, for sure, and there are things like Isa. 58, not doing your own pleasure, not speaking your own words, not going about your business. There are enough guidelines, because God doesn't want us to worship Him in ignorance.

There's enough guidelines for us to know and understand the basic framework and the council, for example how to keep the Sabbath or how not to have any other gods before Him.

• What does that mean?
• What does that look like?
• What does it mean not to have any other gods before Him?
• What does it look like when we do have another god before us?

Temporarily, maybe, or in our mind or things that's He's working on in our heart and mind.

• What does that mean?

God wrote them general because He wasn't going to put a set of 'dos and don'ts' for every single aspect of life, because God says,

I want them to come to Me. Then I will guide you personally, specifically, in your circumstances, where you are, based on everything that you are.

• the generalities are going to be the same
• the framework is going to be the same
• the commandments is the same
• the foundation is the same

But how that looks in your life, it's a matter of a personal relationship. The more we know Him, the more we will:

• fear Him
• obey Him
• love Him
• grow in that relationship

That's the key of knowledge, that relationship with God!

That's why He sends them to Hosea 6:6 and said: "…"…go and learn what this means…" and the knowledge of God…" that's what He said, 'I'm One greater than the temple.' He said it many times in many different ways, that He was the Son of God. He said it many different times in many different ways so that they would come to know Him. That is the knowledge of God.

Have a relationship with Him and that's exactly what His disciples said. They had a relationship with Him, and many times they didn't understand Him. They didn't have the Holy Spirit in them, yet, but it was with them.

It's that relationship that opens up a whole new dimension, a whole new level in our relationship and in our growth and development that God wants us to have.

Steve was talking about how God is excited! He's excited about our development, just like we are excited about the development of our children: how they're growing, learning and change. We don't want them to grow, change and develop apart from us. We love them and we know that we are responsible for them:

• for their development
• teaching them
• loving them
• showing them how much we care

so that they grow strong, confident and become everything that they can become! Spiritually, it's the same for us. God is responsible for us. He will not leave us or forsake us if we come to Him.

Let's see something else about this knowledge and this relationship!

Psalm 14:4: "Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge…?" This is the truth, because there's no knowledge of God! That's why He says:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because they don't know Me. They don't Who their Savior is, their Deliverer! They don't know Me!

They think they can do one thing or another thing, maybe if they cry out enough. Maybe I'll give them manna, maybe I'll give them meat, maybe I'll give them water.

They don't know Me! They don't know My power!

That's what David is saying here in:

Psalm 14:4: "Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, those who devour My people as men eat bread and do not call upon the LORD?"

That's what it's talking about, the knowledge of the Lord! That's what it's talking about the knowledge of the Lord! We're going to study a little bit about this knowledge in the context of relationship; we have to put everything in the context of this relationship with God, knowing and loving Him.

Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God… [if we want to know God, just look at the heavens] …and the firmament proclaims His handiwork." This gives us part of the knowledge of God!

Verse 2: "Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they reveal knowledge"—the knowledge of God!

• How did He do all that there us?
• How does He sustain life?
• How does He do that?
• How did He create the entire environment for us to dwell in?

He has given us absolutely everything that there is for our sustenance!

Verse 3: "There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." God has made Himself manifest to us, and all His creation!

Verse 4: "Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man set to run a race… [run from east to west every day] …its going forth is from one end of heaven, and its circuit is to the other end. And there is nothing hidden from its heat" (vs 4-6).

Then He goes on and the point here is that all these things declare to us Who God is! They really tell us who He is and we have a little bit more knowledge of God.

Then it goes into the other verses and what is this perfect knowledge of God. We go from the physical to the spiritual, and that's the way that we learn and grow; that's the way that God has designed it. This Psalm tells it perfectly.

We first learn about the foundation, the basics, His Laws and all of these fundamental things. Then we continue to go on from there. We never leave this, obviously. This is the foundation! But:

Verse 7: "The Law of the LORD is perfect…" We've seen the all the creation, all the physical stuff, and now we start to see the spiritual:

"…restoring the soul…" (v 7). God Himself is His Law!

"…the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart…" (vs 7-8)—because we get to know Him!

That's the reason they rejoice the heart. We get to know how He thinks. We get to know His thought processes, and His desire for everybody, if we think about it. His precepts are for us to love our neighbor as our selves:

• to be kind
• to not steal
• to give
• to ultimately have His nature of:
• giving instead of stealing
• tell the truth instead of lying
• honesty and up front with people
• mercy

That's why with mercy and truth, mercy always comes first!

