The Omniscience of God Week 28

We are on pages 31 and 32 of the notes. We're coming down to finish on the book of Psalms. And so if you look at Psalms chapter 139 is where we're going to be looking at today. Psalms 139. And um in this psalm, uh there's some parts of it that I think you're probably familiar with and some other parts that maybe not. But as we look at the psalm in verses 1-6 to begin with, it says, "Oh Lord, first of all, look at the title. It says, "Praise to the all knowing God." And um and so this was a psalm of David and it says, "Oh Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising.

Thou understand my thoughts so far off. Thou compasses my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. For there's not a word in my tongue, but lo, oh Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou therefore be beset me behind and before, and lay thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high and I cannot attain unto it. And so he starts out talking about God knows all things. He's omnisient that thou hast known me. And so the all- knowing God, um we also see this in verses 16- 18. It says, "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy book all my members were were uh written, which in continues were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also thy thoughts unto me, oh God, how great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee." And then verses 23 and 24, "Search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me. lead me the way everlasting. So Psalmist is saying, "Lord, you know me and I can't hide my thoughts from you. I can't hide my actions from you. You know me and so I want you to show me as you see me." And and that's really the challenge of the book of Psalms chapter 139 and and looking at that, you know, we we often we forget that God sees us.

Uh we we forget that he sees us at nighttime. He sees us in in the dark. He sees us in the light. and and he knows us. And so the psalmist here is just is acknowledging that God you know me and I want you to search me. And and so he says um Lord thou hast searched me in verse number one. And the idea of that word search in the in the original language is is really means careful scrutiny. Careful scrutiny. Uh look at Psalms chapter 44 and verse number 21. Psalms chapter 44 and verse number 21, he says, "Shall not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart?" And and so the psalmist says, "Listen, God, I want you to search me and I want you to show me what's going on inside of me."

Um, you know, he said, "Well, the psalmist already knows what's going on inside of him." Yeah. Yes and no. Uh, I look at this idea as like when you go to the doctor and and you say, "I know there's something wrong." and and I want you to just check me out and make sure what's going on. And uh you might share some symptoms you're going through. You might share some concerns you have, but you say, "Listen, I want you to do that that careful scrutiny and really see what's going on in my heart and my life." And and that's what David is asking for here. He's saying, "God, I want you to search me." And I think that's something good for us to do.

I I think it's good in your life on a regular basis just to stop and say, 'Lord, I really want you to search me right now. I I I want you to show me where I'm at. I want you to show me what's wrong and what's right. And and just really do that, not a self-examination, but a spirit examination. And I think it's something good to do on a regular basis, either daily or weekly or definitely monthly. Uh just to just take time to do that. And you can do that each day to take time just to stop and say, "Lord, search me." And and to stop and listen and let him speak to you and and uh and ask him to search you in that day and to show you.

I think there's times where it's good to maybe even take um a special time and really just kind of get away, get off by yourself and and really ask God to search you and to show you where you're at and and to really to do that carefully and and and and completely. So he says, "Lord, thou hast search me and known me." So what does God know about us? Look at Hebrews chapter 4 and verse number 13. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse number 13. Hebrews 4 and verse 13 says, "Neither is any creature is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do." You know, um God just truly sees us way nobody else can.

You ever had the statement, "Penny for your thoughts?" Listen, folks, there's times I wouldn't sell my thoughts for a million dollars. But God knows my thoughts. He knows what I'm thinking. He knows what's going on in my life. He knows where I'm at. Uh there's nothing that's hidden from him. Go over to Deuteronomy chapter 6. Deuteronomy chapter 6 and look at verses number 4-9. Here, oh Lord, the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day um shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them unto thy diligent unto thy children uh and shall talk of them when thou sitest

thine house and when thou ralest by the way and when thou rise liest down when thou rises up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine head and they shall be as frontless between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the post thy house and on thy gates and and so we see the kind of a parallel to what he's saying in Psalms 139 and that he goes on in verse two it talks about thou knowest my down city my uprising thou understands my thoughts far off he says God you see me at all times when I wake up in the morning when I lay my head in the pillow at night when I'm walking through my life and and going about my business during the day I you see me and I want you to show me to be with me during those times and really to speak to me and and so he he he's saying God you know me and and and you know me in my down sitting and uh in in Psalms chapter one and uh verse number one.

