Don Fredenburg
Jim Tucker
H.E. 'Hub' Bowen
Mike Coble
Ron Bowen8/2/2018
"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! "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to Him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:33-36)
The riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God are described here as indescribably "deep." Paul seems to exclaim, Oh! What a God! Of all the passages in the Bible that speak to God's greatness, perhaps none contains so much truth compacted into only four verses. This passage has been called a "doxology of theology" and an "explosion of praise." Who can begin to grasp the vastness of His wisdom and knowledge? There will always be depths of God we do not know, because He is infinite and we are finite. However, we will always be seeing and learning more about His wisdom and knowledge forever. As one writer expressed it, "The infinite depths are His, and the infinite heights are His. He is the foundation, and He is the destination of all things. There is no explanation beneath God. No matter how deep you go, there is only God. He is the last explanation whether you go down to causes or go up to purposes."
When we are brought into an encounter with the living God, we can never go away from that encounter unaffected. There is something about considering the greatness of God that moves us deeply. We can see here that it certainly moved Paul for he was moved from theology to doxology. The word "doxology" is an expression of praise to God. Paul has been attempting to present a comprehensive understanding of God and His plan. But just the consideration of these sublime truths causes Paul to burst forth into a doxology of praise. Praise is the normal response to an encounter with God. When we are ushered into the presence of the majesty and greatness of God, we too should stand in awe of that majesty and greatness. In fact, in heaven praising God is the normal state of affairs. The twenty-four elders fall down before Him and declare His glorious praise (Revelation 4:4-9).It is probably impossible to be in God's presence and fail to praise Him.
God's judgments and eternal decisions, revealed in the divine plan of salvation, are deep, unfathomable, inscrutable, untraceable, and incomprehensible. We know only partially and imperfectly. So we are told to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Peter says, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). We must grow up in our minds. In glory, we shall know more but we shall never exhaustively know God's judgments, ways, wisdom, and knowledge. We shall ever be growing in the knowledge and wisdom of God, but we shall also ever remain creatures because there will always be the Creator/creature distinction.
"Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard" (Psalms 66:8)
"Daily Devotions by Guy Roberson"
