Jim McDonald

In Romans 11:33-36 is found one of the most moving statements of God’s wisdom and knowledge to be found in the Scriptures. The apostle wrote, “O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past tracing out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and unto him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.”

Among the top of things which produces awe in us of the majesty of God’s knowledge and power surely must be His creation of our universe. The psalmist wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no sound or language.  His voice is not heard” (19:1-3). The vastness of the boundaries of our world make them seem endless. The marvelous wisdom in designing and producing such a world is beyond our comprehension. The power in actually creating it is incomprehensible. Our vast world was brought into being — from nothing — simply by His Word! There is no sound nor language that is uttered and yet to humans wherever they dwell on this earth, the heavens, by their very existence, evidence a display of creation, and thus, a Creator. Surely, also profound, destined to inspire, is another statement from the Psalms: “He spake, and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast” (33:9).

Yet, to no lesser degree of astonishment must be God’s creation of men, along with man’s exalted place in this world: “Oh, Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth … who has set thy glory upon the heavens … when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him but little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands, thou hast put all things under his feet … O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth” (Psalm 8:1-9). This psalm is applied to Jesus in Hebrews 2:6-8, and it is fitting that it should be, for Jesus is the perfect example of the lofty position God wished man to be. And yet, even imperfect men as we are blessed by His creation of the world and the position in which He has placed us in it.

And yet, it was not of either of these two marvels that the apostle wrote when he stood in awe of the “depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” That which moved him to write was the mercy and marvelous blessings God offers man through the gospel of His Son. In Romans 1 he wrote that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, “for, (said he), it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek …”   (v. 16). He has gone through 11 chapters showing the need all men have for the gospel, whether they be Jew or Greek, for all have sinned (Romans 3:23). In chapter 11 he has brought to conclusion his thesis “the gospel is God’s power to save,” whether they be Jew or Greek showing that “God hath shut up all (Jew and Greek) unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all” (11:32). Marvelous conclusion! Little wonder that at this point the apostle exclaimed, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.”

I would to God that all men, especially including those who are Christians, would never fail to see the marvelous nature of the gospel as it illustrates the “depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” As Christians, let us thank God repeatedly with a heart full of love for the provision and offering of His gospel to us. And, coupled with that appreciation of the gospel may there be a constant, unceasing desire and effort to see that the gospel is preached to all the lost in this world.