Deuteronomy 8:2

—Didn’t God know what Israel would do?

Problem:

This passage says that God led Israel into the wilderness in order “to know” what they would do. But if God knows everything already (

Ps. 139:7–10

;

Jer. 17:10

), then why did He need to do this to know whether they would obey Him?

Solution:

God in His omniscience was already

aware

of what they would do. He led them into the wilderness in order

to prove

them. The parallel expression in this very verse is to “test you, to know what was in your heart.” (See also discussion under

Gen. 22:12

.)

Problem: God is omnipresent, that is, everywhere at the same time (Ps. 139:7–10). But this text declares that God “came down” to see the city that men had built. But if He is already here, then how can He “come down” here?

Solution: God “came down” as a theophany, which is a special localized manifestation of the presence of God. These theophanies often appeared in the OT. Once God appeared to Abraham as a man (Gen. 18:2). God also came down to speak to Moses (Ex. 3), Joshua (Josh. 5:13–15), and Gideon (Jud. 6) in a similar manner.

Problem: The Bible says that God is everywhere present at the same time, that is, He is omnipresent (Ps. 139:7–10; Jer. 23:23). But, if God is everywhere, then how could Adam and Eve be sent out “from the presence of the Lord”?

Solution: This verse is not speaking of God’s omnipresence, but of a visible manifestation of God (cf. v. 24). God is everywhere in His omnipresence, but from time to time He manifested Himself in certain places through certain things, such as a burning bush (Ex. 3), the pillar of fire (Ex. 13:21), smoke in the temple (Isa. 6), and so forth. It is in this latter localized sense that one can go “from the presence of the Lord.”

Problem: This verse seems to contradict God’s omnipresence. If God is everywhere ( Ps. 139:7–10 ; Jer. 23:23 ), then how could He be localized in the city of Teman from which He was to come to judge His enemy?

Solution: This is not a reference to God in His omnipresence, but to a special manifestation of God, such as a theophany. Just as God came down in a special display of His glory to Moses on Mt. Sinai ( Deut. 33:2 ), or as the angel of the Lord (understood by Christians as the pre-incarnate Son of God) to Manoah ( Jud. 13 ), even so here He came from Teman.