Psalms chapter 1 and verse number one. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sith the way of sinners, nor standeth the seat of scornfell, but as the light is in the law of the Lord, and his law does he meditate day and night. So when you're when you're doing the things of life, you know, I I talk about in the child class that the best time to teach your kids is not with family devotions. Now, I I I think I believe you should have family devotions and you should have times where you sit down with your kids and you open your Bible, but the best teaching times are in life as you're going through as you're as you're doing something like washing the car, teaching them that whatever you do, do it hardly as unto the Lord and do your best as unto God.

when when you're um uh sitting down to dinner to talk about in in Corinthians where it says that what that whether there whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do to the heart of the Lord and and and as you're watching TV to pause it and say you know what this happened here we talked about that last week when we looked at Psalms 127 and just taking those opportunities to teach your children well you know what those are good for you as well and and not I think it's good to have a time. I think it's good maybe every morning we wake up and say, "God," is to quote Psalms 139 uh and and especially verses 23 and 24, "Search me, oh God, and know my heart and try me and show me if there's any wicked way in me."

And to ask God to do that. I think it's good to have a time where you get by yourself and just uh seek the Lord, spend time really asking God to open your heart and show you what's going on. I I think it's good maybe have your own spiritual retreat where you're going to go away for a day or two and let God really search you and speak to you. But you know what? Every day, every day as you're at your office, as you get up in the morning, as you sit down to your desk chair, as you sit on your couch in the living room, ask God to search you. He said, "Listen, I don't want to just be a one-time thing, Lord.

I want you to be showing me what's going on. I want to be aware of that and paying attention to that. Um, I kind of relate it to the idea, you know, many of you know, I have struggles with insomnia and, uh, I can't figure out why, you know, what what exactly is causing my insomnia? Is there a pattern here? And so, one of the things we've been trying to do is really pay better attention to my day and say, okay, what am I doing that day? Am I drinking too much caffeine? Am I eating some food that's causing that problem? Is it because I didn't get exercise that day? is because uh uh what is it that's happening in my day that that when I when I don't sleep I can say okay here's a pattern and and that pattern will help me identify don't do this or do that what did I eat what what pills did I take you know what vitamins did I take and so on this is the idea of what psalm is saying listen God I want you to search me in my down sitting and when I whenever I when I sit now and in my uprising.

Um, and and doing that, look at Nehemiah chapter 2 and verse number 18. Nehemiah chapter 2 and verse number 18. Nehemiah 2. Eric 18. My pages are not turning well. Um Nehemiah 2:18. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me as also the cave's words that he spoken unto me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthen their hands for this good work. What is it that gets you uprising? What is it that motivates you to get moving to do something? Again, as you begin to see something, you can say, "This is what's got to change with with my insomnia. Do I have to change my diet?

Do I have to change my exercise habits? Do I have to change what I do? And, you know, before I go to bed, do I have to change, you know, what what is going to get me motivated to change? God, I want you to show me what I need to do and and and and both in my down sitting, when I sit down on my couch, when I sit down at my uh desk at work, when I sit down at the table, or in my uprising as well. And then going back to Psalms 139, he says, "Thou knowest my downsizing sitting and mine uprising. Thou understand my thought a far off." So God knows our thoughts. Go over to Matthew chapter 9 and look at verse number 24.

Matthew chapter 9 and verse number 24. He said unto them, "Give place for the maid is not dead." And as let's see, am I in the right place here? Let me look at 94. I'm looking at 24. Go verse four. Thank you. I got to pay attention to my own thoughts. My own. All right. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Wherefore think he evil in your hearts." He He knew their thoughts. He knows what they're thinking. In John chapter 2 and verses 24 and 25. John chapter 2 and verses 24 and 25. But Jesus did commit himself on did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and he need not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man.

He knew their thoughts and and that's what we understand. God already knows our thoughts. You know my wife doesn't know everything I'm thinking. My my friends don't always know everything I'm thinking, but God knows it. And so why are we hiding that from God? God, show me my thoughts and help me to not try to hide them from you because it's impossible to do that and I need to deal with those thoughts. It's interesting the the word thoughts here comes from a root word for shepherd and the idea is to help me to corral shepherd or corral my thinking. A a shepherd would kind of corral the sheep and bring them under control.

