Message Notes

(I) A FAVORITE PHRASE OF EZEKIEL THE PROPHET “THAT YOU MAY KNOW” (Ezekiel 11:10, 12; 12:15-16; 13:9; 14:8; 15:7)

1. Significance of Phrase (Negatively stated)

a) Lament of lack of knowledge

b) Lament of lack of faith

2. Significance of Phrase (Positively stated)

a) God wants to address and correct the problem(s)

b) God takes an active role in dealing with the problem

(II) A TERRIBLE LOSS- ACROSS THE AGES

1. When we lack knowledge of God

2. When we lack faith in God

3. Terrible consequences

a) Fear

b) Confusion

c) Turmoil of heart and mind

(III) A TERRIFIC STRUGGLE- OF HEART AND MIND

Isaiah’s struggle with this Divine Paradox

“Truly You are God, who hide Yourself,
O God of Israel, the Saviour” Isaiah 45:15

1. The difficulty of finding God

2. The difficulty of understanding a God who seems to hide Himself

3. Nevertheless… He is still God and Saviour!

4. The Challenge- “That you may know”

(IV) A TREMENDOUS GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS: A RENEWED FAITH

1. “That You may know”

a) Possibility of knowing God

b) Possibility of finding God real

2. “That it may be fulfilled”

a) The foretelling of the future (prophetic books)

b) The fulfillment of the prophecies

3. Encouragement to search the Scriptures

a) Challenge to read the Scriptures

“Search from the book of the LORD and read…” Isaiah 34:16

b) Example of the noble-minded Bereans

“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica,
in that they received the word with all readiness,
and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” Acts 17:11