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ARTICLE
The summer of 2009 will be remembered in Central Canada as an
“almost summer.” Days of rain often followed by one day of sunshine
that quickly ‘evaporated’ back into more ‘days of rain.” We often
become depressed by the weather. In this part of the world we often
joke about our very short summer. Canadians too often refer to the
weather patterns here as 11 months of winter and then
July-construction season to fix the roadways from all the winter
damage. Really, we enjoy a bit more than one month of ‘summer-like’
weather. But too often we do seem to focus more on the dreary side
of things. The summer of 2009 was one of those seasons that reminds
us too well of how fickle weather can be. Climatologists insist that
we are experiencing ‘climate change.’ All this is due they claim to
our
 ‘carbon
footprint’ that we are leaving behind. Personally, I find this too
‘inconvenient a form of truth’ as far as explaining away the events
we are experiencing weather-wise. The political upheaval, the
natural disturbances and cosmic disruptions Jesus articulates in
Matthew 24:4-8, are exactly what we should expect in this age. Jesus
clearly stated in both chapters 24-25 of Matthew’s Gospel what will
happen in the last days. It is merely the ‘beginning of birth pangs-verse
8’ which clearly means the signs of the times we live in should
point us to look upward to the very God of creation and not to
scientists with unproven theories. There is peace to be found in The
Psalms, and number 139 in that book provides that very peace. Psalm
139 focuses on 4 great attributes of God. God has knowledge of all
things-vv. 1-6; His presence is everywhere-vv. 7-12; His power (is
displayed) in the formation of man; God’s holiness destroys (the
evil) and searches the believers heart, vv.19-24. I want to have us
focus on God’s infinite knowledge here.
God Has “Excavated” For
You
The word search in verse 1 is a word used for careful scrutiny. It
is a word that is used in mining operations, or the careful
exploration of a new country. Simply put God has carefully
‘excavated’ each one of us. He knows us through and through. He
knows you completely. These first six verses of Psalm 139 indicate
God’s infinite knowledge of all things and ultimately all people.
This speaks of what theologians call God’s omniscience. I like to
refer to God as having “the 3 O’s.” These are not the first three
batters in a Baltimore Orioles lineup card, but are God’s
omniscience-He knows all things; His omnipresence-He is everywhere
and His omnipotence-He is all powerful. This is the central theme of
this whole psalm.
Dwell On These Things
We are often told in Scripture to “dwell on these things.” Paul
wrote this to the believers in Philippi encouraging them to dwell or
think deeply about what is true, honourable, right, pure, is lovely,
is of good repute, (whatever) is of excellence, is worthy of praise-all
these being positive attributes. These are the attributes of the
person who has acknowledged the true God of creation. If we consider
Paul’s call to think on worthy things, we cannot but return to the
One Who has made all things worthy! God’s omniscience is further
described in vv. 2-4. Not only did God know his actions, he also
knew David’s thoughts. David wrote this as his “sitting and rising”-NIV.
It is a figure of speech known as a merism. The contrast of knowing
all of David’s activities is what is at the heart of these verses.
Simply, the total of the daily thoughts and activities of the
psalmist here is fully known to God. David is moved by The Holy
Spirit further in verse 4. Before David even uttered a word off his
lips, The Lord was thoroughly familiar with what he would eventually
say. The book of James speaks of the tongue as an instrument of
boasting, that causes all kinds of destruction-James 3:5-6. James
was the first book in chronological order in the New Testament. Its
theology is not as developed in the context of the New Testament.
James often harkens back to an Old Testament understanding of
thingsbut a good understanding. As David acknowledged how the
omniscient God knows our words even before we speak, shouldn’t we
then be careful as
to how we use our tongues? The fact that God knows the words we will
speak before we say them point to the supreme omniscience of Who God
is
The Staggering Knowledge of God
As David considers how deep the knowledge of God runs, he states how
this troubles him. How could anyone understand their creator in this
manner? One commentator contends that David finds himself confined
or besieged by God. It’s as if God had “cupped His hand over him.”
Beyond this, David felt totally out of control. It was too wonderful
for him. The word wonderful here in verse 6 is a specific Hebraism
used repeatedly in the Psalms. In Psalm 9:1 David wrote of his
praise to tell the wonders of God. This is the same root from the
Hebrew ‘ni-pla ot’ which speaks to things extraordinary or
surpassing.
What Do We Need To
Remember?
The omniscient God of creation knows each one of us. This whole
psalm speaks to the “three O’s” of God His omniscience, omnipotence
and omnipresence.
The world may be in dire straits. Economies may appear to be
teetering on the edge of destruction. Iconoclast corporations that
have existed for enerations
may be auctioned off, or receive “bailouts” to keep them alive. This
is all for a time. When you consider that God knows all the thoughts
of all people at all times in all places, you too realize how
“wonderful” God truly is.
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Rev. Ron Grossman is
executive director of Israel’s Hope Ministries and lives
with his wife Hilary and their family in Ottawa,
Ontario. |
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Would you like a representative of
Israel’s Hope Ministries to come and speak at your church?
Just contact us at 613-830-3831 |
