KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (8)

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE of GOD!” – Romans 11:33a

The Riches of the Wisdom and KNOWLEDGE of GOD are unfathomably deep: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom.11:33). These riches are so deep that they simply elicited from the inspired apostle, as he peered into the ravine of God’s Treasures, an undefined “Oh!” This expression of depth means that there are hidden dimensions to God’s riches of Wisdom and Knowledge. There will always be depths of God we do not know, because He is infinite and we are finite: “In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col.2:3).

The epistle to the Romans, glorifies the wonderful works of God while exposing depravity of man. It details the glorious plan of salvation and the great sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, whereby fallen man is not only released from slavery to sin, delivered from eternal condemnation, and reconciled back to God, but also saved by grace through faith in Him, made a new creation in Christ, a citizen of heaven, and a joint-heir with Christ, bestowed with the riches of God's Grace, in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit, eternally secure in His love, and much more. Chapters 9 to 11 focus on the ultimate purposes of God to show the riches of His Glory on the vessels of mercy. No surprise that near the end of the letter, Paul broke into this escalating doxology of praise and worship, exclaiming from the core of his being: "Oh, the depth…” (v.33).

God’s Knowledge is unfathomably deep. He knows all recorded facts stored in all the computers and all the books in all the libraries in the world. He knows all events at the macro level – on earth, in the atmosphere and in all the farthest reaches of space in every galaxy, star, and planet. He knows all events at the micro level – in molecules, atoms, electrons, protons, and neutrons. He knows all the movements, locations, and conditions of every particle of the universe at nano-seconds of time. He knows all events that happen in human minds and wills – all volitional, emotional, and spiritual events.

God knows all thoughts, choices, and feelings – past, present, and future. He knows every event that has ever happened and ever will, at every level of existence: physical, mental, volitional. When one event happens, He not only sees it, but He sees the eternal chain of effects that flow from it and from all the billions of events that are unleashed by every other event. He knows all this without the slightest strain on His Mind. The riches of His Wisdom and Knowledge are not an illusion or delusion. Christ is the Ultimate Reality; hence the climax of the doxology: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (v.36).