Who is speaking?

“Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” Ecclesiastes 12, 9-12 (NIV)

It would be fair to say that we are in the “knowledge era”.

With the evolution of technology, the dissemination of knowledge has become abundant and easily accessible. However, the question that must be posed is: what kind of knowledge are we getting? Is it true knowledge or false knowledge? Good or evil?

Here, our definition of true and false is not derived from accuracy or correctness. It goes deeper.

Jesus gave these words to those who doubted Him: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” (John 7,16-18)

Furthermore, John 3,34 tells us that “the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God”.

By these two scriptures, we can see that what matters most is the origin; where does this information coming from; who is the originator of those words. If it is God, it is true. If it’s not from God, it is false.

In opening Scripture, the word ‘teacher’ is written with a T (capital letter). [Some other translations use the word ‘preacher’ for teacher]. We have been given THE Teacher and that is the Holy Spirit.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14,26)

The teacher is careful to give knowledge in an orderly manner. The teacher knows what is necessary at one point, what is irrelevant in other instances simply because some things are not what the person being taught needs to focus on in the moment. The author of Ecclesiastes goes further to say that words of correction, guidance and establishment come from ONE shepherd. And this Shepherd is the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything extra to that becomes a source of danger: falsehood, lies and deception.

In addition, this warning also saves us from “weariness” of the body that comes from much study of many books.

 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ” Philippians 1,9-10 (NKJV)

Did you know that Satan can tempt people to sin using Scriptures? He did it with Jesus.

At first, the devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread with a ‘simple’ suggestion: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus was hungry after fasting for forty days. But He replied to him with the Word of God: “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4,3-4).

At another temptation, Jesus replied with the Word again. Seeing that what is written was at play, Satan said: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Luke 4, 9-11). Satan used the tagline: ‘It is written’.

However, justifying throwing Himself down simply because God’s angels would catch Him and wouldn't strike His foot against a stone would mean that Jesus was putting God to the test. Jesus answered and said to the devil: “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” (Luke 4,12)

Jesus became more precise and said: “It has been said”. Yes, it was written in Psalm 91 that God would command angels to guard His own. But It was also written in the book of Deuteronomy that none should tempt the Lord God and THAT is what had been said.

This is the reason why the Bible is not supposed to be taken like an intellectual book in the sense that we use human logic to interpret. We are to hear what God is saying from the words written.

2 Corinthians 3,6 says that “the letter kills but the Spirit gives life”.  We are prone to err if we take, by ourselves or by any other, everything that is written as law. At the end of the day, it’s not really about what is written rather what is God saying in this moment. Still, what God says is written.

Beloved child of God, this message is to affirm you and make you aware of the schemes of the enemy so that you don’t fall for them. You are safe when you listen to your Teacher (the Holy Spirit) and to your Shepherd (Jesus). Jesus is always with you and The Holy Spirit is always wanting to teach you.

Read your Bible and, most importantly, hear what God is saying.

You are a child of God. Believe and trust that you have the ability to hear Him.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” 1 John 4,1 (NKJV)

Further reading: John 10,11-14 , John 16,13-14