A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (January 22, 2018)
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)
Our scripture for the day is Daniel 12:4 which has long been used to show that we are definitely in the end-times. All you have to do is look around you at the exploding technology over the last century and it is obvious that knowledge is increasing exponentially compared to the past. The problem I see with the way we look at this scripture is that we only focus on the increasing knowledge in the world and not the increasing knowledge of God’s Word and His purposes. It’s very enlightening to read this same scripture in the Amplified Bible:
But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase.” (Daniel 12:4)
There is a great truth in the Daniel 12:4 concerning increase that we all need to remember. Our God is a God of increase! We need to remember that His mercies are new every morning; He is able to do exceedingly more than we can ask or think; we are being changed from glory to glory; and He has given us the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us into increasing knowledge. This same truth of increase is reflected in Romans 5:19-21:
Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:19-21, NLT)
Do you see it? As sin abounds, grace does much more abound. That same principle of increase is at play in the area of knowledge. As knowledge abounds in the world, the knowledge of God is going to much more abound. The technology alone is available today to reach millions of people that could not be reached just a few years ago. However, it is not only the technology and the spreading of the Gospel that is being increased. The revelation of God’s Word is increasing. The Holy Spirit is revealing things to believers today that have never been revealed before.
It’s not that the Word of God has changed but the Holy Spirit is opening our eyes and hearts to things that we have never seen before. I have personally studied the Bible for 36 years and I have never received more knowledge and understanding from the Holy Spirit than I have in the last two years. I have fellow ministers and friends that are experiencing the same thing. We are in a period of increased knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and I rejoice in it.
Sometimes we can get too familiar with the way we have read and understood certain scriptures. We can get to a place where we think we know it all and that’s not good. I want to encourage each one of you to read the Word of God anew and afresh. Read it like you’ve never read it before. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you before you ever refer to a commentary, church doctrine, or favorite sermon.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying you throw out foundational truths. What I am saying is that God wants to talk to us and teach us through the Holy Spirit. He wants to increase our knowledge of Him and His ways. Listen to His voice! The following is our prayer for all of you:
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (Ephesians 1:17-19)
