Attributes of God - Omniscience, Omnipresence and Omnipotence — William MacDonald

God's Omniscience Revealed in Psalm 139

The last session together we came to the omniscience of God and we had turned to psalm 139 and just let's turn back to that again. Incidentally in studying the attributes of God you do come to some big words.

Don't you like omniscience omnipotence somnipresence? We shouldn't be afraid of those words. I make no apology for them. Just get used to them. Omniscience omni means all. Science means knowledge. Science today has a more restricted meaning.

But basically it means knowledge and the omniscience of God Teaches that God has perfect knowledge of everything. He has never learned anything and he cannot learn anything because his knowledge is absolute.

And in some 139 as you know, the psalmist David is celebrating the omniscience the omnipresence and the omnipotence of God and that's the next three Attributes that we're going to be taking up and they're all found in this one psalm beautifully nestled together.

All right, the omniscience of God psalm 139 verse 1. Oh Lord thou has searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways.

But there's not a word in my tongue, but lo oh Lord thou knowest it all together. Thou hath beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I Cannot attain unto it.

Let's read a couple of other verses. There are many in the Bible, but just one or two other passages that teach the omniscience of our Lord. Matthew chapter 10 verses 29 and 30. Matthew Chapter 10 verses 29 and 30.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground. Without your father, but the very hairs of your head. Are all numbers. Dr. Ironside used to say God attends the funeral of every sparrow.

That wonderful. We were thinking of something of the grandeur and majesty of God the God who put the stars in their places. And he even Attends the funeral of the sparrow and he legislates about birds nests in the Old Testament.

What a great God He is. Romans chapter 11 and verse 33. Romans chapter 11 and verse 33 Says oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable Are his judgments? That his ways past finding out for who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor.

Or who has first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen, then of course in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 13 We're reminded that all things are open and naked unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

And in 1st John 3 20 it says God knoweth all things. To think of all the knowledge that all the men of the world have today. I was thinking that this afternoon as I was pondering the omniscience of God.

I Was thinking of the knowledge that some of you have with regard to things agricultural. With regard to things chemical think of all the knowledge and all the libraries of the world today. It's really so massive that men have to become specialists nowadays.

Don't they know nobody tries to learn at all. They couldn't anyway. Let's just think of God. Having all that knowledge and all the rest of the knowledge that there is man with all his knowledge. He can fly to the moon, but he can't cure the common cold.

Kenny. He can do marvelous things. But he can't understand how a bee flies according to all the laws of aerodynamics that be can't fly. The bee doesn't know it just keeps on flying. Because he has a life principle within him some way or other.

Marvelous all the secrets that God has hidden it is a wonderful creation of his. He has all knowledge. He has never learned and he can never learn. And how wonderful to think of the Lord Jesus coming into the world being born of the Virgin Mary.

Growing in wisdom and stature in favor with God and man and yet in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. I tell you it's a divine paradox, isn't it? And I don't believe there was a time in his life when he didn't have all knowledge.

It's true. He did say of that hour knoweth no man not even the son of man. But I really think that that means that it that the time of his coming was not Given to him by God the Father to reveal to us.

That's what I believe it means. The servant knoweth not what his master do it. I Believe that he veiled his Godhead in a body of flesh, but I believe it was all there all the time. Wonderful wonderful Lord Jesus in that wonderful to think of him walking along with men down here in Nazareth and Capernaum and he knew exactly what they Were thinking all the time.

But he never needlessly Embarrassed them mind you he could have. He could have but he never did. You think of all the people in the world today and God knows all about though infinitely glorious and Gloriously grand he knows the eternal story of every grain of sand.

It isn't just that he could know it if he wanted to know it. That's not the point. He does know it and there's nothing hidden from him. Now what is the practical application of this in our lives? We'll never be omniscient.

We'll never have full knowledge even in heaven. We're going to go on learning throughout all eternity. Says that in Ephesians 2 7 that in the ages to come he might show that he's going to be showing. What are we going to be doing learning?

That's right. But he might show exceeding greatness his kindness and his love toward us Through Christ Jesus and heaven is going to be a school and God is going to be the teacher. The Bible is going to be the textbook and what you learn about it here will be your initial investment.

You and I are determining our capacity for enjoying the glories of heaven right now by what we do with the sacred scriptures day by day,. I Love those lines in the first hymn that che gave out said hearing his voice in every line.

