The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29
Man’s innate desire for knowledge is irrepressible, and is exercised by all men and women in one way or another. This wonderful faculty of man’s being was placed there by his Creator, so that he may ‘find the knowledge of God’ (Proverbs 2:5). The touchstone of all knowledge – be it scientific, historic, or moral – is the word of God. The things revealed therein are not given merely to gratify curiosity, but for a practical purpose – ‘that we may do all the words of this law’.
As with every other human faculty, sin has perverted the desire for knowledge. Because they refuse to ‘do all the words of this law’, the sinner expends his thirst for knowledge by deep investigations into football teams, comic books, or the fantasy worlds of video games. But the mesmerising mind vortexes of Satan go beyond such traps.
Even professed Christians disregard the ‘things which are revealed’ that they may continue in sin. When presented with a plain Biblical truth, they often respond with words to the effect of, ‘we will find out when we get to heaven’. Indeed, there are secret things that God has chosen not to reveal. Some examples might be whether all miscarried children will obtain a resurrection, or whether God will restore the favourite pet of his saint. But ‘those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children’. Since revealed things are declared to ‘belong unto us’, is it not rebellion to disown them by arguing that they cannot be known?
The science of Genesis 1 and 2 clearly teaches a literal six day creation. Because these facts demand the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath (which is the memorial of the Genesis creation), professed Christians reject this knowledge in favour of theistic evolution. Others reject the plain revelations regarding the shape of the earth out of fear of being ridiculed as ‘flat earthers’.
Herein lies a seeming paradox. Only those that are willing to ‘do all the words of this law’ are able to attain knowledge, while at the same time, knowledge is given ‘that we may do all the words of this law’. The words of the wise man simplifies the matter for us all:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
Christopher Sparks