Verse 7: "…the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."

Why? Because wisdom is the knowledge of God! Wisdom is having the mind of Christ in us!

Verse 8: "The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart…"

That's one of the fruits of the Spirit, the second one right after love, which is the essence of what God is: joy!

"…the commandments of the LORD are pure, enlightening the eyes" (v 8)—allowing us to see God for Who He is! Having that knowledge, that knowledge, and that all the doctors of the Law try to take away. How did they try to take away? They said,

Let's just come up with all the possible rules and regulations that we can about the Sabbath so that nobody ever breaks the Sabbath! We're going to take care of that! We're going to ensure that we put this --- and it's going to be full-proof if you take care of every single commandment written here. In fact we'll put little checkboxes on the left and just check the box and then you're good. You kept the Sabbath, congratulations! You kept it perfectly and didn't break it.

We'll have national security and we'll not be captive again; we will be a nation under God.

What have they just done? They've taken away the key of knowledge! They said:

There's no need to go to God, you can stay with us, listen to us and we'll tell you what to do. You obey and you're good.

They've taken away exactly what God's desire was! That's why He said:

Woe to you! You're preventing those who enter, and you yourselves do not enter, because all you're busy with is putting all these laws and regulations.

How many of us have been in churches of the world, and sometimes even in the Churches of God where all we're busy with is physical stuff.

We're not going to God when were all busy with all of these things. It's time for us to go to God! It's been said through many messages recently that this is the time. All of this stuff that is going around, this is the time to go on our knees and come to the Word of God. We have nowhere else to go. He is our Tower of Refuge; He is our strong tower. There's nobody like Him!

It's the perfect time, brethren, to come to God! He knows that our nature is that unless we are afflicted we don't come to Him. We are being afflicted and oppressed right now, absolutely:

• by governments
• by corporations
• by all kinds of things and people

We are! It's just what it is! But God means it for good, because everything works together for good. What He wants for us, brethren, is to go to Him, seeking Him, seeking God Himself in a relationship! That's exactly what He wants.

That's why it was so damnable what they were doing, putting all these sets of rules and dos and don'ts.

Sometimes it's our nature: 'just tell me, show me.' Instead of coming to God, sometimes we go to people. In the beginning, it's fine, when we're new to the Truth and in the Church. That's fine! That's fine to help one another and encourage one another and share with one another the things that we're learning. But ultimately it's all about coming to God!

That's what it's all about. That each one of us can grow and develop in our relationship with God enough so that we have that relationship and we know that we know Him. We know that He loves us and we see His work in our lives. Then we can continue to grow, because that's exactly what God meant. He said,

I'm going to write My Laws general enough so that they come to Me. So they have a relationship with Me. Then I will guide them. I will show them the wondrous things out of My Law.'

Just like David prayed in Psa. 119; he said:

Show me, God; show me, Lord, wondrous things. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things out of Your Law!

Just like here! All of these wonderful things!

Verse 9: "The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether." Those are the wondrous things out of His Law!

Verse 10: "More to be desired than gold, yea, much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."

There is nothing better than the knowledge of Holy One! Nothing better than knowing our Creator; knowing that we are in His heart, because we love Him!. It's true! Know that He is in our heart and that Jesus Christ dwells in our heart! That's exactly what He said:

• John 15—'Dwell in Me and I in you.'
• John 14—'We will come and make Our abode in you, and with you.'

That's the promise; that's what They said!

This is not an allegory, this is not nice speech; this is reality! They made us to have Their Holy Spirit! They made us to dwell in us! That's what They made us for; that's our purpose! That's exactly what They want. That's why They're more desire to me than fine gold and sweeter than honey in the honeycomb. Why? Because They created everything there is! What They are offering is not gold, silver, riches and all that. That stuff is nice, but it never fills anyone. Those are just things!

God Himself fills us! When we have God, we have everything; everything that we can desire. That's why 'David said, 'You [God] are my portion. The only thing that I desire. There's nothing more on the earth.'

Prov. 2 also talks about knowledge, and the knowledge of God in the context of relationship. That's what it's all about! That's the key of knowledge!This is what God wants! This is in relationship; this is why He put it this way. We understand that He inspired—probably David—to tell these words to Solomon, and then Solomon wrote them in the Psalms. But this is God's Father also to us:

Proverbs 2:1: My son, if you will receive my words… [the Word is Jesus Christ; we receive His words] …and treasure up my commandments within you." It's foundational; it starts with the commandments!

