Pt 4 OMNISCIENT

Pr Edi Giudetti

16/04/2023

Psalm 139:1–6

¹ O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. ² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. ³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. ⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

There is at times something very disconcerting respecting some of the characteristics of God that we admit.

We know he is eternal, we know he is good (Omnibenevolent), that he is almighty (Omnipotent), but it is when we come to ponder the consequence of him being all-knowing (Omniscient) that we find ourselves needing to pause for a moment. The famous “Right to be silent” where “anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law”, usually motivates our silence. But what if that extends to everything we think or intend? What if the true motives of all our actions were actually known?? What if our very heart is known? What then???

When we say that God is “Omniscient”, when recognizing God as ‘all-knowing’, we are not limiting that knowledge to “intelligence”, we identify the “All”, the “Omi” in Omniscient, as there is NOTHING OUTSIDE OF HIS KNOWLEDGE, and that has consequences we need to consider.

One of those natural consequences, that HIS KNOWLEDGE IS JUST, is that it makes him able to judge matters with all information necessary. Knowing that God is “GOOD”, as we understood from the second message in the series, gives us confidence that he must also be just.

The second consequence is outcome, that HIS KNOWLEDGE IS PURPOSEFUL, if God knows the end from the beginning, he also knows the outcome of every event before it occurs.

God being Eternal, as identified in the FIRST message in this series, complements this truth. God being also all powerful (Omnipotent) leads us to understand that he governs the outcome according to his purpose. God being Good (Omnibenevolent) brings us confidence that the end will be good.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

The Third Consequence is Revelation, that HIS KNOWLEDGE IS INSTRUCTIVE; if there is nothing outside of God’s knowledge then he is the source of ALL knowledge.

Knowing he is eternal means his databank of history and the motivations that moved history, is perfect. His knowledge of the future is equally perfect and thereby that which he chooses to reveals to mankind is perfectly instructive, and GOD therefore holds man to account. His Knowledge is INSTRUCTIVE.

The Fourth Consequence is that of response, that HIS KNOWLEDGE IS WONDERFUL;

If God is all knowing, if he is aware of our “downsitting” and our “uprising” and knows our “thoughts afar off”, and if he is eternal and if he is omnibenevolent and omnipotent, then the natural consequence is that of the response of his creatures. It is through our WONDER of all he is and all he knows that we come to the end of our knowledge and acknowledge him as GOD.

I pray the sermon encourages you this day.

His Knowledge Is JUST

Psalm 139:1–2

¹ O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. ² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

It is difficult to comprehend any limitation to the knowledge of the one to whom Jesus testifies saying, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Mt 10:30). For some individual ‘heads’ numbering the hairs may not be much of a feet…but for all individual heads independently and collectively through history, that is quite a number.

Psalm 147:4

⁴ He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

This is the knowledge of God; a knowledge so perfect and so absolute that we, with our own limited minds, find too difficult to contemplate. It is like trying to understand the infinite, like trying to comprehend eternity or a time outside of time. Trying to comprehend limitless knowledge is beyond us. almost like like trying to catch the wind in our hand or stop the tide with our feet. How can a limited mind comprehend the unlimited? How does a person who understands SOME things, comprehend the one who understands everything?

So many therefore give up and reject the knowledge of the most high, they limit the Holy One of Israel by putting him in a box that they think they can understand. The ancients said

¹¹ …, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?

Psalm 73:11

Imagine for a moment God looking down at all the debates that rage about whether or not he exists! And what is the response of the Lord to these things? Turn to Psalm 94

Psalm 94:7–11

⁷ Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. ⁸ Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? ⁹ He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? ¹⁰ He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? ¹¹ The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

Now we come to the CRUX OF THE MATTER; “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man…”

This is the point at which we can fully come to the conclusion that GOD has ALL information at his disposal through which JUST JUDGEMENT can be made upon ALL PEOPLE. The famous passage in Hebrews 9 says;

Hebrews 9:27

²⁷ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

King Solomon wrote;

¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whetherit be good, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:14

God knows every thought, every motive, every proud look and vain imagination of man, every true desire and every purposeful intent of every human being on earth that has ever been throughout history. And so HIS KNOWLEDGE IS JUST.

“every secret thing”

To most in the world this is a fearful consideration. But sadly, for far too many Christians these days it is also a fearful consideration. People will do anything to avoid TEMPORARY responsibility, but will find themselves giving an eternal account.

¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it begood, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:14

He who knows ALL the thoughts and intents of the heart will hold temporal ignorance ETERNALLY RESPONSIBLE.

Fellow Christians, you may indeed be saved from hell and your sins washed by the blood of the lamb, but all that is bound on earth will be bound in heaven, all that is loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt 18:19)

Do you really want to give an eternal account for sins you avoided being temporarily accountable to??? Too often, with our hearts hardened, we can find ourselves as the last person to see our sin. So too did David the King. Perhaps this is why he included the last two verses of Psalm 139;

Psalm 139:23–24

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: ²⁴ And see ifthere be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

His Knowledge Is PURPOSEFUL

Psalm 139:3–4

³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ Forthere is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

There are those however who love that God knows their heart and yes, even the thoughts of their minds and, astoundingly, the sin of their souls. They love it because they know that God can bring about a good work in their lives through it. I’ll do my best to explain this phenomenon.

The people that we may see on a day-to-day basis, whether that be each day, once per week, per month, even per year, they have a perspective on you that is limited both to their knowledge of you, or your actions and words, and of their perception of those things.

Each and every person in the world generally has a comparative one-dimensional view of you, and of all you say and do.

Turn to

1 Corinthians 4:3–5

³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. ⁴ For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. ⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

In the text here we see two groups of people that are limited;

1. Those judging Paul
2. Paul

Those judging Paul are limited in their ability to judge justly because they ONLY have a one-dimensional view of Paul. They neither know Paul well enough, nor his intentions to gain a greater perspective.

Paul however is ALSO limited at the MOST to a Two-Dimensional view of himself, because he too can never be sure his own motives are perfectly pure, nor what leads to his actions on a day to day basis.

Those who set themselves to judge you can only justifiably judge things that are clear sins or transgressions or misrepresentations evident in the scriptures. More than that is not possible.

Motives, for example, are difficult to establish and they too can only be accurate by degree. They may establish a potential motive, but can’t determine for certain if that motive motivated a speech or act.

Circumstance also has limitations, for no person truly knows all the events that have led to certain events, behaviors, words, etc. People could be responding from past hurts. People may behave badly through present trials. People may be careless due to high levels of stress or anxiety. Sin may or may not be involved.

There could be an infinite array of possibilities that we all are unequipped to judge outside of the bounds of Scripture. AND DON’T BOTHER TRYING TO PHYSCOANALISE ANYONE it is pure vanity!

So, people outside of yourself can only have a one-dimensional view to make a judgement.

BUT, you only have a two dimensional view AT BEST to judge your own self, I say “At BEST because you can ONLY extend that view if you are humble and willing to truly search your heart. If you are UNWILLING to search your own heart on the matter, especially in light of any discovery of sin, your view of yourself is little better than the ONE DIMENTIONAL view others have of you! While others may see some wrong in you, all you think is good of yourself. In other words, you are just as vain in self-perception as they are of perceiving you!

 Psalm 51 is a perfect representation of a two-dimensional view. It’s the Psalm of David that confesses to the Lord his personal discovery of his sin, and his willingness to take full responsibility for all he had done, and his desire that God’s cleansing work in him may help him bless others (Ill touch on that shortly).

But it’s the three-dimensional view you search for when you go before the Lord in prayer, to gain a perspective that, while still not necessarily perfect, brings about the most wonderful work in your life. Why? Because you are seeking it from the ONE who has every dimension possible at his disposal.

Turn to the last two verses of our mornings passage to see that HIS KNOWLEDGE IS PURPOSEFUL

Psalm 139:23–24

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: ²⁴ And see ifthere be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Did you see the PURPOSE?

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Now turn to Psalm 51

You CANNOT jump from a One-Dimensional view of yourself to the three-dimensional view, without first examining your own heart. You can’t skip second base on the way to third.

Psalm 51 is a wonderful presentation of the transition from two to three dimensions, God bringing out and leading the sinner for a PURPSOEFUL END because he is Omniscient.

Psalm 51:7–13

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. ⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. ¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. ¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. ¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Beloved, I am glad that the Lord knows my heart! I am also glad he knows my very thoughts. My heart’s desire is to please him, even though at times I do that which I would not, rather that that which I would, I am blessed to know that he knows my true motives in the actions I may take, even if I make errors in those actions. Even if I don’t handle things properly, I am blessed to know that God knows what my motives were.

