We are still talking about God's character and how that relates to our thinking rightly about and resting in Him. We will never know all there is to know about God, but each day is a new opportunity to learn more. First and foremost, through His Word and to a smaller degree through our upbringing and the bridges [good or bad people, places and things] we encounter in our daily lives. Always remembering that while bridges can affect and shape our perspective; they cannot negate, diminish or erase God's character. In fact, our human imperfections make God's perfection more glaringly obvious.
To recap; God’s traits, especially as they relate to humanity can be placed in two categories. These two categories are Incommunicable and Communicable. Incommunicable meaning traits God alone possesses; for example, only God is Sovereign [complete authoritative Ruler over all], Omnipotent [all-powerful], Omnipresent [always present everywhere at the same time] and Omniscient [all-knowing]. While communicable traits are traits shared by God in a finite, human capacity; for example, He gives us wisdom & knowledge, human ability & power, the ability to be present in one place, at one time and the ability to love [but not be and exhibit perfect love like Him]. Today in briefly examining a passage of how God provided, we will highlight God's incommunicable trait of omniscience and bridges, including a bridge that showed me as a child how He shared the communicable trait of knowledge.
Excerpt from 2 Samuel 9 NLT [king Saul is dead, and David is now Israel's king]
"One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ... I want to show God’s kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” ...So, David sent for him and brought him.... His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” ... And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table."
Omniscient means that God [and only God] is perfectly all wise and all knowing. And because He is all knowing with perfect wisdom, He knows what we need, when we need it and how we need it and He sovereignly provides it [sometimes even using people as a tool through which to do so]. His provision can come in and through various forms, like love, forgiveness, care, mercy, healing, finances, etc. In the 2 Samuel 9 excerpt you just read there is a beautiful account of kindness and provision for one in need fueled by the knowledge of a promise and orchestrated by an omniscient God who knew all that had, did and would happen to the parties involved.
On a macro level [the big, full picture] God in His omniscience knew all sides. Not only had He placed David in service to the palace; prepared and given him victory in battle and initial favor with king Saul; He had anointed David as the next king and continuously protected him from being killed by king Saul; God also knew that the permanent seat on the throne would come through the line of David and be fulfilled by Jesus, our current and everlasting reigning King of kings. God also knew Mephibosheth was the orphaned sole survivor of king Saul's family; living nearby; disabled [likely impacting his earning potential]; and no longer an heir to the throne and probably afraid [for as king Saul's grandson he very well could be killed by the new king David]; God also knew Mephibosheth would be spared and fully restored to everything, except a line to the throne --> and the promise David had made in covenant to his friend Jonathan would be fulfilled.
While on the micro level [the small picture], until he received knowledge by being told, king David didn't know if any of Saul's family had survived, let alone that his dearest friend's son, Mephibosheth, though disabled had survived and was living not very far away. All David knew was that he wanted to show kindness by keeping a promise to honorably protect and provide for Jonathan's family. David didn't just give Mephibosheth a little money, a donkey and send him on his way. He put Mephibosheth, his family and servants up at the palace, gave him everything due king Saul including farmland, property, servants and who knows what else and the cherry on top of a permanent seat at the king's table!
We have no idea of the lasting and eternal implications that David's kindness had on Mephibosheth, but God knows. God knew that despite others’ deceptive maneuvering (see 2 Samuel 16:1-4, 19:24-30), all the human David could control was his response. His kindness and the spirit in which it was given mattered, even though it may have left others scratching their heads. Omnisciently, God knew David to be generous, kind and faithful towards Mephibosheth, who it appears remained humbly grateful. My dear masterpiece if David can know and provide in his limited, finite and flawed human capacity [even as a king] to the grandson of his former [and jealous] leader that sought to kill him, how much more will your loving Father God KNOW ALL that you need and step in to provide it in whatever capacity He chooses?
God is Spirit and as such He is able to be all things to everyone, Father to the fatherless, Comforter to the widow and a Friend like no other. It simply means He is God; all powerful, all-encompassing and perfect. Remember how I mentioned God often used [and uses] my parents as a bridge to display His communicable traits? Well, being the youngest for nine years made this daddy's girl, also a bit of a momma's baby. As a child I recognized that my mother is not only beautiful, loving and Spirit filled, but also wise and knowledgeable as only a mother can be, especially one attuned to the voice of God. Just like with daddy [see last week's post], walks to school with momma brought laughter, conversation [and singing!], but they also instilled valuable life lessons.
Upon arrival at my classroom door, not only would I get a big hug and kiss, but momma would proceed to give each of my little classmates a soft hug and gentle peck on the forehead along with a bright smile. As an adult and parent looking at my classmates, my mother obviously saw things I, as a child, did not. Selfishly, I did not [and do not"ish" --> God's working on it!] like to share my momma, but what her human knowledge saw was children that needed a mother's affection, and she provided it. This knowledge is a communicable trait shared with her from God [and available to His creation]. As a human, she of course didn't know everything, but what she did know is that a small act of kindness goes a long way and may have been the only loving interaction some of the kids would receive. When I asked her about it, her simple response was, "Quahana not every little boy and girl has a mommy and daddy to hug and kiss them like you do." Enough said; that gentle correction [i.e., rebuke] was all I needed to see God's reflection in her even more. Side note: Former classmates, whose back stories I do not know, would often joyfully exclaim how they adored my pretty mom and her daily hugs and kisses. Through her, God illuminated knowledge and showed me that love is not selfish but available to us all, especially when it comes from unexpected and trusted sources like a young wife and mother walking her child to school.
I thank God every day for my precious mother, who has finite, human knowledge through which she humanly provides what is needed. And I am unceasingly thankful for my omniscient Father God who provides all I need because He knows all I need. Rest in that all God's children.
Takeaways for you to remember:
#1. Incommunicable – Only God has and can possess these traits.
#2. Communicable – Traits shared with us in finite, human amounts.
#3. Omniscient - All knowing, all wise.
Yours in Christ!
Dr. Quahana
Want to enjoy some of the Scriptures inspiring this entry? [NLT unless otherwise noted]
References:
1) Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Moody Press. Chicago. 1989.
2) Erickson, Millard. Who’s Tampering with the Trinity? An Assessment of the Subordination Debate. Kregel. Grand Rapids, MI. 2009.
3) Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2003.
4) Packer, J.I. Knowing God. Intervarsity Press IVP Books. Downers Grove, IL. 1973.
5) Strong, J. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Abingdon Press. 1890.
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