Knowledge

In my early morning Bible study today, an interesting distinction between two different types of knowledge stood out to me. One form of knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil, birthed conflict, chaos, and confusion. Remember what happened in the Garden of Eden? "And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). And as a result of disobeying God by eating from the tree of knowledge, "then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves" (Genesis 3:7). Sure, Adam and Eve gained knowledge of good and evil but the price was steep. My absolute favorite children's Bible describes the scene:

A dove flew from Adam’s hand. A deer darted in a thicket. It was as if they were frightened by something. A chill was in the air. Something strange was happening…God’s creation would start to unravel, and come undone, and go wrong...The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally Lloyd-Jones...

Contrast the knowledge of good and evil with the knowledge of God. The prophet Isaiah foretold what will happen when the knowledge of God covers the earth. The knowledge of God brings perfect peace between the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the goat, the calf and the lion, the bear and the cow, and the infant and the snake. "The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:8-9).


Where in your life do you face conflict? Chaos? Confusion? Are you relying on the knowledge of the world? Or are you resting on the knowledge of God?

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God...Proverbs 2:1-5...