Chapter 07: Undermining God’s Omniscience

Imagine trying to trust someone who doesn’t know what will happen tomorrow. Picture asking for guidance from a teacher who has to send out spies to find out what’s happening in the next classroom. Would you pray to a God who might be surprised by your problems? Would you worship a deity who learns new things every day? These questions might sound silly, but they get to the heart of one of Finis Dake’s most dangerous teachings. In his writings, Dake presents a God who doesn’t know everything, who discovers new information, and who has to rely on angels to tell Him what’s happening on earth. This isn’t just a small mistake in theology—it’s an attack on one of God’s most important characteristics: His omniscience, which means He knows absolutely everything.

Dake, Finis Jennings. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1963. [All citations from the Dake Bible refer to this edition unless otherwise noted.]

When we say God is omniscient, we mean He knows everything—past, present, and future. He knows every thought you’ve ever had, every word you’ll ever speak, and every choice you’ll ever make. He knows how many hairs are on your head right now (and He knew that number before you were born). He knows what’s happening in the deepest parts of the ocean and on planets billions of light-years away. There’s nothing God doesn’t know, nothing that surprises Him, nothing He needs to learn. This truth brings incredible comfort to believers. We can trust that God’s plans are perfect because He knows how everything will turn out. We can have confidence in His promises because He knows the future. We can rest in His wisdom because He never makes mistakes based on incomplete information.

But Dake’s teachings undermine this foundational truth. Through his hyperliteral interpretation of Scripture—taking every word in the most wooden, mechanical way possible—he reduces the all-knowing God of the universe to a limited being who has to gather information like a detective solving a mystery. Let’s examine exactly what Dake taught about God’s knowledge, see how it contradicts clear biblical teaching, and understand why this matters for our faith and daily Christian life.

Dake’s Limitations on God’s Knowledge

The Shocking Claims in Black and White

To understand how seriously Dake undermined God’s omniscience, we need to look at his actual words. These aren’t hints or suggestions—they’re bold claims that directly limit what God knows. In his writings on the subject “God is Omniscient” (which sounds like he’s defending the doctrine), Dake makes statements that actually destroy it. He writes:

Stop and think about what Dake just said. He claims the Bible “limits God’s knowledge” and that we must believe these limitations “literally.” This is like saying the Bible limits God’s power or limits God’s love. It’s a direct attack on God’s infinite nature. But Dake doesn’t stop there. He goes on to provide what he considers biblical “proof” that God doesn’t know everything.

One of Dake’s most troubling claims involves how God supposedly learns about human activities. He writes:

According to Dake, God “gets to know things” the same way people do—by observing and learning. Even worse, he claims God depends on angels to fly around the earth and report back to Him about what they discover. This makes God sound like a CEO who needs employees to tell him what’s happening in his company, or a general who needs scouts to tell him where the enemy is located. This isn’t the all-knowing God of the Bible—it’s a limited being trying his best to keep track of a universe too big for him to monitor.

The “God Discovers” Heresy

Dake goes even further in describing God as someone who discovers new information. Look at this astounding statement where he lists things God supposedly learns:

Think about what Dake is saying here. God has “vast business” that’s too much for Him to handle alone. He needs “agents” to help Him because He can’t personally keep track of everything. The universe is so big and complicated that God has to delegate responsibilities to angels because He can’t do it all Himself. This picture of God is more like a overwhelmed manager than the sovereign Lord of creation.

But it gets worse. Dake specifically claims that God didn’t know how wicked humanity would become before the flood:

According to Dake, God was surprised by human wickedness. He didn’t see the Tower of Babel coming. He had to investigate Sodom to find out how bad it really was. He wasn’t sure if Abraham would obey Him until Abraham actually raised the knife over Isaac. This isn’t omniscience—it’s ignorance of the future, uncertainty about the present, and constant surprise at how things turn out.

The “God Changes His Mind” Error

Building on his claim that God learns new information, Dake teaches that God changes His mind when He discovers things He didn’t expect. He takes passages that speak of God “repenting” or “relenting” and interprets them to mean God literally changed His plans because of new information. In his notes on Genesis 6:6, where it says God “repented” that He had made man, Dake writes:

Notice the language Dake uses: God “searches,” “discovers,” “tries” people to “know them,” and “proves” (tests) people. Why would God need to search if He already knows everything? Why would He need to discover if nothing is hidden from Him? Why would He need to test people to learn about them if He knows their hearts completely? Dake’s answer is simple: God doesn’t actually know everything. He has to investigate, test, and learn.

The “God Comes Down to See” Misinterpretation

One of Dake’s favorite “proofs” that God has limited knowledge comes from passages where Scripture says God “came down” to see something. For example, in Genesis 11:5, speaking of the Tower of Babel, the Bible says: “And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.”

Most Christians understand this as anthropomorphic language—the Bible describing God’s actions in human terms to help us understand. It’s like when the Bible speaks of God’s “mighty hand” or says He “rides on the clouds.” These are word pictures that help us grasp spiritual truths, not literal descriptions of God traveling or having body parts.

