Go! And Marvel: The Incomprehensible Riches of God - Romans 11:33
Romans 11:33 (NLT): “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!”
Introduction: Standing in Awe
Have you ever stood beneath a starlit sky, overwhelmed by the vastness above? Or pondered the intricate design of a single flower? Such moments stir our souls, reminding us of a Creator whose wisdom and knowledge surpass our understanding. In Romans 11:33, Paul erupts in praise, marveling at the depth of God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge. Today, let us journey through this verse, seeking to grasp the grandeur of our God and respond with hearts full of worship and obedience.
“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!”
Bathos (ß????): Depth, indicating immeasurable profundity.
Ploutos (p???t??): Riches, denoting abundance and wealth.
Sophia (s?f?a): Wisdom, the ability to apply knowledge rightly.
Gnosis (???s??): Knowledge, understanding or awareness.
Paul is expressing astonishment at the unfathomable depth of God's attributes. These are not just qualities but treasures that define His very nature.
Paul concludes a theological discourse on God's plan for Israel and the Gentiles. After explaining God's mercy and sovereignty, he bursts into doxology, acknowledging that God's ways are beyond human comprehension.
“How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!”
Anexereuneta (??e?e?e???ta): Unsearchable, beyond investigation.
Anexichniastoi (??e?????ast??): Inscrutable, past finding out.
These terms emphasize that God's judgments and paths are beyond human tracing or understanding.
God's decisions (judgments) and methods (ways) are rooted in His infinite wisdom and knowledge. We, as finite beings, must trust in His perfect plan, even when it eludes our understanding.
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NLT): “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
These verses from Isaiah serve as a holy reminder: God is not a larger version of us—He is altogether other. His thoughts, His plans, His purposes are beyond the scope of our finite minds. When we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart. The heavens above us stretch farther than we can measure, and so do the ways of our glorious God.
Even when life doesn’t make sense—even when prayers seem unanswered—God is still working, weaving His sovereign purpose with infinite wisdom. He is not absent; He is operating at a divine altitude that we cannot yet perceive. Let this truth fuel our faith, deepen our trust, and inspire our worship. For the One whose ways are higher is also the One who, in Christ, stooped down to save us. Hallelujah!
God's ways transcend ours. Trusting Him requires faith in His superior wisdom.
Job 11:7 (NLT): “Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?”
Human wisdom has limits; God's mysteries invite us to humility and reverence.
My friends, this verse is both a question and a call to humility. Job’s friend Zophar, despite being misguided in his application, reminds us of an eternal truth: God is infinitely beyond our comprehension. The Hebrew word here for “mysteries” (cheqer) speaks of deep searching, the kind of exploration that leads into hidden places. Yet even the most diligent human inquiry cannot plumb the depths of who God is.
We are not called to fully understand the Almighty—we are called to trust Him. Trust in the One who knows all, sees all, and works all things according to His perfect will. His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts beyond our thoughts.
So today, let us bow our hearts in reverence. Not trying to reduce God to the size of our understanding, but lifting our eyes in worship to the One who holds the stars and still cares deeply for us. The greatest mystery isn’t that we can’t understand everything about God—it’s that He invites us into relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ..
1 Corinthians 1:25 (NLT): “This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”
God's wisdom often appears foolish to the world, yet it is the foundation of our salvation.
What a staggering verse this is. In just a few words, the Apostle Paul turns worldly wisdom on its head. What the world sees as foolish—the message of the cross, a crucified Saviour, grace for sinners—is, in truth, the highest expression of divine wisdom.
We live in an age that prizes intellect, self-sufficiency, and power. But God chose the cross—a place of apparent defeat—to reveal His ultimate victory. The “foolish plan” is not foolish at all; it’s God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. And what the world mocks as weakness—Jesus dying on a Roman cross—is in fact the greatest demonstration of God’s power, conquering sin and death.
I remind you: the Gospel will always seem countercultural. But what appears to be folly is our lifeline. Don’t be ashamed of the cross. Embrace it. Proclaim it. Live by it. Because in the so-called foolishness of God, we find wisdom that saves—and in His apparent weakness, we find the power that transforms.
Tim Keller once said, “If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping an idealized version of yourself.” And my dear friends, that’s a wake-up call for every heart that seeks to follow Christ.
See, if the “god” we serve always aligns perfectly with our opinions, our preferences, and our desires, then we may not be worshipping the one true God at all—we may be worshipping a mirror. The true and living God—revealed in Scripture—is holy, sovereign, and utterly beyond us. He confronts us, corrects us, and calls us to repentance. He speaks truth even when it pierces. That’s love. That’s grace.
As the prophet Isaiah recorded the Lord’s words, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts... and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8, NLT). Real worship begins when we surrender to a God who is not fashioned in our image, but who shapes us into His.
True worship acknowledges God's transcendence. We must allow His Word to challenge and change us.
John Piper: “The deepest explanation of the gospel produces the greatest apostolic joy.”
John Piper’s words strike at the very heart of why we preach, why we teach, and why we live for Jesus. “The deepest explanation of the gospel produces the greatest apostolic joy”—yes, and amen! The more we plunge into the depths of the gospel—the staggering truth that the holy God sent His perfect Son to bear the punishment for our sin, to rise in victory, and to reconcile us to Himself—the more joy ignites in the heart of every true believer.
The Apostle Paul didn’t find joy in comfort, applause, or ease. His joy came from knowing Christ and making Him known, even in prison, even in suffering. Why? Because he grasped the magnitude of the gospel!
Shallow knowledge of the gospel may stir temporary emotion, but deep understanding of God’s sovereign grace and redeeming love births a joy that sings in the valley and shouts on the mountaintop. Dive deep, church. Go beyond surface-level faith. Let the truth of Christ crucified and risen so fill your soul that, like Paul, you overflow with joy unspeakable and full of glory!
Understanding the depth of God's wisdom in the gospel leads to profound joy and worship.
The Tapestry Analogy:
Imagine a grand tapestry viewed from the back—threads seem chaotic and tangled. Yet, from the front, a beautiful image emerges. Similarly, our lives may seem disordered, but God weaves every thread into a masterpiece.
The Ocean Depths:
Standing at the shore, we see only the surface of the ocean. Its depths remain hidden, teeming with mysteries. God's wisdom is like the ocean—vast, deep, and largely beyond our sight, yet sustaining life in abundance.
Gospel Presentation:
Dear friends, the pinnacle of God's wisdom is revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In His perfect plan, God sent His Son to live a sinless life, die on the cross for our sins, and rise again, conquering death. This plan, though perplexing to human wisdom, offers salvation to all who believe.
Call to Action:
Let us respond to God's incomprehensible wisdom with:
Repentance: Turning from our limited understanding and trusting in God's plan.
Faith: Believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Obedience: Living lives that reflect His glory, even when we don't understand His ways.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you have not yet placed your trust in Jesus, I invite you today to embrace the wisdom of God manifested in Christ. Repent of your sins, believe in the gospel, and receive the gift of eternal life.
Benediction:
May the depth of God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge inspire you to live in awe and obedience. Trust in His unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways, knowing that He works all things for His glory and your good.
