He Knows

We often speak about the omniscience of God, that God knows everything. But just what does that mean? The Bible has some very interesting things to say about the subject.

First, God’s has perfect knowledge. “Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” (Job 37:16). This word “perfect” means entire, complete, full, and whole (trs. “without blemish” Ex. 12:5; see also Lev. 23:15, 25:30, Josh. 10:30). Thus, God’s knowledge is flawless. He is never mistaken about anything.

Second, God’s knowledge is infinite. “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). This word for “infinite” literally means without number. God does not just know everything there is to know, God’s knowledge does not end. We are inclined to think in terms of things which have bounds, things which have an end. Our lives only last so long, we only grow so big, we can only see so far, we can only eat so much, our houses are only so big. Even the galaxy has its limits but God’s knowledge has no bounds. God is not bound by only what is knowable for that would mean God would be subordinate to an external condition but it is God who sets conditions! God’s knowledge is infinite, not bound by any limitations.

Third, God’s knowledge is timeless. “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” (Is. 46:10). God is the creator of time. You and I live within a time-space continuum which was created by God. There was a beginning of time (Gen. 1:1). But God existed before the beginning of time, being from everlasting to everlasting (Ps. 90:2). You and I can only see the present moment, the past being lost to our vision (contained only vaguely in memory) and the future unseeable by us. But God looks down on this creation and sees the past, the present and the furture with equal infinite and unblemished clarity. So when God sees your tomorrow it is to Him the same as seeing your past. God has already seen the end of the world and where you will spend your eternity. Be mindful, He has not ordained it, but He has seen it.

Fourth, God’s knowledge is unsearchable. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33). While we may understand the things which He has purposely revealed to us through His inspired Word (I Cor. 2), God’s knowledge is not subject to examination. No finite mind, such as ours is, can ever hope to plumb the depths of the knowledge and wisdom of the Infinite Mind. No analogy can ever do justice to describing the distance between our mind and God’s (Is. 55:8,9).

Fifth, God’s knowledge is penetrating. “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). We can keep no secrets from God. We cannot hide from God as Adam and Eve tried to hide in the garden (Gen. 3:8) or as those who felt His wrath in the destruction of Jerusalem tried to hide in the rocks (Luke 22:30; Rev. 6:16). He knows us in detail, the very hairs of our head being numbered (Matt. 10:29,30). He knows our heart, the unfiltered us (Acts 1:24). The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3).

To put it succinctly, God simply knows everything (I John 3:20). Some have argued that the exercise of God’s omniscience can be compared to the exercise of His omnipotence. They say, just as God has all power but does not always exercise that power, so God has all knowledge but does not always exercise that knowledge. I can see how one could have power without exercising it, but I cannot bring my mind to grasp how one can have knowledge without knowing it. It seems to me that apples are being compared to oranges here. Now, you may have knowledge and not speak it or reveal it, but you simply cannot have knowledge without knowing it (unless you have amnesia, I suppose). Of those who so affirm I would request one kindness: please, tell me (substantively) one thing you don’t know. Since God knows all things (and He doesn’t have amnesia), He knows He knows what He knows He knows. And that’s everything.

Eric L. Padgett