Topic: Knowledge
Subtopic: May become a Hindrance
Index: 2020
Date:
Title:
Someone has estimated that, if all of man's accumulated knowledge from the beginning of recorded history to 1845 were represented by one inch, what he learned from 1845 until 1945 would amount to three inches and what he learned from 1945 until 1975 would represent the height of the Washington Monument! Since then it has probably doubled.
This morning I want to ask if the incredible leap in scientific, technological, and other such knowledge also means an incredible leap in wisdom? We all know this is not the case.
We are at the start of another church year. Our church programs and ministries have started up again. Listen to the list: Church School, Catechism, morning and evening Coffee Break, Story Hour, Twenty-Something Bible Study, Women's Bible Circle, Men's Society, Senior Fellowship, Young Peoples, Early Teen Ministry, GEMS, Cadets. Everyone of these programs have one thing in common – the Word of God. They all exist to deepen and strengthen our knowledge of the Word; more than that, they all point us to Christ and are designed to deepen and strengthen our relationship with Christ.
As we begin another Church Education year, a year of growth in knowledge, I want to ask what I asked before: will our growth in knowledge about the Word and the God of the Word also mean a growth in wisdom? I hope this will be the result but, again, we will find out that this is not necessarily the case.
I The Fear of the Lord
A This morning's text tells us, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." What is the "fear of the LORD"?
We must start off by reminding ourselves of Who the LORD is. The Hebrew word here is YAHWEH. He is the One Only God. He is the Creator and Governor of the universe. He is the God Who desires a covenant relationship with us. He is the God Who loves us in Jesus Christ. He is the God Who spoke to Job and said:
(Job 38:4-6) "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. (5) Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? (6) On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone--
He is the God about Whom Isaiah said:
(Is 40:14-18) Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? (15) Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust ... (17) Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. (18) To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?
This God is awesome, almighty, holy, glorious, infinite, invisible, and completely wise.
B What does it mean to "fear" this LORD? Fear means a right relationship with the LORD. Fear means a worshiping attitude of praise and thanksgiving. Fear means to walk in God's ways and to follow His paths. Fear means to love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Fear means to live for the LORD and His glory.
We can say Abraham feared the LORD. Abraham was told by God that he must sacrifice the son of his old age, the miraculous son, the son through whom he was to become the father of kings and of a great nation. So Abraham built an altar and laid on the wood, and then he was forced to take his son and tie him up and lay him on top. He raised his knife (Gen 23). What father here could do what Abraham did? Abraham did this because he feared the LORD.
Joseph too feared the LORD. He had a choice between sex with Potiphar's wife or prison. He chose prison rather than "do such a wicked thing and sin against God" (Gen 39:9). This reminds me of Pastor Ed Dobson.
He said in a Sunday morning sermon that he has written a letter to God, sealed it, and put it in his desk. Its message says, "Lord, if ever I might be unfaithful to my wife and bring disgrace to Your name, take my life before I sin." And he meant it!
Just like Joseph, we can say that Pastor Dobson fears the LORD.
Moses too feared the LORD. Remember the burning bush? Moses took off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground (Ex 3:5-6).
I also think of the women at the tomb. When they met the resurrected Christ they clasped His feet and worshiped Him (Mt 28:10). We can say that they feared the LORD.
Finally, I think of Thomas. He saw the risen LORD. He saw the pierced hands and side. And he said, "My LORD and my God!" (Jn 20:28). It took a while, but He too feared the LORD.
II The Beginning of Knowledge
A This morning's text tells us, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." What is meant by "knowledge"?
The knowledge our text speaks of is not just facts, something you learn in a classroom or from a textbook. The knowledge our text speaks of is not something you discover by using the scientific method or by manipulating information on a computer.
Knowledge, in our text, means living out what you have learned. It means taking the facts and having a right relationship with the LORD. I can know all about the LORD without still knowing the LORD Himself. I can memorize the whole Bible, train myself in the original Hebrew and Greek of the Bible, know my church history and theology, and still not know the LORD Himself.
The Italian composer, Rossini was once given a watch by the King of France -- of which he was justly proud. Several years after, showing it to a friend, the friend told him he did not know its real value.
"Impossible," said Rossini, whereupon the friend, taking the watch, touched a secret spring, at which an inner case flew open, disclosing a beautiful miniature painting.
Many so-called Christians are this way. They know all about Christian ethics and teaching, but they have not discovered the inner secret which gives their religion its supreme value. The portrait of Christ, you see, is still hidden; He remains a stranger to them. However, once they come to personally know and love the Lord, their whole mind and heart are forever changed.
