CHRISTIAN MEDIA RESEARCH

lthough most believers have heard the famous verse which says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6), few would be aware there are an additional six verses in which the precise phrase "without knowledge" occurs. Of course, I'm citing from that old cult Bible, the KJV, so some can dismiss the following comments as being contrived, as they were drawn from the true Word of God.

However, because we have faith in the inspired Word of God, we see it is Spiritually significant this phrase occurs six times, whereas various of the aberrant translations would not communicate this subtle fact.

Nevertheless, the number six is prophetically important, and the phenomena illustrates the deeper layer of understanding found in the Scriptures. Most realize man was made on the sixth day, and that falls short of the seventh day of God -- a symbolic figure of the rest found in the LORD via the emblem of the Sabbath, and subsequently in Christ. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that being without knowledge is not a good thing, but just in case we need an authority to set us straight, the famous wisdom of Solomon spells it out in Proverbs.

"...that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth" (Proverbs 19:2)

We quickly learn that, not only is it "not good" to be found without knowledge, the person who refuses the LORD's truth is in serious danger. This is the case in the book of Job, where we find Job is challenging God because of the misfortune which has befallen him, even as an observer notes his perspective is faulty:

"Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom" (Job 23:35)

This pattern is repeated more than once, where Job, continually struggling with his circumstances, speaks out of turn. In another instance of the key phrase, we see those who choose to refuse to obey God, are not only said to be without knowledge, they are bound in "cords of affliction," and ultimately die:

"But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they die without knowledge" (Job 36;8,12)

In the final turns of Job's confrontation with God, the LORD declares the following:

"Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2)

This is obviously a rhetorical question, for it's self evident that God knows just who Job is. The language is similar to the famous Garden of Eden episode where "the LORD called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9) Obviously, God knew where Adam was, and God certainly knows who Job is, so He is actually saying, in paraphrase, `What kind of person is the one who invalidates the very idea of wise counsel by speaking of things which they know not?'

This phrase could easily describe most believers today, as they corrupt the very concept of "counsel" (read advice), because they are "without knowledge." Worse yet, they believe they know what they're talking about when, in fact, the vast majority of so-called "Christians" are already caught in the deception of the ages. Indeed, if, just as you read the previous sentence, you thought `how dare he assert such a thing,' I just described YOU in the most abrasive language I could muster.

In the final instance of the phrase found in the book of Job, we see his change of heart, when he simply yields to God's sovereignty in His choice to allow the tragic events which have occurred. In fact, the phrase is then applied to those who refuse to yield their will to the LORD's will. God. Thus, Job first declares God's omniscient sovereignty, then he states that those who resist him are without knowledge:

"I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:2,3,6)

Those familiar with church history are aware of the fact the Gnostics (from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis) erroneously equated knowledge with godliness, and even salvation. The beauty of this Scripture is how it details the personal mind of the LORD, in that Job recognizes the will of God, and how any intellectual acuity we have is useless apart from being found in God's favour.

In short, it's all about us being conformed to His will, and when we refuse to respond to the knowledge that He imparts, as the earlier citation says, we have chosen to "obey not," and will subsequently "die without knowledge" (Job 36:120)

Thus, we've come full circle, and return to the concept that huge numbers of God's people

"are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge..." (Hosea 4:6)

Here at the Christian Media ministry, we receive multiple emails every single day, in which people adamantly tell us they do not wish to receive the knowledge that God has instructed us to disseminate. Thus, even though a huge number of people reject knowledge, we choose to receive that which God gives us, because it is the key to responding to His voice.

For more on the process of how believers have constructed Spiritual and intellectual strongholds which block their ability to receive prophetic truth, see the online video on STRONGHOLDS AND STUMBLINGBLOCKS.