34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?
35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN?
36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
This reads like a hymn of praise, and could have been used in the early church.
V. 33 - “depths of the riches both of wisdom and knowledge of God!” - Overwhelmed with amazement! God’s way of forgiving our sins, and establishing a relationship with us is beyond imagination. God knows we need to be saved - we cannot work our way to perfection. God knows that if the means of salvation is not provided, there will be people who claim unfairness. They will claim ‘privilege’ or ‘lack of privilege’ as the reason they are not saved - “It’s unfair”! The absolute fairness of God displays His wisdom. Sacrificing Himself in order to save all is amazing! We have all heard of a person sacrificing himself in order to save another person - The United States’ Medal of Honor is often awarded posthumously to such a person. We know of stories - e.g., “Tale of Two Cities” - where a person gives his life for another. None of these save everyone. None of these saves anyone for eternity.
“How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” - How do you argue with God on this? What holes can you punch in HIs wisdom and method of saving us? You don’t like the sacrificial system in the Old Testament? How would you demonstrate mercy? How would you show that forgiveness is not earned, but accepted as a gift? How would you show a build up of pride in people will be inevitable if they work their way into God’s mercy? (You know that people will brag about how they worked and were saved. They shun you because you worked and failed.)
V. 34 - “Who has known the mind of the Lord...” - Quoted from Isa. 40:13ff. We can not understand God and how He thinks, anymore than we can know how the universe began (KNOW absolutely, not theorize based on partial ex post facto observation.) We can see what He has done. We can believe He has done it. We have no rational basis for challenging His plans or His methods. His ways are higher than our ways (Isa. 55:9). We can not understand all He does anymore than a kindergartner understands quantum physics.
V. 35 - “Who has first given to Him...” - Quoted from Job 35:7, 41:11. What have you taught God, for Him to recite back to you, that you might grade and correct His progress in learning? Have you taught Him how to build a planet from nothing? Have you showed Him how to create gravity to hold the moon or satellites in their orbits? Did you teach Him how to work sunlight and chlorophyll in plants? Did you design the reproductive process, and then share it with Him so the world could be populated?
V. 36 - “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” - All things. Enough said.
*** End of Chapter
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