"Knowledge Shall Increase"

“Knowledge Shall Increase...”

Late one night, not too long ago, I was in one of my favorite places of prayer. I was outside underneath an endless display of stars, the weather was perfect, the sky was unbelievably clear, and there was just the right amount of nip in the air. I don’t know, there’s something about being outside, staring into the threshold of God’s creation that helps me as I meditate on His goodness, glory, and unconditional love for us.

Anyway, as I was looking up into the heavens that night, I felt as if it were just me and God, all alone and undisturbed by the rest of the world. That is until I began to hear the engine of a plane coming closer and closer. My eyes finally focused in on the lights of what was probably a single engine private plane that was carrying its passengers from point “A” to point “B” in a millifraction of the time that it would have taken only decades ago. As I was thinking about how unbelievable that was, something else caught my eye; it was another airplane--but this one was flying very high--it looked as if it were a moving star. It must have been a commercial jet liner. I’m sure it was filled with at least 200 passengers-- many of whom were probably watching a movie, talking on their cell phone or typing away on a laptop computer. All at a mere 30,000 feet over top of my house!

It was at this point that the Holy Spirit brought this portion of scripture to mind; it comes from Daniel 12:4 and, speaking of the end days, it says; “many will run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased.” And I thought to myself; there is no doubt that “knowledge has increased and men are running to and fro.” But, exactly what kind of knowledge has increased? And what are we running to and precisely what are we running from? This morning we are going to talk about the technological advances of this end-time generation and what effect, if any, they have on our relationship with the Lord.

Technology..., do you ever really consider just how far we’ve come in the last few decades? Take the CD for instance; on this little 4 1/2” plastic disc, we can store more information than is contained on your entire bookshelf! Or, the same disc can contain your favorite music or even movies. I remember when I thought the cassette tape was a “big” deal! And friends this is just the beginning; did you know that there is now a wrist watch that doubles as a cell phone and also enables you to access the Internet......not only that....it’s voice activated no less. You can actually buy and sell stocks by talking to your wrist! If you don’t have the kind of money it takes to purchase one of these watches, you can always take a picture of one with your cell phone. Who would have ever thought twenty years ago that 007 would one day be “behind the times”?

That’s just a small glimpse into what is happening with communications technology; are you ready for the new medical technology? Most of us know about laparoscopic surgery where surgeons need only make very small incisions and perform the operation using miniature cameras and other specialized instruments. Today laser surgery is becoming more and more the norm rather than the exception. And I learned something else very interesting the other day about how our doctors may operate in the near future; it seems that now they are working on a way for a doctor, in say North Carolina, to perform a surgery on a patient in California. All via a robot guided by remote control so-to-speak--virtual surgery! I guess we’ve come a long way from that country doctor carrying his little black bag making house calls. Knowledge has increased.

What does all of this mean to you and me? Well for one thing, it means that we are now living in a very fast-paced world to say the least. This generation is the most goal or career oriented generation there ever was---the “movers and shakers” they call us, and, being a part of this generation, we are going to have to do one of two things; either “keep up the pace” or be “left behind.” That’s why our first-graders and even kindergartners are already learning computer skills. That’s why instead of being outside riding bikes or playing with the dog, our young people are inside playing high-tech video games and surfing the Internet. And, in a ‘round about way, that’s why, in most cases, children grow up in families where mama and daddy both have to work. Now don’t think for a minute that I’m saying that I wish we didn’t have all of these technological advances--no, they are very useful and now essential to us. But, it’s not without cost, they do demand something very valuable from you and me in return, the most important commodity that we have; our TIME.