In his letter to the Roman Christians, the apostle Paul concludes chapter 11 with the following, which some have referred to as a doxology. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36). With our finite minds, we will never be able to grasp or completely comprehend the greatness and power of Almighty God, because His thoughts and His ways are far superior to ours. Let us therefore humble ourselves before Him and rejoice in the fact that we serve a mighty and eternal God and bow down before Him in worship, praise and thanksgiving. Paul concludes this passage with “Amen.” So let it be. And our response is we agree.
Paul brings to our attention some of the things that make our sovereign God so unique. These are His riches, wisdom, knowledge, judgments and ways. God’s riches are unsearchable. God’s wisdom means that He has absolute perfect knowledge and insight of any situation. God’s knowledge means that He has the divine ability to understand everything that no finite man can understand. When the Scripture says “the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,” it means that no one, but no one can fathom or hinder them. God’s judgments are just and righteous. God’s ways are perfect and past finding out. God makes it abundantly clear, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher that the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8,9). We will never be able to completely understand everything about God. And we are not required to do so. Therefore, let us be strong and courageous. Have faith in God, trust Him and leave the consequences to Him. “Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established” (2 Chronicles 20:20).
“This concluding doxology,” writes William MacDonald, “looks back over the entire Epistle and the divine wonders that have been unfolded. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
The riches of God! He is rich in mercy, love, grace, faithfulness, power and goodness.
The wisdom of God! His wisdom is infinite, unsearchable, incomparable, and invincible.
The knowledge of God! “God is omniscient,” writes Arthur W. Pink, “He knows everything, everything: everything possible, everything actual; all events, all creatures, of the past, the present, and the future.”
His decisions are unsearchable: they are too deep for mortal minds to understand. The ways in which He arranges creation, history, redemption, and providence are beyond our limited comprehension.
11:34 No created being can know the mind of the LORD, except to the extent that He chooses to reveal it. And even then we see in a mirror, dimly (1 Cor. 13:12). No one is qualified to advise God. He doesn’t need our counsel, and wouldn’t profit by it anyway (see Isa. 40:13).
11:35 No one has ever made God obligated to him(see Job 41:11). What gift of ours would ever put the Eternal in a position where He had to repay?
11:36 The Almighty is self-contained. He is the source of every good, He is the active Agent in sustaining and controlling the universe, and He is the Object for which everything, has been created. Everything is designed to bring glory to Him.
Let it be so! To Him be glory for ever. Amen. (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1728). MacDonald lays out for us the things that make our eternal God so most worthy of our worship and praise. And also that no one is comparable to Him.
As we have been dealing with “the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God,” it is most important to keep in mind as Paul wrote “so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). This means that the Christian revelation owes absolutely nothing to human wisdom and knowledge. The apostle did not rely on it and neither should we. We are living in a day and age where some are seeking wisdom from “science and philosophy” rather than having faith in God. Science and philosophy has nothing to do with God or His word. My beloved reader, may your whole aim, objective, and purpose in life is that your faith will rest in the power of God and not in man. Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).
The Most High has declared: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart . . . Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Corinthians 1:19,20). Let’s revert to our text again. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” If we could allow this to sink in, we will be rejoicing Christians every day of our lives, and God will certainly be glorified. Doesn’t it make sense?
Let me urge you to take this opportunity to put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. God loves you and provided salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Jesus died in your place so you could have a relationship with God and be with Him forever. “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ not only died for us, He rose from the dead and now lives at God’s right hand in heaven. Why not invite Jesus into your heart. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and receive Him as your Savior. This would absolutely be the most important decision you will ever make. May God give you the courage to do so.