There is a difference between knowing about God and truly knowing Him.
We can know Scripture, understand theology, attend church, and be familiar with the things of God—and yet the Lord continually invites us into something deeper. He doesn’t simply want us to know more about Him. He wants us to walk with Him, experience His presence, trust His heart, and allow knowing Him to transform the way we live.
The prophet Isaiah gives us a remarkable picture of just how powerful the knowledge of God truly is:
“For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”
Isaiah 11:9
Isaiah 11 describes the coming reign of Messiah—a day when violence and destruction will cease and even creation itself will experience peace. The wolf will dwell with the lamb. The leopard will lie down with the young goat. Isaiah describes a world completely different from the one we know today.
And at the center of this transformation is something remarkable: the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. In Hebrew, the word translated as “knowledge” comes from yada (יָדַע, pronounced: yah-DAH)—to know.
Throughout the Bible, yada can describe something much deeper than intellectual knowledge. It speaks of personal, relational, experiential knowing. God is not simply revealing information about Himself. He is inviting His people to know Him personally.
The prophet Jeremiah expressed this beautifully:
“But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me.”
Jeremiah 9:24
Of all the things we can pursue in life—success, wisdom, security, recognition—God points us toward something infinitely more valuable: knowing Him.
And this is where Isaiah’s prophecy becomes deeply personal.
The chapter begins by speaking of a “Rod from the stem of Jesse” upon whom the Spirit of the Lord will rest. Isaiah is pointing us toward Messiah and the day when His righteous reign will bring peace to the earth.
As believers in Jesus, we know that Messiah has already come, and through Him we have been given something extraordinary: the opportunity to know God personally.
Jesus prayed:
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
John 17:3
Jesus places knowing God at the very heart of eternal life. That means we don’t have to wait for the future fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy to begin experiencing the transforming power of knowing God. He invites us to know Him today. And the more deeply we know Him, the more our lives begin to change.
His Word reshapes our thinking. His presence changes the way we respond to difficult circumstances. His faithfulness teaches us to trust when we cannot see what lies ahead. His mercy teaches us to extend mercy. His forgiveness teaches us to forgive. His love begins to change the way we see and treat the people around us. Knowing God cannot remain only in our minds.
If we truly know His heart, His heart will begin shaping ours.
This is especially meaningful when we look at the world around us today. We see war, division, hatred, fear, and uncertainty. It can leave us wondering what could possibly bring lasting change. Isaiah points us toward the answer.
A world filled with the knowledge of God becomes a different world. And the same principle begins within each of us. A heart increasingly filled with the knowledge of God becomes a different heart. A marriage shaped by knowing Him becomes a different marriage. A family shaped by His character becomes a different family. And believers who truly know the heart of God begin carrying His love, truth, and peace into a world desperately in need of Him.
This Shabbat, perhaps the question for us is not simply, “How much do I know about God?” The deeper question is: “Am I growing in knowing Him?” Are we making room for His presence? Are we listening to His Word? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of our hearts that still need to change? Are we becoming more like Jesus because we have spent time with Him?
One day, the promise Isaiah saw will be fulfilled completely:
“For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”
What a glorious day that will be. But until then, may that work begin in us. Lord, fill our hearts with the knowledge of You. Help us not simply to know more about You, but to know You more deeply—and let knowing You change everything.
Blessings and Shalom,
Pastor Israel Pochtar