God is Omniscient
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Introduction
Introduction
David said in :
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
There is something about thinking about God—who he is, what he is like, what he has done for you—that satisfies the soul that is trusting him.
What we’re doing is not just some academic exercise in knowing more things. We’re listening to God, and thinking on what he has said. We’re drinking deeply of the well of joy and goodness.
The amazing thing about God that we’re going to be looking at today is God’s knowledge: God knows all things. He is omniscient!
God Knows All Things
God Knows All Things
for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
(Elihu:)
Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
All things Past
God knows all things past
God knows all things past
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
All things Past
Psalm 1:7
All things present
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
All things future
remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
All things possible!
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
(There are several other examples of this in scripture)
He knows things at a level of detail we could only dream of.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
This is True of the Trinity
Spirit:
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Jesus, seems to not know:
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Part of giving up in ? No
Reality is Jesus knows all:
And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
But, there is mystery!
(In summary)
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God knows us, intimately
God knows us, intimately
God being all knowing is intensely personal.
Turn with me to .
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God is all knowing, but shares his attribute of knowledge with us!
God is all knowing, but shares his attribute of knowledge with us!
As with almost all of God’s attributes, there is a sense in which he is wholly different, and a sense in which, made in his image, I am like him.
Because God knows all things truly and fully, I can know some things.
The entire enterprise of science hangs on God’s creating and knowing, and us being able to know (how many atheistic scientists know that?).
remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
What about…?
What about…?
Does God forget our sins?
Does God forget our sins?
“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
Does not mean he doesn’t know them at all, but will not recall them (remember) in dealing with us.
Isaah 43.25
Were there things in the Old Testament that God didn’t know?
Were there things in the Old Testament that God didn’t know?
And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.
It did not come into his mind to command these things. God is emphasizing that they were not doing something God was ok with.
What does this mean for us?
What does this mean for us?
The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
Be in awe of God!
Be in awe of God!
Stand in awe of his knowledge
There is nothing God doesn’t know.
So when you face a difficult situation, don’t act like, “well God knows lots, but this is clearly beyond him...
Trust in God’s Word
Trust in God’s Word
God not only doesn’t lie. He knows all, so there is no error in his words! He never “unknowingly told an untruth”
Pray openly to him!
Pray openly to him!
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Seek the Lord humbly for true self-knowledge
Seek the Lord humbly for true self-knowledge
Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Pursue true knowledge of the world humbly!
Pursue true knowledge of the world humbly!
Do not become puffed up with pride over knowledge, but pursue to honor the Lord with your mind!
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
Trust God when it doesn’t make sense!
Trust God when it doesn’t make sense!