A desire to stay free: Antiquities 3.1.4 vs 19

"That they ought to reason thus: that God delays to assist them, not because he has no regard to them, but because he will first try their fortitude, and the pleasure they take in their freedom." Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews. 3.5.4 vs 19

It is not often that I cite secular sources in this blog and, in this case, I am not seeking to elevate the writings of Josephus to those of scripture, yet in this passage Josephus makes some interesting observations about the Israelites departure from Egypt. When I've read the story of Israel's exodus, I have always concerned myself with how the Jews relationship with God must have changed as a result of His miraculous deliverance which He worked on their behalf. However, Josephus, as a first century Jewish historian, writes not of their relationship with God but of their new found freedom; a freedom that was physical, civil, and political. As such, Josephus sees the purpose of the trials they endured in the wilderness as a test of their desire to be free, not merely a test of their love for God. Whether or not this is the case in this instance, Josephus brings up a significant point when he refers to the "pleasure" in being free, and it has some important lessons for us who have found freedom in Christ.

While freedom is never cheep, often its price is paid by others on the behalf of those who are enslaved. In the case of the Jews, their freedom from Egypt did not cost them much personally, but it did require the death of countless sheep whose blood was to be shed and placed on the doorposts of every Jewish home. So to, our freedom in Christ was not the result of any labor, effort, or act of our own, it was purchased entirely by the offering of Jesus upon the cross; His death purchased our freedom. However, while freedom is sometimes obtained with minimal personal cost, it is rarely maintained without personal involvement, cost, and often sacrifice. Because of this, after having first become free and subsequently facing the trials and struggles to remain free, we are often faced with the temptation to surrender our freedom and return to a life of captivity. This was continually the case for the Israelites.

"The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, 'Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna... Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt... Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?' So they said to one another, 'Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.'" (Numbers 11:4-6, 18, 14:2-4)

When faced with difficulties, many in Israel desired to return to their land of bondage; to return to Egypt. Our fight to stay free is often a battle to choose between comfort and liberty; to chose from a life of ease, though it may include bondage, and a life of trials and struggles, even though accompanied with freedom. We see this in the history of the Jews and we see it even in our own modern history. In my country, many have become willing to surrender their personal freedoms for the security and ease of a cradle-to-grave "protection" promised by the government. We also see this temptation in the christian life. Once having become free, we can easily fall pray to the temptations of the world, the promise of ease and comfort, but also the shackles of sin and unrighteousness.

"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 4:9-11, 5:1)

It is one thing to be set free, it is another to remain free. I think Josephus was right, that sometimes our trials and tribulations are, at least in part, meant to test the firmness of our fortitude and our desire to be free. Do we really desire the freedom that is found in a life lived in Christ, or are we willing to settle for ease and comfort? Paul was clear, if we desire to go back, there will always be opportunity. "And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return." (Hebrews 11:14-16) However, if we desire a life of freedom in Christ, then there is grace to overcome the trials of life and to walk in the pathway of freedom.

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

David Robison

Josephus, freedom, bondage, The Robe, David Robison

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Head knowledge vs heart Knowledge: Truth or fiction?

Growing up in the church I have often heard of this distinction. We are warned about the problems of head knowledge and exhorted to let our head knowledge become heart knowledge. Some have explained it saying that our problems are often a matter of eighteen inches; the distance between our head and our heart. Growing up with this concept I have accepted it as true, but recently I have been having some doubts as to the reality of such a distinction. Is such a distinction a biblical distinction and, if so, how does one move from head knowledge to heart knowledge? Is such a distinction a distinction in reality or a construction of human imagination?

It appears to me that God often uses the mind and the heart interchangeably, often making little distinction between them. For example, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV) Solomon ascribes reasoning and thinking as a faculty of the heart. Jesus also spoke of the heart's as a seat of thought, "But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart." (Like 9:47) Conversely, the mind is describes as having some of the same frailties and iniquities as the heart. "Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind , rejected in regard to the faith." (2 Timothy 3:8) and "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled." (Titus 1:15) Depravity, unbelief, and defilement are traits we often attribute to the heart but which the Bible also attributes to the mind.

These scriptures, and others, have lead me to conclude that there is no biblical difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. That being said, it is clear from observation that there is some distinction between different kinds of knowledge. For example, in schools where the scriptures are taught as literature, the students have knowledge of the Word of God but few have any of the power of the Word they have learned. Even the devil has knowledge of God and yet he is eternally damned. Simple knowledge is not enough, so what is the difference between knowledge and knowledge that can change and save us? What does the Bible have to say about this distinction and what is the biblical remedy? The biblical distinction is found in the Book of Hebrews.

"Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest." (Hebrews 4:1-3)

The biblical distinction between the different kinds of knowledge is knowledge alone and knowledge with faith. There are many who have a knowledge of the existence of God, and many who even have a knowledge of His word, yet without faith such knowledge is powerless to save us, change us, and lead us in the ways of God. It is one thing to know that Jesus died for us, but it is another to mix that knowledge with faith. So how does one move from knowledge to knowledge with faith? Paul goes on to give us the answer.

"And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:18-19)

Paul directly links unbelief and disobedience. Knowledge without faith is knowledge without obedience. Jesus warned the Pharisees about the necessity of obedience to the understanding of knowledge. "But when Jesus heard this, He said, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire compassion, and not sacrifice," for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" (Matthew 9:12-13) The Pharisees had knowledge but their disobedience kept them from true understanding of that knowledge; they had knowledge but not knowledge mixed with faith. Jesus told them that true knowledge and understanding was learned through obedience, not mere learning. He instructed them to "go and learn" the meaning of knowledge.

The truth is that often obedience precedes knowledge and without that obedience we often forfeit the power of the knowledge we seek. Consider what Isaiah prophesied, "A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, and fools will not wander on it. And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." (Isaiah 35:8, 10) The scripture can equally be translated, "they will overtake gladness and joy." Joy and gladness are in the way of obedience and by walking in obedience we will overtake gladness and joy. Obedience first, joy and gladness second. Paul also taught this, "and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed." (Hebrews 12:13) Notice the order, obedience then healing.

While the Bible does not make a distinction between head and heart knowledge, it does distinguish between knowledge with and without faith. Let us determine not to be unbelieving in our knowledge but, through obedience to the truth, let us mix our knowledge with faith.

David Robison

faith, knowledge, truth, unbeliefe, disobedence, The Robe, David Robison

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