What an amazing information age we live in! We have easy access to any knowledge we need – instantly! All we have to do is “Google it.” Need to know how to work on your car? Google it. How does one cook quinoa? Google it! Have health issues? Google it.
This artwork “Daniel 12:4 – Knowledge Shall Increase.” conveys a portion of the transition into this age of information. The painting’s starting point begins with a representation of the railroad. The railroad, known as the Iron Horse, had transported people and goods to areas faster than ever before imagined in that era. An old railroad support is framed inside a white tablet that is lying upon a blueprint of a building. Printed upon this blueprint is a door, which opens to a rising staircase. This staircase is symbolic of increasing knowledge. Black and gray cables intertwined with orange and red power cords pulsate with knowledge quickly being sent to and fro. These information highways buzz with data; again as in a previous era, faster than ever before imagined.
The title “Daniel 12:4 – Knowledge Shall Increase” refers to a prophecy in the book of Daniel. The prophecy states that in the end times, knowledge shall increase. 1 From scriptures we learn that amidst of this surplus of knowledge, there will be a famine; a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.2
This famine is the result of people ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth.3 Why? The people shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.4 God’s word is truth.5
Ezekiel 33: 30-32 says,” Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
And lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”
God says whosoever hears God’s word and obeys God’s word shall be blessed.4 “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” 5
Indeed, amidst the amazing abundance of knowledge that now exists at our fingertips, the prophecy in Daniel rings out loud and strong. God’s word is indeed truth. The wise shall
understand. 6
1 Daniel 12: 4
2 Amos 8: 11-12
3 II Timothy 3:7
4 II Timothy 4:4
5 John 17:17
6 Daniel 12:10