2Pe 1:2-4, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature"
My attention was drawn to these verses this week-end ; and though it may sound as if I am over-emphasizing, I would like to advocate, once more, for all the advantages we can gain by knowing the LORD.
Verse 2 reminds us that even though Jesus has promised us peace, peace such as the world cannot give, we’ll never truly enjoy or experience it outside of the knowledge of GOD. Indeed, cancer is no longer scary when we know Jehovah Rapha. Unemployment does not destroy, when we are friends with Jehovah Jireh. In front of a difficult decision, when everything is absolutely blurry, it is reassuring to know Jehovah Rohi. When all sorts of enemies assail us, we can sleep peacefully when we know that Jehovah Sabbaoth is taking care of everything. And it is with an equally peaceful heart that we will go to court, with Jehovah Tsidkenu, to judge our cases.
Verse 3 lets us understand that the power of GOD, alone, is not enough to give us ALL that we need to live (physically and spiritually). One also needs to know Christ. It is these two, put together, that guarantees His great and precious promises for us and grant us a share in the divine nature – with all the advantages thereof. Remember the brother of the prodigal son (Luke 15). The social, material and financial power of his father had already provided for EVERYTHING, but the young man was not partaking in anything because he was ignorant of his rights and had a poor knowledge of his father. He thought the latter was unjust and biased whereas he was simply merciful and full of love. He thought his father enjoyed watching him conduct himself like one of his servants while his father was just wondering when on earth would his first son finally going to grow and reign. ALL was his, but unaware of this, he was enjoying nothing. Paul sums up this tragic situation saying: The heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything (Gal 4:1)
It is not for GOD or our pastor that we need to know the LORD: it is for ourselves. It is for our own good and advantage. Imagine someone ending up in prison for a $5,000-debt when his grandmother has left $100,000 in a box for him. However, this person, who has never bothered going through the old lady’s precious belongings/souvenirs, one by one, knows nothing about the money. Last winter, there was a shocking story in the news about a homeless guy who froze to death in the streets, just before learning that, for almost a year, he was legally entitled to 19 of the 300 million dollars which a distant aunt, who died in 2011, had left. The guy lived on the streets without knowing that a relative had made a colossal fortune. You can read the full story here. This is what happens when we don’t want to make the effort to find the rare pearl hidden in our garden; when we refuse to strive to know HIM: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children (Hos 4:6). Diamonds are not found on the surface, but in the deep; and one has to sweat to find them. If you want to remain at the surface, you’ll only get sand and, at the cost of it, you’ll get a life of sand too…
The knowledge of GOD that we are talking about has nothing to do with reciting GOD’s names or Bible verses. It is such an intimate knowledge that even the Hebrew and Greek words translated by knowledge in the Bible, are the same that are used to speak of sexual intimacy in a couple. Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain. They do not know me, declares the LORD… Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD (Gen 4:1, Jer 9:3 & 24). The same verb, yâda, is translated here by to know. Also, speaking of Joseph and Mary, it is written: (he) knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. And elsewhere, “knowing instantly within Himself that power had gone out of Him, Jesus turned Himself around…” (Mat 1:25, Mk 5:30). In both instances, it is the same verb, ginosko, which was used.
How then do we know HIM?
- Through the Holy Scriptures. The more we spend time on them, the more we’ll discover a bit about GOD’s mind, nature and character. We’ll also discover ourselves.
- Through prayer. The more we spend time conversing with HIM, the more He’ll reveal Himself to us.
- Through experience. When you have obeyed the commandment and seen the fabulous results, you know. The people of Samaria told their evangelist: It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world. And Job, also confessed: I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye has seen You (Jn 4.42, Job 42.5).
I could go on, but these are the main and surest channels that we have to know HIM. To make the best use of them, you must truly be hungry and thirsty to know Him. This is, at least, my prayer to you.
Have a great week and GOD bless you!
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