Have you ever questioned whether God really knows what's going on down here on earth? You ever looked back at 911 and asked, “God, did you know that was going to happen?” Maybe we look back in history and ask why He allowed the Inquisitions to occur. Or why He allowed Nazi Germany to come to power. So for this blog entry I want to look at the attribute of omniscience. We all probably know that it means all knowing, but I'm also sure that sometimes we probably question whether He really is.
In beginning this blog I'd like to give a little credit where do, to a good friend of mine, Bob Wells, who wrote what amounts to a children's theology book. It is awesome! Its really nothing more than a collection of definitions and stories to teach the attributes of God. It was a fantastic idea, quite unique. What is most surprising to me though is that no publisher would touch it. “It's too hard for little kids to understand,” they said. Yet, independently of Bob, this is exactly what I did in a 4th and 5th grade Sunday school class I taught years ago. If you've ever taught a children's Sunday school class you know the cutesy “Standard's Publications” booklets they give you every single year. They pretty much have the same stories every single grade year, they just add a little something new to it. So by the time these kids become teenagers, they know a lot about Joseph's coat of many colors, but they don't understand the first thing about who God is. He's not real in their lives. I threw away that curriculum booklet, and taught they the attributes of God and the Trinity, one week at a time. I wasn't surprised when I found that they actually understood what was being taught – kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. I introduced the “big” words to them, like sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence and immutability. These words were explained to them, but the great news was that they understood, and started asking the most interesting questions – sometimes related and sometimes not. And the coolest part was that I was able to pull in the disinterested kids. Now, I considered my class “controlled chaos” and I'm sure the elders cringed every time they walked by my classroom, but if that's what it takes to get them to interact and have a little fun learning about Jesus, then so be it. You ever played Bible checkers using the kids as board pieces? They had a blast answering questions to try to beat the other side. (and its really cool when the kids are disappointed when your not teaching them that week. I did have to endure the other teacher's wrath though, because they “weren't any fun!”) I'll be using a little bit of Bob's material for this blog entry.
So let's get started. What is omniscience? First, you're not going to find the word in the Bible, but that doesn't mean it isn't represented everywhere in Scripture. It is actually two words, 'omni' which means all or universal, and 'science' which one dictionary defines as a systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. Now there's a mouthful. Another dictionary says that its knowledge, especially knowledge gained through experience. It is the Latin word “to know”, so 'omniscience' means 'all knowledge' or 'universal in knowledge'.
As referring to God, omniscience means that God is infinite in knowledge, wisdom and understanding. There is nothing that God doesn't already know. As Bob put it in his “Train Up a Child” book, “nothing escapes His notice, neither past, present or future.” God knows all things that are actual or possible, and by that I mean this: God knows everything that has ever happened or will happen. He knows everything that you've ever done. Is that a little scary? It should be. It also means that He knows everything that will ever happen in the future. He knows what you'll decide to wear tomorrow, or say tomorrow. He knows everyone that you'll run into next week and the week after that, or next year, or 10 yrs from now. Nothing that will happen to you will surprise Him. Nothing that you will decide to do or not do will catch Him off guard. God knows right now what will happen to you tomorrow and what will happen to your children's children 50 yrs from now. God knows all actions, words and thoughts. His knowledge encompasses everything from the smallest detail to the largest, most complicated situation. There is nothing to small or to complicated for Him.
Just in case you're not really sure about this omniscience thing, let's look at a little Scripture:
Please understand, I'm not talking about everybody's favorite subject. Predestination – I'm talking about omniscience. OK? So you can relax now.
That means that His wisdom is unsearchable and unquestionable. Again, we may not like what happens but He is God, the creator of the universe, the one that knows all things. Everything makes sense to Him; its not required to make sense to us.
Truthfully, His omniscience should be a source of comfort for believers as well as discomfort for unbelievers. When we really understand God's omniscience we can have confidence in His word to us, the Bible. If God is all knowing, then He must also be the source of all knowledge. Why you ask? Simple: there is nothing He doesn't already know, so no one can teach Him anything. If no one or no being can teach Him anything, then He must be the source of the knowledge in the first place. Remember that He is also the creator of every that is. So, if He's the source, shouldn't we seek Him for wisdom, knowledge and understanding? And if that is true, then why do we get sidetracked into seeking wisdom that comes from mankind?
I've been teaching a Bible study on Colossians for the last year (its a rich book) and one of the main reasons the Holy Spirit had Paul write this book was to refute the growing Gnostic religion that would come into full bloom in the 2nd century. Over and over in the first two chapters, Paul reminds the Colossian believers that they didn't need the secret knowledge being pedaled by the Gnostics – they already had everything they needed. And so do you! Jesus had delivered them from sin and death, what more did they need? What more do you need?
