HomeOh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgements and inscrutable his ways.
well… I read this verse and like many verses I think that is pretty heavy. And it is. But like most verses, we need to think on them, consider them, consider the words, consider the context, consider what the author is discussing.
Here, look at what Paul has just completed discussing. What brought him to say this. It is true just on it’s own, but look at the context itself. Paul is not just talking about a nice big pretty picture of God. He has been talking about the Jews and their disobedience. But not just about that, but about it’s purpose in bringing gentiles to faith. that means that God purposed this hardening of His chosen people so that us gentiles, the other nations of the world, people from every tribe and tongue could be “grafted” into the family, into the vine. And not only that, He purposed their disobedience and purposed the mercy that we have been shown so that they might receive mercy. woooooooooo boy. Talk about a good and sovereign God. We are so quick to talk about us vs. them in any context and yet look at what we have been given, look what we have been shown. And it all works for one thing, not to make us look big, or feel special, but for us to recognize just how big God really is. not that we can of course, but it gets us thinking, and thinking about God and seeking truth are good things.
So, in light of all that, I say go back and read all of chapter 11, or maybe even back to 9 or 10 and then read forward to this verse. Then you get a picture of just how awesome God is and the expounding upon His greatness that Paul is doing here. You don’t just say “O the depth” if there isn’t any, and then you don’t just say riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. Often we talk about the riches of of knowing God and going after wisdom. But Paul is speaking specifically of these characteristics of God. God is rich, why? He owns everything. Nothing can be given to Him. God has all knowledge and all wisdom. And since He has all this, who are we, simple sinful men to question or reject His judgements. Or who are we to even consider trying to understand His ways. I looked up inscrutable –> Difficult to fathom or understand; impenetrable. That about sums it up. The problem is often that we judge God based on our ways, but we cannot even begin to understand His ways. We don’t know all things, and we are not inherently good, so to call Him into account is, well, absurd.
Oh that I might tremble and remember these things at all times. It would impact my life and those around me. But I forget. I fail, I get stuck on me. Lets all ask God for more grace and mercy in the area of recognizing Him as supreme. Lets not point at others and judge them on the basis that they don’t know Him, for we did not know Him at one time and He revealed Himself to us. there is nothing good in us that did that, that sought Him out. No, let’s take every opportunity to show grace, to show mercy, to forgive and to tell others of the hope that we have, just as was done for us, by Him, through those that follow Him. His ways are inscrutable. they don’t make sense, but they bring LIFE! eternal.