Uh look go over to second Corinthians chapter 10 and look at verses 5 and 6. 2 Corinthians 10:es 5 and 6. casting down imaginations every high thing that exaltth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing to captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. So bringing those thoughts into captivity, God, you know my thoughts and I need your help to control those thoughts. I need your help to bring those thoughts into captivity. You know, it's the old saying is we can't keep the birds from flying overhead, but we can keep them making a nest in our air.

And and and and so when we have those thoughts, God, I need your help in controlling those thoughts and not allowing them to control me as well. And then back in Psalms 139, it says in verse number three, thou compasses my path. Um and the idea of the word path there, go over to Psalms chapter 37. Psalms Psalms chapter 37:es 23 and 24. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. He delightth in his way. Though he fall, he should not be utterly cast down. For the Lord upholds them with his hand. And so he said, listen God, I want you to guide my steps. He wants you to know where what what path I need to take.

In Psalms 119 and verse number 105, Psalms 119 and verse 105, it says, "Thy word is a lamp under my feet and a light into my path." That that word compass is is like, you know, like when you carry a lantern, you got that circle of light around you. And and God, I want you to guide me each step of the way. I want you guide my path. I want you to guide me each step of the way as I go about doing your business. The word compasses this idea of the circle and it also car carries the idea of a compass and and I've talked about this before in sermons is that you know there's two kinds of compasses. There's a compass that is always pointing north and when you know where north is you can know where where west and east is and all the rest of it as well.

You can know the the directions and God is our compass. He is our north and as long as we have him at the north we can we can follow the right paths but also a compass is a that little tool that they would use that pointy end you know where you put the point down and you draw a circle and and I if I put God at the center of all my thoughts and of all that I do then I can draw that circle around me and I know that I'm in the circle of his will as well and and so he said to compass my past thou compasses my path and in my lying down. Uh go over to Psalms chapter 3 and verse number five. Psalms chapter 3 and verse number five.

I laid me down and slept. I awakened for the Lord sustained me. And and so our lying down as well. What what is your ritual at night to go to bed? You know, again, I've been examining my rituals and what I do. So try to help me with that insomnia. But you know there's many things that as we end our day, do we end our day with the Lord? Um you may or might you you may or may not be an at night owl. And uh for some people trying to do devotions at night is not good because their brain is already fried and done for the day. And uh maybe you're more of a morning person or or maybe mornings are not good for you.

Maybe it should be afternoon when you do devotions. But I I still think even though we may not do our devotions at night, it's good to end our night with the Lord. Couple things I would recommend is if you don't do devotions at night, why not be one of the last things you do when you go to bed is you're going to read a scripture. Maybe just do a chapter of Psalms or just a couple verses. maybe have a verse stack of verses by your bed where you take one off and read that or have an app on your phone where it can pull up a verse and and you just end the day with the Lord. Um, one of the things I've been trying to help me sleep is listening to to scripture uh at night.

Uh, you know, I'll play play uh the the I like the dramatized versions of the audio where they play music and they use different voices and even some sound effects. Um, and but to play the scripture is a good thing to do. Just to have that on and and let it play just a little bit of that when you go to bed to take time to pray when you go to bed just to it be it may not be the best time for you to pray. Uh if some of you if you prayed at night time on your knees you'd fall asleep you know is what you would do. And but it's good to still end your night day with a prayer and and do the Lord. It's just ending our day right.

He says, "You see me when I lie down and when I put my head in the people pillow, do I have peace of knowing this day has been a day I have walked with the Lord." And then um the next thing he talks about in Psalms 139, he says, "Thou knowest my and are acquainted with all my ways." Acquainted with all my ways. Um look at Proverbs chapter 3:es 5 and 6. Proverbs chapter 3 and:es 5 and 6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not unto thine understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." And so when we when we are following the Lord, he knows our ways, the the direction we're going.

It's a little different than the idea of paths. It's more the idea of of our ways is our habits is what he's really talking about here. um what you know the Lord uh you know my habits you're acquainted with my habits. What what are your habits? What are the habits that you have in in your life? We're we're all creatures of habits. The habits are not always bad. Uh there's a lot of good habits that you do. You get up more and brush your teeth. That's a good habit to have. Uh you you um you have a habit of eating your meals at a regular time. That's good to have. Habits are not bad. They're good to have.

