Isaiah 11:2c
2 And the spirit [ruwach] of the LORD [Yahovah] shall
rest [nuwach] upon him, the spirit [ruwach] of wisdom [chokmah] and
understanding, [biynah] the spirit [ruwach] of counsel [`etsah] and
might, [gabuwrah] the spirit [ruwach] of knowledge [da`ath] and
of the fear [yir'ah] of the LORD; [Yahovah] KJV-Interlinear
2 And the
Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the
Lord. NASB
Only believers in Jesus
Christ have an opportunity to have a relationship with God through Christ.
Only believers who are in
fellowship have a functioning spiritual environment in which to have a
spiritual life.
Prior to ones conception,
ones biological life is a potential. Conception may or may not occur. The human
egg has to be fertilized before biological life can begin.
Prior to birth, ones
human life is a potential. You have to have human life imputed into your soul
before you become a living human being. God determines the creation and timing
of your human life.
Prior to ones salvation,
your life with God is a potential. You have to believe in Christ before you
become saved.
Prior to growing up
spiritually, your spiritual growth is a potential, you have to live inside of
Gods class room (fellowship) before the spiritual growth process can be
effective in your life.
Prior to ones spiritual
growth, your spiritual life is a potential. You have to be willing to listen
and willing to learn before you can begin to grow.
That is where we are in
today's study.
The second of the seven
spirits is the spirit of knowledge, or the beginning of wisdom, is the word,
'chokmah.' This means perception. You have to have an open mind and be willing
to listen before this component of the spiritual life takes effect. Positive
volition is involved and you have to want to learn before you can begin to
learn.
In the spiritual life
this is one of the biggest barriers which prevents spiritual growth in most
people. They not only do not want to learn in accordance with Gods teaching
plan, but they are mostly indifferent toward anything which does not give them
what they want immediately.
Instant gratification is
one of the most difficult barriers you have to overcome before you can advance
in your spiritual life.
Too many people expect
temporal results from their spiritual relationship with God. They have no other
means of measuring their spiritual life. We say a prayer and we expect an
answer - and a good answer at that. If we don't get what we want, then our
attitude is that, 'All this Bible stuff doesn't work.' So we move on to
something else, which really is nothing else. We just lose interest in the
Bible and our study of it.
The Bible will not give
you the secret for a new rocket fuel, nor the plans for a new kitchen
appliance. All we get from the Bible are the stories of Adam and David and all
of the begets, and Elijah calling down lightning, and Mary and Joseph and the
baby Jesus and so forth. Sprinkle in a few prophecies and a few applicable
proverbs and that is really the content of what the Bible has to teach, to the
carnal person. That is all they see.
At least on the surface
it would seem that way to those who are not really interested.
The spiritual life is a
supernatural life, not an academic life. God sets out a plan for spiritual
growth and God expects us to follow His instructions exactly. If we do then
what happens?
We believe in Christ and
we are saved. We did not feel anything. Our hair color did not change. We did
not grow an inch taller, or become better at sports. Nothing appeared to have
happened, but God tells us that we are now saved. So we believe it. He sets the
rules and we merely follow them.
We commit sins in our
life. We confess them to God the Father. We did not feel anything. Our hair did
not change colors. We did not grow an inch taller, nor did we get better in
sports, but God tells us that we are now in a state of perfection which we call
fellowship, and in that state we have an open line with God. So we believe it.
He sets the rules which we follow.
We study Adam and Eve and
David and read what Paul wrote. We did not feel anything. Our hair color did
not change. We did not grow an inch taller, or become better at sports. Nothing
appeared to have happened, but God tells us that while in fellowship and while
we studied the Bible, He, by using the Holy Spirit who was in control of our
soul, taught us doctrine, and began the spiritual building process within our
soul. We believe it.
Spiritual growth is a
supernatural process, not an academic process. Any unbeliever, even Satan, can
read the Bible and learn it forwards and backwards. But it will do them
absolutely no good. They lack a spiritual life. They lack a human spirit. They
lack the communication mechanisms that the Holy Spirit provides. They do not
follow Gods rules, and therefore they do not get the spiritual benefits from
the Bible.
Gods house, Gods rules.
We have to follow them or we cannot expect any of the advantages of a
relationship with God.
The spirit of learning or
as it is called here, of knowledge (wisdom) begins with our positive volition.
It is our initial perception of that which we study. We have to want it, and we
have to pursue a daily learning or study process in order to learn it. You
cannot know what you do not learn. You cannot learn what you do not pursue in
study. You do not study unless you want to. And most folks do not pursue
anything unless they see some immediate benefit to them.
God makes all those
benefits clear and available to everyone when they are open minded, but to
those who allow their sin nature to rule them, then seeing past their own
immediate desires and wants and needs is difficult.
The first spirit,
fellowship. Do you remember how it is
obtained? Confession.
The second spirit,
knowledge. Do you remember this
function? Perception by means of a daily
study.
