A. INTRODUCTION
1. What is meant by “The Knowledge of God?” Not mere information about God, but a personal knowledge of God, Gen. 3:8; James 2:23; Deut. 34:10
2. Who in the Bible desires such knowledge?
(1) Christ prayed “that they might know thee,” John 17:3
(2) Moses prayed, “That I might know thee,” Ex. 33:13
(3) God desires for man to know Him, Hos. 6:6
3.What is the practical value of this knowledge?
(1) It is life, John 17:3
(2) It transforms, 2 Pet. 2:20; Jer. 22:16; Isa. 33:14-16
(3) It changes values, Luke 16:15; Matt. 23:23; 6:33
(4) It brings blessing, Isa. 64:4-5; 1 Cor. 2:9-10
(5) It changes methods, Isa. 55:8-9; Joshua 6:1-20; 1 Sam. 16:6-13; 17:38-40; 1 Cor. 1:26-29
(6) It brings influence with God, Jer. 15:1; Gen. 18:22-32; Num. 14:11-20
4. Point out God’s attitude toward this knowledge:
(1) God grieves over man’s lack of it, Jer. 9:3; Hosea 4:1; Heb. 3:7-10
(2) We are to increase in it, Col. 1:9-10
(3) We increase by growth, 2 Pet. 3:18; Mark 4:26-28; John 21:18-19
(4) We are to continue growing, Hosea 6:1-3
5. Point out what our attitude toward the knowledge of God should be:
(1) It should be highly valued, Prov. 2:1-5
(2) It should be earnestly desired, Prov. 2:1-5
(3) It should be diligently sought, Prov. 2:1-5; Heb. 11:6; Luke 11:9-10
(4) We should rejoice in it, Jer. 9:23-24
6. By what means may the knowledge of God be acquired?
(1) By revelation, Matt. 11:25-26
(2) By the Word, 1 Pet. 2:1-2
(3) By the Spirit, Eph. 1:17-18; 1 Cor. 2:9-16; 1 John 2:27
(4) By teaching, 2 Chron. 30:22; 1 Cor. 12:28; John 5:39-
44; Matt. 13:13-15; John 8:43, 47
(5) By relationship, Psa. 25:14; Gen. 17:1; 2 Kings 23:3; Gen. 5:22, 24
B. THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF GOD
1. Describe this spiritual nature:
(1) God is a Spirit, John 4:24
(2) God does not have a material body, Luke 24:39
(3) God is a living Spirit, 1 Thess. 1:9
(4) God is invisible, Col. 1:15
(5) God has nevertheless a form, Num. 12:8; Matt. 18:10: Ex. 33:21-23; Rev. 5:1-7
2. Point out essential attributes of God:
(1) God is self-existent, Ex. 3:14
(2) God is omnipresent, Jer. 23:24; Matt. 6:6
(3) God is omniscient, 1 John 3:20
(4) God is omnipotent, Jer. 32:27
(5) God is eternal, Isa. 57:15
(6) God is immutable, Num. 23:19
(7) God is holy, Isa. 6:1-7
3. Wherein does the manifest presence of God differ from His omnipresence? In that the unseen and unperceived presence of God is manifested to be perceived by the senses of man, Gen. 18:20-21: Gen. 18:1-2, 33; 1 Sam. 3:10; John 14:21
4. Give examples of the possibility of spirit beings manifested to the senses of man:
(1) To the sense of sight, Ex. 3:2; Luke 3:21-22; Acts 2:3
(2) To the sense of touch, Gen. 19:1, 16; Dan. 10:10; Acts 12:23
(3) To the sense of sound, Gen. 3:8 (R.V.) ; 2 Kings 7:6; Acts 2:2
5. Note man’s diverse behaviour toward the manifest presence of God:
(1) Some hide, Gen. 3:8 — Others seek, 2 Chron. 26:5
(2) Some walk out, Gen. 4:16 — Others draw near, Gen. 18:22-23
(3) Some flee from it, Jonah 1:3 — Others run to it, S. S. 1:4
(4) Some are troubled, Job 23:14-16 — Others rejoice, 2 Sam. 6:14
(5) Some displace His presence, Hos. 2:5-13; 5:6 — Others make a place for it, 1 Chron. 15:1
6. Note how man’s condition affects God’s attitude in relation to His presence:
(1) Some are kept at a distance, Ex. 19:12, 21-24 — Others are bidden to draw near, Ex. 24:12-18