And yes….even in the most difficult part, when my motives were not perfectly pure, when my intentions were not pleasing to God, I am again glad he knows them. Because it is through him bring up any wicked way in me, I may be led in the way everlasting!

His Knowledge Is INSTRUCTIVE

Psalm 139:5

⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

God being OMNISCIENT, he being ALL KNOWING, means that he is also the source of all knowledge that is TRUE. God knowing the end from the beginning, means that he is the perfect resource through which true knowledge can be gleaned and gained. The fact that God has written a BOOK, should blow our minds! It means that the source of ALL KNOWLEDGE is PURPOSEFULLY INSTRUCTIVE!!!

The Bible is the greatest instruction book of all because it comes from the one who is ALL KNOWING. What he has given to man, he has given in perfect accord with what he believes man needs to live.

The instructions for eternal life (The Gospel) are as simple as they are profound, but they take up only a few pages of the Bible. The rest of the Book is there to make a man perfect, “throughly furnished unto all good works”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

God has given to us everything we need in this incredible book, the Bible. He has blessed us with the word of God in our language that furnishes us with the perfect instruction manual for a blessed life.

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek and we are told possibly also Aramaic, yet God has superintended over its translation into many languages including English, which we believe is perfect in one volume, the King James Version.

The King James Version is THE BIBLE, I never bother referencing it as a VERSION, (If you have ever read my sermons online you would notice I never add the subscript note (KJV etc), it is THE Bible, I will not credit other books as “versions”.

It is the ONLY Bible that gives the perfect instruction for life and eternity, nothing comes close, all other versions are so poorly translated from corrupt manuscripts, their errors completely ignore context and lead people astray.

 Translation EXAMPLE

A few months ago I purchased a mechanical hoist for my workshop and began to install it. I got stuck after the instruction manual ran out of instructions, so I got a professional installer in to complete the work.

I got to talking about how bad the translation of the instruction manual was when he told me of his recent experience of more commercial hoist, given an instruction translated from Chinese that said literally;

“Connect The Wet Sheep”

Completely confused and knowing that no “Wet Sheep” were included in the kit, he mused at what on earth the reference should really be in the context of what he was installing.

“Connect The Wet Sheep”

“Connect The Wet Sheep”?

“Connect The …..

Suddenly his realisation turned to laughter as he understood the proper instruction should have been, “Install the Hydraulic Ram”.

He NEVER would have been able to complete the installation of that particular hoist if all he did was trust someone’s limited interpretation of the text.

Beloved, we thank God that he is ALL KNOWING and has given to us a perfect instruction manual that UNDERSTANDS the context of the life we are here to live and recognizes the plight of eternity. You have in your very hands access to his eternally instructive resource, and you should perfectly TRUST IT.

The Bible is BLACK AND WHITE, not multiple shades of grey. YOU need to abandon trust in yourself and trust God ALONE, it’s not your personal, private interpretation that leads to a full life. Those who ONLY want grey, are simply looking for room to fit in their OWN interpretations and they are going to be looking for “WET SHEEP” everywhere they go, never knowing the true instruction required to complete life!

His Knowledge Is WONDERFUL

Psalm 139:6

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

There is a wonder in the word of God that only those who read it regularly and trust it implicitly can see.  The knowledge of God was poured into this book in quantity sufficient for all our needs and cares and with an abundance that surpasses all our wants; my CUP runneth Over.

When I think of all the writings of men, when I consider all the books that have been written then and are being written now, not if all the books of history coming together as one volume, can compare with a single page of the word of God. This is not only for the wisdom that may be contained in that page, but for the knowledge that what is in that page is given by the creator of all that was, all that is, and all that ever shall be. That the one who ALONE is OMNISCIENT, wrote that which is contained therein and those are the very words of TRUTH inspiring all confidence and rest.

That is the difference beloved! No matter how wise a secular man may be, no matter how influential his writing, no matter how vast his knowledge is, the fact that there can be NO absolute confidence in the truth of his words is enough to leave us hungering and thirsting for more.

 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Lk 4:4)

His KNOWLEDGE IS WONDERFUL, too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Jesus said to his disciples, “will ye also go away?”

