Many doctrinal statements and creeds refer to God as
being infinite. According to Noah
Webster’s 1828 dictionary the word infinite means, “Without limits; unbounded;
boundless; not circumscribed.” He
mentions that the word can be “applied to time, space and qualities.” Then he says, “God is infinite in duration,
having neither beginning nor end of existence. He is also infinite in presence,
or omnipresent, and his perfections are infinite.” Clearly, the man who gave us our first
American English dictionary had a high and reverent view of God. No doubt, he came to have this understanding
of God through the Scriptures. How do
you view God? Do you see Him more
clearly through your Bible reading? Do
you think of him as beyond measure and without limits in His Being and Nature?
Having covered many of God’s attributes in these
devotionals, we can sense that they all seem to have this infinite quality of being
without limits and boundless. However,
there appears to be only one verse in the KJV
that directly uses the word infinite in relation to God. It is in reference to His understanding. Psalm147:5 says, “Great is our Lord,
and of great power: his understanding is
infinite.” The ESV translates the
verse this way, “His understanding is beyond
measure” which clearly gives the meaning of being infinite. Logically, for God to be infinite in
understanding He would also have to be infinite in knowledge (omniscience), infinite
in location (omnipresent), and also infinite in time (eternal). Furthermore, God’s
infinite understanding makes His love, grace, mercy, kindness, and judgment
without measure as well. Truly our God is infinite or without limits in all of
His attributes!
So then, how can the truth about God being beyond
measure affect our daily lives? I find
it instructive that the Bible specifically says that God’s “understanding is
infinite” because each day we, His creatures, need to understand. We
will never have true understanding in this world until we acknowledge God!
First, we must live our lives knowing and acting upon
the truth that understanding is a gift from God:
Exodus
31:3, And I have filled [Bezaleel the son of Uri]
with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To
devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in
cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all
manner of workmanship.
It then should not be surprising that Scriptures
tells us “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is
understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). Can
you see how understanding becomes synonymous with knowing God?
Secondly, we must avoid the daily temptation to lean
upon our own understanding by remaining humble and dependently trusting of God:
Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust
in the LORD with all your heart, and do
not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Thirdly, we must call upon the Lord for wisdom and
understanding as Scripture exhorts us to do:
James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him
ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
Knowing God, whose understanding is infinite, is awe-inspiring! Let’s worship Him together!
With
Prayer, Mark © October, 2012 Scripture quoted without
reference: ESV –
Emphasis added
Verses
for our meditation: God Is Infinite in Understanding
Job 12:13,
With God are wisdom and might; he has
counsel and understanding.
Psalm 147:1-7, Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is
pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number
of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and
abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. The LORD lifts
up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the LORD with
thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!
Isaiah 40:28, Have you not known? Have you not
heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding
is unsearchable.
1 Chronicles
22:11-13, [David
speaking to Solomon, said,] Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may
succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning
you. Only, may the LORD grant you discretion and understanding, that
when he gives you charge over Israel
you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Then you will prosper if you are
careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for
Israel.
Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.
1 Kings 3:7-12, [Solomon prayed,] “And now, O LORD my God,
you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but
a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in
the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be
numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding
mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who
is able to govern this your great people?" It pleased the Lord that
Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, "Because you have asked this,
and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your
enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold,
I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning
mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise
after you.
1 Kings 4:29-31 And God
gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind
like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of
all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than
all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the
sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
Daniel 1:17,
As for these four youths [Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego], God gave them learning and skill in all
literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding
in all visions and dreams.
Colossians 2:1-3, For I want you to know how
great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have
not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit
together in love, to reach all the riches of
full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is
Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 John 5:20, And we
know that the Son of God has come and has
given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in
him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