• that's the foundation
• that's how we start
• that's what He calls us into

Into a relationship with Him in covenant:

• through His laws
• through the rules that He has determined

General enough so that He can teach us as specific individually!

"…treasure up my commandments within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom… [this is the relationship] …and apply your heart to understanding" (vs 1-2).

• Understanding what?
• Understanding Who?
• Understanding God Himself!
• Understanding the work that He's carrying out in our lives!

So that we're not walking blindly and in fear, knowing and understanding that He has plan and purpose for us!

Verse 3: "Yea, if you cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding."

Lord, I don't know why these things are happening! But You know! Show me, comfort me, and If I'm not to know right now, please just give me comfort, mercy and peace.

Verse 4: "If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures."

"…cry after knowledge…" (v 3)—the knowledge of God! Not just the knowledge of things that are happening in our lives, but the knowledge of God.

• How are You?
• What are you doing in my life?
• What is Your purpose?
• What are you working?
• What are my abilities?
• What are the things that you want to develop?
• What are my weaknesses?
• What are the things that You want to get rid of in me?

We can't get rid of anything of ourselves! We know that there's nothing good in us; that every single thing that is good comes from God. There is no good in us, except what God has put in us, and that is the true goodness. That's exactly what this relationship is all about.

Verse 4: "If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures,"

If we knew that there was a treasure in our backyard buried somewhere, and we knew for a fact that there is:

• Wouldn't we spend all our time digging for that?
• Wouldn't it consume us?
• Wouldn't it be like something that drives us?

That's exactly what God is saying here. It's like the knowledge of God! That's exactly what it should be like for us. To seek for that knowledge and understanding in constant prayer. That's why all the people of God pray all the time.

We have the example of Daniel, three times a day they came to God often, because they knew it's about a relationship. It is about God Himself. And this is what will happen:

Verse 5: "Then you shall understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."

This is God telling us in v 1: "My son… [and daughter] …if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you."

Do we love the Word of God, brethren! If we do that is the most important thing and what's going to give us the understanding and the true fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God, getting to know Him as we come to Him! That's the key of knowledge! That is exactly what He's talking about here.

Verse 6: "For the LORD gives wisdom; out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." The knowledge of God from His own mouth it comes!

He can reveal it to us, because we not only have His Word, we have the Holy Spirit to be able to understand His Word, to be able to understand His feelings. Sometimes the emotional part and component of it doesn't come unless He gives us more of that Holy Spirit so that we can really see Him for Who He is. That's what it's all about! That's exactly what it's all about! "…out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding."

Proverbs 1:4--this is the purpose of the Proverbs: "To give prudence to the simple, knowledge… [the knowledge of God] …and discretion to the young man." That's the purpose of Proverbs! That's what we are to seek.

Proverbs 8:4—this is Wisdom calling, God Himself: "To you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand wisdom; and, you fools, be of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things" (vs 4-6). This is going to tell us more about God!

Verse 7: "For my mouth shall speak truth…"

Isn't it amazing how He connects? Jesus Christ said, 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.' The mouth of Wisdom shall speak truth! Basically speaking of Jesus Christ and Who He is, the whole person: 'the stature and measure of the fullness.' That's exactly what that is.

"…and wickedness is an abomination to my lips' (v 7). That's the beginning! You have to hate wickedness, because God has determined what is righteousness!

He also says in Psa/ 134, 'Taste and see that the Lord is good!' and 'all His commandments are good, sweeter than honey.'

Verse 8: "All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing twisted or perverse in them. They are all plain to him who understands…" (vs 8-9)—the one who is seeking God, because only God can give understanding!

• No man can!
• No religion can!

There's not a set of dos and don'ts! For every single thing, we have to come God! We want to come to God. He wants us to come to Him. It's all about developing that relationship:

• in His Law
• in His righteousness
• in His love and compassion
• in His understanding His nature

That's what He really wants!

"…and right to those who find knowledge" (v 9)—because we're seeking Him! Seeking that knowledge of Him!

Verse 10: "Receive my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold… [the knowledge of the Holy One] …for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it" (vs 10-11).

We're fools if compare them to it. There is nothing, nothing like the promises that God has for us. There is nothing like God Himself, His mind and His love and heart. It just 'blows our mind' when we really think about it, that that's His very nature that He wants to give to us. Nothing to be compared with it!