Making each faithful saying mine. That's it friend. Hearing his voice in every line, but not stopping there making each faithful Say. The practical application of this first of all, there's a warning in this to man.

Is there not God sees everything I? Do thou God seeest me somebody has said. Secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven, right? Secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven. Nothing secret there God knows all.

Be sure your sins will find you out. And I think it's so wonderful that our children learn this in Sunday school, you know little eyes. Be careful what you see, right? Little ears be careful what you hear.

Why. Because it's a father up above looking down in tender love and he knows all about it. We teach our children the omniscience of God from their earliest days, so there's a word of warning, but You know, there's a word of comfort here too for our hearts tonight the omniscience of God.

He knows what his people are going through. Is that wonderful? He knows what we're going through. He knows the way that I take. Job said he knows the way I take. I love those words just taken out of the context in the letters to the churches.

Well, the Lord Jesus says I know. But I get great comfort From them psalm 56 and verse 8 says and this is beautiful. He counts our tossings and Numbers our tears. How do you like that? It's okay to say amen or praise the Lord.

Sometimes I wonder how we can be so Unmoved By the contemplation of the majesty of God. Psalm 56 verse 8 he counts our time. You like that you're having a sleepless night. Maybe the care of all the churches upon your heart.

You can't sleep at night. He knows every time you turn over in bed and counsel that wonderful and he numbers our tears. Why they don't mean as much to us oftentimes as they do to the blessed Lord the omniscience of our Wonderful God and what a tremendous Encouragement it is to me the omniscience of God.

It's an encouragement to me for instance to know God knew all about me Before he saved me and he saved me. Anyway, it's not wonderful. I Tell you he knew what a what a failure he knew what a flop. He knew how I disappoint him and break his heart and he saved me anyway.

I Nothing ever came as a shock to him in my life. He knows he knows to what we feel in worship and in prayer. But can't express. I often times have that feeling my heart is so over Flowing with gratitude and love and worship to the Lord.

I can't find words to express it, but he knows He knows what's going on in my heart. And the Holy Spirit puts it into words before him. And I like this too. He knows what we would like to be able to do for him.

But for some reason or other are prevented from doing for him. David. David wanted to build the temple for the Lord. The Lord said no David. You can't do it nevertheless in as much as it was in nine heart.

And I think that David will get the ring get reward for building the temple even if he didn't do. I think there are people tonight in the world and and God knows that they'd Really like to go to the mission field, but for reasons beyond their control.

They just can't do it. There are people tonight who would really like to give more lavishly to the work of the Lord. They're already given beyond their means. God knows all about that. God rewards that to that wonderful the omniscience Of the Lord to know what really stops me in my tracks is this when God Forgives me my sins.

He forgets them. Now, would you please tell me how an omniscient God can forget? Buries them in the sea of his forgetfulness. He cast them Behind his back. They'll never remember them Again. How great he is and Greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable.

God's Omnipresence and His Constant Presence

Well, this is our blessed Lord Jesus. God manifests in the flesh the omniscient. Then in some 139 we go on and we see the omnipresence of God the omnipresence of God and the omnipresence of God teaches us that God is In all places at one and the same time he fills Heaven and earth.

God is in all places at one and the same time He fills heaven and earth. Let's read verses 7 through 10. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend up into heaven.

Thou art there if I make my bed in Sheol behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. Even there shall I hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me.

Turn also, please to Jeremiah chapter 23 verses 23 and 24. Jeremiah chapter 23 and verses 23 and 24. Says am I a God at hand set the Lord and not a God afar off. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him set the Lord.

Do not I feel heaven and earth? Set the Lord and Matthew chapter 18 verse 20 familiar to all of us forward two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the midst of them a special promise of his special presence.

When people gather together in his name God is in all places at one in the same time, but this is not the same as Pantheism. You know, there is a false teaching in the world today known as Pantheism and that equates God with things with forces with laws.

With the tree for instance growing out in the yard when we speak of the omnipresence of God. We're not speaking of pantheism. We're saying that God is everywhere and you cannot hide from his presence.

I've known people across the Atlantic to get away from God and he was waiting for them on the dock in New York. And he caught up with him and they got saved. The atheist once wrote out on the on the wall.

