The One True God is All-Knowing
Day Eighteen
by Gini Crawford, MSW
www.BecauseOfGod.com
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God is omniscient
Omniscient means God knows all things. I have some geniuses in my family. They know a lot, but there are many things they know nothing about. God knows everything. His knowledge is endless, ceaseless, and timeless. In Genesis chapter one, God spoke and His spoken intelligence formed everything we know, and many things we do not understand yet (Psalm 33:6-9).
...For the LORD is a God of knowledge... / Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts... 1 Samuel 2:3; 1 Corinthians 4:5 NASB®
God is the "know it all" of the universe
There is nothing God doesn't know about His creation: He knows when lightening zips across the evening sky, rain touches the earth, and where the rivers should run. He knows when the wild goat climbs the mountain cliffs, and the salmon swims upstream. He knows when a duckling breaks out of its egg, a little bird falls out of the sky, and of course He knows everything else. (Psalm 104:1-30). His knowledge and power also keep all of creation, including us, existing and thriving (Colossians 1:17).
God knows everything about you and me: God knew of you before He created the universe (Ephesians 1:4). He knows your every thought, feeling, intent and motive. He knows what you need before you do. God knows when you are struggling even though you have told no one. God knows when you have sinned even in your thoughts. He knows when you are loved or unloved, treated well or badly, or accused rightly or wrongly. God knows it all, and wants to counsel, protect and strengthen you. (Psalm 16:7-11, 32:5-8, 91:1-4).
O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Psalm 139:1-6 NASB®
When my grandmother was a child, she was at home alone one day. As she was walking to her bedroom she felt a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. She looked around but no one was there. It scared her, so she ran outside to get a neighbor. Throughout my grandmother's life she would say, God's loving hand stopped her and saved her life, because God knew a man with a knife was in her bedroom. He was an escaped prisoner.
Do you ask God for His counsel? Since He knows all things, it is the smart thing to do.
God's knowledge and our knowledge
God created us with a brain that naturally learns. Our mind is made to gain knowledge as we go through life, which means God definitely wants us to know and understand Him and the world around us. He gave us the intelligence we needed - to invent the wheel, create musical instruments, cure many diseases, invent computers, travel in space, produce abundant food supplies, and devise every good idea and invention throughout the history of our world.
We need God's knowledge. Human knowledge has its limitations because of such things as intelligence, competence, experience, education, and social impact. The harmful effects of sin on both our physical and psychological functioning also affect our knowledge capabilities. I think it is a no brainer (yes a pun), we need God's unlimited knowledge. So it just makes sense if you want God's knowledge, then you must know Him and ask Him for understanding. (Daniel 1:17, 2:20-23; Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 2:16).
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:7-11 NASB®
God's Word teaches His knowledge
God has given us His Word and His Spirit to teach us His knowledge and wisdom (Psalm 119:130; John 14:26; 2 Peter 1:20-21). My friend and I have been reading through God's Word for years. We meet every few weeks to discuss what we have read. It makes for a wonderful friendship. Take the time and learn God's knowledge through His Word; you won't regret it.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. / Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:12 NASB®
Life Application
The all-knowing God is the all-loving God
Do you feel at times no one really knows the real you? Do you find yourself thinking, "If people really knew me they would hate me"? Well, God knows everything about you. He even knows the number of hairs on your head, and all your words before they come out of your mouth. (Psalm 139:1-6; Luke 12:6-7). Yes, God knows it all, and loves you no matter what. Does it reassure you to know God knows everything about you (the good and bad), and still loves you?
Read the book of Jonah. This is one of my grandson's favorite Bible stories, because he loves to fish, so of course he likes big fish. The story of Jonah is a quick read and has marvelous examples of God's characteristics in it, especially the fact God knows everything, so Jonah couldn't escape from Him.
Describe God from the book of Jonah.
How does the fact God is all-knowing impact your life? It sure impacted Jonah's.
Jonah didn't know, but God knew that Jonah's preaching in the city of Nineveh (in present day Iraq), would bring about a rich history of the One True God to that area. By the second century, Christianity had spread to that area, and it is still alive to this day on the plains of Nineveh, even in spite of persecution. God is all-knowing, so it makes sense to seek Him for what you should be doing. If you are doing God's bidding, who knows what wonderful things you might be accomplishing for future generations.
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