03 – The Spirit of Knowledge

Proverbs 2:5 (NASB95): 5 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord

And discover the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 9:10 (NASB95): 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

On Spiritual Man’s Faculties – 7

1. On Menorah
   • a tree with 7 branches
   • progressing into
     • maturity and
     • fruitfulness
2. On man being the image of God
3. Natural ones – Spiritual ones
   • Seeing colors
   • Hearing notes
   • Tasting flavors
     

     

   • Smelling smells
   • Touching textures
     • temperature, smoothness, weightiness, speed of movement, shape, softness or hardness, responsiveness
   • Feeling Emotions
     • 人的七种感情，一般指喜、怒、哀、惧、爱、恶（wù）、欲。
     • Joy, Anger, Sorrow, Fear, Love, Hate, Lust
   • Thinking thoughts

Two imaginaries to illustrate how natural man gain knowledge

• cultivating a grape vine of a fruit tree
• growth of a natural man’s intelligence and capacities from babe to a matured man

From babe to full-fledged man: different stages of the activation of faculties and the development of capacities

Hebrews 5:12–14 (NASB95): you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

• Maturity
  • Training thru practice
  • Discernment

Word Study: Knowledge or discernment

1847. דַּעַת da˓ath, dah’-ath; from 3045; knowledge:— cunning, [ig-]norantly, know (-ledge), [un-] awares (wittingly).

דַּעַת n.f. (m.) knowledge (prop. Inf.) —

1. a. knowledge, _perception in phrase ˊבִּבְלִי ד‍ = _unintentionally; without knowing ˊמִבְּלִי ד‍ (= before they knew it, suddenly).b. = skill (in workmanship, (sq. inf.); creative skill.

   c. of proph. knowledge.

   d. esp. knowledge with moral quality.

   e. knowledge possessed by God; taught by God to men.

   f. דַּעַת־רוּחַ = windy (unreal) knowledge.

2. esp. in WisLit = discernment, understanding, wisdom:a. wisdom of magicians.

   b. in highest sense, knowledge of God (incl. obedience);

   c. opp. אִוֶּלֶת.

848c דַּעַת (daʿat) knowledge.

848d יִדְּעֹנִי (yiddĕʿōnî) familiar spirit.

848e מוֹדַע (môdaʿ), מֹדַע (mōdaʿ) relative.

848f מֹדַעַת (mōdaʿat) kindred, kinship, only in Ruth 3:2.

848g מַדָּע (maddāʿ) knowledge.

848h מַדּוַּע (maddûaʿ), מַדַֻּע (maddūaʿ) why?

This root, occurring a total of 944 times, is used in every stem and expresses a multitude of shades of knowledge gained by the senses. Its closest synonyms are bîn “to discern” and nākar “to recognize.” ……

Root of man’s problem: false or replaced source of knowledge

Genesis 3:7 (NASB95): Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Genesis 3:22–24: Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—

23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

Deuteronomy 1:39 (NASB95): ‘Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it.

• capacity
• nature of this knowledge
  • Self-awareness: Alienation of consciousness from the I AM
  • Good and evil: difference between man and God; natural and spiritual; man’s possessions or realities and God’s inheritance and eternity
  • Hierarchical construct: a false perception of a culture or relationship setup
• source
  • capacity vs content
  • from a wrong capacity
  • From a wrong reality or cosmos
  • Interests of man or the will of God
  • Relationship: orphan vs sonship

Remedy: gain the right kind of knowledge

1. Restore the right spiritual faculties

Isaiah 7:15–16 (NASB95): 15 “He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 “For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will

1. What is Knowing or Discerning
   2. What is to know or discerning
   3. Who rather than what
   4. From what to who
   5. From who to how
   6. From how to be (who am I)
   7. From be to what and how
   8. Review again the concept or framework of the seven spirits of God
2. Develop the right spiritual relationships or culture
   1. With God:
      1. As our God: the right honor and respect
      2. As our Father: the right kind of familiarity or intimacy
      3. To our Lord as a bond-slave
      4. To our Lord as a fellow son of God
         1. brother
         2. friend
   2. With our fellow man or neighbors
   3. With Evil

Matthew 10:16–17 (NASB95): 16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;

3. Learn, practice and teach this culture
   1. Receiving and giving
   2. From individual to corporate
4. From Knowledge to power or mastery