The ancient prophet Amos cried, “There is a famine in the land, not of bread, but of the hearing the word of God” (Amos 8:11). How true in our land. We are an affluent and educated people in all things except the Word of God.
George Gallup has been conducting surveys on various topics for years. One revealed just how uninformed our citizenry is of the Bible. Consider:
- Less than 50% of adults knew that Genesis was the first book of the Bible.
- On an average, teenagers can name only about three or four of the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament.
- Over 75% of the adults were unable to name a single prophet of the Old Testament.
- Only 34% among adults knew who preached “the Sermon on the Mount.”
- Only 35% knew that the Roman Empire ruled Palestine during the time of Jesus.
- Only three adults out of ten could name the four accounts of the life of Christ.
It’s little wonder that crime mounts! Confusion abounds! Values are mixed up! People call evil good and good evil because they don’t know and don’t seem to care!
Children reap the havoc of uninformed and uncaring parents. In one typical day in this country, 2,556 babies are born to teenagers out of wedlock. Forty children die from guns. Six teenagers commit suicide! 135,000 children bring guns to school. 3,288 children run away from home! 211 are arrested for drug abuse. 437 are arrested for drinking while driving. 7,742 teenagers become sexually active. 1106 have abortions. 2,795 become pregnant.
Oh, the difference that could have been made if parents had known and taught God’s Word! Parents, children—all of us—need to awaken to a renewed study and appropriation of the Word in our hearts and lives (2 Timothy 3: 16-17).
—Clarence DeLoach, Jr.
