Day 32 in the Wilderness: Don’t be “willingly ignorant.”

40 Days in the

“Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.””

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4:21-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

OK…So today, you’re going to think I have taken leave of my senses. I have not.

I am reminded today of the host of “willingly ignorant” people who are out there purveying ridiculous “revelations” about the word of God. Full disclosure: I did not originally employ the term “willingly ignorant,” but rather a possibly offensive word to describe these people. I understand that I probably should be above that; but here we are.

In The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Jesus references those who think they have “deeper truths,” but are actually purveying demonic doctrine.

“But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, what new and “deeper truths” were being taught at Thyatira? Well, a certain “Jezebel” (either her actual name or a reference to the spirit in which she was operating), was leading the people into sexual sin and idolatry.

“But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality. “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:20-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Lord had been patient with this evil sway; but He is warning that the time for patience is about to be over.

Sadly, even today we have the torturing of scripture to make it condone all sorts of sin, including—but certainly not limited to—sexual sin, and what I would call, “subtle idolatry.” Subtle idolatry, can be found in the teaching which—in the name of “inclusivity”—allows that there are many “ways” to God. Whereas we are to love all people, and are not to abuse anyone, we must be clear in our own mind and hearts, and by the words of our mouth, that we believe what Jesus said: that He is the only way.

Of course, I can offer any number of additional examples of heretical doctrine being fed from the spoon of “deeper revelation,” but—for now—it will suffice for me to spotlight one of the biggest piles of refuse currently being served up: the castigation of those of us who believe that Jesus will actually return to earth to rule and reign. And, those of us who believe that Jesus will return soon, are dismissed as some kind of robe-wearing, sky-gazing, backward, legalistic, people who desperately cling to the hope of “escape,” as an excuse to do nothing.

Remember what I said about the “willingly ignorant”? The Apostle Peter uses this terminology in referencing the Last Days naysayers who scoff at those who still look for Jesus’ return.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:3-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now, I hope you didn’t skip reading that passage; it’s important for you to read and reread it. Indeed, we are seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy—not just coming from the world system—but also from within the ranks of those who call themselves Christians!

Of all the egregious “Twister” games played with scripture, I recently came across one that takes the cake (or at least is in the final four). But first, let’s look at the scripture:

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:11-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The person commenting on this scripture contended that Jesus was referencing Rome as “all the world” and “the end” as the end of the Old Covenant. I’m sorry, but that’s a stupid pot with no handle; I don’t know even know where to begin with it. In order for that interpretation to be true, you would just have to make the giant leap of taking their word for knowing what Jesus meant. And I’m sorry (not sorry), I am not willing to take that leap with them; I don’t think their landing is going to be a soft one. Additionally, it’s more likely that when Jesus cited, “…scoffers, walking after their own lusts…,” He was referencing the purveyors of the above tortured rendering of scripture.

So, how did I get to all of this today from the scripture with which we opened? Note, as we referenced yesterday, when the next generations would ask what the memorial stones were about, they were to explain the miracles that God had brought to pass for their forefathers. Notice, the scripture says, “…the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea…”

The reason the rereading of this passage produced the exhortation you have been reading, is that I remembered that some “sage” critics contend that the parting of the Red Sea and the parting of the Jordan are actually the telling of one event—or should I say, one “metaphor.” But first, in terms of these describing the same event, it is very clear here that one miracle: the parting of the Jordan, was done just as the Lord did with a previous miracle: the parting of the Red Sea. These were two discrete events.

Additionally, whereas these events have great symbolic meaning, these were real events, not metaphors, as some want to make them.

Given, the word of God is full of symbolic language, and yes, even metaphors. We know that Jesus employed parables to present greater truths. But, I will remind you, the parables He used referenced real life experiences. That is the reason the parables are so poignant: we understand the truth because we have seen the behavior used to convey the truth. I may have just lost you there, but what I’m trying to say is, if you decide that everything is only symbolic, with nothing being based on a point of fact, then you are going to possibly be taking scripture where it was never meant to be taken, or falling short of taking it where it was definitely intended to go!

I don’t even pretend to know all there is to know about the word of God. But I do know heresy when I see and hear it. I will no longer endure talking heads minimizing—no, discounting—the need for our expectation of the coming of our Lord and King. So, Jesus is coming, get ready for Him!

Now I’ll take a deep breath…

For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:

Don’t be “willingly ignorant.”

#40daysinthewilderness