Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Behold this, Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Luke 2:34-35 NKJV

The other day, I happened to be flipping through channels when I heard several news anchors talking about the most disliked songs of the season. I was shocked to find the song; Mary Did You Know on that list. The song was written by Mark Lowery in 1984 and music was written by Bob Green in 1991 and was recorded by Michael English that same year.

One of the news anchors said he disliked the song because of course Mary knew. He said the angel came to her and she knew everything. I couldn’t believe this guy.

We know an angel appeared to Mary and told her she would conceive of the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Messiah. Once Jesus was born, the Shepherds visited after being alerted by the angels. We are told in Luke 2:19 that Mary treasured these things in her heart. We are not told just how much she knew about what would come in the life of the baby who had just been born to her.

Our Scripture passage today is Simeon’s prophecy.  Simeon held baby Jesus and said, “For my eye have seen Your salvation.”

Simeon told Mary her soul will be pierced also. This is a foreshadowing of the pain that Mary will someday go through when her son is crucified. There’s nothing to indicate that she knew just what lay ahead or truly understood what Simeon was speaking about.

The song questions just how much Mary truly knew. The Bible doesn’t tell us all that Mary knew. This news anchor is just a prime example of someone suffering from Biblical ignorance, someone who doesn’t know their Bible and simply makes assumptions about what it says. We were taught in the police academy that we should never assume. It can cause a whole host of problems.

If you don’t know your Bible or you suffer from Biblical ignorance, you could end up stating nonsense like this news anchor. You might be led to think Jesus was just here from the manger to the cross. You may not realize Jesus is all through the Bible.

If you don’t know your Bible, you may not understand the great love God has for you. You may think God will give you a free pass to sin.

You can get into all kinds of trouble from not knowing your Bible. The worst thing about not knowing your Bible, however, is not having that close relationship with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus speaks to us through God’s holy word. If we don’t study our Bible, then our prayers are just one-sided conversations.

Avoid Biblical ignorance. Know your Bible. Get to know and understand the Bible through Bible study. Get to know the Savior that was born to die for you. Read the love story God has written for you and understand that no one will ever love you more.

Have a great day!