God is nowhere. And a little child came along and put the space between the W and the heat and the H. God is now here. She was right. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings as thou ordained strength because of thine enemy.

God can do that. God is nowhere. God is now here. God is present everywhere though. He is not manifest everywhere. Sometimes his presence is more hidden than at other times. Okay, once again in this great truth of the omnipresence of God.

We come to a wonderful paradox the Lord Jesus as a man here on earth. And yet he could say the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the father. Could he be here as a man on earth in a specific location and still be omnipresent.

I believe he was he didn't have to be present to heal a person of his illness. No, no, he's omnipresent. So how can that be dear friend? I don't know. I just bow and worship. I just accept it by faith.

And leave the question with God, but there's a wonderful warning here, too. Man can't hide from God. My what a ridiculous thing to try to hide from this God who is present everywhere. What a wonderful comfort in this truth.

God is with his people. And people say people. I've had people say to me where was God when the concentration camps were going on. My answer was God was with his people to the concentration camps and when they go through the fire He's with them when they go through the flood.

He's with them. He never leaves us. We're never alone. It's a wonderful thing to go on through life as a Christian counting on and believing The constant presence of the Lord. But I tell you it's a wonderful challenge in this truth of the omnipresence of God and that challenge is this.

By if I'm going to walk with his God, I want to walk in holiness. Hmm, we mentioned that when we spoke of the holiness of God, how can two walk together except they be agreed? I want to walk in separation from the world.

God's Omnipotence and the Harmony of His Attributes

Indeed I do and that brings us to the subject of the omnipotence of God. And the omnipotence of God means of course that God is all-powerful. He's able to do anything that is not inconsistent with his own nature.

Now you know as we qualify that we say he is able to do anything that is not Inconsistent with his own nature. The attributes of God cannot fight against one another. They must all be always in perfect agreement.

The attributes of God cannot fight against one another. They must all be always in perfect agreement. People have problems that they say can a God of love send people to help? Yes, because the God of love is a God of judgment too, and there's no contradiction at all.

No contradiction at all. So the omnipotence of God says that he's able to do anything. That's not inconsistent with his own nature. You say what? What do you mean? Well, he can't sin Kenny that would be inconsistent with his holiness.

He can't lie. God is not a man that he should lie, but he can do anything. That's not inconsistent with that. Let's now in Psalm 139 you say well does he speak about the omnipotence there? Well, I think he does and you know how he speaks about it in connection with the birth of a baby.

And I think that's beautiful David's of I'm just going to take one instance of the omnipotence of God and that's my own birth. But I don't know how many times in recent weeks I've heard and and read statements to the effect I don't see how anybody can stand in the Delivery room and see the birth of a baby and not believe in God and I thought of that I thought of Psalm 139 when I heard that it's been a refrain over and over again.

All right. It says in verse 13 for thou hast possessed my reins. Thou has covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right?

Well my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and Curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my well.

Members in the King James Version, maybe if you have another version of the Bible, you'll find a different word there. There's some versions say days. Does anybody have a version that says that days? No members everybody.

Days, what is that new American Standard? RSV Will mention it will make comments on it when we come to it. All my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me. Oh God. How great is the sum of them if I should count them? They are more in number than the sand when I awake. I am still with thee now. Let's go back to verse 13 it says thou hast possessed My reins.

Thou has possessed my reins formed my reins and thou hast. Literally it says knit me together in my mother's womb the marvelous formation of the baby and the mother's womb and the knitting together of the sinews the muscles the arteries the veins.

What more appropriate word could you use in that word knit together? Beautiful. David is contemplating the wonderful subject of birth and a Omnipotent God and he begins with us and when he begins with us dear friends You look at that word reigns in verse 13 and our beginning was smaller than the dot over the eye.

Really Smaller than the dot over the eye in rain. He says I will praise thee for I am fearfully and marvelously made Marvelous and I work so that my soul knoweth right well. Then he says my substance and once again if you have another version of the Bible It might say my frame and it means my skeletal structure my skeletal Frank the skeleton.

Wasn't that a marvelous thing? Marvelous thing to know that when that baby began That whole baby was programmed including the bony structure. You know, some people are born of A stock large boned people, you know, other people are more slight.

Well, it's all programmed right there from the very beginning and that's what's David is saying here my skeletal structure was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and Curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the lowest parts of the earth there.

I believe is a figurative Expression a literary expression for the mother's womb. I In the dirt, you know, he's not born out there in the in the ground The lowest parts of the earth. I believe it's a figurative expression for the mother's womb.

And I believe that's exactly what you have in Ephesians for when it speaks about the Lord Jesus coming down from heaven to the lower parts of the earth. It means he entered life through the antechamber of the Virgin's womb.

That wonderful Really is wonderful to think of the great God coming down and going through the process of birth being born as a baby in Bethlehem stable cradled in a manger mothered by the Virgin Mary.

Thine eyes did see my substance. That means my unperfect substance. This is the formation of the fetus in the mother's womb yet being unperfect and in thy book all my Members if you want it, I noticed that members is an italics there.

Dan's version says days. I like days. I think it means all my days were written when as yet there was none of them. What does that mean? It means the whole diary was written that wonderful. All my days were written when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me. Oh God. Oh, how great is the sum of them if I should count them? They are more in number than the same when I awake. I. That's what I think it means. I've never read that in any commentary and it may be wrong.

But it seems to me that David's saying when I see the light of day I'm still with thee. Isn't that beautiful? And this is the omnipotence of God that he's tracing. He just uses that as a single example of it the marvelous miracle of birth just to think that the Lord Jesus our Wonderful Savior went through that miracle.

Omnipotence in Scripture, Creation, and Providence

The omnipotence of God, let me read you some other verses from the scripture before we go on that deal with the omnipotence of God. I am the Almighty God. Genesis 17 1 walk before me and be thou for me see the Almighty God.

Genesis 18 14 is anything too hard for the Lord. Nothing. Job 42 2 in the New American Standard Version, it's beautiful. He's it says I know that thou can't do all things and that no purpose of thine Can be thwarted.

You like that? I know that thou can't do all things and that no purpose of thine Can be thwarted. Matthew 19 26 with God all things are possible. Luke 1 37 for with God nothing is impossible. And then the Bible ends on that note.

Revelation 19 6 It says the Lord God omnipotent reign. Think of the omnipotence of God in creation. They got a power that by the word speaks worlds into being. By faith, we know that the worlds were framed by the word of God.

Think of the marvelous power of the Lord Jesus in sustaining this universe. Allowing my what a what a marvelous work. He does. Colossians chapter 117 for by him all things consistent. I Remember flying across the Irish Sea once at a young.

Well a gentleman sat next to me and We got engaged in conversation. He was a he was a scientist and I said, oh, I'm so glad to sit next to you. I have a question to ask you and he said what is it. And I said what holds matter together and he said cosmic glue.

And I felt like saying thanks for nothing. A cosmic glue is a way of saying we don't know. He was saying to me and I wish we knew. But we know don't we. Colossians 117 for by him all things Consist. Think of the omnipotence of God in the providence of God.

In this world the marvelous converging of circumstances. Think of the omnipotence of God in the Exodus leading his children across the Red Sea on dry land. I think the greatest display of God that a power that ever took place in the universe was the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead.

Spoken of in Ephesians 1 is the greatest display of power ever. Why. Well, I believe that all the hosts of hell were encamped at that tomb at that sepulcher to prevent the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

God reached down raised him from the dead and Eventually took him back to heaven where he seated at his right hand. I think of the omnipotence of God in the salvation of sinners. Wonderful, isn't it? I think of the omnipotence of God in that final day of judgment the judgment at the great white throne.

Humanity Cannot Successfully Fight Against God

Well, there are very practical lessons to be learned from the omnipotence of God. One of them is this. Man can't fight successfully against God. It's like a net trying to fight against the blast furnace in the steel mill in Gary, Indiana.

Okay, imagine man fighting it. It's so ludicrous and yet I did it at one time. Against the God who built the sky. I fought with hands up lifted high despised the mention of his grace too proud to Seek a hiding place and he finally pinned me down.

I Found out that God is a better runner than I am and he finally pinned me down with a verse of a hymn ashamed of Jesus. Can it be a mortal man ashamed of thee? Shamed of thee whom angels praise whose glory shine through endless days.

