God – The Original Know-it-all
Psalm 139
It is in our human DNA to search for God. While we live in a day and time where selfishness and self preoccupation reigns supreme; there is always within us a deep nagging question.
Who is God?
As much as we try to deny it, that question will not go away. A desire to know God is written on the heart of every man and woman; and unless we are willing to acknowledge and pursue it, life will never be fully satisfying.
Hosea 4:1-3 - Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel! The LORD has filed a lawsuit against you, saying: “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. 2 You curse and lie and kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, with one murder after another. 3 That is why your land is not producing. It is filled with sadness, and all living things are becoming sick and dying. Even the animals, birds, and fish have begun to disappear.
Dr. R. C. Sproul was once asked what people’s greatest need was. Dr. Sproul responded with; “The greatest need in people’s lives today is to discover the true identity of God”. He goes on to say that; “the greatest spiritual need in church people today is to discover the true identity of God. If believers really understood the character and the personality and the nature of God, it would revolutionize their lives.”
Today I want to begin to deal with some of the Omni’s of God – His Omniscience.
God is the first know-it-all. He literally knows everything – that’s right everything – past present and future.
My wife is under the impression that I think I’m always right.
No matter what question she poses, I seem to have an answer and, of course, I’m right.
And if she doesn’t believe me, all she has to do is call my dad. Because if, on the off chance, I happen to make a mistake, he’ll get it; because, after all, my dad knows everything.
Illustration – Can elephants swim?
I’ve learned since getting married that it’s definitely a man thing – because my father-in-law is also always right. But in their relationship I learned something very important that is true in all marriages.
My father-in-law is only always right when my mother-in-law says so. And that’s the way it is.
This is a lot of fun but we all know that it isn’t true. But what if it were? What if there was someone who really did know everything? What if they existed and what if you could check with them on a regular basis? They would be the most popular person in the world. You would have to schedule your appointments decades in advance just to see them because the whole world would be pounding on their door.
What if someone existed who knew everything?
Well you’re here in church today so you know where this is going. Someone who knows everything does exist and His name is God. And He really does know everything.
You’re sitting there thinking; “I already know that, Steve. Tell me something new.”
You may know it. But do you believe it? Does it affect how you live your life?
As I have already stated, He literally knows everything – past present and future.
Hebrews 4:13 - Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
There isn’t a single event from the falling star to the division of a cell that escapes His attention. He knows every thought we think and every intent of our heart. He not only takes note of our actions, He knows our motivations. And somehow He is able to give every single event in the universe His undivided attention.
Psalm 139:1-5 - O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my every thought when far away.
3 You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.
Every moment you know where I am.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
5 You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
In this Psalm, David is amazed by God’s knowledge. Not only does He know everything about me but he knows what I do and when I do it. He takes note of everything I do and every word I speak.
And in the midst of that, He takes note of my every need.
Matthew 10:29-30 - Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
We have to stop here for a minute; because at the beginning of this Psalm, David is in awe of God care for us.
If you can just picture for a minute – King David is meditating on the awesome knowledge of God. And as he has already established the awesomeness of God in previous Psalms; and in this one he begins to reflect on the intimate attention the Creator of the universe pays to us. He just has to stop and take a break:
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!
David just has to stop and worship. “I can’t believe that He cares that much about me. God loves me more than I could ever imagine. I’m not sure I can take any more.”
I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
The Good News: He knows about your scars
God not only knows everything that we have done, He also knows everything that has been done to us.
As I mentioned last week, it seems that everyone I meet is broken in one way or another. The process of discovering that surprised me. But it doesn’t surprise God. Not only is He intimately aware of every move you make, He is intimately aware of your brokenness.
Psalm 56:8 - You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
There is security in the fact that God knows. He is not some distant observer; no feeling, no wound, no scar escapes His attention.
David goes on:
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!
And yet, in the middle of listening to David worship, I can hear the wheels turning in your head…”This can’t be all good”. “The other shoe is about to drop.”
The Bad News: He knows about your sin
If God is infinitely familiar with everything about me, then He knows the good, the bad and the ugly. And that’s terrifying.
Illustration - Hooper
God doesn’t want you to be miserable. He doesn’t reveal your sin to condemn you. He reveals your sin to set you free.
David recognizes this and wraps up his psalm with these words:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
That’s the point – life. God wants us to live.
When it comes to who we are; God wants us to know that He is intimately familiar with everything there is to know about us. We have His undivided attention. He loves us that much.
When it comes to our brokenness, God wants us to know that He hasn’t missed a thing. And He hurts with us and there is healing available.
And when it comes to our sin, God wants us to come out of hiding so He can set us free. He wants to remove our guilt and shame and replace it with everlasting life.
