A Word about Ignorance is not Bliss

 

Today I want to share a word about Ignorance Is Not Bliss, as I comment on Nehemiah 8:1—3 and 8-10. This Scripture reads: 

All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You:

An old saying goes, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” Sadly, that statement is more of a wish than it is a fact. Often times what you don’t know can cause you many problems. I found this out years ago when I was a young officer in the U.S. Army, Let me explain:

At the time this incident happened, I was a Military Police lieutenant, and I was working as the duty officer for the midnight shift. My duty day ended at 7:00am, and then I would go home and go to sleep so that I could get up in time to spend the evening with my wife before reporting for duty at 11:00pm that same day. It was the day after my last night of a three-night tour as duty officer, and I was tired. I slept like a log!

The problem was that just after I left the installation to drive home, an unannounced inspection of my unit took place. I was home sleeping like a dead man while my phone in my living room rang off the hook! When I finally heard it ringing and got u to answer it, one of my squad leaders was on the other end of the line. “Hey sir,” he said. “You’re sleeping through our surprise inspection!”

I just shook my head, climbed back into my uniform, and headed off to the base. It was all over but the shouting by the time I got there, and even though I had a reason for not showing up, that did not ingratiate me at all with my commander, who, to tell the truth, didn’t really like me much in any case. 

What I didn’t know may not have hurt me, but it didn’t help me, and it was awkward, to say the least!

Ignorance is Not Bliss:

By the time Nehemiah had journeyed to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city Ezra the High  the priest had also returned from exile in Babylon. While Nehemiah was primarily concerned about the defenses of the city, Ezra was concerned about the spiritual condition of the Jews there. Their interests merged at the time when the new walls were dedicated to God. Ezra was asked to bring out the Word of God and to read it to the people. He did so, and not only did he read it, but he also explained it.

When the Children of Israel heard the Word, they were shattered. They wept because they had sinned against God. They did not know God’s standards and His intent, because they had not read God’s Word. What they didn’t know was hurting them. Now they had a choice to make.

They could choose to go on living as they had before. They could go on ignoring God’s Word and His Ways. They could continue to live in their sin, and suffer the consequences of it.

On the other hand, they could choose to hear and obey God’s Word. They could make a decision of their will and repent of their wicked ways. They could follow the Word now that they knew it.

What would they do?

 Bliss is Knowing God:

Ezra, Nehemiah, and other leaders in Israel knew God. They knew that God loved His people and that He had allowed them to rebuild their city. They also knew that God was gracious to allow them to hear God’s Word and understand His Way. From their perspective, repentance was a good thing!

So the leaders of Israel told the people to wipe their tears and to celebrate the God that loved them. Instead of hiding in shame, or running away in fear, they should enjoy their revived and refreshed relationship with their God. They should rest in the knowledge that their God is a loving God and one who forgives the repentant sinner.

Conclusion:

A true saying that I learned is the Army is that “Bad news does not get better with age!” We need to take a hard and realistic look at our lives. We need to compare our lives to the revealed Will of God as found in His Holy Word. Instead of ignoring the difference, we need to embrace it, to repent of it, and to turn to God for His forgiveness and Him to rebuild our lives.

Thank God today for His love and care for us in that God that He gives us the bad news to turn us toward the Good News. Let’s yield our lives to God and learn to follow His Word and His Way, and to receive His glorious blessings!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt