What We Know

"St. Augustine in his cell" by Botticelli, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

"God is not what you imagine or what you think you understand. If you understand you have failed." St. Augustine

I quoted that in a post back in 2008. And I think it is as valid today as when he wrote it.  Part of that comes from the new things I find in old verses.  Verses I know I have read before, yet a new reading displays information I had missed and reminds me that if we think we know God's plan in its entirely, we need to think again.  His words tell us that. He has kept his plans and purposes hidden to a certain extent.  Daniel, John and Paul each wrote of such:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4 KJV)

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (Revelation 10:4 KJV)

This one from Paul is the one I overlooked:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:7-8 KJV)

The part: had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord.

Sometimes we tend to think that Satan knows as much about us as God does.  Not when we’re close to God, but when we move away, he does learn more – but only what God allows him to know.  He did not know why Christ was here, though he thought he did.  Satan tried to tempt Jesus (Matthew 4) by offering what would appeal to a hungry man, to a showoff and to a man come to save the world but didn’t want to die.  This man’s death would end with Satan ahead – he thought.  He thought wrong. 

I think what Satan did not know was the resurrection. As shown in Genesis 22:8, God did provide Himself as a lamb. That could have been seen from prophecy.  But the resurrection was not expected.  And, the resurrection changed everything.

Hindsight allows us to understand what Christ meant about rebuilding the Temple in three days, but only by comparing what happened with what was said.  His disciples did not look beyond His death.  They fully expected His body to be in the tomb that Sunday morning.  Finding the stone rolled back, the funeral coverings emptily folded was not expected.  Resurrection changed everything, especially for me.

Had Satan known, do you think he would have worked to stop the crucifixion?