Verse 12: "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion"—the knowledge of God!

And it tells  us specifically what to do; v 13: "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil…" That's why He starts with the Law, because we first have to know what evil is.

"…I hate pride…"(v 13)—the root of the evil! Pride is the root of the evil. That was the very first sin. That was the sin of Satan! Pride! 'I will ascend, and I am this and that, and I will ascend and be like the Most High!'

"…I hate pride and arrogance…" (v 13). Very clearly stated here how it starts: By the fear of the Lord hating evil, understanding that evil comes from pride and arrogance!

"…and the evil way, and the perverse mouth" (v 13). But it starts with pride and arrogance! Then He continues that with evil deeds and ways.

Then the perverse mouth, because then it becomes what's in the heart. 'Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.'

This is also lining out exactly what is the root of the problems: pride and arrogance, which leads to evil ways, evil deeds that we do. Then the perverse mouth that is speaking out of a perverse heart, which we know we have a deceitful heart.

That's the fear of the Lord, to hate evil and abhor ourselves, to really abhor what we are by nature. It's not good what we are, but what is good is God and what He wants to do and is doing in our lives!

We better believe it! That's what He has called us to!

Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding." Tie in what we saw in Hosea 6!

That's what's going to lead us. It's going lead us to mercy and not sacrifice. It's going to lead us to be a merciful person to be merciful like God is merciful. That's why it says, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'

He wants us to have the knowledge of God. That's exactly what He desires for us. "…the knowledge of the Holy is understanding." That's the definition of understanding! Knowledge of the Holy, our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!

That's what this is all about! As we have heard many times, we know it, it's not a 'religion'! It's a way of life! It's a relationship! It's based on a relationship with God!

• that is the key of knowledge
• that is how we enter
• that is why Jesus was so upset with the doctors of the Law

That's all they were doing: Checkboxes! Lists! Trying to earn salvation by yourself apart from God!

God said, 'No! I set it this way, I set it in motion this way so that you do it. Even the commandments of the Feasts. Many other things are general, even when He expounded upon them and magnified that Law. He said it was in the mind and heart. He didn't expound it, because there is no such thing. His Law is infinite!

Even what the Pharisees and doctors of the Law and the Talmud and Judaism… it still falls short! There are thousands of regulations, and they still fall short of the goal! His Law is spiritual and it's infinite, and it's all about a relationship with God!

Proverbs 12:1: "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."

• Who corrects us?
• Who teaches us knowledge?

The Bible says that it is God! In one of the Psalms it says, 'Shall He not correct? shall He not teach?' Shall we not know He Who teaches knowledge to men? It says: "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge…"

• IF we love the instruction of God
• IF we learn the lessons of the things that we do wrong
• IF we learn the lessons of the things that happen to us
• IF we love that instruction:

• What am I supposed to learn, Father?
• What am I supposed to learn, Lord?

IF we do that, that's the knowledge that we're increasing that relationship, we're enhancing that relationship. He's getting to know us and we're getting to know Him, because that's what it's all about. That's the key of knowledge!

"…but he who hates correction is stupid." But if we take correction the way that God means it, then we're wise!

• He will instruct us
• He will guide us
• He will get all those lessons out

Proverbs 13:16: "Every prudent man deals with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly."

Prudent means before it happens! Having prudence is perceiving what's coming! Now is the time to be prudent! To be prudent means to go to God now! That's what we need to do! We need to continue to go to God in our relationship, seeking Him, seeking the person, not just the blessings, not just relief! That too, that is good, and He wants us to pour out our heart to Him, that's part of it. But seeking Him, His very person and nature in our heart and mind!

As we do that, He will provide plenty of opportunities. We always have an opportunity to go on our knees before God and do this. To be prudent and filled with knowledge:

Father, show Yourself to me! Lord, teach me Who You are and how You are, and who I am and what You want me to become! Teach me that!

"…but a fool lays open his folly."

• it's about coming to God
• it's about that relationship

Psalm 94:10: "He who chastens the nations, shall He not correct? He who teaches man knowledge, shall not He know?"

Who is it that teaches knowledge? The Lord God! Jesus Christ and God the Father! They teach man knowledge. They want to teach us knowledge!

Verse 11: "The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." But They want us to not have vain thoughts! That want us to have our thoughts on Them!

Verse 12: "Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD to teach him out of Your Law."

