These next two verses are extreme - and I mean extreme! These two verses are telling us that God's people are literally, and I mean literally, being destroyed for lack of knowledge. The second verse below says that God's people can literally go into captivity as a result of not having the right amount of knowledge about something.
God the Father is giving all of us a major warning with the ways that He has these two verses worded. A perfect example of these two verses in actual operation are the Muslim suicide bombers. Many of these suicide bombers are young kids. They have been brought up being brainwashed by the extremist element of Islam, and they really do think they are going straight to heaven if they are willing to blow themselves up and anyone else they can take with them.
This is a perfect example of these young kids being led into "captivity" as a result of not having the appropriate knowledge to fully understand what they are getting into in the first place. And then when they actually take their own lives in these suicide bombings, they are literally being "destroyed" as a result of this lack of knowledge.
That is why seeking after the knowledge of God is so important with all the crazy and demonic things that are going on in this world. Having God's knowledge on certain things, situations, different issues and topics is what can keep you from getting entangled into something that could end up turning deadly on you.
These two verses should be memorized by every Christian. Here they are:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)
"Therefore My people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge ..." (Isaiah 5:13)
If these two verses are telling us that not having the knowledge of God operating in our lives could literally lead us into getting into some kind of captivity - not to mention the possibility of getting us killed or thrown into the pits of hell when we die - then the reverse is also true - that having the knowledge of God operating in your life can help keep you out of serious trouble, help keep you free and possibly help lengthen the number of days that you can live down here on this earth.
4. Knowledge and Wisdom are Better than all the Material Things of This World
These next 7 verses are once again making a very radical statement. God is literally telling us that the knowledge and wisdom that we can receive from Him is better and more valuable than all the silver, gold and rubies of this world. In other words, the knowledge and wisdom that you can receive from God is better than all the material wealth that this world has to offer!
God then goes one step further in this first verse I will list below, and states that knowledge and wisdom is better than anything else you can possibly desire in this life! Think about how radical this statement really is given the materialistic and money hungry society we live in.
Grab a hold of these 7 verses - especially the first two.
"Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her." (Proverbs 3:13)
"How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." (Proverbs 16:16)
"There is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel." (Proverbs 20:15)
"But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it." (Ecclesiastes 7:12)
"Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it." (Proverbs 16:22)
"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches." (Proverbs 24:3)
"Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of that city." (Ecclesiastes 7:19)
Notice in the first verse that God says that "happy" is the man who finds wisdom, and that having knowledge and wisdom will help lengthen the number of days that you might live down here on this earth. He then says that knowledge will also bring you peace and be a tree of life to you and your life.
This "tree of life" is what stimulates those who seek after knowledge. There is nothing more challenging, more rewarding and more thrilling than seeking after the knowledge of God on a particular subject or issue that you may really be interested in.
And to top all of this off - all of the knowledge and wisdom that you receive from God on the different parts of your life down here on earth will all go with you into the next life - which will be heaven. However, not one ounce of all of the gold, rubies, silver and wealth of this world will go with you the minute you die and cross over. All of that earthly material wealth will rot and perish as far as you are concerned - because not one ounce, not one penny will go with you to the other side!
That is why God is placing such an extremely high value on the pursuit of His knowledge and wisdom for us in this life. That is why God is telling us in the above verses that seeking after His knowledge and wisdom in this life will give you true life.
Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible knowledge commentary and teaching. They currently have over 100 Bible articles. All free of charge.
The article was an excerpt from Michael's E-book titled, Seeking After the Knowledge of God You can go to their site and download the book free of charge. ? 2005 by Michael Bradley. All Rights Reserved.