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“Do you not know?” - Part 1
“Do you not know?” - Part 1 By Derek Long
The question, “Do you not know?” is asked several times throughout the Bible. God’s word teaches us the importance of having knowledge in order to be pleasing to God (Hosea 4:6). Knowledge of the truth is able to set us free from sin (John 8:32). A failure to know the truth keeps us in bondage to sin. Let’s look at some verses where the question, “Do you not know?” is asked in the Bible: As the plagues have been coming upon the land of Egypt because of the Pharaoh’s unwillingness to let the Israelites go, Pharaoh’s servants say to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” (Exodus 10:7, NKJV). Pharaoh was failing to learn the lesson God was trying to teach him through the various plagues. Sometimes we do not know things because like Pharaoh we have hardened our hearts to God’s instruction. Judges 15:11 says, “Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, ‘Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?’ And he said to them, ‘As they did to me, so I have done to them’” (NKJV). These men of Judah feel Samson acted in such a way as to ignore the fact the Philistines ruled over them. We can act in a certain way which seems to forget certain facts as well. In 2 Samuel 2:26 Abner is trying to convince Joab not to continue to pursue the forces with him by saying, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?” (NKJV). Joab is convinced to stop pursuing these fellow Israelites. A chapter later we read of how Abner is killed by Joab. David had sent Abner out in peace but when Joab hears about it he ends up killing Abner. David’s response to Abner’s death is partially recorded in 2 Samuel 3:38. It says, “Then the king said to his servants, ‘Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?’” (NKJV). Here we see David’s view of Abner and his lack of involvement in the killing of Abner. 2 Chronicles 32:13 records for us part of the words sent from Sennacherib to Hezekiah and the people of Judah. It says, “Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to al the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hands?” (NKJV). Sennacherib is reminding Hezekiah and Judah of his accomplishments which they were aware of. His intent is to intimidate Judah and Hezekiah. He is trying to get them not to trust in the Lord God. Ezekiel 17:12 asks the question “Do you not know what these things mean?” (NKJV). There are other times in the prophets when a similar question is asked regarding a vision received by the prophet (Zechariah 4:5, 13). In giving the explanation of the things which had just been said. God wants us to understand His word and what the things contained within it mean. Romans 6:3 says, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (NKJV). Paul is reminding these Christians of facts relating to their baptism. In baptism, one is dying to sin, being buried with Christ, and rising to walk in newness of life. A person who is baptized should not be continuing to live a life of sin as a result. We also are reminded baptism is the point at which we come into contact with the benefits of the death of Christ. Jesus shed His blood to wash away our sins and we come into contact with His blood at the point of baptism (Acts 22:16; Revelation 1:5). Romans 6:16 says, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (NKJV). Christians should remember we are going to be a slave of something either of sin or obedience. Christians need to remember who they present themselves as slaves to impacts where they end up either death or righteousness. We have a choice of which master we will serve but we will all serve one of these masters. Are you a servant of sin or of obedience?
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