We are all blessed! We are so very blessed! We see all the prayer requests that come and all the trials and tribulations that we're all going through. Those are blessings, because that's part of the chastening of the Lord, to teach us out of His Law. That's what He is doing! That's exactly what He's doing; these are blessings!

We're all going through trials and tribulations and they are blessings so that He may teach us and prepare us, because this is not about time. This is about being ready for His Kingdom spiritually.

How are we going to be ready? By knowing God! That's the key of knowledge! By having a deep, profound, meaningful, active, living relationship with God! That's what it's all about, brethren; that is the key of knowledge!

There is so much in the Proverbs and Psalm—and throughout the Bible—about the knowledge of God. That's what it's all about. It's about our relationship.

Proverbs 21:11: "When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise; and when the wise is instructed…"

We are the wise, to one degree or another we have some level of wisdom, because God has given us that. He has opened our eyes and we are getting wise. That's the process that we're all in. All of us have wisdom, because we know God! To what degree? That's an independent individual thing! But we all have wisdom. That's why these verses apply to all of us.

"…and when the wise is instructed he receives knowledge" (v 11). We see a little bit more about God in that instruction! It's both instruction and correction and through both of them we receive knowledge!

• through the trials
• through the afflictions
• through the joys
• through the successes
• through the deliverance

There are many times when God delivers us!'

The Book of Remembrance and all of those memories and things; that's what we have to do. We have to do this. We have to encourage one another knowing that we are receiving knowledge of God. That's what we have to desire!

Our part is to yield to Him! To come to Him and say, 'Can you please teach me? Show me what to do.'

Whatever you do, we are His servants and we've signed up for this. We all made a covenant at baptism; we've pledged our lives! That is set in stone! That is done! Now we come to Him and ask Him with boldness:

Teach me! Show me! I love You! And You love me! Teach me! I want to walk together with You!

That's what it's all about, walking together with God!

Proverbs 23:12: "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge."

We are to apply our heart to loving our God with all of our heart; "Apply your heart to instruction…" the instruction by God Himself! It's a promise! Jesus Christ said, 'We will come and dwell, and make our abode in you!'

• IFwe apply our heart to instruction
• IFwe apply our heart and ask Him to teach us out of His Law
• IFwe apply our"…ears to the words of knowledge" (v 12).

Apply our ears to hearing His Word! To understand His purpose for us!

Many times it comes to through the Word of God, but other times it comes through others in our lives. That's what this is all about! This is about a relationship with God, about applying our heart to instruction and loving Him!

We don't have the time to go through all the other Scriptures that talk about this.

I hope that we're able to see what is the key of knowledge. It's that relationship with God that He wants! In Genesis it says that Enoch walked with God. Also, Noah walked with God!

There are many people who have walked with God. That means a relationship, because they were right there. In fact, at the end of the day what is it that Jesus tells the people who come and say, 'Lord, Lord did we not do this in Your name?' He said, 'I never knew you!' The knowledge of the Holy; that's what it's all about!

• Let's throw ourselves into God's arms!
• Let's throw ourselves into our Lord Jesus Christ's arms!

• embrace Them with all our heart
• to know Them in prayer
• to have conversations with Them
• to get to know Them
• to read Their words
• to see what They are like
• to ask Them what They are like
• to ask Them what our purpose is for us
• to have that active and living relationship

This is not a 'religion'; we know that! That's amazing when we understand this knowledge, because that's what He was reprimanding the doctors of the Law for, because they were the ones who knew most about the Law, and yet, they knew the least about God!

It's all about our relationship! Let's just continue to ask God to show us:

• Who He is
• Who He is in us
• who we are
• the purpose that He has for us

Let's continue to work on our personal relationship with God, because that is what it's all about, that is the key of knowledge!

Scriptural References:

• Luke 11:52
• Isaiah 53:11
• Isaiah 5:13
• Matthew 9:9-13
• Matthew 12:1-7
• Hosea 6:6
• Psalm 139:1-10
• Acts 17:28
• Hosea 6:6
• Psalm 14:4
• Psalm 19:1-8, 7-10
• Proverbs 2:1-5, 1, 6
• Proverbs 1:4
• Proverbs 8:4-13
• Proverbs 9:10
• Proverbs 12:1
• Proverbs 13:16
• Psalm 94:10-12
• Proverbs 21:11
• Proverbs 23:12

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Romans 8
• Exodus 20
• Isaiah 58
• Psalm 119
• John 15; 14
• Psalm 134

EE:bo
Transcribed: 6/14/21