Uh but there's also bad habits. Uh maybe the first thing when you uh come home a day is you you turn on the TV and immediately sit down watch TV. That's a that's not necessarily the best habit to have. Uh you know maybe there's other habits that you have that you do and and so you say listen you're acquainted with my habits. Do you have a habit of reading your Bible every day? Do you have a habit of praying? Do you have a habit of you know what are our habits that we have as well? Uh look at Proverbs chapter 14 and verse number 12. There is a way which seemth right unto a man but the end there are the ways of death.

And so there's good habits and bad habits. There's good directions and bad directions. And the psalmist said Lord you know you're acquainted with all my ways. And then verse number four, if there's not a word of my tongue, but lo, oh L, oh Lord, thou knowest it altogether. And our our words, look at Matthew chapter 12. Matthew 12 and verse number 36. Matthew 12:36. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. It's interesting what the psalmist talks about here in Psalms chapter 139 are all the things that you and I are going to be judged for.

Now remember there's two judgments in the Bible after we die. One is the great white throne judgment and that's the that's the judging those that are not saved and cast into hell. You and I will be there but we will not be judged. If you're saved, your name is written in the lamb's book of life. You will not be cast into hell and you that is not the judgment that you will stand before because you are already forgiven. You already have eternal life. But there's also the beac seat of Christ or the judgment seat of Christ. And that is for Christians. Not whether we go to heaven or hell. That's already decided through our trust in Christ as our savior.

But what it is is a judgment of of both that which we've done in this life whether it's good or bad. And uh there is both reward and there's punishment or loss as well. And uh we will be judged. And the Bible says we'll be judged by for our actions. We'll be judged for our our words. We'll be judged for our thoughts. And we'll be judged for our motivations. All four of those things we're be judged for. So we might have done the wrong thing for the wrong reason. We might have said the right things, but we thought the wrong thing. you know, so we're going to judge for these things. And so this is what we're going to stand before and be judged before God.

And so Psalmist here is kind of saying, Lord, you already know all this and and it's going to be revealed. The Bible says that at the judgment seat of Christ that our lives will be revealed. Now, whatever we have confessed, God's forgiven it, forgotten it, and it will not if we would judge ourselves in 1 Corinthians chapter uh 11, then we would not need to be judged. And so if we judge ourselves, we don't need to be judged. And so that's the the first step that's important there is to judge ourselves. But what we don't judge, we'll be judged. And so the psalmist got to say, "Lord, I I don't want to have to be judged.

I I don't want to have this stuff revealed and and I know you already know it. So I want you to show it to me so that I can get it right with you. And not only get it right with you, but I can do right to begin with. So let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. Oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. So I will say the right words so I don't have to ask you to forgive me for the wrong words so that I have the right conversations and the right thoughts uh to bring those thoughts into captivity so that I don't have to confess these things because they're already under your control.

And so that's where the psalmist starts at with here. And he's he talks about uh so in verse number five, thou has beset me behind and before and lay thine hand upon me. Okay, the idea of the word beset here is is this word that would use be translated as siege. You know, when an army would bring siege to a city and surround it and uh and and and and hold it off in that way to be in siege. And so he's saying, the psalm is saying, "Thou hast set me behind before and laid thine hand upon me." Turn over to 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and look at verse number four. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10 and verse number four.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, the pulling down of strongholds. and and and Satan wants to bring us under siege. He wants to limit us and and and bring us to a point we cannot have freedom and victory and and and so we need for God to help us to tear down those strongholds of Satan. Now the word stronghold is basically giving Satan a stronghold in our life, a a place to attack us from and uh we have we have provided that for him and a lot of times strongholds are not necessarily just sins but there are areas of our life that we've allowed we we haven't put under the control of God and because of that Satan is is using that kind of a base of operations to attack us in our life and and that stronghold can be bad things like bitterness as I believe is a stronghold of Satan.

When you get bitter then Satan uses that to attack you in many many areas and defeats you. Uh it can be a stronghold of of uh of something we're we're looking at on the internet or are doing and and and again it's not necessarily bad. It's not that you're looking at porn, but you're into social media so much and all the reels and everything that it's taking your time and and it it becomes a gateway into the bad things and we allow that stronghold in our life and and and many things can be strongholds. And he said, "Listen, Lord, you need to be the one to besiege besiege my life. You need to be the one that besets me and and and and surrounds me."

