Learn of Jesus - Part 1, God Is the God of Knowledge

David W Palmer

(Matthew 11:29–30 KJV) “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye [you] shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus is very keen for us to learn and to gain knowledge; he wants us to learn about him and from him. In contrast, through the Old Testament prophet, God warned of the destructive danger of a “lack of knowledge”:

(Hosea 4:6 NKJV) “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me … .”

The devil is the destroyer, Apollyon (John 10:10, Rev. 9:11). He knows how destructive a lack of knowledge can be for us, so he wants us to be deplete of it. He attacks the youngest; he has done his best to make learning at school a nightmare for as many as possible. Satan knows that if he can keep us from knowledge—especially knowledge of God’s word—he can work his deadly, thieving destruction in our lives, unchecked.

Knowing the deadly danger we are in if we lack knowledge, Jesus is passionate for us to learn the truth and to increase in knowledge. That’s why he sent his Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth:

(John 16:13 NKJV) “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

In our first passage today (See: above), Jesus is showing us that he expects us to “learn of him”; that is, to learn about him, and to learn from him. Several ways to learn of Jesus are available to us, but the primary way is through diligent study of his word. We note that his requirement to study is definitely a “yoke” as he says, but it is a “light” yoke; in other words, we can do it with a bit of effort, and we will enjoy it if we make the time. Another way we learn of Jesus is by enjoying time with him: worshipping him, communing with him, and submitting to him, etc.

We will discover in this series of devotional studies what Jesus expects of us in this area, and all the ways to learn of Jesus. We will also explore God’s attitude to knowledge, and begin the process of applying it to our lives.

Learning and growing in knowledge is an important and exciting part of following Jesus. Only fools hate knowledge as the Word of God says:

(Proverbs 1:22 NKJV) “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.”

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit confirms the need to study God’s word; he says through the apostle Paul that one should:

(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) “Study to show thyself (yourself) approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

We are fulfilling this great expectation of Jesus right now as we study this very subject. So, let’s begin by investigating God’s attitude to knowledge.

The Lord Is The God Of Knowledge

(1 Samuel 2:3 NKJV) “Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.”

The very first thing we find is that the Lord is the “God of knowledge.” This tells us that God has closely connected and interrelated knowledge with himself. The Holy Spirit further bears witness to this in the New Testament when he speaks of the “depth and riches” of God’s knowledge:

(Romans 11:33 NKJV) “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

Today, I sincerely encourage you to take a new attitude to knowledge and learning. Despite the hurtful and discouraging experiences you may have had with learning or schooling in the past, begin to see learning and knowledge from God’s perspective:

Only fools hate knowledge (Prov. 1:22)

Fools die for lack of understanding (Prov. 10:21)

His people are destroyed for lack of it (Hos. 4:6)

He is the God of knowledge (1 Sam. 2:3)

His knowledge is deep and rich (Rom. 11:33)

The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God and is in you to help you grow in knowledge (1 Cor. 2:9–12).

Jesus said, “learn of me.”

Let’s ask God to forgive our poor attitudes to learning and knowledge, and ask him to help us learn. Let’s take Jesus’s “yoke” upon us today and begin learning of him, the Living Word of God:

(Matthew 11:29–30 KJV) “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye [you] shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”