Snap Shot
As their enemy was drowned in the sea, Moses and Israel sang a joyous song of victory following their deliverance from the Egyptians,
“Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11 ESV).
Indeed, there is no God like our God, but what is it that makes Him different? Three words—the three O’s of God—Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent.
Omniscient
This term refers to the all-knowing nature of God. Webster defines it as
“the quality of knowing all things at once; universal knowledge; knowledge unbounded or infinite.”
He knows our very thoughts, our feelings, our desires and our needs. He knows our words before we say them, and he knows our thoughts before we think them. He knows all our ways. In fact, God even knew us before we were born. There are no secrets before Almighty God. In short, God possesses superior knowledge and wisdom about everything, and that knowledge is all encompassing. When we say that He knows our thoughts, what we really mean is that He knows the thoughts of every person on the planet right now, at this instant – all 7.7 billion plus people. He knows everything about everybody all the time, down to the most intimate detail.
Omnipresence
Omnipresence is a theological term that always refers to the unlimited nature of God or His ability to be everywhere. Relying upon Webster’s once again, we see omnipresence defined as
“presence in every place at the same time; unbounded or universal presence; ubiquity.”
Unlike the idols of ancient cultures or the mythical gods of Greek and Roman culture, God is not limited to one altar, one temple or one geographic area. God reveals Himself in His word as being everywhere. God was present as Lord in all creation (Ps 139:7-12), and there is no escaping Him.
Omnipotent
This term refers to the all-powerful nature of God. Looking at Webster a third time, this is defined as
“almighty power; unlimited or infinite power; a word in strictness applicable only to God.”
He is the all-powerful Lord who has created all things and sustains them by His Word.
Moses Beholds the Attributes
It is no wonder that Moses sung of such a wonderful God, especially after he was able to witness God’s unique attributes firsthand. While many may see Moses’ conversation with God concerning his call as offering up excuses, a further look into that interaction exposes these very attributes of God that will empower Moses to accomplish his work.
In the Lord’s statement that ‘I am that I am’ (cf. Exodus 3:14) He speaks of his total self-existence and that He is always in the present, everywhere and all the time. He is omnipresent. In chapter 4, as the Lord inflicts and then heals Moses leprous hand, we see His all-powerful nature (omnipotent). And in His reproof of Moses’ slowness of speech the Lord displays His Omniscience—that all-knowing nature.
Conclusion
While these three words aren’t particularly penned in Scripture, the Scripture is replete with their definitions as they relate to the nature of God.
Who is like unto Thee, O God?
There is none…and that is the God we serve.