Look at Psalms chapter 18 and verse number two. Psalms chapter 18 and verse number two. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my strength in whom will I trust, buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower. He's my place of refuge. He's my place I can come to and and know that whatever is happening outside I'm in a place of protection and safety and and and so he besets me. He's the wall around me. He's that fortress around me as well. And then letter D there um he goes to verse number six. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high I cannot attain unto it.

God's omniscience, all knowing, is beyond understanding. There's many things about God I call smoking doctrines. They're there things that if you and I think about him too much, our mind, our brain gets overloaded and starts smoking. Um, God is eternal is to me is a smoking doctrine. I can conceive with the idea that God always will be. my mic can kind of wrap around that. But where I always struggle with is God always has been. I I believe it because the Bible says it, but something had to start somewhere. How could it always have been there? There's got to be a beginning that my mind is so limited.

I I just can't grasp that concept fully. And and omniscience is another one. You know, we can say, "Yeah, God's all knowing." But we don't live like that because we really can't conceive of that idea of God's omniscience and his all knowing and his power to know everything. It is something that we struggle with understanding along with the other omni uh characteristics of God. It's omniresence says he's everywhere at once. His omni omnipotent power that he has. These are things that are just beyond our comprehension. The psalmist acknowledges says, "God, it's it's amazing. It's so wonderful for me to to think that you have this power to see all things, but I I struggle with that.

I cannot attain unto it as well." Uh look at Job chapter 42 and verse number three. Job 42:3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing that will make all his bed and his sickness. You know, the Lord is there to strengthen us, to be there for us uh in in in our need. I I read Yeah. I read Psalm 41:3. Let me try 42. Uh verse number three. Let's get this right. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continue saying to me, "Where's thy God?" We so often forget God's not gone anywhere. He's still there. But when we go into problems, we we forget God. We forget he is omnipresent.

He is omnipotent and he knows all things. Or when we sin, we kind of think God's not watching right now because it's dark out. He can't see me. We forget that so easily. And then look at uh Romans chap 11 and verse number 33. Romans 11 and verse number 33. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How uncarchable are his judgments is ways past finding out. This is just beyond our comprehension. And then look at Isaiah chapter 55. Isaiah chapter 55 and verse number 8 and N. Isaiah 55:es 8 and9 for my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways sayeth 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 the psalmist is acknowledging God you're you're omnisient you know everything but I struggle with this and and and you're so far beyond my ability to understand and help me to understand, Lord.

Help me to see your omniscience and your power in my life. And and that's what he's asking for. He's saying, "Listen, God, you know me. You know how weak I am. You know how I struggle. You know my thoughts. You know my words. But Lord, help me to know you. Help me to not forget that you are there when I get up in the morning." And that's why it's good when you get up in the morning to remind yourself today is the day the Lord hath made. Let's rejoice and be glad in it. Help me remember you're there at night when I lay my head in the pillow. Help me to remember when I sit down my office desk. I am serving the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, not the government, not my boss.

That's what he's really praying for. He's praying that he can see that God knows him. and and know just see and feel the presence of God in everything he does. And so uh the God's omnisient beyond understanding and then God is omnipresent. Uh look at Psalms 139:es number 7-2. Whether shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me.

Yay, the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day, the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Says that you are present. You're always there. you're right there with me. And and that's where he leads into next is his omniresence. Yeah. When I visit people that are going through a difficult time, I'll usually end my time with in prayer. And one of the things I'll pray is I'll pray something along this line. Dear Lord, help them to know your presence. Help them to to feel the presence of God, to know that you are there with them no matter what they're going through.

that you will never leave them nor forsake them. Help them know your presence. Then Lord, help know your peace, the peace that passes understanding. Then Lord, help them to know your power. And that's what we're going to look at in number three. There is God and omnipotent. These are the things that when Psalmist said, God, I know you there. I know you know me. I know you know all these things. You know what's going on right now. You know what's happening. And you're right here with me. whether I feel it or not and and to know his presence as well because we cannot hide from God. Go over to Jeremiah chap 23 and look at verse number 24.

Jeremiah 23 and verse number 24. Can any hide himself in secret place that I shall not see him? Sayeth the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth, sayeth the Lord. He's just saying, I want to remember that you are there. You're always there. And that your presence would help me through situations even when I feel like you're not there. That your presence will remind me that I can't get away with anything because you can see me even in darkness. And and so he's acknowledging that aspect. Go to Romans chapter 8 and verse number 16. Romans chapter 8 and verse number 16. It says, "The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."

