THE PERIL OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE

HOSEA 4:1

A. "MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE; BECAUSE THOU HAST REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I WILL ALSO REJECT THEE, THAT THOU SHALT BE NO PRIEST TO ME, SEEING THOU HAST FORGOTTEN THE LAW OF THY GOD, I WILL ALSO FORGET THY CHILDREN"
  1. This chapter deals further with this sinful people:
    1. God's exposure of their character and judgment against them
    2. "The Lord hath a controversy with them" - (v.1)
  2. Apostasy leads:
    1. to ignorance
    2. and ignorance leads to utter confusion B. "MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE"
  3. Ignorance of God is common:
    1. Ancient Israel's ignorance was inexcusable;
  4. they had the law of God - Ex. 20:3-17
  5. they received instructions through the prophets, who labored with them day and night 2 Chron. 36:15;
  6. they rejected the knowledge of God offered to them - Hosea 4:1-11
  7. A similar ignorance prevails in the nominal Christian world today:
    1. Nominal Christians have the Bible to guide them - 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Ps. 119:105
    2. They have the history of God's ancient covenant people - Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:3-11
    3. They have the special ministry of the Holy Spirit - John 16:12-13
    4. They witness the literal fulfillment of Bible prophecy of the closing events in earth's history - 2 Pet. 1:19-20; 3:1-10
  8. Apostasy among God's professed people:
    1. Paul foretold of a falling away from the truth - 2 Tim. 4:1-6
    2. Tradition has taken the place of the plain teaching of the Bible - compare Is. 29:13 with Mark 7:1-13; 2 Tim. 4:1-4; Hosea 10:13; Rev. 18:1-4
  9. The Peril of spiritual ignorance:
    1. It is destructive: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"
    2. Ignorance is not the mother of devotion but the mother of destruction C. THE PERIL OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE
  10. Paul, through the Spirit of Prophecy:
    1. Traces heathenism to a rejection of light by man in the earliest times - Rom. 1:18-32
    2. The creation of the world is, in itself, a text book unfolding the knowledge of the true God - Ps. 19:1-6
    3. "Because that which may be known of God is manifested in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." - Rom. 1:19-20
    4. When they rejected the knowledge of God, they became vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkened. - Rom. 1:21
  11. There are deadly dangers facing the people of God in the last days:
    1. Self-deception for one thing, "Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with good, and have need of nothing;" - Rev. 3:17
    2. The great danger is that the Laodiceans may have a wealth of theoretical or book knowledge and feel that that is sufficient, but alas, that is a self deception
    3. To be saved and to be secure we need more than theoretical knowledge, we need an experience with the Lord
    4. "I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich"; Examples: Think of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace - Dan. 3:16-30; it is said that John, the author of the books bearing his name, had been cast into boiling oil, yet he survived and died a natural death
    5. What we need in these dangerous times is a real experience with the Lord; a power that lift us out of our present state of lethargy or lukewarmness
  12. There is no excuse for our ignorance of things spiritual:
    1. God has blessed us with unusual light in Bible prophecy - 2 Pet. 1:16-20
    2. He has placed the Spirit of Prophecy in our midst - Rev. 12:17; 2 Chron. 20:20; 1 Thess. 5:20


Design © John Bryant 2011