Knowledge, in our text, then, doesn't mean just knowing about the LORD. Rather, it also means personally knowing Him, loving Him, and serving Him.
B Our text says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." The fear of the LORD, in other words, is the basis, the foundation, the first and controlling principle behind all learning, all knowledge, all education. Without a fear of the LORD all that you have is facts but no knowledge, figures but no wisdom, details but no understanding, rules and laws but no morality.
If you were to ask 10 professional educators to state the most important ingredient of a good education, you'll probably get 10 different answers. "Values," says one. "The classics," states another. "How to get along in society," is the third teacher's view. "Tolerance for other people's points of view," is another. "Math," says a math teacher. "Science," says a science teacher. Who's right? What is the most important ingredient of a good education?
King Solomon, the second-wisest man in history, said, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." The foundation of true learning is the fear of the LORD. This is illustrated by famous physicist Paul Dirac.
Prior to his death in 1984, Paul Dirac was called "the world's greatest living physicist." His pioneering discoveries led to the Nobel Prize in physics in 1933 and led to the study of quantum mechanics. Called by some the equal of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, at age 30 he became the youngest person ever to hold a professorship at Cambridge University.
When Dirac was asked once why gravitational forces were getting weaker, he responded, "Why? Because God made it so." Dirac insisted that science and religion were not at odds; rather, "they are both seekers after truth."
The scientist believed that God used "beautiful mathematics" to create the world. "Beautiful, but not simple. My theories are based on faith that there is reason for all the numbers nature provides us with."
Paul Dirac, we would have to say, had both facts and knowledge, both figures and wisdom, both details and understanding. Paul Dirac knew that his scientific research had meaning only when he himself was grounded in God.
C At the beginning of this new church education year we need to remind ourselves that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Education, true education, starts off with the fear of the LORD. If that is not our beginning point as parents, as teachers, as a church, then we have failed our children and youth and the coming church year will be a waste of time.
Teachers, youth leaders, parents – point the children and youth under your care to Jesus. Urge them to give their hearts to the LORD. Encourage them to make a commitment for Jesus. For that's the beginning point of all knowledge, of all learning, of all education.
This is true, of course, not only for children, but for adults as well. As adults gather together for study and fellowship they too need to be pointed again and again to Jesus and the necessity of a living relationship with Him. For without that relationship all our study, all our learning, all our education means nothing and comes to nothing.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."
D The starting point is the fear of the Lord. The ending point is knowledge or wisdom. Do you know what lies in-between? The study of God's Word. As I told the boys and girls, we need to spend time with the Bible. We need to feed the souls of our children and youth. We need to feed our souls. This means family and personal devotions. This means faithful attendance at both our worship services. This means sending your children and youth to Sunday School and Catechism. This means involvement in GEMS, Cadets, Young Peoples. This means that every adult here be part of a Bible Study.
III Fools Despise Wisdom and Discipline
The second half of our text speaks about fools. It tells us that "fools despise wisdom and discipline."
What is a fool? In the book of Proverbs the fool is not the same as being dumb. It does not mean you are an imbecile, insane, or deranged.
In the book of Proverbs the fool is someone who is wrongheaded. The fool rejects the concept of God and a higher-power and a higher law to which men must give account. The fool rejects or disregards the moral and spiritual values on which life is based.
Here in America we are in danger of being a nation of fools. I recently took my citizenship exam. One of the questions I was asked was, "What is the highest law of the land?" The answer I was expected to give and gave was "The Constitution." But all of us should know this is not really correct. This is an atheistic and humanistic answer. The real answer – for us who are Christians – is the Law of God. The Law of God is the highest law of the land. Not the constitution, not the edicts and decrees of the Supreme Court, not the declarations of the World Court or the United Nations.
Here in America we are in danger of being a nation of fools. We are slowly allowing God and the mention of God to be driven out of all of our public institutions. Many in our land don't want any reminder that there is a God above us to Whom we must all someday give account.
Here in America we are in danger of being a nation of fools. In many of our big city public schools children and youth are not allowed to pray to God. And they are being given a value-free education. In value-free education there are no absolutes. There are no rights or wrongs. Teachers are told not to make kids feel bad or guilty or ashamed about what they do so nothing is condemned and everything is encouraged. Children and teens are being taught that if something feels good or seems good to them than it is okay for them.
Conclusion
There is an implied contrast here. If the fool despises wisdom and discipline, then the wise guy is one who fears and loves the Lord.