Examples of Acting without Knowledge

Syrians

1 Kings 20:28  

The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”

Jews

Isaiah 5:12-13  

12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, no respect for the work of his hands.

13  Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; their men of rank will die of hunger and their masses will be parched with thirst.

People and Priests

Hosea 4:6  

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Hosea 6:6  

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Job

Job 42:3-6

  

3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’

5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Hezekiah

2 Chronicles 32:31  

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.

Pharisees

Matthew 12:7

 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Peter

Matthew 16:22  

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Paul

1 Timothy 1:13  

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.