Then look at verse number nine. "But we're not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If so be the spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." So if I'm saved, I have the spirit of God. What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God. You're not your own for your b with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body your spirit which is so is what the psalmist is saying. Lord I want your spirit to speak with my spirit and I want my spirit to speak to your spirit. Now I don't believe that God speaks to us in an audible voice.

I I I I do s believe sometimes it can feel like he's speaking to you an audible voice. I've had that occasion in my life where it's almost like God is talking to me in an audible voice, but I I don't hear a voice, but I can hear it in my heart. And I believe that's the spirit of God speaking to me. But you know where the spirit of God primarily speaks to me? The word of God. In fact, Jesus said that in John chapter 14 and John chapter 16, he said, "I'm going to send the spirit to bring all things to your remembrance." So what you have to do is make sure that you are speaking in the spirit's language.

And so that's why we hide God's word in our heart because that's how he speaks to us. He brings that verse to our mind and reminds us of that verse like I will never leave thee nor forsake thee or you know many other you could quote almost any verse in that context. And so that's what the psalmist is is asking be reminded of is remember that you can't hide from God. Now going back to Psalms 139, let's look at a couple more things we'll close. He says, he says in verse number eight, he says, "If I send up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." Okay, so heaven can refer to what?

When he says heaven, what could he be talking about? There are there are three heavens in the Bible. You have the first heaven which is the he created the heavens the the sky uh above us the sky around us. That's one heaven. Um the second heaven is space and the third heaven is heaven what we commonly call heaven. So he could be referring to any one of these three in the context here. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and look at verse number two. 2 Corinthians 12 and verse two, Paul says, "I knew a man talking about himself in Christ about 14 years ago. Whether in the body I cannot tell, whether or not out of the body I cannot tell.

God knoweth such as one caught up to the third heaven." So, we know there's three heavens. Paul is referring to there's a time where he had what we might call an out-of- body experience. He didn't know it was was physical or just spiritual, but he he actually saw heaven. And you know what? That'd be tough to see heaven and have to come back here. That would be tough. And and so he was in the third heaven. And so the psalmist might be referring to heaven itself, what we would commonly call heaven, where he say, I can go up in space and God's there. you know, uh, you know, the the people on the moon and some of them were Christians and said, you know, I can even see God here.

And then I think there was one astronaut at one point said, I I've been on the moon and there's no God, you know, uh, but he is there. He's you can't run away from, you can't hide from him. And then hell in verse number eight is a reference to what? It might be referring to hell, the lake of fire in Revelation 20 where they're cast into the lake of fire. for eternity. Uh we know that hell is it the word hell refers to the waiting place of the dead uh of the lost. Uh Lazarus woke up and Abraham's bosom in paradise and the rich man woke up in hell. So what we call hell is really not hell because hell is the lake of fire for eternity.

And yes, hell is cast in the lake of fire, but they're two different things. And um so he's referring to that. Look at Ephesians chapter 4 verses 9 and 10. Ephesians 4:es 9 and 10. Now that he ascended, what is it? What is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He descended the same also that ascended up far above the heavens that he might fill all things. So when Jesus died, he went down into the lower parts of the earth where Abraham's bosom and paradise was with a gap and then there was hell or schol or Hades it's also called and he went down and preached under the captivity.

He presented himself as the sacrifice as the messiah that the those in paradise were waiting for. And uh and and so this is what he probably was referring to was that waiting place of the dead. Um, and it could be, you know, and and for many that was not just the the oncluded paradise as well. It was the grave, the place of waiting as well and doing that. So, it could be Shaw or Hades. Um, look at we'll close with Luke chapter 16. Um, you can jot down verses 19 through 30 31. We won't read all of that, but you you know the story there in Luke chapter 16. And verse number 19, the rich man and the beggar.

And uh the rich man, Lazarus woke up in hell and the beggar, he woke up in paradise. And so there's there's that place. So the psalmist here is referring to that. He says, "Doesn't matter where I go, you're there and and your your presence is there." All right, we'll continue on next week. We'll have to stop there, but we'll continue on next week. But I think there's so much here that we learn about the omni characteristics of God and uh and doing