Knowledge of good and evil
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:01 amEcclesiastes 1:16-18
16 I communed with my heart, saying, "Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge."
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
NKJV
I don't know about you guys, but i can't stand watching the news. I hate it. Its so depressing. The more knowledge i have of the sin, pain, and destruction around me, the more depressed i become
. Rape, murder, theft, crimes of every kind, disease, natural disasters..... its rare when you find the News encouraging. Most of me wants to look away from it, to turn it off and hear no more.... Yet i have this curiosity 
, and when i hear of some sin that was committed, or some horrible event that occurred, i want to learn more about it. Even though it makes me miserable, i want to understand it. (how twisted is that?) Then when i do, and the news report is over, i wish i could take it back. I wish i could erase my memory, i regret watching it, i regret reading it. I want to scrub my brain clean with soap and get rid of the horrible thing i really didn't need to learn about. 
But i cant..... its too late. Once something horrible is in your brain, its in there, you can't take it back out!
Solomon sought knowledge, but in the process he desired to learn of both good AND evil. And this was a mistake. It brought him nothing but sorrow. Its OK to seek wisdom. Wisdom is a good thing.
But don't seek to learn what is evil. It will make you miserable. Fill your mind with what is good and pure and Holy instead! (Phil 4:8) "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." NIV Watch what a difference it makes in your life.
16 I communed with my heart, saying, "Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge."
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
NKJV
I don't know about you guys, but i can't stand watching the news. I hate it. Its so depressing. The more knowledge i have of the sin, pain, and destruction around me, the more depressed i become
. Rape, murder, theft, crimes of every kind, disease, natural disasters..... its rare when you find the News encouraging. Most of me wants to look away from it, to turn it off and hear no more.... Yet i have this curiosity , and when i hear of some sin that was committed, or some horrible event that occurred, i want to learn more about it. Even though it makes me miserable, i want to understand it. (how twisted is that?) Then when i do, and the news report is over, i wish i could take it back. I wish i could erase my memory, i regret watching it, i regret reading it. I want to scrub my brain clean with soap and get rid of the horrible thing i really didn't need to learn about. But i cant..... its too late. Once something horrible is in your brain, its in there, you can't take it back out!Solomon sought knowledge, but in the process he desired to learn of both good AND evil. And this was a mistake. It brought him nothing but sorrow. Its OK to seek wisdom. Wisdom is a good thing.
But don't seek to learn what is evil. It will make you miserable. Fill your mind with what is good and pure and Holy instead! (Phil 4:8) "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." NIV Watch what a difference it makes in your life.