God's Simultaneous Omniscience and Omnipresence
The attributes of omniscience and omnipresence are fundamental to the biblical understanding of God. Omniscience refers to God's infinite knowledge, while omnipresence describes His unbounded presence throughout all creation. These attributes are often discussed together because God's presence in all places is intrinsically linked to His knowledge of all things [8, 9, 11].
Omniscience
God's omniscience means that His knowledge is absolute and without limit [1]. This attribute is evident in various biblical texts. For instance, 1 Samuel 23:9-13, Jeremiah 38:17-23, and Matthew 11:21, 23 illustrate God's comprehensive understanding of past, present, and future events, including contingent ones [1]. Acts 15:18 states that "known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." This foreknowledge is not merely a prediction but an inherent aspect of His being, as seen in passages like Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, Romans 11:2, and 1 Peter 1:2 [1].
The psalmist David expresses this profound truth in Psalm 139, acknowledging that God has "searched me, and known me" [12]. This knowledge extends to every aspect of an individual's life, implying that God is intimately aware of all thoughts, words, and actions [8, 12]. John Gill, commenting on Psalm 139:1, notes that while God knows all people and things generally, He knows His own people in a special manner. Gill further explains that this knowledge is so exquisite it is described as if God "searches out a cause, a physician the nature of a disease, a philosopher the reason of things" [12].
God's omniscience also implies His constant awareness of human actions and intentions. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, in their commentary on Job 34:21, explain that God's omniscience and omnipotence enable Him to execute immediate justice, as He does not need to "be long on the 'watch'" [7]. Jeremiah 32:19 also speaks to God's comprehensive understanding of all human ways [7]. Proverbs 15:3 states, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place," which John Gill interprets as expressive of God's omniscience, indicating His "full, clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge" of all creatures and things, with nothing hidden from Him [11]. This knowledge is attributed to Christ as well, as "all things are open and manifest to him" [11].
Omnipresence
God's omnipresence signifies that He is present everywhere at all times. This attribute is a direct consequence of His infinite and immense being [8]. The concept is articulated in Psalm 139:7-10, where David asks, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" [8]. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Psalm 139:7, asserts that if God is omnipresent, He must necessarily be omniscient, as His presence throughout heaven and earth means He fills all creation [8].
The prophet Jeremiah also speaks to God's omnipresence, quoting God as saying, "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" (Jeremiah 23:24). Jamieson, Fausset & Brown interpret this as God filling heaven and earth with His "omniscience, providence, power, and essential being" [9]. This means God is not confined to any single location but pervades all space.
The New Testament further develops this understanding, particularly in relation to Christ. Colossians 1:17 states that "He is before all things, and all things consist in Him" [4]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown explain that "in Him" signifies Christ as "the conditional element of existence," meaning that all things are not only created by Him but also maintained in their present state by Him [13]. This implies an active, sustaining presence. Colossians 2:9 adds that "in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" [5], indicating that the divine essence is fully present in Christ.
Ephesians 1:23 describes the church as Christ's body, "the fullness of Him filling all things in all" [2]. This verse suggests a pervasive presence of Christ that extends throughout creation and within His people. Furthermore, Ephesians 4:6 declares "one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all" [3]. This passage highlights God's transcendent authority ("over all"), His immanent activity ("through all"), and His indwelling presence ("in us all").
John Gill, commenting on 2 Peter 1:3, attributes "divine power" to Christ, noting that "as he has the fulness of the Godhead in him, is almighty, and can do all things; and is 'El-shaddai', God all-sufficient, and can communicate all things whatsoever he pleases" [10]. This capacity to communicate all things implies an omnipresent power and knowledge that enables such distribution.
Simultaneity and Interrelation
The simultaneous nature of God's omniscience and omnipresence is crucial. His presence in every place allows Him to have complete knowledge of everything occurring in those places. Conversely, His infinite knowledge means He is aware of all things, regardless of their location, because He is inherently present to them. The Hebrew word for God, 'El, derives from a word meaning "to be strong," and 'Elohim, the plural form, is commonly used in the Bible, alongside Jehovah, to denote the Supreme Being [6]. These names inherently carry the weight of a being whose power and knowledge are boundless and universally applied.
The understanding of God's omniscience and omnipresence provides a foundation for comprehending His active involvement in creation and His relationship with humanity. It assures that no event, thought, or detail escapes His notice or His reach, reinforcing the biblical assertion of God's ultimate sovereignty and providential care [7, 9, 11].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 1:23 (LITV) — which is His body: the fullness of Him filling all things in all;”
- Ephesians “one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. -- Ephesians 4:6”
- Colossians “Colossians 1:17 (LITV) — And He is before all things, and all things consist in Him.”
- Colossians “Colossians 2:9 (LITV) — For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 34:21: God's omniscience and omnipotence enable Him to execute immediate justice. He needs not to be long on the "watch," as Job thought (Job 7:12; Ch2 16:9; Jer 32:19).”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 139:7: It is of great use to us to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed, that we may not only believe them, but be able to tell why we believe them, and to give a reason of the hope that is in us. David is sure that God perfectly knows him and all his ways, I. Because he is always under his eye. If God is omnipresent, he must needs be omniscient; but he is omnipresent; this supposes the infinite and immensity of his being, from which follows the ubiquity of his presence; heaven and earth include the whole creation, and the Creator fills both ”
- Jeremiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jeremiah 23:24: (Psa 139:7, &c.; Amo 9:2-3). fill heaven and earth--with My omniscience providence, power, and essential being (Kg1 8:27).”
- 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 1:3: According as his divine power,.... Meaning either the power of God the Father, to whom belong eternal power and Godhead; and he is sometimes called by the name of power itself; see Mat 26:64 being all powerful and mighty; or rather the power of Christ, since he is the next and immediate antecedent to this relative; and who, as he has the fulness of the Godhead in him, is almighty, and can do all things; and is "El-shaddai", God all-sufficient, and can communicate all things whatsoever he pleases, and does, as follows: for he hath given unto us all things that pertai”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 15:3: The eyes of the Lord are in every place,.... Which are expressive of his omniscience, of the full, clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge, which he has of all creatures and things; so that nothing is hid from him, but all open and manifest to him; as they are to Christ the essential Word, Heb 4:13; and also of the providence of God with respect to all persons in general, and to his own people in particular; and as he is infinite and immense, omnipresent and in all places of the world, so his omniscience and providence reach everywhere, to places most distant and sec”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 139:1: O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. The omniscience of God reaches to all persons and things; but the psalmist only takes notice of it as respecting himself. God knows all men in general, and whatever belongs to them; he knows his own people in a special manner; and he knows their particular persons, as David and others: and this knowledge of God is considered after the manner of men, as if it was the fruit of search, to denote the exquisiteness of it; as a judge searches out a cause, a physician the nature of a disease, a philosopher the reason of things; w”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:17: (Joh 8:58.) Translate as Greek, "And He Himself (the great HE) is (implying divine essential being) before all things," in time, as well as in dignity. Since He is before all things, He is before even time, that is, from eternity. Compare "the first-born of every creature" (Col 1:15). by him--Greek, "IN Him" (as the conditional element of existence, Col 1:16) [ALFORD]. consist--"subsist." Not only are called into being from nothing, but are maintained in their present state. The Son of God is the Conserver, as well as the Creator of all things ”