What God Knows
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Psalm 51:9 NASB
Hide – What does God know about you? Everything. That means He knows all your faults, all your sins, all your rebellious acts. Since God knows all these, do you think it possible for Him to stop knowing them? Can God actually forget what He knows? No, impossible. HE is not like us. What he knows, He knows perfectly and eternally. Forgetting is not one of God’s characteristics.
But if this is true, then how can any of us ever stand before Him? It would be as if we carried a neon sign around our necks detailing everything we ever did wrong. Could the Judge of all Mankind ignore that list? Could He overlook it? A God who knows everything about me certainly knows how unworthy I am. And that leaves me out in the cold, away from His presence, condemned.
David offers a solution. It is not a plea for God to forget. That isn’t going to happen. It is a plea for God to hide. When I hide something, I put it in some place where it can’t be seen. I know where it is, but no one else does. I can retrieve it if I wish, but no one else can. Furthermore, once it is hidden, even I can’t look at it without going through the effort to uncover it. This is what David desperately wants. He does not ask YHVH to forget his sin. He asks Him to do something so that it can’t be seen. In other words, David knows that his sin will not somehow suddenly no longer exist. The sin and the consequences are part of the record. Even today we know his sin because it is still present to us. David wants YHVH to change the point of view so that it no longer stands between David and his God.
Notice that David does not ask for God to hide the sin. He asks God to hide His face. David knows that sin is not going to vanish. But if God hides His face, then the sin will no longer be visible to the Lord. Why? Because the One Who Sees will be looking in another direction. The idiomatic expression is certainly not a theological statement. Of course God sees. He sees it all! But David is asking for God to act as if He doesn’t see this particular thing. He is asking for the “eyes” of the Lord to look somewhere else.
The Hebrew idiom for fellowship and acceptance is connected to the face. To turn my face toward you is an expression of favor, of acceptance and love. To turn away, of course, is the opposite. To hide my face is to turn away, so David employs a Hebrew idea requesting God to “turn away” from his sin. But not to turn away from the sinner! David is separating himself from his action and asking God to do the same. “Don’t see me as this collection of evil acts, Lord. See me as I am without my sins. See me as I desire to be—obedient to You. You have broken me. I am dust. Now, Lord, breathe into me and let me start again.”
Topical Index: sin, face, hide, Psalm 51:9
If God knows all my sins, then he knows the ones I have yet to commit. Raises an interesting question about his omniscience. 🙂
You might want to read Skip’s book, God, Time and the Limits of Omniscience. Because it is a thesis it is heavy going between pgs. 246-292 but the conclusion is worth the effort.
Ditto, George. I’m reading through this book. Slowly. I’ll let you know what I think about it in several years when my mind might be finally able to grasp all of it! 🙂
Thank you. I have read the book, more than once. If God has limited his knowledge of future events, then he cannot now know ‘all’ my sins – only the ones committed thus far. In which case ‘all’ is a finite number that keeps getting added to every day.
So, is this implying that if he doesn’t know something that hasn’t happened yet that he is somehow deficient in who he is? Isn’t knowing everything up to this point sufficient enough or does his omniscience demand knowing what hasn’t happened yet?
Just trying to put this puzzle together. Any input is appreciated.
So you like puzzles. 🙂
Too hard to answer this in a comment. But work through the nature of God. Did he always limit his knowledge? Or is this a change that came with the creation? If God is the one who knows everything by definition, could he become less than himself by limiting himself? etc. etc.
The issue is not self-limitation. Self-limitation assumes prior knowledge (in some form) now restricted by voluntary act. The issue is rather the definition of knowing. I do not believe and did not argue that God limits Himself in what He knows. That approach ultimately fails. I argued that the definition of knowing must be modified so that it allows full expression of the contingency of other agents, in which case knowing cannot include the certainty of an act not yet chosen. Obviously, it can include all the possibilities of the choices of other agents but possibilities are not the same as the actual choices.
I have been granted the freedom of NOT knowing in advance which of the potential possibilities I will pick. Apparently, for me to have that freedom, He shares that freedom with me; He doesn’t know, either! There is nothing about free will that I can even try to understand. It is so wrapped up in the mystery of Him.
