Worship the Omniscient God
Notes
Transcript
Closely related to God’s omnipresence is the attribute of omniscience. God knows everything we do because wherever we go, He is already there. He knows why we do what we do because He sees our true motives even more clearly than we ourselves do. This is the truth of divine omniscience.
Psalm 147:5 says of God, “His understanding is infinite.”
Psalm 147:5 (NKJV)
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
He knows not only everything that is knowable, but He knows the unknowable as well.
First Samuel 2:3 says, “For the Lord is a God of knowledge.”
1 Samuel 2:3 (NKJV)
“Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
The Hebrew word for “knowledge” in that verse is plural, emphasizing the extent of God’s knowledge.
In Romans 16:27 Paul calls the Almighty “The only wise God.”
Romans 16:27 (ASV)
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.
Not only does God know everything; He is the only one who does. The angels’ knowledge is extensive, but they do not know everything God knows.
Man’s knowledge is increasing, but compared to God’s knowledge, it is foolishness.
WHERE DOES GOD GET HIS INFORMATION?
WHERE DOES GOD GET HIS INFORMATION?
God does not obtain His knowledge by learning. Because He knows everything, He doesn’t need to discover anything new or understand anything better than He already does. Who would teach Him?
Isaiah 40:13 asks, “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has informed Him?”
Isaiah 40:13 (NKJV)
Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him?
The answer, of course: No one.
In Romans 11:34, Paul says, “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?”
Romans 11:34 (NKJV)
“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?”
Who taught God? Again: No one. God knows everything, and He always has.
Our prayer requests are not meant to give God information He needs. He knows our needs before we pray. Thus He can say, “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24)
Isaiah 65:24 (NKJV)
“It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
We pray to unburden our hearts and to show we care, and He answers because He chooses to work through our prayers.
But prayer is entirely for our benefit, not God’s. We have no undisclosed information that He needs. No knowledge is out of reach from God. There isn’t a secret thought or a secret word or a secret deed hidden from God. He even knows the number of hairs on your head. Jesus said, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30)
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
So God knows even the most trivial things. Why would God bother to count our hair?
He doesn’t count it; He simply knows it. God isn’t keeping a record book on hair just to prove a point. Anything that is, He knows. He doesn’t have to learn it or find it out.
God can see beyond the exterior.
God can see beyond the exterior.
In Revelation 2:23 He says, “I am He who searches the minds and hearts.”
Revelation 2:23 (NKJV)
I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
We cannot keep secrets from God; He sees our hearts and our minds just as well as He sees our outside.
Psalm 139:4 says, “Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.”
For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
God hears our whispers as if they were broadcasts. He even knows our secret thoughts as if they were being broadcast on some gigantic cosmic movie screen. Our minds could not conceive the subtlest thought outside the knowledge of God.
God says in Isaiah 66:18, “I know their works and their thoughts.”
Isaiah 66:18 (NKJV)
“For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
Several places in the gospels tell us that Jesus could see the hearts of men. John 2:25 says, “He Himself knew what was in man.”
John 2:25 (NKJV)
and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
And Luke 6:8 says, “He knew what they were thinking.”
Luke 6:8 (NKJV)
But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood.
Now lets Consider
God’s perfect wisdom in light of God’s omniscience
God’s perfect wisdom in light of God’s omniscience
for it can not be separated from His perfect wisdom.
Wisdom is omniscience acting with a holy will.
If God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9–10), He also knows every Infinitesimal step in between.
Best of all, He is able to make all things work together ultimately to result in good, even if circumstances appear otherwise to us (Romans 8:28).
Consider the limitless details of God’s creation. Everything from the vastness of the universe to the finely tuned organisms of the microscopic level to the incomprehensibly tiny particles of the subatomic realm.
The component parts of the universe extend beyond calculation, and yet everything functions in harmony with every other thing to bring about exactly what God intends. God’s creation is a monument to His wisdom.
Psalm 104:24 says, “O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all.”
Psalm 104:24 (NKJV)
O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all.
How does God’s Omniscience affect believers?
How does God’s Omniscience affect believers?
For one thing, it is a great comfort to know that God knows everything.
An event that happened to Simon Peter serves as a good answer this question.
The story of Simon Peter’s denial of Christ is a significant event in the New Testament.
During the Last Supper, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed the next morning.
This prediction is recorded in all the Gospel accounts: (Matthew 26:33-35; Mark 14:29-31; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:36-38)
These passages set the stage for the dramatic events that follow.
After Jesus’ arrest, Peter faces the situation:
First denial: A servant girl accuses him of being with Jesus, and he denies it.
Second denial: Another servant girl identifies him, and he denies it again.
Third denial: Bystanders recognize his accent, and he Fiercely denies any association with Jesus. The rooster crows, and Peter remembers Jesus’ prediction.
Overwhelmed with remorse, Peter weeps bitterly.
After Jesus’ resurrection, He takes special care to rehabilitate Peter and assure him of forgiveness.
I have a video clip for you that recreates this event that is recorded for us in John 21:15-19 go ahead and play the video.
***PLAY VIDEO***
Did you notice Peter said, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You” (v. 17).
John 21:17 (NKJV)
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Peter appealed to Jesus’ omniscience rather than his own visible behavior to verify his love.
Peter’s story reminds us of our humanity, God’s compassion, and the transformative power of redemption. But more than that God knew Peter’s story before his story began. I wonder, does that truth bring you comfort knowing that God knows your heart, mind and your inner most being.
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
The Lord is sovereign in all things. His wisdom is perfect, His ways are great and good. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He is worthy of worship. To know Him is to worship be able to worship Him properly.
Let us pray!