God’s Omniscience and Decrees
Isaiah 44:7-8
Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before mewhat has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come–yes, let him foretell what will come. 8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”
God is Omniscient– He knows all things. Because God is the source of all things, making everything from nothing, He is therefore the source of all knowledge and wisdom. He knew in eternity past the entire record of history for all eternity. Predictive prophecy proves this again and again. There is nothing that escapes His notice, and nothing can be hidden from Him. He is aware of the events of the past, present, and future as if they were all laid out before Him. As His being is perfect, so is His knowledge. Being perfect in knowledge, He is therefore all-knowing and never confused, misled or surprised.
Hebrews 4:13 – 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. NASB
1 John 3:20 – 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. NASB
The beloved AW Tozer puts it this way: “God knows all that can be known. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn.” God knows all of the data of every possible cause and effect, feeling and desire, creature, event, and every other thing that can be named. His knowledge is complete and eternal.
Acts 15:18 – 18 “
Known to God from eternity are all His works
. NKJVIsa 46:9-10 – 9 “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no
other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning
And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; NAS
Nothing escapes the attention of God. He see all things even the inner thoughts of man. Jesus said that “all of the hairs of our head where numbered,” (Luke 12:7) and that not a sparrow falls to the ground apart from His attention (Matt 10:29). Our very thoughts and intentions of our hearts are “open and laid bare before the Lord.” He knows our thoughts before we even express them. Indeed there is no place where we can hide from God, He sees every hidden thing in full view, and even understands the intentions of our hearts better than we do. He is God.
1 Kings 8:39- 39 then hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest, for Thou alone dost know the hearts of all the sons of men, NASB
1 Chron 28:9 – 9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. NASB
Proverbs 5:21 – 21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths. NASB
Psalms 139:2-4 – 2 Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. 3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, Thou dost know it all. NASB
AW Pink writes of God’s knowledge of our sins; “Neither the darkness of night, the closest curtains, nor the deepest dungeon can hide any sinner from the eyes of Omniscience. The trees of the garden were not able to conceal our first parents. No human eye beheld Cain murder his brother, but his maker witnessed his crime. Sarah might laugh derisively in the seclusion of her tent, yet was it heard by Jehovah. Achan stole a wedge of gold and carefully hid it in the earth, but God brought it to light. David was at much pains to cover up his wickedness, but ere long the all-seeing God sent one of His servants to say to him, “You are the man!” And to writer and reader is also said, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)
Proverbs 15:3 – The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. NAS
Job 34:21-22 – 21 “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps. 22 “There
is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.NASB
Psalms 90:8 – 8 Thou hast placed our iniquities before Thee, Our secret sins in the light of Thy presence. NASB
Omniscience and Decree
If God is omniscient and omnipotent, He must have sovereignly decreed everything that happens.
Ephesians 1:9-11 – 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, NASB
Jonathon Edwards said, “Whether God has decreed all things that ever come to pass or not, all that own the being of a God, own that He knows all things beforehand. Now, it is self-evident that if He knows all things beforehand, He doth approve of them or doth not approve of them; that is, He is either willing they should be, or He is not willing they should be. But to will that they should be is to decree them.”
Whatever comes to pass has been eternally decreed by God.
Another quote from Jonathon Edwards, “God decreed from all eternity all the evil that He ever does permit, because God’s permitting is God’s forebearing to act or to prevent. It can be made evident by reason that nothing can come to pass but what is the will and pleasure of God should come to pass.” (Job 12:13-22, Prov 8:14-16, Isaiah 40, Acts 2:23, 4:28)
History is the product of God’s eternally wise planning, creative purpose, providential preservation, and common grace. God fills space and time with his presence, sustains it, and gives it purpose and value. The omnipresent and ubiquitous One is Lord of time and history, not vice versa. God does not negate time but fulfills it. In it his purposes are accomplished.
God will bring to pass what He wills.
Isaiah 46:9-10 – 9 “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning
And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘; NASB
God’s people who are “in Christ” can rest assured that God will care for them and bring about their ultimate good.
Romans 8:28 – 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. NASB
Isaiah 44:7-8
Acts 4:27-28
Acts 2:22-23
Psalms 139:1-4
Psalms 33:10-15
Psalms 135:5-6
Proverbs 16:4
Isaiah 43:10-13
Daniel 4:35
Lamentation 3:37-38
Isaiah 42:8-9
