Understanding The Fear Of The Lord And Knowing God

[2T3:16]

Proverbs 2

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

 

In math or logic we have objects called conditional statements. "If" something is true "then"something will follow. In Psalm 2:1 we "if thou" so that we know a conclusion may follow later. Psalm 3:1 has "Yea, if thou"so that the "hypothesis" is being expounded on. Again in Psalm 2:4 we see "If thou" yet again so the 'hypothesis"is continued. In Psalm 2:5 we see the conclusion is here because of the word "Then." Without going through the whole proverb(you can do that) let's try and understand this particular If-Then statement.

 

In the hypothesis we have: "receive my words" "hide my commandments with thee" "incline thine ear unto wisdom" "apply thine heart to understanding""criest after knowledge""liftest up thy voice for understanding" "seekest her as silver" "searchest for her as for hid treasures"

 

In the conclusion we have: "understand the fear of the LORD" "find the knowledge of God"

 

THAT IS A TREMENDOUS CONCLUSION!

 

You need to read and accept (receive)the word of God, memorize the word of God (hide my commandments),listen to the preaching of the word of God (incline thine ear). Now,if you watch a sport and you say "that player played with all his heart" then what do you mean? How hard and with what enthusiasm is that athlete playing? Well, you are supposed to do that when you are studying the word of God. You are to "apply thine heart to understanding." Applying your heart is what that motivated athlete does on the field. Applying your heart is to study to shew thyself approved. You are not supposed to be just asking questions but "criest after knowledge". Not whimper after knowledge but with your mouth seek it with passion as can also be seen in "liftest up thy voice for understanding". Now, if there was silver, gold, rubies, diamonds, sapphires hidden in your house or on your property then you would have a daily program to diligently search for those hid treasures. You wouldn't be watching football while there were rubies loose in your house. You would find those rubies and the game would come later. We see that ATTITUDE in"seekest her as silver" "searchest for her as for hid treasures". Well, are you searching for the treasures of God in,say, the Bible?

 

That is the kind of person that will know the fear of the LORD. That is the kind of person that will find the knowledge of God. Is that person you?

[John81]

Without a doubt there was a very dramatic change in my life when I applied myself to diligently reading and searching the Scripture.

 

From what I've observed over the years the biggest problem with professing Christians is their lack of attention to the Word. Various surveys over the years confirm this as well; even those surveys done among conservative and fundamental Christians have all indicated only a tiny few who give serious attention to the Word.

 

How I wish I had understood the importance of spending diligent time in the Word much sooner! At this point in my life I can't imagine not giving time to the Word daily.

[candlelight]

Without a doubt there was a very dramatic change in my life when I applied myself to diligently reading and searching the Scripture.

 

From what I've observed over the years the biggest problem with professing Christians is their lack of attention to the Word. Various surveys over the years confirm this as well; even those surveys done among conservative and fundamental Christians have all indicated only a tiny few who give serious attention to the Word.

 

How I wish I had understood the importance of spending diligent time in the Word much sooner! At this point in my life I can't imagine not giving time to the Word daily.

 

Amen, brothers! 

I did want to say something about the words, professing Christians.  I know an Orthodox/Hasidic Jewish man who once told me that he believes there are professing Christians and confessing Christians.  What he was saying is that those who spread the Word of God, pray, attend church, etc. are confessing Christians.  All others are professing Christians that do nothing to further the kingdom of God.  I thought that was interesting, coming from a lost person.  I also shared the Word of God with this man many times, and asked him to trust Jesus Christ, as his Personal Saviour, and he politely said, no.