(2) Some are cast out from it, Jer. 23:39 — Others may remain in it, Psa. 140:13
(3) To some He comes, Ex. 19:9 —From others He goes, Ezek. 9:3, 10:18, 11:23
7. To what is the presence of God likened?
(1) A hiding place, Psa. 31:19-20
(2) A delight, Psa. 16:11
(3) A refreshing, Acts 3:19
(4) Bread, Luke 6:3-4
(5) Rest, Ex. 33:14
(6) A home, Psa. 15
C. GOD’S FACULTIES OF COMMUNICATION
1. Which faculty is seen in Psa. 94:9a? — Hearing
(1) God hears what we say, Num. 12:1-3
(2) God hears prayer, Lam. 3:53-57
2. Which faculty is seen in Psa. 94:9b? — Sight
(1) God sees man’s ways, Prov. 5:21, 15:3
(2) God sees man’s heart, 2 Chron. 16:9
3. Which faculty is seen in Gen. 8:21? — Smell
(1) God discerns true worship, Rev. 5:8
(2) God discerns pseudo-worship, Isa. 1:11-17
4.Which faculty is seen in Jer. 1:9? — Touch
(1) The angel touched Elijah, 1 Kings 19:5-7
(2) The angel touched Jacob, 32.25" class="scriptRef">Gen. 32:25, 32
5. Which faculty is seen in Heb. 1:1-2? — Speech
(1) God speaks through His Word, Heb. 1:1
(2) God speaks by His Spirit, Acts 8:29
D. THE EMOTIONAL NATURE OF GOD
1. Which emotion is seen in Psa. 7:11? — Anger
(1) God was angry with Miriam, Num. 12:9-10
(2) God was angry with Moses, Deut. 3:23-28
2. Which emotion is seen in Psa. 149:4? — Pleasure
(1) God is pleased when we fear Him, Psa. 147:10-11
(2) God is pleased when we please Him, Prov. 16:7
3. Which emotion is seen in Gen. 6:6b? — Grief
(1) God grieves over the wickedness of man’s heart, Gen. 6:6-7
(2) God grieves over man’s ignorance of His ways, Heb. 3:10
4. Which emotion is seen in Neh. 8:10? — Joy
(1) God rejoices over a repentant sinner, Luke 15:10
(2) God rejoices when His people walk in His ways, Zeph.
3:17
5. Which emotion is seen in Psa. 5:5? — Hate
(1) God hates pride, lying and unrighteousness, Prov. 6:16-19, 8:13
(2) God hates the worship of the unjust and unrighteous, Amos 5:21-23
6. Which emotion is seen in 1 John 4:8-10? — Love
(1) God’s love is seen in the giving of His son, 1 John 4:9-10
(2) God’s love is seen in His kindness to man, 2 Sam. 9:9-13
7.Which emotion is seen in Ex. 34:14? — Jealousy
(1) God is jealous over misplaced worship, Deut. 6:13-15
(2) God is jealous when we give His glory to another, Isa. 42:8
8. Which emotion is seen in Deut. 32:35? — Revenge
(1) God takes vengeance on His enemies, Nahum 1:2
(2) God will revenge wrongs committed against His children, Rom. 12:19
9. Which emotion is seen in James 5:11? — Pity
(1) God pities those who fear Him, Psa. 103:13
(2) God has pity for man and beast, Jonah 4:11
E. THE SOCIAL NATURE OF GOD
1. Point out various aspects of the social relationship between God and man:
(1) God walks among His people, Lev. 26:11-12
(2) God walks with His people, 2 Sam. 7:7
(3) God dwells with His people, Isa. 57:15
(4) God dwells in His people, 2 Cor. 6:16
(5) God meets man, Num. 23:3-4
(6) God communes with man, Gen. 18:1, 33
2. List some privileges enjoyed by man in his relationship with God:
(1) God permits a love relationship, 2 Sam. 12:24; 1 Kings 3:3
(2) God offers presents, 1 Kings 3:5-9
(3) God permits intimacy, Ex. 33:11
(4) God reveals His ways, Psa. 103:7
(5) God shares secrets, Gen. 18:17, 19
(6) God reveals Himself, Num. 12:8
(7) God speaks directly, Num. 12:8
(8) God appreciates affection, Psa. 91:14-16
3. Show that God desires such a relationship:
(1) He remembers past relationships, Jer. 2:2
(2) He is provoked by indifference, Zeph. 1:4, 6
(3) He yearns for man, Hosea 14:1-9
(4) He wants to be wanted, Hosea 5:15
(5) He calls to man, Gen. 3:8-9
“THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE”
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Walter Beuttler (1904 - 1974)
Walter H. Beuttler was born in Germany in 1904. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1925. In 1931 he graduated from Central Bible Institute. He served on the faculty atWalter H. Beuttler was born in Germany in 1904. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1925. In 1931 he graduated from Central Bible Institute. He served on the faculty at Eastern Bible Institute from 1939-1972. During a campus revival in 1951, God called Beuttler to “go teach all nations,” and for 22 years he travelled around the world ministering the word of God. He retired in Shaverton, PA with his wife Elizabeth. There he continued his ministry until he went to be with the Lord in 1974."Spiritual hunger presupposes a spiritual capacity. Such hunger originates with God (John 6:44). This hunger is, in fact, God Himself hungering for Himself through our spirit on our behalf. It is the call of God for the truth for which we hunger and is at the same time a divine guarantee of its satisfaction when this hunger is not diverted into other channels and thereby destroyed. “Blessed are they that hunger—for they shall be filled.” The earnest seeker after the God of the Word as well as the word of God, can expect to find in these notes “treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places” (Isa. 45:3)."