Topical Bible: God is Declared to Be: Omniscient

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The omniscience of God is a fundamental attribute that underscores His infinite knowledge and understanding. This characteristic is consistently affirmed throughout the Scriptures, revealing that God possesses complete and perfect knowledge of all things, past, present, and future. His omniscience is not limited by time or space, and it encompasses all events, thoughts, and possibilities.

Scriptural Affirmations of God's Omniscience

1. God's Knowledge of Creation: The Bible begins with the assertion of God's comprehensive knowledge in the act of creation. In Genesis, God speaks the universe into existence, demonstrating His understanding of all that He has made. Psalm 147:5 declares, "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit."

2. Knowledge of Human Hearts: God's omniscience extends to the innermost thoughts and intentions of human beings. 1 Samuel 16:7 states, "The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Similarly, Psalm 139:1-4 proclaims, "O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD."

3. Foreknowledge of Future Events: God's omniscience includes His foreknowledge of future events. Isaiah 46:9-10 affirms, "Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose.'"

4. Wisdom and Knowledge in Salvation: The New Testament further emphasizes God's omniscience in the context of salvation. Romans 11:33 exclaims, "O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!" This passage highlights the profound and incomprehensible nature of God's knowledge, particularly in His redemptive plan through Jesus Christ.

5. Christ's Omniscience: The omniscience of God is also attributed to Jesus Christ, affirming His divine nature. In John 2:24-25, it is written, "But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men. He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man." This passage illustrates Christ's ability to perceive the thoughts and hearts of individuals.

Theological Implications

The doctrine of God's omniscience has significant theological implications. It assures believers of God's perfect wisdom and guidance, providing comfort that He is fully aware of their circumstances and needs. It also underscores the accountability of humanity before an all-knowing God, who discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The omniscience of God invites believers to trust in His sovereign plan and to seek His wisdom in all aspects of life.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 139:1-6
O lord, you have searched me, and known me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 5:21
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his goings.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Canons of Dordt
... Article 11 And as God Himself is most wise, unchangeable, omniscient? ... As the doctrine
of divine election by the most wise counsel of God was declared? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/various/the canons of dordt/

Divine Election and Reprobation
... And as God Himself is most wise, unchangeable, omniscient, and omnipotent, so the ...
doctrine of election by the most wise counsel of God was declared by the ...
/.../anonymous/synod of dort/divine election and reprobation.htm

The Nature of Justification
... all things are naked and open to the eyes" of the omniscient Creator.(892). ... to assert
that a man whom the truthful and all-holy God has declared free from ...
/.../pohle/grace actual and habitual/section 1 the nature of.htm

His Name --The Mighty God
... assumed that he is omniscient; and who can be omniscient but the ... are either resting
on man, or else you have declared Christ to be "the mighty God." When I ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/his namethe mighty god.htm

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
... upon the stage of action, the Omniscient One looked down the ages and predicted
the rise and fall of the universal kingdoms. God declared to Nebuchadnezzar ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 40 nebuchadnezzars dream.htm

The Sinner Arraigned and Convicted.
... never in your life sinned against God?" Solomon declared, that in ... and come short
of the glory of God" (Rom.3 ... to arise in the face of the omniscient Majesty of ...
/.../chapter iv the sinner arraigned.htm

Book ix. In the Last Book we Treated of the Indistinguishable ...
... of nothing, and the ignorant cannot be compared with the omniscient. ... separating Himself
from the mystery of the one God, for He declared Himself, by the ...
/.../hilary/the life and writings of st hilary of poitiers/book ix in the last.htm

Arguments in Opposition to Tatian, Showing that it was Consonant ...
... "And God," it is declared, "said to ... put in practice: he tyrannized over and slew
him; God subjecting the ... and irreverently to reply to the omniscient God as if ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxiii arguments in opposition to.htm

Now, and Then
... We shall never be omniscient"we cannot be. ... God has declared somethings of
himself by the mouth of his holy prophets and apostles. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/now and then.htm

The Sovereignty of God in Salvation
... Before His omniscient eye stood the whole of Adam's race, and ... Lo, I come, to do Thy
will O God" (Heb.10:7 ... and after He had become incarnate He declared, "For I ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter four the sovereignty of.htm