.knowledge

^Proverbs 9:10 "The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. "

What is the definition of knowledge? If you were to define it.....what would you say? Most people would chime in something like: "Acknowledgement, grasp, comprehension, awareness, recognition" [and so on and so forth. You get the picture].

When I looked up that Hebrew word, though, the definition was quite different. "A sense of knowing by experience, relationship, or encounter." This new definition meant something very different.

The opposite of this knowledge is the moral, experiential knowledge of good and evil that was forbidden to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:9, 17.

As I cross referenced, I read some other convicting verses:

^Isaiah 5:13 "Therefore my people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude is parched with thirst."

^Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, i also will forget your children."

^Isaiah 53:11 "As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge of the Righteous One, my Servant will justify many."

In other words, because of the Israelite's lack of experiencing/encountering the Holy One, they perished. May we always strive to see, hear, and experience our God. And it starts with Loving Him (Num 6:24-26), Obeying Him (John 14:15), and Reading His Word (Psalm 119). Carpe Diem!