What is God Like?
Part 4
“Grandpa,” greeted John, “you said there were three words beginning with ‘omni’ that described what God was like. He was omnipresent and He was omnipotent. What is the third word?”
“Omniscient,” replied grandpa. “God is omniscient. That is made up of ‘omni’ meaning all and ‘scio’ meaning know. God knows all. He knows everything that has ever happened or ever will happen.”
“Do you mean God knows what is going to happen tomorrow?” inquired John.
“Yes,” answered grandpa. “He knows not only what will happen tomorrow, but He knows what will happen the day after that and every day from now on forever. He knows the beginning and the end and all that comes between.”
“Does the Bible tell us that? “ was John’s next question.
“In Proverbs chapter fifteen and verse three it says, ‘The eyes of the Lord are in every place.’ That tells us that He knows what is going on everywhere at the same time. For He is both omniscient and omnipresent. In Psalm one- hundred and forty-seven and verse five it says, ‘Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.’ This tells us He is both omnipotent and omniscient. There is no limit to either His power or knowledge. Then in Isaiah, chapter forty-six and verses nine and ten it says, ‘I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.’ This tells us that He is able to foretell the future,” so grandpa responded.
“He showed He was omnipotent by creating the world and by His miracles,” suggested John. “How does He show He is omniscient?”
“Do you know the story of Noah?” queried grandpa.
“Oh yes,” replied John. “Noah built an ark to save himself and his family and the birds and animals from the flood.”
“Do you know then,” declared grandpa, “that God told Noah that the flood was coming, one hundred and twenty years before it happened? Noah spent that time building the ark and warning people of the coming danger, but they wouldn’t believe him. Even today God warns people that judgment will fall upon those who ‘believe not the gospel.’ The only way to escape this judgment of God on account of sin is to have a Saviour. God sent His Son to be our Saviour. He says in verse sixteen of the third chapter of John, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’”
“God thinks of everything,” John acknowledged. “Now are there any other stories in the Bible that show God knows everything? “
“There are many,” was grandpa’s answer. Sometimes God revealed what was going to happen by His prophets. If you read through the prophecy of Isaiah you will find that time and again Isaiah warned the children of Israel of things that were going to happen. Sometimes God sent dreams to people to tell them of something that was going to happen. Joseph interpreted dreams to the butler and the baker in Genesis, chapter forty, and the interpretation proved true. Later, in chapter forty-one, Pharaoh had two dreams and Joseph interpreted them telling him of a famine that was coming. Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall in chapter five of his prophecy, telling Belshazzar that he would lose his kingdom. In his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel foretold events that have not yet taken place. We believe that the events he foretold will take place when Jesus comes back to earth.”
“There seem to be a lot of things foretold in the Bible,” mused John.
“It would take a long time to discuss them or read them,” agreed grandpa. “One writer has estimated that there are four hundred and fifty references to the Messiah, that is Jesus Christ, in the Old Testament. Many of these were fulfilled when Jesus was here on earth, but some will not be fulfilled until He comes again. Jesus Himself made many promises regarding the future and some of them have been fulfilled. He promised that when He went away He would send the Holy Spirit to come and live in our hearts. You can read about that coming in Acts, chapter two verses one to twelve. In the Gospel of John, chapter fourteen, He tells us He is preparing a place for us in heaven and that when He returns to earth He will take us there to be with Him. Everyone who loves the Lord is looking for Him to come back.”
(Passages to read: Psalm 33:13-14; 139:1-4, 12; Isaiah 40:12-18; 45:18-19; Acts 15:16-18; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 3:20).