The More You Know, The More You Know You Don't Know

by Chuck Ness

Solomon was blessed with much Wisdom and knowledge which allowed him to discover many things about the world around him. Solomon is credited with writing the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and 2 Psalms - 72 & 127. Throughout his writings Solomon shared the Wisdom and knowledge God had blessed him with. He was so admired by all the Kings and Queens of other countries that they sought out his Wisdom and paid tribute to him. Like Solomon, we too can better understand the world God created for us if we truly desire to.

It has always been my belief that everyone should try and learn something new everyday. It is something that I learned from an American history professor when I was in college. When asked by a student why he should learn history, she responded with something that stayed with me ever since. She said, "The reason we study anything is because the more we know, the more we know we don't know." Then she added another piece of philosophy all students should understand. "Those who forget the past, will inevitably repeat the same mistakes of those in the past over and over again".

The idea that you are less knowledgeable as you gain more knowledge can be a difficult thing for many to grasp. Yet, when you truly think about it, you begin to understand how little you know. Every time I learn something new, I am always amazed at how much I still need to learn. Thus the proverb repeated by many adults, "The older I get, the dumber I get". That's because as a young person you think you know everything you need to know to go out in the world and live independently of your parents.

Once you learn to drive a car, you begin to realize you now need to learn all the rules and regulations that comes with driving a vehicle down the road. Then your car breaks down, and you realize you haven't a clue as to how to fix it. So the very act of learning to drive a vehicle, has left you with a vast amount of knowledge you never realized you don't have. That is true for every new thing you learn.

For me, I have always strove to learn all I can, but I have done so with the understanding that all knowledge comes from God. When I was pastoring at a few retirement centers, I noticed that it was the residents who kept active who were the fittest. They still had the desire to learn things, either by keeping up on current events or attending functions like the Bible studies or Sunday services. They were the ones who were not just the healthiest, but also the ones who lived the longest. On the other hand, those who refused to learn anything new, were the ones who also refused to join any activities and eventually were the ones who withered away and died at a younger age.

When you stop expanding your knowledge, your brain ceases to be an active part of your body. Just as your arms and legs would and if you stoped using them.  It has been said that the most terrible thing about getting old, is that we fail to understand that our brain is not old. So when we are unable to do the physical things we used to do, we give up on the mental things we used to do also. When that happens to an individual, then death is not far away.

However, those who are not in their twilight years need to understand that knowledge in and of itself is pretty useless if you haven't got God's Wisdom to properly put that knowledge to practice. So knowledge plus Wisdom is a recipe for success in this World full of foolishness. Solomon tells us;

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverb 1:7

Just as it's foolish to think you ever learned enough to stop learning something new, it's also foolish to think you can properly put that knowledge to good use without Wisdom from God to understand how to properly use that knowledge you gained. I realize there are those living amongst us who have gained a great amount of wealth and knowledge, but lack God's Wisdom needed to properly use that knowledge. Thus they use their wealth and knowledge to do things that are destructive to them and those around them.

Today these men and women use their knowledge to explain God and His commandments away. They see evil and call it righteous, while claiming good is evil. They use their human wisdom and claim their rules are superior to God's commandments. They have set themselves up as the arbiters of what is right and what is wrong. As Isaiah warned us of these vile individuals, 

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!
Isaiah 5:20-21

The very man who's writings we look towards for God's Wisdom, Solomon, was as guilty as todays millionaires and billionaires who put faith in man's wisdom over God's. Due to his many foreign wives, Solomon strayed from God for false gods. So instead of trusting in God's Wisdom he put his faith in his own wisdom. He used his wealth to build hundreds of Temples dedicated to false gods. This is why God split the Kingdom in two. The Temples Solomon built would become stumbling blocks for God's people throughout the kingdom years. Like Solomon, many throughout history rejected the precepts of God by following the wisdom of man instead of God's Wisdom. They used their knowledge and wealth for evil desires. Even to the point of teaching their children that man's wisdom is superior to God's Wisdom.

They see their weaknesses and instead of trying to correct them through the word of God, they would rather define morality to be the standard for which they themselves can achieve, or desire to partake in. I look at individuals like that and can only come to the conclusion that they have been educated beyond their intelligence. What they need to do is get back to understanding that God is the same today, yesterday and forever. Like now, Paul dealt with the same type of individuals. In his epistle to the Romans, Paul tells us that those individuals are without excuse, regardless of how hard they try to change God to fit in their little box.

Romans 10:16-21

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says,

"Lord, who has believed our report?"

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

"Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world."

But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

"I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not
a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation."

But Isaiah is very bold and says:

"I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me."

But to Israel he says:

"All day long I have stretched out My hands to a
disobedient and contrary people."

If you refuse to look to God, then the knowledge you gained is useless without His Wisdom. The reason for this is because of Whom Wisdom is. The very definition of God's Wisdom is Christ. So without Christ, you don't have the true God. You may claim you know God, but without Christ you are decieved, and thus are destined to fail. If not in this World, then when you meet God on Judgement day.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from
God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Corinthians 1:30

“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His
way, Before His works of old. Proverb 8:1

When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, Proverb 8:27

Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men. Proverb 8:29-30

But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.” Proverb 8:36

Finally the last piece that ties these Scriptures together for the proof that Wisdom is Christ comes from the book of Hebrews

But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter
of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the
oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

And:

“You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands. Hebrews 1:8-10

So don't ever stop gaining knowledge, but remember to cling to God's Wisdom while giving Him the credit for all you gained. I also beseech each and everyone of you to instill in your children and grandchildren the desire to gain knowledge and understanding with God's Wisdom. So that they can understand how to use their knowledge in a Godly way that will benefit them and those around them throughout their years.  

I pray that those who have ears to hear, will hear what the Spirit of the Lord says, and call upon His name.

Amen