So God is then in the process of becoming, not being. If he knows all the possibilities but does not know the reality until it occurs, then God is still in the learning stage. Eventually, there needs to be a discussion on “how” God knows.
reconsider the formal definition of omniscience in my book. God is not diminished because He allows the contingency of other agents. In fact, His choice to create other agents entails progressive knowing. Omniscience must be defined in terms of its dynamic description, not as a static state in abstraction from the texts.
The title of your book includes ” . . . and the Limits of Omniscience”. Now, either God limits himself or is at the disposal of something else that limits his knowledge. But if God is still learning new things, then he has not reached his full potential. He is, like humans, becoming . . . not being. 🙂
The Covering
Yes, once again, we go back to the Garden. Long story short, our “not-so-great,not-so-grand,” parents sinned. The story is familiar, for it is “all in the family” and it all happened in a “perfect place!” Is it environment? Is it heredity? Nevertheless, sin entered into this world, and ALL (with the exception of One!) have sinned. There is none (with the exception of One!) righteous, no not one!
Their primitive response? Fig leaves. “Cover me.” Gimme shelter. When I pray, when I “enter in” (at His invitation!), my response also is “cover me!” I am also a man, -“just like Adam.”
What do we share in common? The apple didn’t fall far from the tree! God provided a “covering” for Adam with the skins of an animal. An animal (was it a Lamb?) had to die for this covering, this (new word kids!) “atonement” to be provided. For according to the Levitical Law, “without the shedding of blood, there is NO remission (or covering or atonement for sin).
Let’s fast forward a few centuries to the Day of Atonement and Yom (Day) Kippur (Atonement). Back in the day, the great High Priest would enter in to the innermost court of the (temporary) Temple bringing with him (what?) and sprinkling (what?) on the Mercy Seat? Many bulls, many goats were slaughtered for sacrifice. Anyone know why this practice no longer exists?
“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22) Who has redeemed us? Our Redeemer. Who has saved us? Our Savior. May I?.. Hallelujah!
Either we don’t know, or we are “willingly ignorant!” ~ knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with (what?) precious blood, as of a Lamb unblemished and spotless, (as the Law required) — the blood of Christ.. A Lamb was slain.
I don’t know how, but somehow my nose has disappeared from my face!! Unless I’m blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other.. “God has provided Himself the Lamb!”
And?
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!.. —”worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Land of the Free, Sweet home of Liberty
It came at such a great cost
Our Soldiers brave and true
Gave their lives for me and you
Thank God for the red, white, and blue
Blood bought my freedom
Someone had to die
Someone freely took my place
Blood was the price for supreme sacrifice
Someone died that we might be free
Over the sea
On an old rugged Tree
A battle was fought for you and me
It won’t be fought again
We have victory over sin
Thank God for Calvary
Blood bought my freedom
Someone had to die
Someone freely took my place
Blood was the price for supreme Sacrifice
Someone died that we might be free
Blood bought my freedom
Someone had to die
Someone freely took my place
Blood was the price for supreme sacrifice
Someone died that we might be free
Blood was the price for supreme sacrifice
Someone died that we might be free
Jesus died that we might be free
Halleluah! I am covered! The righteousness of Christ covers me; the Lamb that was slain stands before the altar of incense with a censor filled with sweet smells to mingle with the prayers of the saints so that they are acceptable before the Throne. What High Priest is this?! the One Who slew Himself as both priest and victim. Because He has the power to lay down His life AND take it back up again, He is able to do the same for me. What a Saviour! I am going to sing with Carl today. My Father’s Face is turned toward me today! Today is a good day! I am forgiven and free! Thank you, Yeshua, my Salvation!
“See me as I am, without my sins”….
A reminder that I can be one of 3 people…1. Who I deceive myself into believing I am when I am in denial 2. Who I try to make others think I am when I have something to hide 3. Who I was created to be, in transparent fellowship “without my sins”
I want to endeavor to be in the #3 category. Not there yet, however.
Thanks for this delineated outline of choices.
Such a beautiful thought to have Him see us as we are without our sin(s). Now if, He can do it, why are people not more like Him?
