“Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel, the Lord had brought charges against you, saying, “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.” Hosea 4:1 NLT
The prophet Hosea, living in the northern kingdom of Israel, charged both his own people and the southern kingdom of Judah, with lacking three things: faithfulness, love, and the knowledge of Yahweh. Here is what real religion was, and is, about. It is first of all marked by that last element. To “know” Yahweh is to be in an intimate personal relationship with him. So Jeremiah could say that knowing Yahweh was the only thing in life worth boasting about (Jer 9:25). Wealth and strength can go away in a minute, but the knowledge of Yahweh will become richer with the passing years and it will never pass away.
Then, the person who knows Yahweh will exhibit two characteristics above all others. The first is “truth” (it is translated “faithfulness” because it is not abstract truth, but being true in relationships; Heb ’emet). A person who has a vital relationship with Yahweh (i.e. “knows” him) is going to lead a life marked by dependability and integrity, because that is the character of Yahweh: what Yahweh says, he will do. And those who “know” him will manifest that same character.
The other characteristic that the person who knows Yahweh will display is love (here translated “kindness” because this is not affectionate love, but that self-giving, self-denying love that Yahweh has manifested everywhere, but most especially on the Cross; Heb. ḥesed). As I have said elsewhere, it is to choose the best for another (most especially thos“Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel, the Lord had brought charges against you, saying, “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.” Hosea 4:1 NLT
The prophet Hosea, living in the northern kingdom of Israel, charged both his own people and the southern kingdom of Judah, with lacking three things: faithfulness, love, and the knowledge of Yahweh. Here is what real religion was, and is, about. It is first of all marked by that last element. To “know” Yahweh is to be in an intimate personal relationship with him. So Jeremiah could say that knowing Yahweh was the only thing in life worth boasting about (Jer 9:25). Wealth and strength can go away in a minute, but the knowledge of Yahweh will become richer with the passing years and it will never pass away.
Then, the person who knows Yahweh will exhibit two characteristics above all others. The first is “truth” (it is translated “faithfulness” because it is not abstract truth, but being true in relationships; Heb ’emet). A person who has a vital relationship with Yahweh (i.e. “knows” him) is going to lead a life marked by dependability and integrity, because that is the character of Yahweh: what Yahweh says, he will do. And those who “know” him will manifest that same character.
The other characteristic that the person who knows Yahweh will display is love (here translated “kindness” because this is not affectionate love, but that self-giving, self-denying love that Yahweh has manifested everywhere, but most especially on the Cross; Heb. ḥesed). As I have said elsewhere, it is to choose the best for another (most especially those who don’t like us) no matter what the cost may be to us. It neither dependent upon, nor expressive of feelings. It is a matter of the will, the will surrendered to, and dependent upon, Jesus. Let our actions never give anyone cause to say, “He, she, does not know Yahweh.”e who don’t like us) no matter what the cost may be to us. It neither dependent upon, nor expressive of feelings. It is a matter of the will, the will surrendered to, and dependent upon, Jesus. Let our actions never give anyone cause to say, “He, she, does not know Yahweh.”
Called To Be Transformed 