There is a tendency among believers to settle for second hand revelation. In Exodus 20:19 the children of Israel told Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us.” Rather than hear from God themselves, they preferred to have someone else get the revelation and then pass it along.
In Matthew 25, Jesus told a parable of 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom. The 5 foolish virgins ran out of oil (a picture of fellowship with the Holy Spirit), and attempted to get some of the 5 wise virgin’s oil.
“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No.'” (Matthew 25:8–9a)
Again, when these foolish virgins found themselves in need, rather than going to the source themselves, they first tried to get “oil” second hand.
The problem with only having second hand revelation can be seen in the story of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 2:15-17 it tells us that God told Adam, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” In the very next chapter the serpent approaches Eve and asks, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
Adam had been living in the Garden of Eden longer than Eve. Why did the serpent never bother asking Adam that question? What made Eve more of a target than Adam? The answer is that God never told Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He told Adam.
The reason the devil went after Eve is because her only knowledge of what God said was second hand. The serpent knew he had little to no chance of stirring up doubt and confusion in someone who had heard from God for themselves.
Thank God for gifted pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. I love to listen to good teaching and preaching and I do so daily. I enjoy reading what anointed men and women have written. But none of these things can take the place of hearing from God for myself.
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live. (Isaiah 55:3a)
Settling for second hand revelation cost Eve in Genesis 3, the Children of Israel in Exodus 20, 5 foolish virgins in Matthew 25 and every other person who is too lazy, or simply lacks the hunger, to press in and get a Word for themself. Insist on hearing from God for yourself. “Incline your ear” by spending time in the Word of God, in prayer and taking time to meditate on the Word.
Refuse to become a target of the devil by only having second hand knowledge of what God has said.