I ask myself that question often. I am making an effort to be in the company of more people that desire that also. Encouragement from those that really love me helps a lot. I’m grateful.
Praise the Lord O my soul. My all sins and consequences are still followed me as my shadow. Yeshua has been gracious to me as a sinner. His promise is to remove my sin far away like the east far from the west when I turn away from my wicked way and pursue His Way. Yes, I also ask Him to turn His face away from my sin but not from me. Indeed … “See me as I desire to be—obedient to You. You have broken me. I am dust. Now, Lord, breathe into me and let me start again”
Great post today. Especially the last line:
“Don’t see me as this collection of evil acts, Lord. See me as I am without my sins. See me as I desire to be—obedient to You. You have broken me. I am dust. Now, Lord, breathe into me and let me start again.”
I do crave this. I’ve been focusing on living in the moment and doing what I ought and can do right NOW rather than bath in the debilitating past regrets that I so often allow myself to wallow in.
I just joined my daughter in a business that has already helped exercise actions away from negative junk and more toward positive stuff. Moving forward, doing good, choosing life. I love it. I get to be around my daughter and grandson more now and we are smiling and laughing and accomplishing more good things together these days. Don’t know if it is like the garden of paradise or not, but I’m sure lovin’ it!
I started a business with my wife Penny to celebrate my 65th birthday, something to do in retirement to keep my hyperactive, lifelong self-employment, Greek manufacturer’s mind occupied. It was the best time of our lives working together for the first time. Now our daughter runs it and she and her husband are having a similar experience.
The Lord gave us “new breath and started us again” and we have never been happier. Mind you, making wine doesn’t hurt either. You will forever be your daughter’s mentor Michael, as well as others I might add. Plod on with Omniscience! I love your posts, especially the odd “sigh”. Paradise lost, paradise found. It happens.
WINE! LOVE!
🙂 Thanks for that tidbit of info, George. We have done things together in the recent past. She has been attracted to some of my interests in videography, now I am attracted to some things she sells. Actually, I am eagerly seeking ways to keep involved in the lives of my children any way I can. I experience a divorce from their mother and, needless to say, it was anything anyone would actually want to go through, but I did. It created some absence between me and my three kids. I spent an enormous amount of money keeping contact alive and the relationships intact over the decades. After much stress, duress, angst and just plain old junk, my relationships with my children remain in tact and are growing continually. The efforts certainly paid off.
So, in essence, I’m kinda, sorta, pretty much in this business with her to take advantage of the time it allows us together interacting, plotting and trying to make it work. It is delightful. And actually, while not technically my “boss,” she really is the leader in many, many ways in our situation. Frankly, it is nice to “look up” to her in her guidance, example and leadership. She wears it all well all the while in raising her son. She wants to retire her hard working husband (more than from sunup to sundown job!). I want to help her do that! It’s exciting, rewarding and challenge for which I am grateful in it ALL! I am proud of her and give her a place of honor as a leader in our joint business ventures. She is capable, professional, and has the tenacity of an EveryReady battery bunny! Watching her often brings tears to my eyes and shaky knees as she performs, acts and moves forward each day. Good grief, it is so amazing see all this, especially knowing where she has come from during those troubling growing years. So grateful.
Regarding this TW and what God knows, as my daughter’s father, I know most, I’m sure not all, of her sins growing up as I witnessed many of them. A troubled girl in many ways, no thanks to the divorce I participated in. As her father, I well remember her transgressions. But I delight in turning away from remembering them to the degree I can in efforts to put behind her and us those difficulties and bad choices. We have cultivated an environment between us that we can deeply discuss them when helpful and then move on and beyond them in the direction of positive steps and ways of life together. It is really wonderful and I’m so thankful that YHVH worked with us to bring us to this point. I really have no words to explain the joy and gratefulness.
I love the double entendre of “gratefulness” when it is associated with child raising.
I have been granted the freedom of NOT knowing in advance which of the potential possibilities I will pick. Apparently, for me to have that freedom, He shares that freedom with me; He doesn’t know, either! There is nothing about free will that I can even try to understand. It is so wrapped up in the mystery of Him.