Christianity Oasis Forum

[Netchaplain]

I believe one of the most helpful concepts about God is that of His "omniscience." Understanding that He has always had knowledge of all things reveals much of His will and desires in the Scriptures. For example, when He commanded Adam not to partake of the "Tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Gen 2:17) He already knew Adam would disobey and since He allowed this act, I perceive negligible conflict with the concept that God used this occurrence to further reflect on His "image and "likeness" (Gen 1:26) in knowing that man would more so "become like one of Us, to know good and evil" (Gen 3:22).

One can know something and not understand it, but receive its understanding through experience, which in my comprehension was likely God's plan. The word "know" in Hebrew is yada' (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Le ... 3045&t=KJV), and in the context of the above passage it is most sensibly applied with the definition "to understand, perceive, or discern." Since man already knew (knowledge but no understanding) what was good by what God "commanded," and "evil" by what He forbid (Gen 2:16, 17), the design of the word "know" here can be reasonably intended in sense to understand or comprehend.

I enjoy sharing a humorous thought that God could have said, "I already know you're going to disobey Me, but don't." This could have confused Adam, causing him to begin scratching his head in perpetual contemplation, and today instead of the "Adam's Apple" (which I believe can be analogous to the first bight lodged in the throat to hinder swallowing it) it could be the "Adam's Scratch"!

- NC