The Danger of Ignorance

1. Read: Hosea 4:6

2. About the Text:

1) Hosea is prophesying to the northern kingdom of Israel.

2) It is a time of prosperity under the rule of Jeroboam II.

3) It is during these times that people forget God.

4) Hosea 4:1 tells the story: “Hear the word of the Lord, You children of Israel, For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: ‘There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.’”

5) We know what happens to the northern kingdom.

6) They are taken into captivity by the Assyrians and never return.

7) Ignorance is dangerous to life.

3. We place a high value on education today.

1) Some have said, “If you don’t like education, just try ignorance.”

2) The aphorism rings true because we know that education helps us in many ways.

3) Do we value the same when it comes to spiritual knowledge?

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Ignorance is lack of knowledge.

1) Sometimes we use the word in a derogatory fashion.

2) We are talking about lack of information, not insults.

3) Specifically, we want to discuss the need for spiritual knowledge.

2. Not all ignorance is created equal.

1) Some ignorance is acceptable; some not.

2) Some is intentional; some unintentional.

3) Some is dangerous; some harmless.

3. The Bible discusses intentional and unintentional ignorance.

1) God recognizes some ignorance is unintentional.

a. Leviticus 5:18 – “…So the priest shall make atonement for him regarding his ignorance in which he erred and did not know it, and it shall be forgiven him.”

b. Hebrews 9:7 – “But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance”

2) There is also ignorance that is intentional.

a. “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water” (2 Peter 3:5).

b. “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).

4. The Bible condemns ignorance.

1) God – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good” (Psalm 14:1).

2) Pure Living – “having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph.4:18).

3) Salvation from Sin – “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9).

1. Physical Suffering.

1) “A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the Lord their God” (Jeremiah 3:21).

2) “Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings; In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow” (Isaiah 17:10-11).

2. Follow the Wrong Standard – “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:2-4).

3. Satan will take advantage of us – “lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

4. False Worship

1) “They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods they did not know, To new gods, new arrivals That your fathers did not fear. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you” (Deuteronomy 32:18).

2) “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9).

5. Eternal Condemnation.

1) “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

2) “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess.1:8).

1. The Bible encourages us to be knowledgeable of important matters such as…

1) Salvation – “To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:77).

2) The Will of the Lord – “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).

3) The Holy Scriptures – “and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

2. We must be obedient to what we know to be true.

1) “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:13-15).

2) “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2-3).

3. We must show compassion to those who are ignorant of God’s will because God does!

1) “He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness” (Hebrews 5:2).

2) “although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13).

1. There is great danger in spiritual ignorance and in ignoring God and His word.

1) Causes of Ignorance

2) Consequences of Ignorance.

3) Changing from Ignorance to Knowledge.

2. Invitation