Revelation Knowledge versus Reasoned Knowledge: Insights for Education
God's Original Design: Living by Revelation Knowledge
Man's divine design was to be continually filled with revelation knowledge. In the Garden of Eden, humanity enjoyed direct communion with God, receiving divine insights daily. Adam and Eve conversed with God, gaining understanding directly from Him.
Satan's Temptation: The Descent into Reasoning
Satan disrupted this divine plan by tempting humanity to rely on their own reasoning. By suggesting that humans could attain godlike knowledge of good and evil, Satan proposed self-reliance and rationalism as alternatives to divine revelation (Genesis 3:5). This led to a shift from reliance on God's wisdom to human reasoning, resulting in a curse. As a consequence, humanity was cut off from the Tree of Life, losing the direct flow of revelation (Genesis 3:22).
The Failure of Human Reasoning in God's Purposes
Attempts to fulfill God's visions through human reasoning often results in failure. For instance, Abram and Sarai's efforts to bring about God's promise led to Ishmael, not the intended blessing (Genesis 16, 17). Moses' impulsive actions similarly led to rejection until he learned to heed God's voice in the wilderness (Exodus 2:11-15). Even Paul, despite his scholarly religious education, lacked true revelation until his encounter on the Damascus road (Galatians 1:17,18).
Comparison of Knowledge Types
Paul, having experienced both reasoned theological education and revelation knowledge, esteemed the latter as surpassing the former (Philippians 3:1-10). Peter, initially relying on his own efforts, later embraced revelation knowledge empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Scriptural Disapproval of Human Reasoning
The Gospels portray Jesus rebuking faulty reasoning (Matthew 16:5-12; Mark 2:5-12), indicating that human reasoning without divine guidance leads to misunderstanding and spiritual blindness.
Embracing God's Knowledge through Revelation
Those who rely solely on human reasoning often oppose God's movements (Acts 7:52). However, living by revelation opens one to divine wisdom and understanding, even when it contradicts human logic (Acts 7:52).
Two Types of Knowledge
Man’s/Satan’s Knowledge:
Rooted in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Derived from human reasoning
Attained through study
Associated with pride
Reflects Greek philosophy
Leads to spiritual blindness
God’s Revelation
Rooted in the Tree of Life
Received through divine revelation
Cultivated through meditation
Associated with humility
Reflects Hebrew tradition (LAMAD training)
Leads to spiritual enlightenment
In Conclusion:
Training centered on human intellect and study yields knowledge tainted by human limitations. Conversely, focusing on divine revelation and the heart leads to true knowledge rooted in God's wisdom. As Isaiah 55:8-9 suggests, human thoughts and ways fall short of God's, underscoring the importance of embracing divine revelation for true understanding and spiritual fulfillment.
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