Well, I realized that with me stupid me ashamed of my creator and Savior. I bowed the knee. And turned myself over to the omnipotent. Man can't fight successfully Against God, there's no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

Prayer and the Believer's Victory Through Divine Omnipotence

Proverbs chapter 21 verse 30. Lovely, isn't. There's no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. Man can't fight against the Lord. Second lesson is if the believer is on the winning side.

That's wonderful to be on the side of divine omnipotence, isn't it? Now you and I will never be omnipotent, we'll never have all power, but I'd like to share a little secret with you tonight. Man Never comes closer to omnipotence Than when he prays in the name of the Lord Jesus.

When you and I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of God. It's just exactly the same as if the Lord Jesus were asking the father of a family for that. And when you realize that it's a marvel we don't pray more.

Prayer seems to be the last thing we want to do. I'll tell you you announce a night of prayer or an all-night prayer meeting and the people will stay away in droves. No. Now it's a potluck. The believers on the winning side if God before us who can be against us.

God has a wonderful way, you know of controlling the intellects and the emotions and the wills of men in his great omnipotence. And I'll tell you this must be a great encouragement to to missionaries on the foreign field.

God's Protection of His People and His Enemies' Desires

Turn back to Exodus chapter 34 and 24. Exodus chapter 34 and 24 and I hope this will even thrill you so much that you might even say. Amen. Praise the Lord. You know a lot of people that come into our meetings think we're awfully dead, you know that.

They wonder how we can scan the mystery or and not be moved to love and more. And not be more enthusiastic about the Lord Jesus. Well, I wonder Exodus 34 24 just a little background. He says in verse 23 God is speaking to the children who is it thrice in the year shall all your men children.

All your males appear before the Lord the God of Israel. He said I want your men folks to leave their homes Thrice in the year and come up to Jerusalem to worship and I can hear the wives and the kids him.

Wait a minute. You leave us without the men. We're defenseless and you know that we're surrounded by enemies the Hittites the Hivites the Amorites the Canaanites the Philistines. All of them, you know and they'll just swoop down on us like the Assyrian like the Assyrian wolf swooping down on the foe.

Listen to the next verse. Thrice in the year in verse 23 thrice in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God the God of Israel. For I Will cast out the nations before thee and enlarge thy borders.

Neither shall any man what? desire thy land. When thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God Christ in the year God says you obey me and I'll control the volition the desires of your enemies so they won't even watch your land.

I Tell you that's a myth. Isn't it? And he's still the same today. He's still the same today and we look about us and we see the forces of evil massed against the church and We think the waves are beating against us.

Yes. But the tide is sure to win one with God is the majority. And I mentioned about prayer that we never come closer to a manifestant in prayer and you know. The wonderful thing is that in prayer we can deal in the realm of the impossible.

Faith mighty faith the promise sees and looks to God alone laughs at impossibilities and cries. It shall be done. If it's impossible it can be done. And in in prayer by faith We deal in that realm of the impossible and then finally the omnipotence of God Is a tremendous encouragement to us.

The Savior Can Solve Every Problem

Tremendous encouragement and comfort to ourselves. The omnipotence of God. Let's put it this way the Savior Can solve every problem? The tangles of life can undo. There's nothing too hard for Jesus. There's nothing that he cannot do.

Some of you are saying tonight. Yeah, but I got a problem. There's just no solution to it. I prayed and nothing happened. Listen the Savior can solve every problem. He solved worse problems than you is.

Already solved the tangles of life can undo. There's nothing too hard for Jesus. Nothing that he cannot do. When my weakness leans on his might all seems like The omnipotence of our God. How we just bow and worship him?

Tonight Blessed God. Our hearts are full. We feel tongue-tied when we think of your greatness your omniscience. Your omnipresence. Your omnipotence. What a great God you are just to think that you care for us.

Just think just to think that you took the initiative in our salvation. Sent your lovely son into this world to be our sin bearer that he came and Aside, he threw his most divine array and veiled his Godhead in a garb of clay.

And in that garb this wondrous love display restoring what he never took away. And just to think Oh father that you've destined us to eternal glory that your love could not stop short of that. But you would not be satisfied till we would be there with the Lord Jesus and like him the fruit and travail of his soul.

As we contemplate your majesty your glory your greatness and your goodness Deliver us Lord from the things of this earth would tie us down. And maybe truly reign in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. We ask it in his worthy name and for his sake.