A Study of The Book of Romans
Lesson 85 Chapter 11:33
By Pastor Randy Johnson
Paul has said much about the Israelites, their issues with God, their being set aside by God, their being replaced by the heathen Gentiles, and their return after the second coming of Christ. Paul also told how it was Gods sovereign will that all this takes place and Gods sovereign choice. If one single issue should be absolutely recognized in chapter 11, it should be that God absolutely has a predetermined plan.
Now Paul praises God for His sovereignty, weather it is His election or His predestination and the carrying out of His predestinated will.
I believe Paul got very excited when penning the word of God several times, and I believe this is one of those moments of excitement, although chapter 11 has had reason for both Israelites and Gentiles to be excited about. Paul here is showing great excitement in the Lord, we all have these moments where we just burst with joy.
While I want to move on to chapter 12, this is simply to wonderful to not slow down and savor this praise to God.
- Verse 33 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
- “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God…” Oh how wonderful is the Omniscience of God! Can there be any such knowledge and wisdom in any other? No, God has it all.
a. We cannot in words properly describe the great wisdom and knowledge of God, it is beyond wonderful.
b. The word “riches” is defined as – abundance – which describes more than enough or more than we can handle. Our feeble minds are to small to even began to understand the wisdom and knowledge of God, His knowledge and wisdom is deeper than all creation put together.
c. Job 11:6 - 9 “And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. (7.) Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? (8.) It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? (9.) The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.”
d. Psalms 40:5 “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”
e. Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”
f. Daniel 4:35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”
g. The greatness of God cannot be measured, because there is nothing to measure it with.
- “…how unsearchable are his judgments (decisions, his arrangement, his plan)…”
a. The word unsearchable means – inscrutable – which means - incapable of being investigated, analyzed, or scrutinized – or - incomprehensible, undiscoverable. The mind of man will never understand Gods judgments (or decisions, his arrangement, his plan ).
b. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (9.) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
c. Simply put, we will never in this lifetime ever understand why God chose as He did.
- “…and his ways past finding out!”
a. This means – His ways cannot be traced. – We understand a very small and limited amount because of our God given faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is why the natural man cannot understand.
b. Let’s try this, why did God love you, save you, forgive all your sins, and continue to bless you? You will destroy your mind trying to figure it out because you cannot answer it, so we just conclude “because He chose too”.
c. Explain Gods love, grace, election, predestination, or plan, again you cannot. God is simply untraceable in all His ways.
d. The ways of God are unexplainable to man because, again in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (9.) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
e. Psalms 77:13 - 19 “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? (14.) Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. (15.) Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. (16.) The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. (17.) The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. (18.) The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. (19.) Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.”
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