The Omniscience of God: Knowledge

The Omniscience of God can be described as one of his communicable attributes.  In this instance, I desire to look into one aspect of his mental attributes, which is his knowledge. 

By this it is meant that God's perfect and eternal knowledge of all things which are objects of knowledge, whether they be actual or possible, past, present, or future.  A simple definition is that God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple eternal act.  Elihu says that God is the one "who is perfect in knowledge" (Job 37:16) , and John says that God "knows everything" (1 John 3:20).  This quality of knowing everything is omniscience, and because God knows everything, his therefore omniscient (all-knowing).  In Latin, omnis means "all" and sciens means "knowing".

Captured in this definition is first, God fully knows himself.  His own being is unlimited and infinite.  So only one who is infinite can fully know himself and us.  In 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, it says "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.  For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  Again in 1 John 1:5 it reads "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."  In this context light represents moral purity and knowledge and awareness.  This suggests that God has the ability to comprehend and communicate his holiness and awareness.

Second, God knows actual things, that is all things that exist and all things that happen.  For respect to creation, nothing is hidden, but is open to him.  Examples can be cited in the following scriptures:

• Psalm 147:4 - He counts the number of the stars, and He calls them all by name,
• Matthew 10:29-30 - ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered, and
• Hebrews 4:13 - And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

 With respect to knowing the future, He declares the end from the beginning and things not done.

• Isaiah 46:9-10 says ⁹Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, ¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,

With respect to the minutest details of our lives, Jesus says, in Matthew 6:8  “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 

With respect to the hearts of men and their thoughts:

•  Acts 15:8 -  So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and
• Psalm 139:1-2 - O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  ² You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.

Other scriptural examples present a clear understanding of God's knowledge regarding all things possible.  In 1 Samuel 23:11-13, God gives information about an event that might happen, but does not come to pass.

1 Samuel 23:11-13 states ¹¹ Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.”  And the Lord said, “He will come down.” ¹² Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?”  And he Lord said, “They will deliver you.” ¹³ So David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition.  Here David was fleeing Saul and asked God if Saul would come to Keilah to attack him, and if so would the men of Keilah would turn him over to Saul. 

From the above examples, it is deduced that God fully knows himself or has full knowledge of himself.  Since he knows himself, therefore he has knowledge of everything he is able to do, which means all things are possible.  This would strongly infer that He has detailed knowledge of all possible outcomes.  God is therefore fully aware of everything.  He is not a super computer.   He is aware of all the facts, and does not have to ponder before giving an answer, does not have to reason to conclusions, because he knows the end from the beginning, and never learns or forgets. 

For example scriptural passages such as Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 states that God's knowledge is perfect, is always fully present in his consciousness, and never fades. 

•             Psalm 90:4 - For  a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.
•            Peter 3:8 - But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Therefore, his knowledge is eternal.  If God's knowledge were to change or grow, then He would not be omniscient.  God Is!!  Therefore, He has knows all things, from eternity; all things that would happen, and all things He would do. 

Talk to you soon,

Pastor James P. Norman Jr.