Knowledge and Understanding Gives Salvation

UV 1303/10,000 Knowledge Gives Salvation
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider
Isaiah 1 v 3
Knowledge is not just power but it leads to salvation. For want of knowledge of God, people perish. When Jesus was born in the manger, the ox recognized that this baby lying nearby is the Creator, the CEO of the universe, its Maker and ours. The ass recognized that the crib held the Master of the world. But Israel did not know or understand or consider, then as now, who Jesus is. They did not understand the prophecies concerning the promised Messiah. They did not understand the promises in scripture concerning Him. They did not consider or comprehend the claims of Jesus.

The Lord laments that the number of those who are conscious of the glory of God, those who are conscious of the presence of God and those who are conscious about the Holy Spirit are so few. He laments at the state of the world. He desires that we understand His sovereignty. We need to understand who He is. We need to consider His wise judgements. We need to understand His holy ways. We need to conform to His image and to be the image He has of us. We need to delight in His fellowship and in worshipping Him. We need to delight in knowing His Word and in doing His will.

The Lord laments that the world has all the information it needs at its fingertips. It has access to internet and every kind of technology. But all this would collapse like a Tower of Babel. There is no conception of holiness. People are full of pride, arrogance, grudges, resentment and bitterness. They are like sores and wounds full of pus and contamination but are covered up with bandages to look as if nothing is wrong with them or the world. He wants us to cleanse ourselves and be sanctified. The Lord wants us to be more sensitive than the ox and the ass in the manger of Bethlehem. He wants us to be more humble and sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit like the shepherds in the meadows near Bethlehem. He wants us to be wise like the Magi who came seeking for Him. He wants us to be loving like the doting Mary and Joseph. He wants us to glorify Him like the angels and cherubim. He wants us to rejoice like Simeon on seeing the baby Jesus. He wants us to be excited like the not yet born forerunner John the Baptist who kicked in his mother’s uterus on hearing His voice.

Prateep V Philip