It has been said that knowledge is power, implying the potency of anyone's possession of knowledge. While knowledge is said to be power, Jesus Christ affirmed that it only by knowledge that anyone can be free. Should a man or woman require any form of freedom, say financial or spiritual or mental or economic freedom; such a person must seek for more knowledge. The question then is, how can one obtain knowledge? What is the requirement for receiving knowledge? What is the procedure for the acquisition of knowledge?
To have a clearer view of this matter, I would love us to read a Scripture together:
Luke 1:11-20 (NKJV)
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you [a]these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
In one of the letters of Brother Paul, he wrote, "The Jews seek after sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom" – 1 Corinthians 1:22. From that point, you could see the proclivity of the Jews for physical evidences towards their acquisition of knowledge. Zacharias, being a Jew (in fact, a Jewish priest), desired some signs for him to gain knowledge, and so he said:
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “HOW SHALL I KNOW THIS? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
The facts were the basis for the belief and unbelief of Priest Zacharias. If the facts were pointing in a direction, then he believes and knows; but if the facts don't point towards the direction, he will not believe, and he will not know.
Since he was old, and his wife was equally old, he knew nothing could happen about having children at such advanced age. However, he failed to realize that facts are not the only basis for knowledge: for as facts leads to knowledge, faith also lead to knowledge.
In Romans 10:17, the Bible says, "So then, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The error of Zacharias was simply disregarding the authority who was speaking and whose word was spoken to him. Therefore, the angel said:
“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you [a]these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
Supposing that Zacharias had received the words of Gabriel and believed and then known the will of God for his life, marriage and ministry; he wouldn't have gotten to a situation of doubt and dumbness. Since he doubted the source of his knowledge, he was therefore made dumb – for he could no longer speak his unbelief until the time for the manifestation of the words delivered to him. Since the Jews only learn by signs, he was made dumb till he could see the signs.
My question for you this day is, how do you acquire you own knowledge? Do you know by facts or by faith? Do you place God's word and public opinion side by side on various matters of life or do you receive the word of God "hook line and sinker" – as absolute truth?