⁶⁸ Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

John 6:68

While the people of the world scrabble for the crumbs of the ideas of men and other gods of this life, they leave behind them the “words of eternal life”. They think they can fight the fight of life with transitive words and notions, ideas that do more to turn people away from the all-knowing God of the Bible, to vanity.

The world is filled with all the destructive consequences of “good intentions”.

Turn in your bibles to;

2 Chronicles 28:21–23

²¹ For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. ²² And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. ²³For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

People see the vanity of others in the world, beleiving through a single dimensional view of the state of those they admire, and then look to dedicate themselves to the same vanities. Their end soon becomes depleted of hope and devoid of life, ruined chasing the dreams of fools.

The devil will do all he can to imitate the OMNISCIENT God to whom he himself is to submit.

He will have, and does have, the world chase knowledge and wisdom from sources OTHER than God. The world has turned to the gods of this world, not only to men, but now increasingly to machines, to Siri, to Alexa, to the growing and developing AI’s that will become the ruin of them and the world, just as the abominable sacrifice of Ahaz was to him and Israel.

Is that what you will do brethren? Rather than turn to the word of God are you going to “Google” wisdom and hope?

They not only have to themselves the demonic ChatGPT4, but they also have ChatKJV, surely this will be the turning point for you? Surely ANYTHING that has KJV attached to the end of it is of God?

What’s wrong with these things Pastor?

Surely it’s not a bad thing for preachers to plagiarize sermons from ChatGPT, if the people like it, what’s wrong with that?

If we quick-search Google, or ask Siri for help with our struggles, what’s wrong with that?

The Bible is too long, but godly men have written commentaries and devotions, preached sermons on youtube, what’s wrong with these instead of reading the Bible?

Dr Fred Schwartz gave a great illustration during a speech at the Hollywood bowl on the 16^th October 1961, speaking of the subtle evil encroachment of communism.

I’m paraphrasing by memory, so its not a perfect quote.

He spoke of a large Mackerel swimming deep in the sea who sees a good size pilchard in the water and says to himself,

“There’s a good looking fish to feed my hunger, what’s wrong with that?”

“mmm, plenty of good fish protein to build splendid fish tissue, what’s wrong with that?”

“I can swallow it down with just one bite, what’s wrong with that?”

What’s wrong with it? What’s wrong is the HOOK that is in it!

Anything that competes for your interest and affection is nothing but a cheap copy of that which is wonderful!

God alone has the knowledge that is perfect and complete, able to both save and nourish the soul of all who seek him diligently and with the whole heart. He has given to you the gift of eternal life, taken you from a certain damnation in hell to eternal joy in heaven by providing you his Son, are you now going to replace him with the devils trifle?

CLOSE

There are many things the OMNISIENT God knows that we do not know, but there are two that I want to leave you with this morning.

Firstly, only God knows the exact hour Jesus will return to claim his bride, the day that we who are saved will be caught up to be with Jesus before his wrath is poured out upon this world.

We should ALL be looking for him, that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We should be actively sharing the gospel of Christ, not wasting our time on vain pursuits. What will the Lord find you doing when he comes?

We MUST keep a short account of sin, before the ALL KNOWING GOD, 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10

We must be on good terms with all men, Paul wrote,

Romans 12:18

¹⁸ If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

If there was one thing I had learned during Covid, it is that Family, brethren, close friends and acquaintances should be held close and dear through both forgiveness, love and grace. We do NOT have time to be holding grudges and griefs with ANYONE, especially those nearest to us. “As much as lieth in you” says Paul, therefore it is ALWAYS YOUR responsibility to work to restore those most precious of relationships and it is certainly SIN in you that would rather retain animosity with those for whom “peace” alone is charged.

Secondly, God knows the exact hour of our death. ARE YOU READY?

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgement” (Heb 9:27) tells us man has an appointment he will not miss, it is IMINANT.

These are two future occurrences that are iminant, ARE YOU READY FOR EITHER OF THEM?

Have you Examined yourselves whether you be in the faith? Being in the faith makes you ready for either IMINANT EVENT! God certainly knows if you are ready, do you?

Matthew 7:22–23

²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Will that be you simply because you have NEVER EXAMINED yourself “whether ye be in the faith”?

His Knowledge Is JUST

His Knowledge Is PURPOSEFUL

His Knowledge Is INSTRUCTIVE

His Knowledge Is WONDERFUL