Introduction
There is probably no subject that tends to humble the mind more than that of God in His glorious triune Being. Yet, at the same time, such wonderful thoughts enlarge the mind and thrill the soul, encouraging deeper contemplation of the attributes of deity. “I know nothing which can so comfort the soul: so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief: so speak peace to the winds of trial as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead” (C H Spurgeon).
The Random House Unabridged Dictionary (2006) offers this definition of ‘omniscient’: “having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things.” Omniscience is attributed to all three Persons of the Godhead, and we must never forget that all are equal in omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. Concerning omniscience and the Son of God, Matthew records “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (11.27). John, in his Gospel, records “In the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man (2.23-25; see also 21.17 and Rev 2.23). Touching the Holy Spirit and omniscience, the apostle Paul wrote “the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor 2.10). The Holy Spirit knows those things that belong to the very nature of God.
The doctrine of omniscience declares that there are no boundaries (of either time or space) in relation to God’s knowledge. Space can impose no restriction, for God is omnipresent: He is at every point of space, with His whole being, and is totally aware, and in control, of all things. Similarly, time cannot place any limitation upon God’s knowledge, because He is eternal and, for Him, everything happens in an unchanging present. His omniscience, therefore, means that He knows all the events of the past, the present, and the future. He is perfectly acquainted with every detail concerning every being in Heaven, on earth, and in Hell.
Explanation
God’s knowledge is perfect. He never errs, never changes, and never overlooks anything. His knowledge is part of His essence or nature. It is not something acquired, but so inherent in His nature that it exists exclusive of any action to attain or perceive it. The knowledge of God, therefore, not being acquired, cannot be increased. Time does not add to it. All objects of His knowledge are eternally present, and He knows the past, present, and future of all things; knowing the future with the same certainty and accuracy with which He knows the present and past, for that future is already as present to Him as though actually existing with the creatures and time belonging to it, and as distinctly perceived as it shall be then.
It is uncertain who wrote Psalm 147 but, in verse five, the psalmist gives a description of God: in His essence – “Great is our Lord”; in His power – “of great power”; in His knowledge - “His understanding is infinite.” God is omniscient, His knowledge is vast, and who can comprehend it? His knowledge, or understanding, reaches back into the eternal past, embraces things present, and reaches forward to the eternal future, indicating that there is nothing outside of the knowledge of God. The multitudes of visible stars are great, and the invisible hosts of heaven greater, yet He calls the multitude of stars, both visible and invisible, by name. In 1 Samuel 2.3, God is called the “God of knowledge” (a plural word in Hebrew).
From all eternity, God has possessed all knowledge and wisdom: from eternity God has known all things that have come to pass, and all things that shall come to pass. When God laid the supreme test on Abraham in the offering up of Isaac, He knew what the outcome would be before Abraham rose up early and acted (Genesis 22). This was one of the most crucial points in the history of faith and in the plan of God. The knowledge of God was revealed again in Genesis 24: there we see that God in His sovereignty arranged circumstances that testified to His omniscience. When Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for Isaac, God already knew her name, since Rebekah’s name appears in the closing verses of Genesis 22. When Isaac was laid on the altar for God, Rebekah was already in view as God’s choice of bride and, if God knew her name, He also knew where she could be found. The testimony of Abraham’s servant was “I being in the way, the Lord led me” (Gen 24.27). God determined the future for Isaac and Rebekah according to His perfect knowledge. The prophet Isaiah wrote:
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure (Isa 46.9-10).
This passage shows that declaring the end from the beginning is not just a function of ‘seeing’ what is destined to happen. Continuing in Isaiah, we read that God acts and intervenes in history to accomplish His ends, “calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it” (v 11).
Thus we can say, with confidence based on Scripture, that God is omniscient. Never mind if the world’s theologians and philosophers wander from the path of Scripture in their pointless arguments— we rest on the truth of the Bible.
Application
In Psalm 139.7-10, the psalmist raises certain questions:
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
The daily activities of everyday life (our “downsitting and … uprising”); our thoughts before they are formulated; our proposed plans for any particular day; our words before we articulate them - God knows them altogether. How deeply He knows us! Such knowledge should stimulate holiness in our everyday lives.
The Scriptures tell us that God perceives all things, which means that no fact can be hidden from His knowledge. As David the king recognised, “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” (Ps 139.12). God sees all things, and not even the secret intentions of the heart can be hidden from Him (44.21). In fact, He understands our own intentions better than we do ourselves (cf Jer 17.9-10; Heb 4.12). As the writer to the Hebrews explains, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4.13).
Human beings perceive through the senses, but there are limits to our perception and understanding. God’s senses, however, are not limited like ours. His Spirit searches all things (1 Cor 2.10), and nothing is beyond God’s ability to perceive. In this regard, also, He is omniscient. Nothing can escape His gaze and His knowledge. The fact that God knows us so intimately presents a challenge to all believers to live carefully: His knowledge of our every movement should stir us to greater conformity to His ways. The apostle Paul, quoting the ancient poet, said “in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17.28). However, the truth of divine omniscience should not only stimulate us, but it is also in the Bible for our encouragement. Omniscience means that God knows not only the good, but also the worst, about us, yet His love toward us never fails: He loves us just the same.
(Concluded)
