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REJECTION OF KNOWLEDGE

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 22, 1876

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 47, No. 25.

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REJECTION OF KNOWLEDGE.

By W. B. Hill

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.” Hosea 4: 6.
It is a fearful thing to reject the light which God in his tender mercy sends to us, but this has ever been done. In the days of Noah the world rejected the knowledge sent of God. So also in the days of John the Baptist and Christ, the light and testimony given were not received, and, in every case, those who rejected knowledge were themselves rejected of God. What a warning to us who live in the last days, not to reject the light that God sends to us.
In the scripture quoted we are informed that knowledge has been rejected, and we think it has its application at the present time. By looking at the connection we see our days delineated with a master hand, and the third verse points out the time exactly: “Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.” Rev. 16: 3 shows that the fishes of the sea shall be taken away under the pouring out of the second plague. We conclude, then, that just before the pouring out of the vials of the wrath of God, knowledge will be rejected.
Who rejects this knowledge? The answer is, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” What knowledge is rejected? The answer is again plainly given, “Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.” It will be a terrible period when the command goes forth, “Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women;” Ezek. 9: 6; and all because knowledge has been rejected concerning the law of God.
We next inquire upon what portion of God’s law is knowledge to be rejected.
In Eze. 22: 30, we read: “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.” Here is a gap brought to view which the Lord desires his people to make up, and they refuse to do it.
We think this text refers to the same that Hosea mentions when he speaks of rejecting knowledge. 1. Because both scriptures refer to the same period of time—just before the Lord destroys the earth or land. 2. This gap is in the law of God, as is clearly shown in the 26th verse of the same chapter: “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” “They have rejected knowledge,” says Hosea—“hid their eyes from my Sabbaths,” says Ezekiel.
Oh, how plain that knowledge comes to God’s people in the last days in regard to his law, and especially concerning the Sabbath, and it is despised, rejected.
We now inquire, From whence have the people this knowledge? The third angel of Rev. 14: 12, closes his message with these words, “The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” This is the last message of mercy sinners will ever hear, because immediately after it is given the Son of man is seen coming on the white cloud. It brings to view the commandments of God, including the Sabbath command, which is the one trodden under foot by those who profess to love God. This message is now going all over the world, and the cry is waxing louder and louder everywhere, “The commandments of God.”
Reader, let me ask you a few questions. Is it not true that the last message is to be a commandment message? Is it not true that such a message is now going to the world? Is it not true that many of God’s professed people are rejecting it? Will you also reject it?
“Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.”
W. B. HILL.
Lewiston, Minn.