Articles
Need to Know?
Where ignorance is necessary
►Some things we are not meant to know. The Lord revealed many things about the future to Daniel, who then asked to angel who had spoken to him, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” The angel replied, “Go your way, Daniel , for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end” (Daniel 12: 8 -9; see 1 Peter 1:10 -12).
►When Jesus revealed the manner in which Peter would one day die, Peter wanted to know about his fellow disciple John: “Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus replied, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you ? You follow me!” (John 21:18 -23). In other words, it was none of Peter’s business.
►The apostles asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus said, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:6 -7).
Earlier Jesus had said of His return, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Even so, this doesn’t stop the date -setters!
Where knowledge is sufficient
There are many things we might love to know, but the Bible does not satisfy our curiosity. And yet we can know what we most need to know: how to live in this world and prepare for the next. So let’s go with what we know and be content to be ignorant in those areas where we don’t need to know.
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness . . .” (2 Peter 1:3).
And that’s more than enough.
