The Book of lost knowledge
They make great stories, those searches for lost books of secret knowledge or power. Even the biblical account of the discovery of the book of the Law, right there on the temple grounds, is an exciting narrative, 2 Kings 22.1-13.
On the human plane of existence, knowledge does get lost. For example, how did the Egyptians make the pyramids? To this day nobody knows. Except maybe one guy on the (so-called) History Channel.
On the divine plane of heavenly workings, knowledge is a key piece that runs through the whole cloth of creation. (Think Proverbs 8.) God knows. And he rains upon humankind the revelation of his knowledge. Not only that, he keeps it down on our level, available to the seekers, in widening circles of influence.
It’s not a stale or static knowledge, but a living power at work in the world and in the hearts of men.
“The Always-Present One protects knowledge from being lost. But He overthrows the evil words of a treacherous person.” Proverbs 22.12 IEB.
This verse from Proverbs is, above all things, a guarantee that God is sovereign and controls all that goes on here on earth. He protects. He overthrows.
Humans take the short view, so it may not look like God is watching. But the verse, literally, says that: “The eyes of Yahweh.” He sizes it all up constantly, evaluates the million ongoing situations, channels here, dams up there, raises up, throws down, without ever getting frustrated or tired. The finger of God directs the entire movement of the stars and the states.
What does he do with and for knowledge? Here are two of his actions.
First, God protects knowledge from being lost. Yes, people reject it, ignore it, suppress it, and attempt to stamp it out. Israel was destroyed for lack of it ─ because they didn’t want it, Hosea 4.6. But when people are ready for it, God makes it appear. He makes it available. He puts it before those who are seeking it.
In Jesus, knowledge came down into our midst, on our street, sitting at our kitchen table. As the great climax to the great prologue of John’s gospel, the author says, “No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known” John 1.18. “Known” is the last word of the last verse and blows open for us the door to the whole gospel, so that we may go from knowing to believing, John 20.30-31.
The Always-Present One, in Christ, through the Spirit, is the Great Protector of knowledge. It will never be lost. In fact, it/he is becoming more and more known with each passing day.
The saint who despairs from so many false doctrines, false christs, false prophets and teachers, false philosophies, false religions, and a hundred other false things, can take comfort that God protects knowledge from being lost.
Second, God protects the person who has knowledge from being lost. Many of the versions insert this idea, such as the ISV: “The Lord watches over anyone with knowledge.” The Lord tells us how to get along well in this life. More importantly, he informs us what to know and do now in order to enter eternal life.
Again, for us today, this knowledge is concentrated in Christ. Someone pondering 1 Peter 2.25 said that Christ is “guide, guardian, and goal” (cited in the old Beacon Commentary). He will certainly guide, guard, and direct us. He tells us everything we need to know. With that knowledge, he folds us into the family of God. We know about him, and when we act on that knowledge, we come to know him.
As much as many have warmed to the idea of discovering a lost book of knowledge or power, many still need to find the Book of books which contains the highest knowledge of all: the knowledge of God.
Shall we help them?
- The Book of lost knowledge - 2024-09-30
- Prayer: Show us the way today - 2024-09-17
- Living for Christ: What does it mean? - 2024-09-16