In beginning this blog I'd like to give a little credit where do, to a good friend of mine, Bob Wells, who wrote what amounts to a children's theology book. It is awesome! Its really nothing more than a collection of definitions and stories to teach the attributes of God. It was a fantastic idea, quite unique. What is most surprising to me though is that no publisher would touch it. “It's too hard for little kids to understand,” they said. Yet, independently of Bob, this is exactly what I did in a 4th and 5th grade Sunday school class I taught years ago. If you've ever taught a children's Sunday school class you know the cutesy “Standard's Publications” booklets they give you every single year. They pretty much have the same stories every single grade year, they just add a little something new to it. So by the time these kids become teenagers, they know a lot about Joseph's coat of many colors, but they don't understand the first thing about who God is. He's not real in their lives. I threw away that curriculum booklet, and taught they the attributes of God and the Trinity, one week at a time. I wasn't surprised when I found that they actually understood what was being taught – kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. I introduced the “big” words to them, like sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence and immutability. These words were explained to them, but the great news was that they understood, and started asking the most interesting questions – sometimes related and sometimes not. And the coolest part was that I was able to pull in the disinterested kids. Now, I considered my class “controlled chaos” and I'm sure the elders cringed every time they walked by my classroom, but if that's what it takes to get them to interact and have a little fun learning about Jesus, then so be it. You ever played Bible checkers using the kids as board pieces? They had a blast answering questions to try to beat the other side. (and its really cool when the kids are disappointed when your not teaching them that week. I did have to endure the other teacher's wrath though, because they “weren't any fun!”) I'll be using a little bit of Bob's material for this blog entry.
So let's get started. What is omniscience? First, you're not going to find the word in the Bible, but that doesn't mean it isn't represented everywhere in Scripture. It is actually two words, 'omni' which means all or universal, and 'science' which one dictionary defines as a systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. Now there's a mouthful. Another dictionary says that its knowledge, especially knowledge gained through experience. It is the Latin word “to know”, so 'omniscience' means 'all knowledge' or 'universal in knowledge'.
As referring to God, omniscience means that God is infinite in knowledge, wisdom and understanding. There is nothing that God doesn't already know. As Bob put it in his “Train Up a Child” book, “nothing escapes His notice, neither past, present or future.” God knows all things that are actual or possible, and by that I mean this: God knows everything that has ever happened or will happen. He knows everything that you've ever done. Is that a little scary? It should be. It also means that He knows everything that will ever happen in the future. He knows what you'll decide to wear tomorrow, or say tomorrow. He knows everyone that you'll run into next week and the week after that, or next year, or 10 yrs from now. Nothing that will happen to you will surprise Him. Nothing that you will decide to do or not do will catch Him off guard. God knows right now what will happen to you tomorrow and what will happen to your children's children 50 yrs from now. God knows all actions, words and thoughts. His knowledge encompasses everything from the smallest detail to the largest, most complicated situation. There is nothing to small or to complicated for Him.
Just in case you're not really sure about this omniscience thing, let's look at a little Scripture:
These are just a few of the plethora of Scriptures that talk about God knowing everything. And as you can see, the Bible says that God knows everything about us. Since He already knows what everyone will decide to do in the future, nothing catches Him by surprise. Nothing. And since He already knows, it means it must already be planned, so that means that He always acts in the best way, since God is perfect and doesn't make mistakes (see my previous blog entry). Now I'm not going to say that we will always understand why He allows certain things to happen, but He has a master plan and we can never mess up that plan.O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (Ps 139:1-6)
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. (Ps 147:5)
For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all his paths. (Pr 5:21)
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. (Pr 15:3)
His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. (Job 34:22)
With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding? (Isa 40:4)Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:13)
Please understand, I'm not talking about everybody's favorite subject. Predestination – I'm talking about omniscience. OK? So you can relax now.
That means that His wisdom is unsearchable and unquestionable. Again, we may not like what happens but He is God, the creator of the universe, the one that knows all things. Everything makes sense to Him; its not required to make sense to us.
Truthfully, His omniscience should be a source of comfort for believers as well as discomfort for unbelievers. When we really understand God's omniscience we can have confidence in His word to us, the Bible. If God is all knowing, then He must also be the source of all knowledge. Why you ask? Simple: there is nothing He doesn't already know, so no one can teach Him anything. If no one or no being can teach Him anything, then He must be the source of the knowledge in the first place. Remember that He is also the creator of every that is. So, if He's the source, shouldn't we seek Him for wisdom, knowledge and understanding? And if that is true, then why do we get sidetracked into seeking wisdom that comes from mankind?
I've been teaching a Bible study on Colossians for the last year (its a rich book) and one of the main reasons the Holy Spirit had Paul write this book was to refute the growing Gnostic religion that would come into full bloom in the 2nd century. Over and over in the first two chapters, Paul reminds the Colossian believers that they didn't need the secret knowledge being pedaled by the Gnostics – they already had everything they needed. And so do you! Jesus had delivered them from sin and death, what more did they need? What more do you need?
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the
Lord? Or who has been His counselor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God
should repay him?" For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To
Him be the glory for ever! Amen. (Rom 11:33-36)
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