Omniscience

I have often wondered why God, with His omniscience and omnipotency, doesn’t just tell us everything. Straight up. Right now. In full.

For instance, how and when will I die?

Aside from the fact that such knowledge would enable me to destroy God — making Him a liar, by my simply refusing to show up for my own “appointment” with the Grim Reaper — knowledge in the hands of the wicked is a menace to the universe. 

Even so, by nature of the Fall, are we not all, at some time, “wicked”? And thus being subject to darkness and diminished capacity, do we not all, often, err in our application of knowledge?

Even the “righteous” but untrained and unproven are ill-equipped to handle knowledge of all things.

Only a fool would give a loaded handgun to a toddler! A responsible holder of potentially destructive power is careful to whom he gives it.

The nature of acquiring knowledge — line upon line, precept upon precept — presupposes and guarantees that some will not completely understand or well apply truth. (Who among us does?) Therefore, there will always be those who give and take offense. (However, whether we take offense is given unto us to choose.)

Mankind has existed, more or less, for thousands of years in ignorance. Only now, with knowledge of and access to advanced technology, can some threaten all with thermonuclear holocaust and global tyranny. (Perhaps God’s breaking up the nations at the tower of Babel “delayed” this eventuality.) Now incomplete understanding, coupled with technology, enables some to fly advanced aircraft into mighty buildings and others to persecute saints while ignorant (or beguiling) techno-fascists seek to curb essential carbon dioxide and global monopolists ban light bulbs, thus gaining for themselves advantage (as they suppose) over others by exercising unrighteous dominion.

Those who can be entrusted with omniscience are willing to submit to Divine Will and not exercise unrighteous control over others. They will not use their knowledge to subvert the purposes of God or aggrandize themselves or disrespect the agency and essential development of others. Those desiring to know all things must be willing to voluntarily accept (and submit to) knowledge of their own demise (or the “death” of all they hold dear) in the service of others and their God. They must be willing — and able — to say “not my will but thine be done” in all things and do accordingly. Indeed, they must prove they would never do otherwise.

A true servant of God willingly “shows up” for his own execution and "dies daily", even though he could — and would! — avoid it and pray to let this cup pass from him, if it were possible, in the wisdom of God.

Only those fully unpreoccupied with self or acquiring the substance and glory of this world can be entrusted with omniscience.