The Knowledge Of God Contemplated Series

Foundations of the Christian Faith Series

by Matt Black (Message 2)

Key verse:Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a PURE HEART; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Psalm 24:3-4). Seeking to know and understand God is not primarily an academic pursuit. Knowledge alone does very little for morality. Some of the greatest minds in the world’s history were some of the most devious. God’s requirement is clean hands. Do you want to know Him? The answer is not in the mind primarily, but in the heart. Now do not misunderstand me. We ought to seek after the knowledge of the Lord, but let us not pursue it academically. Let us pursue it spiritually. Let us pursue it with a heart bursting with desire to know the greatness of God.

That being said, we return to our subject that we left off with last week. At that time, we learned that the study of the Bible leads us to the greatness of God. We also learned that our response to this greatness should be humility and awe.

Today it is my intention to demonstrate that the study of God must be assimilated, it must be practiced, or it is useless and vain. On the positive side, I intend to show that if the study of God is practiced, it will lead to a rich and full life with meaning and motivation. It will also, more importantly bring glory to God and peace in your heart on earth and also on the great day of judgment. We shall find that the greatness of God demands that He be the Source, the Cause, and the Maintainer of all things. We were created to reflect the glory of this thrice Sovereign God. In this we find our purpose and motivation for living, which will never end, even in eternity in His presence.

Now to begin, let us look at the glorious Words of God before us. As we read this, be advised that these are not my words, but these Words are like a voice from heaven. When we read the Words of God, it is essetially that God is speaking with us face to face. We read here:

Romans 11:33-36

33 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! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

We can never reach the bottom of God’s greatness!

Trying to comprend God’s greatness with our tiny brain is like trying to put an ocean into a thimbal. It cannot be done, but that does not mean that we ought to keep the thimble dry. My endeavor is to throw the thimble into the ocean! Let us be lost in the depth of God, for there is no better place to be.

God’s Riches

When Paul exclaims “O the depth of God,” he is marveling at His infinity. God has never had a beginning, neither shall He have an end. Now there is a depth to the riches of God, Paul says. God is unlimited in His resources. Did you have a thought today? Well the Bible here says the resources of God’s knowledge are endless. That means He knows every thought there is to think. In a word, God knows all there is to know. “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?” All the greatness of man and his knowledge in all it’s glory is just a microscopic scratch on the ocean of the riches of God’s knowledge. Paul says, “O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” This all-comprehending knowledge surveyed all the possibilities of His work. Before we were ever created, the riches of God’s knowledge encompassed every event that was possible. He knew every man and woman that would be created; He knew every act they would perform; He knew all the evil and the good. His knowledge is such that it encompasses eternity. He knows our beginning and our end. He knows the works that we shall do now and in eternity for Him. He knows the everlasting punishment of those who reject Christ.

And God’s wisdom is what chose what events would take place. God’s wisdom gave you black hair and gave you your parents. You could not choose those things. God’s wisdom gave you your limitations. Do you have pain today? God’s wisdom has allowed it. Do you have much, or do you have little in the way of earthly things? God’s wisdom has chosen it so. The language of your mother was chosen by God. Why were you not born in China under communism? Because it was in God’s wisdom that He should choose you to be born here. That you should live in freedom. You did not choose to be born here. Shall we say more? It was God’s wisdom that Christ should become like one of us. It was God’s wisdom that chose His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for your sin and mine. It was God’s wisdom that allowed you to hear the Gospel. Why is there a Gospel preaching church in Beasain, Spain? Why is there a preacher standing before you today? Because in God’s wisdom, God chose to call me here, to this specific location, to open the Word of God and preach to you.