The Eternality and Wisdom of God

I have been reading Stephen Charnock's book, The Existence and Attributes of God. He has a chapter on The Eternality of God. In the following quote he ruminates on how God's eternality applies to God's knowledge.

“God be eternal, he knows all things as present. All things are present to him in his eternity; for this is the notion of eternity, to be without succession, If eternity be one indivisible point, and is not diffused into preceding and succeeding parts, then that which is known in it or by it is perceived without any succession, for knowledge is as the substance of the person knowing; if that hath various actions and distinct from itself, then it understands things in differences of time as time presents them to view. But, since God’s being depends not upon the revolutions of time, so neither does his knowledge; it exceeds all motions of years and days, comprehends infinite spaces of past and future. God considers all things in his eternity in one simple knowledge, as if they were now acted before him: “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world;” “from eternity” (Acts xv. 18). God’s knowledge is co-eternal with him; if he knows that in time which he did not not know from eternity, he would not be eternally perfect, since knowledge is the perfection of an intelligent nature.”

Think about this. God knows everything. God knows eternity past and eternity future. He knows all the possible futures of every sub-atomic particle in the entire universe. He knows everyone's innermost thoughts (Psalm 139). By everyone, I mean everyone who has existed and will exist. All this knowledge is "simple knowledge" meaning he just knows everything as if it were happening that instant. He is outside time so he doesn't experience our reality (except during the incarnation) in successive moments. He doesn't think in successive thoughts.

For example, when I play chess, I have successive thoughts. If I am in the middle of a game and I would consider my next move in the following manner. If I move my king to e5, I then would have to consider my opponent's best possible move; for example, if my opponent moves his queen to d5 or moves his rook to e1. My next thought would be if my opponent did move his queen to d5, I would have to move my rook to e8. I would then start to consider what if my opponent moved his rook instead of his queen. All these thoughts take place successively and they are in time. The point is that I do not multitask my thoughts. If I use a chess clock during the game, I could time my thoughts. God does not think like us: He doesn't experience a succession of moments, his thoughts are not successive, and his thoughts do not take place in time. He just "is" and he just "knows." Theologians like Grudem would say "eternality" is a incommunicable attribute. It is an attribute we do not share with God. We as Christians will live with Him everlastingly, but we have a beginning and our existence will depend on God's good pleasure. God is the only one who has eternality: existence dependent on nothing else.

What's the application for this esoteric knowledge? First, we can't second guess God. Our limited minds and limited experience cannot compete with God. God's wisdom and intelligence are on a different level than our intelligence. As Isaiah wrote,

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.(Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

We can not plan our lives better than God can plan our lives. Be grateful for what He has given you and seek His guidance continually.

Second, this infinite and and eternal God has our best interests at heart and those interests are eternal and not temporal. Sin, disease, death, and injustice have no purpose and have no meaning in this world, unless God is sovereign and eternal. God plans for his adopted children to be with Him in Christ for all eternity. His Son died so that may happen and His Holy Spirit is preparing us for that existence.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30 ESV)

Third, God knows everything about us in detail: everything we have done, everything we have thought, and everything we will do. As David writes in the Psalms

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
(Psalm 139:1-6 ESV)

God knows we are sinners and we will sin again, but he saved us anyway. We can't surprise God. Confess your sins and stay close to God.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(Romans 5:8 ESV)

If we have believed in Christ, we can have great confidence that Christ will take us home in Him.