You Don’t Know Me!

 

A few years ago someone began using the slang phrase “you don’t know me” whenever they felt judged or criticized by others. It was a person’s way of saying to their critics that they were not qualified to pass judgment on them based upon the lack of knowledge they possessed. The problem today is, do we ever REALLY know someone? How often do you hear of some strange or horrific deed that is committed by someone that is totally out of character? After years of establishing a reputation and pattern, someone will completely deviate from what seems normal and the typical response is “I thought I knew him/her.”

Knowing someone does seem to be impossible to a large degree, and since everyone reacts to and handles situations differently, maybe we never do really know another human. I wonder sometimes if we even know ourselves. People lie to themselves and often deceive themselves, so maybe this is another impossible task. Who can we know? Is there anyone that we can have an intimate knowledge of today?

We read that when Y’shua returns, He will say to a group of people who claimed to know Him that He did not know them.

“But He shall say, ‘I say to you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness.’ (Luke 13:27 The Scriptures 1998+)

So it appears that in some cases we can think we know Y’shua or יהוה but He does not know us. Certainly things we “do” seemingly for His cause doesn’t make us be known by Him, and did these people really know Him and somehow not be known? That seems ludicrous, so I will venture that the people spoke of in here in the passages in Luke neither knew Him nor were known by Him.

What do the Scriptures mean when it talks of “knowing” someone? In Bereshit (Genesis) chapter 3 we see the first use of the word “know” (Hebrew word yada ידע) used.

“For Elohim knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like Elohim, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5 The Scriptures 1998+)

Here we see the word yada ידע used for the first and second time in Scripture. Hasatan says that יהוה Elohim yada that in the day Adam and Chavah eat from the Tree of Knowledge (דּעת da’at from the root word yada) that they would be like Elohim and yada good and evil. So without debating the truthfulness or lack thereof in hasatan’s words, we can see that “know” or yada is connected to an intimate gathering of information.

In the ancient Hebrew pictograph language, yada is a picture of an eye and a door. This paints the definition of the door of the eye. Through one’s eyes information is processed and we can see or know by using our sight. The eye is the window into the man’s very being. Experience is gained through visual observation. Knowledge is achieved through these experiences.

So can we know or yada someone just be looking at them? Cannot our physical eyes be deceived?

“By their fruits you shall know them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? “So every good tree yields good fruit, but a rotten tree yields wicked fruit. “A good tree is unable to yield wicked fruit, and a rotten tree to yield good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, by their fruits you shall know them – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:16-23 The Scriptures 1998+)

Here we see the same story we read of earlier in Luke, retold in Matthew. Here Y’shua clearly defines that you can know yada someone by their fruit. Good trees (people) bear good fruit, bad trees (people) bear bad fruit.

So what is fruit? If we know what to look for, might we be able to know a person correctly and not be deceived anymore? Let’s take a short rabbit trail here and determine what it means to bear “fruit.”

“For a good tree does not yield rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree yield good fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. “The good man brings forth what is good out of the good treasure of his heart, and the wicked man brings forth what is wicked out of the wicked treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43-45 The Scriptures 1998+)

Here we see that the fruit, whether good or bad, comes forth from the heart of a man. If a man has a good heart, good comes out of his mouth. Likewise a evil heart produces evil from the mouth. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for fruit (p’riy פּרי) paints the word picture of a man’s head and a mouth. So the very word fruit is connected to the words that come out of our mouths.

If a person has a bad heart the fruit of the bad heart will be bad words coming out of their mouth. Mean, vindictive, degrading, condescending or derogatory words flowing from the mouth. A good heart will produce good fruit manifested in good words coming from our mouths. Uplifting, encouraging, honest, loving and peaceful (shalom) words being spoken indicate a good heart.

When we hear good, we are seeing good. When we hear bad, we are seeing bad. It’s seems too simple but it is SO true. If you hang out long enough with someone, their words will always display their heart. So listen to a person’s mouth (fruit) and know yada their heart.

Now using this Scriptural principle, how can we know yada our Heavenly Father? This is the goal or target for what I am writing here. My desire has always been to intimately know my Abba. I desire to commune with Him, walk with Him and become one (echad) with Him. So it is catamount that I (and all who share this same desire) learn how to know yada יהוה. In knowing Him, I then can better emulate Him and carry this knowledge to others.

So if we know yada someone by their fruit and their fruit comes from their heart and out of their mouth in the form of words, is it possible to know יהוה using this same technique?

Where can we find or hear His Words? His Word is obviously written in the Scripture, so we can through study and application hear the heart of יהוה.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to shtel zich (study, apply yourself), to present yourself to יהוה as one approved, a po'el (workman) without bushah (shame), keeping on a derech (path) yashar (upright) the Dvar (Word) HaEmet (of Truth).

So by studying and applying the Words of יהוה we keep on the Path or Way this creates workers who can without shame discern or divide these Words of Truth. This is how we KNOW yada Him. When we shema (hear and do) the Word of יהוה, we establish a foundation that builds a house/temple of יהוה. You say you want to know yada Him, but you won’t study (not just read, but study) His Word? You only determine the type of Tree by the Fruit (Words) that it bears. When we eat His Fruit (His Word in us) we in turn will become good trees bearing good fruit.

We can also know yada by hearing His Word through prayer and meditation. We tend to make prayer a one sided conversation where we air our grievances or laundry list and then stop praying. Meditation is SHUTTING UP and listening. You cannot hear His Words and come to know Him when we don’t SHUT UP. Take time to stop and let Him speak to you. We are SO impatient, we rarely take time to talk to Him and never make time to listen.

Another way we can hear and see the Fruit of יהוה is by observing His creation. Every tree, plant, stream, mountain and animal is praising יהוה. We should listen to the birds, the wind whistling through the tree and the water babbling in a brook. These creations are praising their Creator. Science has proven this by constantly discovering things such as the stars are singing a song. Scientist can’t understand the song and don’t know where it is going. We can know the song and who it is sung for by reading His Word. It’s a song of praise to יהוה. You want bear good fruit? Sing His praise.

We can know yada Him and His attributes. We can know the power of His resurrection Philippians 3:10. We can know His love Ephesians 3:19. Know His wisdom Psalms 51:6. We can know His truth John 8:32. Know his kindness and favour 2 Corinthians 8:9. He makes Himself know to those who seek Him.

You can know Him today.