2008-10-22 11:42:00
“But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge” (Daniel 12:4). Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth” (Hosea 6:3).
James Martin wrote a book in 1977 titled “The Wired Society”. It predicted a planet networked by personal computers with the internet, e-commerce, tele-commuting and other technological breakthroughs. At that time many of his predictions seemed bizarre but we now take much of them for granted and many of us experience them. In 2001 he wrote a book, “After the Internet: Alien Intelligence” which has some stunning predictions about where technology is taking us. If he is as correct in this book as he was in his earlier one we are moving into some frightening territory.
He envisions us as entering a brave new world in which alien intelligence can redesign and reinvent itself at electronic speed and without the control of human engineers. Alien intelligence will become so complex that humans will not even be able to understand the computers’ processes. Ultimately the question becomes: Will we control the machines, or will they control us?
The last half of Daniel’s book deals with prophecies that stretch far beyond his own day. Daniel lived about 600 years before Christ’s incarnation or some 2,600 years ago. Of course all through human history knowledge has been increasing. However in our time there has been an exponential increase in the rate of new knowledge and we see that indeed, “Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” Where is all this headed we wonder?
Daniel associated this particular increase of knowledge to the “time of the end.” But the call to God’s chosen people is no different than it’s ever been. Today’s second verse has a timeless call regarding our primary pursuit of knowledge. “Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.”
“His going forth is established as the morning.” As I ponder these things, I find great assurance from a faith statement expressed early in the Reformation from the Heidelberg Catechism: “What is my only comfort in life and death? That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ who so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things work together for my salvation.” Let us stay faithful to God and His established plan for our lives and pursue our knowledge of God above all!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, we have seen throughout Biblical and modern history that Your people perish due to lack of knowledge. The treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Your heart. So we can be confident that when we seek the heart of our Father we are also increasing in spiritual knowledge that comes from our loving relationship with You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Helper, whom You sent to teach us and to bring to remembrance all things that You have taught us through Scripture. Your knowledge will preserve us through the fiery trials of this life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
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