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THE TIMES OF IGNORANCE
Ashley Kizer
Israel was “destroyed for lack of knowledge”
(Hosea 4:6). The “Prince of life” was crucified by men
who “acted in ignorance” (Acts 3:15, 17). But the apostle
Paul preached, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance,
God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent”
(Acts 17:30). Ignorance is not an excuse for sin. Everyone must
repent and submit to God’s divine will if they wish to receive
eternal life. So, was Paul referring to a time in history when God
overlooked man’s sinful ignorance? Will He overlook man’s
ignorance today?
God is omnipotent. He is “excellent in power”
(Job 37:23). However, He chooses to let us make our own decisions
(cf. Joshua 24:15). Throughout time, God has always provided information
to show us the best way to live, but over and over again, man chooses
a different route. It is interesting to note how God’s grace
and mercy play a role in these interactions (cf. Exodus 34:6).
God made man and placed him in a beautiful garden
(Genesis 2:8). However, man disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden
fruit (3:6). Consequently, he began to die, but God clothed the
man and offered an avenue of atonement in the form of animal sacrifice
(2:17; 3:21; 4:4; 5:5). Mankind continued to disappoint its creator
by habitual disobedience, dwelling on “evil continually”
(6:5). So God decided to destroy the earth with a flood (6:7). First
though, He would allow Noah to preach for 120 years as he built
an ark of salvation, designed by the merciful Lord Himself (6:3,
14; 2 Peter 2:5). Sadly, only Noah and his household were deemed
righteous enough to be saved in that generation (Genesis 7:1). Certainly,
there was a surplus of ignorance in the Patriarchal Age, but it
is evident that God’s mercy was abundant as well.
The Mosaical Age had no shortage of ignorant folks,
as was evident by the fact that Moses permitted men to divorce their
wives (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Centuries later, some self-righteous
Pharisees would ask Jesus, “Why then did Moses command to
give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?” (Matthew
19:7). But Jesus clarified the issue by stating, “...from
the beginning it has not been this way” (v. 8). Malachi stated
plainly, “‘For I hate divorce,’ says the Lord”
(Malachi 2:16). This is the same prophet who declared God’s
simple truth: “For I, the Lord, do not change…”
(3:6). So, God has always hated divorce, but He overlooked the times
of ignorance in the days of Moses.
Israel demanded a king to rule over them, but this
was never God’s will. After the prophet Samuel had grown old,
the elders of Israel came to him saying, “Now appoint a king
for us to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). God
was once again disappointed in His people saying, “...they
have rejected Me from being king over them” (v. 7). However,
He not only allowed them to have a king, he chose the king for them
(9:16). Later, one of those kings named David would decide to use
mechanical instruments in worship to God. However, the prophet Amos
wrote, “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion...Who improve
to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for
themselves…” (Amos 6:1, 5). God never wished to be entertained
by musical instruments, but He allowed Himself to overlook David’s
ignorance for a time.
In the Christian Age, we are given no justification
for divorce, “except for immorality” (Matthew 19:9),
The apostles preached that Jesus is our King (Acts 17:7). There
is, in the New Testament writings, the absence of any references
to instrumental music in worship to God and the explicit commandments
to “sing” (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). It is evident
that God has ceased to overlook the “times of ignorance,”
and mankind must now cease to be ignorant in these times. —
Copied from The Visitor, Adamsville, AL
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