Eternal Benefit
Our first of seven amazing facts about God (currently composed of the Father and Jesus) is that, in spite of what many people assume, they (the Godhead) benefit tremendously from our salvation. Their existence and eternal enjoyment will be immensely enhanced when their plan to create billions of beings like themselves (Genesis 1:26 - 27) is completed!
The perfect love of God will reach its greatest achievement when countless others exist to enjoy it and return the same to them.
Forgive and Forget
Our second amazing fact seems too fantastic to be true! God has promised not only to forgive our sins but also to exercise his unlimited power and completely erase from his memory all traces of our disobedience! Additionally, Scripture indicates that we, as well, will be able to never remember the sins we committed against him.
I, even I, am He Who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins (Isaiah 43:25).
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former things will not be remembered, nor come to mind (Isaiah 65:17, see also Hebrews 8:12, 10:17).
The Great Negotiator
Our third of seven awesome facts is that our Maker sometimes is willing to negotiate regarding his will or even ask for suggestions! He allowed Abraham to negotiate regarding how Sodom could be saved from destruction (Genesis 18:23 - 32).
Moses saved sinful Israel by reasoning their annihilation would tarnish the Lord's reputation (Exodus 32:9 - 14). The Eternal even asked for suggestions on how King Ahab might deservedly perish.
And he said, "Hear therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left.
"And the Lord said, 'Who shall entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth in Gilead?' And one said this way, and another said that way. And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord and said, 'I will entice him.' (1Kings 22:19 - 21).
Contingency Plans
Our fourth remarkable bit of information about God is that human choices never limit his options to fulfill his purposes. His promise that Abraham's descendants would be a great nation could have been fulfilled through Moses instead of the idol-worshipping Israelites.
And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiffnecked people. And now leave Me alone, so that My wrath may burn hot against them and that I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation." (Exodus 32:10).
Although Elijah thought he was the last Israelite who pleased the Lord, he was only one of 7,000 others who were righteous.
And the Lord said to him (Elijah), "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you come, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria . . .
"Yet I have left seven thousand in Israel for Me, all who have not bowed the knees to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." (1Kings 19:15, 18).
The early church was able to replace Judas Iscariot with another person who met the unique criteria of an apostle (Acts 1:20 - 26).
Self-improvement
Incredibly, the perfection God enjoys does not prohibit him from learning and enhancing his abilities to serve.
The Bible states that Jesus, although a member of the Godhead (Hebrews 1:2 - 3, 8), was required to suffer in order to be made more perfect (2:10, 5:8 - 9). He qualified to be our heavenly High Priest (2:17, 4:14, 10:21, 12:2) only after he was tempted just like us (4:15, 5:7) and learned obedience through the trials he suffered (2:18, 5:8).
For because He Himself has suffered, having been tempted in like manner, He is able to help those who are being tempted . . .
For we do not have a high priest who cannot empathize with our weaknesses, but One Who was tempted in all things according to the likeness of our own temptations; yet He was without sin.
Although He was a Son, yet He LEARNED obedience from the things that He suffered; And having been perfected, He became the Author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him (Hebrews 2:18, 4:15, 5:8 - 9).
Jesus is our great Savior because he knows what it is like to need saving!
A Change of Mind
Our sixth of seven surprising facts is that, many times, God is willing to alter his intended actions based on our choices! Nineveh, the gigantic capital of the Assyrian Empire that was worthy of His judgment, was spared after it repented.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried and said, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God. And they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them . . .
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. And God REPENTED of the evil that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it (Jonah 3:4 - 5, 10).
Judah's King Hezekiah was healed and granted fifteen more years of life after he bitterly repented (2Kings 20:1 - 6). Jesus flatly refused to heal the daughter of a certain Gentile woman. It was only after she humbled herself that her request was granted (Matthew 15:22 - 28).
Surprised
Our last of seven amazing facts is that God can limit his power to know everything and therefore be surprised at what humans do! In a gracious act of love and respect, the Lord chose not to constantly monitor everything that Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. He was therefore genuinely unaware (and not pretending to be so!) at what had taken place.
And the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard You walking in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked, and so I hid myself."
And He (God) said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you that you should not eat?" (Genesis 3:9 - 11).
The Lord did not become aware of Abel's murder until he questioned Cain.
And the Lord said unto Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?” And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground (Genesis 4:9 - 10).
God was also a bit surprised, in the days of Noah, that virtually ALL mankind (3+ billion people) had set their hearts on evil (Genesis 6:5 - 7).
Jesus marveled at the lack of faith shown by those who knew him best (Mark 6:1 - 6). He was, however, pleasantly surprised when a Roman commander showed greater faith in God than anyone in Israel!
And when He heard these things, Jesus was AMAZED at him; and turning to the multitude following Him, He said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith." (Luke 7:9).