Yada, Yada, Yada

This morning I am reading from Hosea, by way of Matthew 12:7. The sixth verse from Hosea 6 was quoted by Jesus as a rebuke to the Parisee's when they were questioning the disciples gleaning of a few heads of grain on the Sabbath. The point that Jesus was making is that they missed the point of the law, that of knowing God and His ways. Here are the verses from Hosea:

Hosea 6:3-4, 6 NIV
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. ” [4] “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. [6] For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Three times in these verses we see the word acknowledgement, which is translated from the Hebrew word - yada (thus my title). Although translated in the NIV acknowledgement, the word yada might be better translated to know. Here are excerpts from the definition:

b. to know, learn to know
1a c. to perceive
1a d. to perceive and see, find out and discern
1a e. to discriminate, distinguish
1a f. to know by experience
1a g. to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess
1a h. to consider
1. to know, be acquainted with
2. to know (a person carnally)
3. to know how, be skilful in
4. to have knowledge, be wise

- so much more than just acknowledgement.

In the verses from Hosea, if we replace acknowledgement with know ( in the full sense above) it would read:

Let us know the Lord; let us press on to know him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. ” [6] For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowing of God rather than burnt offerings.

That is my encouragement this morning, to know God. I do not want to be satisfied with how much I know Him now, but want to press on to know Him more. I want to have the knowing of God to be my great pursuit. Religion and the Law were meant to point us to God. He is the great treasure, not the rules or way of life. Let us make sure we love the Lord more than church!

Let us know (yada) the Lord and His ways, let us press on to know (yada) Him more, let us make this pursuit of knowing (yada) Him our life goal! It gives new meaning to yada, yada, yada! (Sorry Jerry)