Yada Yada Knowledge

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

In my search for the fear of the LORD this year I am certainly in need of both wisdom and understanding. See how key knowledge of the Holy One is. I need to know God, not just know about God. The Hebrew for knowledge, yada, is experiential knowledge, not merely head knowledge.

Think of your neighbors—some you’ve heard talk about, some you wave at in passing, some you’d invite in for a cup of tea and share your heart with.

As a young girl in Canada I was enthralled with the royal family, particularly the then princess Elizabeth, and I had (still have) the scrapbook to prove it. When I was 9 the princess and her husband Philip did a whistle-stop tour through Canada and we all rushed to the nearest train station for a glimpse of the couple. When I was 17 the then Queen Elizabeth visited our hometown. I got to stand on the steps of the City Hall as one of the Girl Guide (Girl Scout) honor guard. I knew many things about Her Highness, but I certainly didn’t know her.

Many knew about the Lord, but didn’t know Him. The Israelites, especially the priests, knew and followed God’s Law to the tenth of their mint and dill and cummin, yet they ignored justice and mercy and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23). They operated out of head knowledge. If they had had a yada relationship with the Holy One they would have lived in awe and reverence of His holy name.

And so I seek that yada knowledge: if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5).

Nancy P

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV 1973, 1978, 1984, unless otherwise noted.