Theme: When All Will Stand before God
In this week’s lessons, we see the importance and blessing of God’s omniscience.
Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12
In our study next week we will see how David responded to his meditation on God’s omniscience and omnipresence. It is the response of one who has learned what it is to be known by God and to be loved by him anyway, to be always with God and not to fear his presence. But what of those who do not know God in this way? What about those who are still trying to get away from him? What about you if you have not yet come face to face with God in Jesus Christ and surrendered to him? Do you really think you can escape from the omnipresent God or hide from the Omniscient?
The verses of this second section of the psalm (vv. 7-12) are what lay behind Francis Thompson’s classic poem “The Hound of Heaven.” It is a poem in which he describes how he tried unsuccessfully to hide from God:
I fled Him, down the nights, and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years,
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind, and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter….
Thompson fled from God, but he could not escape him, because God always followed after him, “followed, followed after.”
If you are not yet a Christian, let me remind you that you will have to stand before God one day. How do you suppose you will be able to escape his just judgment on you for your sins? The Bible says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). What will you do on the day when all your sins will be read out? “How does God know that?” you will ask. “And that? And that? And that?” On that day you will be abased, confounded, speechless and overwhelmed, as God unfolds the records of your sinful past life paragraph after paragraph and page after page. “Stop!” you will cry. But God will not stop until every sinful thought, every evil deed, every curse, every theft, every lie, every neglect of what you should have done is read out and justly punished.
Do not wait for that day. Jesus died so that sinners like you might be saved from judgment. He is pursuing you so you might be saved. The Bible says that if you believe on Jesus and trust him fully, “you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Study Questions:
Why would some want to escape God?
What is hidden from God’s sight? Where do we learn that?
Describe judgment for those apart from Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Pray for unbelievers you know who are running from God. Pray also for opportunities to talk to nonbelievers about God as omniscient and omnipresent.
For Further Study: We can learn much from the Psalms about the attributes of God. Order your copy of James Boice’s three-volume paperback set at a special price of 25% off the regular price.
