Two Most Misunderstood Passages
THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Five January 2006
“The Two Most Misunderstood Passages in the Bible”
By Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Noble Berean
PROVERBS 29:18 & HOSEA 4:6 Let me start off with these two passages of Scripture. Proverbs 29:18 says: Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Hosea 4:6 says: 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 will also forget thy children. These Scriptures are the two most mis-understood passagess in the Bible...at least the two most I've ever seen!
Now both of them are very popular Scriptures, we have heard them time and time again from most modern day preachers who talk about God fulfilling your vision, or your destiny, or your hopes and dreams. Let me say straight out of the gate, THAT IS NOT WHAT THESE TWO PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE ARE TALKING ABOUT!! Both of theses Scriptures are speaking of what happens when the Word of God is neglected or ignored. Let me say again, these Scriptures are NOT talking about fulfilling your vision, or your destiny or your hopes and dreams, etc. However, and this is unfortunate, the mainstream of Christianity today has grossly changed the meaning of these two passages of Scripture to fit this man-centered, false teaching and heresy. I’ve seen it over and over again, for a long time, and it wasn’t until I watched Myles Munroe on Benny Hinn’s TV show when “pastor” Munroe was talking about fulfilling your vision, and, as always, he used these two passages of Scripture, but only certain parts, not the whole verse, that it caught my attention.
I had to respond to this, because I have had it up to here (Note: my hand is now underneath my chin!) with people like Munroe, and many, many others mis-interpreting these two passages of the Bible! Why do they always leave out the rest of the verse?? Because by quoting only the first part of these verses, it appears to validate their message. What do I mean by only using the first part of the verses? Well, lets first look at Proverbs 29:18. This is how most Christians read this verse: Where there is no vision, the people perish. That’s it! But whatever happened to the other half of this verse? How come nobody reads this part: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he? How about Hosea 4:6? Here’s how many Christians read this: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, again, that’s all! What about the rest of this verse: 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 will also forget thy children? If they did read the rest of these verses, the meaning changes all together. How you may ask? Well let’s take a look!
With regards to Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision” simply means no teaching of the Word of God, which was brought to the people by the prophets, who received the Word from the Lord through visions. In 1 Samuel 3:1 it states: And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. Amos 8:11-12 further states: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. Simply put, “the people perish” without the Word of God! Next part of Proverbs 29:18 says: “but he that keepeth the law, happy (or blessed) is he.” This is said in great detail in Psalm 19:7-11 - The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
SOLA SCRIPTURA – THE SCRIPTURE ALONE!
Looking at Proverbs 29:18 from the 1568 Bishops Bible it states: When the worde of God is not preached, the people perishe: but well is hym that kepeth the lawe. So the TRUE meaning of this Scripture is that where the Word of God is neglected, ignored or not preached forth, the people will perish, but those who do hear the Word of God AND obey it, happy, or blessed are they! This has ABSOLUTLY NOTHING to do with fulfilling your destiny, or having a vision. This was all I heard in my former church, all about vision and destiny and the pastor would always quote the first half of Proverbs 29:18 - Where there is no vision, the people perish. That would be all I ever heard! But praise be to the Lord! His Word has opened my eyes to His truth and now I know what this Scripture truly means!
Now let’s look at Hosea 4:6 - 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 will also forget thy children. Again, most Christians only read it like this: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”. But, ask yourself this question: does this mean that we need to go out there and acquire as much knowledge as we can so we will not be destroyed? Does this mean that I have to read 5000 books and gain so much information that I will not be destroyed? Of course not!! I actually knew of one person that did just that! Again, this means that where there is no instruction in the Word of God, then the people will walk in darkness, blindness and eventually be destroyed.
So then what is this verse saying? The answer to that comes in the next line in the verse: “ 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 will also forget thy children”. This was referring to the priests who had neglected God’s Word and turned from His Law and eventually lead the people down the same road with them. Again, this has ABSOLUTLY NOTHING to do with visions, fulfilling your destiny, seeking more knowledge simply for knowledge sake! Both Proverbs 29:18 and Hosea 4:6 have EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE STUDY AND THE OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD!!
I know there’s much more that can be said, and I also know that I could go on further, but this is all I wanted to share about this from my heart! I had made this mistake with these two verses for many years in my Christian walk, but it was not until I read and studied God’s Holy Word and put aside all the man-centered teaching I had been fed that I fully understood these two verses of Scripture correctly. Don’t just take my word for it…Search the Scripture for yourself!
SOLA SCRIPTURA! The Scripture ALONE! May the Lord bless you!
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