Some thoughts: God’s knowledge of us and our hearts is perfect, and this means that for all practical purposes he experiences what we experience. Now, he also experienced living mortal life first hand, but how it felt he already always knew, more than we could. He senses every temptation and hassle and complication, and every time we feel nothing he feels the aimlessness, boredom, and fog. He knows how it feels to be confused, how it feels to keep on forgetting things, making mistakes, getting distracted, and he experiences every discomfort and chronic pain.

Is this always sympathy? Not always; as Paul says in Romans, he “endures with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction”, and as David says, “Though Yahweh be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” Ps 138. God knows it all perfectly, every heart, and every sensation, but his presence is with them that fear him; while the hearts of the wicked, which he thoroughly knows, do not have his regard. “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.” Pr 10

(Notice how many of the proverbs can have the word “even” inserted, as they contrasts extremes: even the tongue of the just is precious, and even the heart of the unjust is worthless. Another example is: “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Pr 12. The righteous regardeth even his beast, and even the tender mercies of the unrighteous are cruel.)

#SabbathPost 2023/06/10