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God/Father of Those Who Fear Him.
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Lesson Fourteen: by turtle
Today I am going to be sharing about what the word says concerning God's
knowledge and foreknowledge. In others words we will talk a little about
predestination. There is a lot we do not understand about God knowledge and
wisdom. Yet even so there is a lot the Bible does explain to us. If we understood all
of God's wisdom we would be God. If we understood all we would not need God
perhaps. In our human finite mind we try and grasp and understand what God pre
knows about our lives.
When I was in college another student gave a nice little interpretation of how things
we put into motion and continued to run. For some reason it has stuck with me even
to this day. Though Brian possibly was not a great philosopher no doubt he
understood God put things into motion. Almost in a four/four count like some music
peaces. Each season having its own very beat. Each season would continue to beat in
the same pattern. Each season would come each season would go, keeping perfect
time with God purpose.
Brian though maybe not a doctor in degree he understood the basics of God's eternal
program. God’s plan is put into motion. He had a plan of salvation since the
beginning of time for all that would believe. God's elect or God's children would be
be ones to receive His promise. Though some people's life like Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob was for a particular purpose in the plan it made no less their individual
struggle with their faith. Moses was raised up for the time in which He lived. Jeremiah
was young prophet fulfilling the foretelling of future events for the children of Israel
to understand that God foreknew.
Let's begin to look at some verses first about God's wisdom and then going on into
the foreknowledge of God.
Job 12:9-25 KJV
(9) Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
(10) In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
(11) Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
(12) With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
(13) With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
(14) Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man,
and there can be no opening.
(15) Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out,
and they overturn the earth.
(16) With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
(17) He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
(18) He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
(19) He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
(20) He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding
of the aged.
(21) He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
(22) He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the
shadow of death.
(23) He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and
straiteneth them again.
(24) He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth
them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
(25) They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a
drunken man.
Psalms 104:24 KJV
(24) O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the
earth is full of thy riches.
Proverbs 3:19-20 KJV
(19) The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he
established the heavens.
(20) By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Daniel 2:20 KJV
(20) Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for
wisdom and might are his:
Romans 11:33 KJV
(33) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Romans 16:25-27 KJV
(25) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began,
(26) But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to
the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith:
(27) To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. <Written to the
Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.>
1 Corinthians 1:23-25 KJV
(23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the
Greeks foolishness;
(24) But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God, and the wisdom of God.
(25) Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is
stronger than men.
God's foolishness is wiser then men. So now how can we even begin to grasp God's
wisdom if His foolishness is wiser then men. One can understand God's wisdom is
actually beyond our comprehending. It is vast. God granted to Solomon one thing to
help Him rule. Solomon asked for wisdom. Though Solomon wisdom was made
known through out the country and beyond it was still not as great as God's.
If God is so wise then what can I comprehend. I can comprehend is God
foreknowledge of certain events from the beginning and ending of time.
Isaiah 42:8-9 KJV
(8) I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither
my praise to graven images.
(9) Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before
they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 46:9-10 KJV
(9) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am
God, and there is none like me,
(10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Daniel 2:28 KJV
(28) But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the
king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of
thy head upon thy bed, are these;
Matthew 24:36 KJV
(36) But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my
Father only.
God fulfills His promises.
Acts 3:18 KJV
(18) But those things, which God before had by the mouth of all his prophets, that
Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Acts 15:18 KJV
(18) Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Predestination for those who would follow Him.
Romans 8:29 KJV
(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 11:2 KJV
(2) God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the
scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
1 Peter 1:2 KJV
(2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of
the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto
you, and peace, be multiplied.
The elect or chosen by predestination is not exactly like it sounds. One must
understand God speaks to every man, women and child of who He is. It is our choice
to believe or not to believe. Yet at the same time He has a plan for those who choose
to believe. God also know each and every man's heart.
Proverbs 16:1-9 KJV
(1) The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the
LORD.
(2) All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the
spirits.
(3) Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
(4) The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of
evil.
(5) Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand
join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
(6) By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart
from evil.
(7) When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace
with him.
(8) Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
(9) A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Acts 4:24-28 KJV
(24) And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord,
and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
all that in them is:
(25) Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage,
and the people imagine vain things?
(26) The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against
the Lord, and against his Christ.
(27) For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both
Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered
together,
(28) For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Romans 9:11 KJV
(11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that
the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calleth;)
Ephesians 1:4-5 KJV
(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
Ephesians 3:9-11 KJV
(9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
(10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
(11) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
1 Peter 1:18-20 KJV
(18) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as
silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
(19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot:
(20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was
manifest in these last times for you,
This is not to hard to grasp. God foreknows and foreknew certain events and still
continues to speak of things to come.
John 16:13 KJV
(13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
This elect thing and God chosen is still giving me a headache. Some get the idea that
the elect is preordained in the sense of specific people. You get on dangerous ground
when you start talking this. You get in the thought of I am so special i was chosen
over you type of junk. And maybe junk is to coarse a word for some. But the truth of
the matter is it gives the impression that only certain groups can know God and this
is untrue. God desires all people no matter race, creed or whatever, to come to the
saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
John 1:10-13 KJV
(10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him
not.
(11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
(12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
(13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.
To those that receive Christ God gave the right to be children of God. Period in of
sentence. No if no buts all that would believe. We will discuss this more in perhaps
the next lesson.
Back to God's knowledge.
1 Samuel 2:3 KJV
(3) Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth:
for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
Isaiah 40:28 KJV
(28) Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD,
the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no
searching of his understanding.
Matthew 6:8 KJV
(8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have
need of, before ye ask him.
1 Corinthians 3:19-20 KJV
(19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh
the wise in their own craftiness.
(20) And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
This is a good place to stop for this week. Next week we will look at God searching
the heart of man and the fact He knows us and has chosen us for a purpose.
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