But Dake insists on taking this literally. In his note on Genesis 11:5, he writes:

According to Dake, God the Father lives in heaven and has to travel to earth when He wants to see what’s happening here. He can’t see earth from heaven—He has to “come down” to investigate. This makes God sound like someone who lives upstairs and has to walk downstairs to see what’s happening in the kitchen. It turns the infinite, omnipresent God into a localized being with limited perception.

Claims That God Learns and Discovers

The Angel Reporter Network

Perhaps the most bizarre of Dake’s teachings is his claim that God relies on angels to fly around and report back to Him about what’s happening in the universe. This isn’t a minor point in Dake’s theology—he returns to it repeatedly and provides extensive “biblical support” for this idea. Let’s examine what he actually teaches and why it’s so problematic.

According to Dake, God has set up an elaborate intelligence network of angels who serve as His eyes and ears throughout creation. He writes in his notes:

Think about what this means. In Dake’s view, when you pray in your bedroom, God might not hear you directly—an angel might need to fly to heaven and tell Him about it. When you’re struggling with temptation, God might not know unless an angel reports it. When injustice happens in a remote part of the world, God might be unaware until His angelic reporters bring Him the news.

Dake tries to support this teaching by citing various passages about angels. For example, he references Zechariah 1:10-11, where an angel says: “These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.”

Dake interprets this to mean the angels were literally scouting the earth and reporting their findings to God. But the passage doesn’t say they were gathering information God didn’t have. It’s a vision given to Zechariah to encourage Israel that God is actively involved in world affairs through His angels. The angels aren’t God’s intelligence service—they’re His servants carrying out His will based on His perfect knowledge.

The Testing Theory

Another troubling aspect of Dake’s teaching is his claim that God tests people to learn about them. He frequently cites passages about God “trying” or “proving” hearts as evidence that God needs to conduct experiments to discover what people will do. In his theological framework, these tests aren’t for our benefit (to strengthen our faith or reveal our hearts to ourselves)—they’re for God’s benefit so He can learn about us.

Consider how Dake handles the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22. When God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and Abraham obeys, God says: “Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me” (Genesis 22:12).

Most Christians understand this as God demonstrating Abraham’s faith—not for God’s information but for Abraham’s growth and for our instruction. God knew what Abraham would do before the test began. The test revealed Abraham’s faith to Abraham himself and provided a powerful picture of God’s own sacrifice of His Son.

But Dake takes this literally to mean God didn’t know what Abraham would do until he did it. According to Dake, God was genuinely uncertain whether Abraham would obey. The test was God’s way of finding out. This reduces the profound story of faith and foreshadowing of Christ to a divine experiment to gather data.

The Discovery Channel God

Dake’s God is constantly discovering new things. He cites Job 12:22, which says God “discovereth deep things out of darkness,” as proof that God learns hidden information. But the verse is actually saying God reveals things that are hidden to us, not that He discovers things hidden from Him. The NIV translates it: “He reveals the deep things of darkness”—God is the revealer, not the discoverer.

Similarly, Dake misuses 2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” Dake interprets this as God searching to find information about people’s hearts. But the verse is actually about God actively looking to bless and strengthen those who are faithful to Him. He’s not searching for information—He’s searching for opportunities to demonstrate His power on behalf of His people.

This pattern repeats throughout Dake’s work. He takes verses about God revealing, examining, or searching, and twists them to mean God is learning, discovering, or gathering information. It’s like taking the statement “The teacher examines the test papers” and concluding the teacher doesn’t know the answers to the questions. The examination isn’t for the teacher’s education—it’s to evaluate and respond to the students’ work.

Biblical Affirmations of Complete Divine Knowledge

Against Dake’s diminished deity stands the overwhelming testimony of Scripture that God knows absolutely everything. The Bible doesn’t merely suggest God knows a lot—it explicitly, repeatedly, and emphatically declares that His knowledge is infinite, perfect, and complete. Let’s examine what God’s Word actually says about divine omniscience.

Isaiah 46:10 – God Declares the End from the Beginning

One of the clearest statements about God’s complete knowledge of the future comes from Isaiah 46:9-10:

This passage couldn’t be clearer. God declares the end from the beginning—He knows and announces what will happen in the future before it occurs. He declares “things that are not yet done” from ancient times. This isn’t God making educated guesses or probable predictions. This is God stating with absolute certainty what will happen because He knows it perfectly.

How does Dake handle this verse? He largely ignores it or tries to limit it to specific prophecies rather than acknowledging it as a statement about God’s nature. But the verse explicitly connects God’s unique deity (“I am God, and there is none else”) with His ability to know and declare the future. If God doesn’t know the future exhaustively, He cannot declare the end from the beginning.

Think about what this means practically. Every prophecy in the Bible depends on God’s perfect knowledge of the future. If God only knows probabilities or has to wait to see how free choices turn out, then prophecy becomes divine guesswork. But the Bible presents prophecy as certain, not because God is a good guesser, but because He knows exactly what will happen.

The hundreds of prophecies about Jesus prove this point. God didn’t just predict that someone might be born in Bethlehem, might be called out of Egypt, might be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, might be crucified with thieves, might have his garments divided, and might rise from the dead. He declared these things with certainty centuries before they happened because He knew they would happen. If God learns as He goes, as Dake claims, such detailed prophecy would be impossible.

Psalm 147:5 – His Understanding is Infinite

The Psalms repeatedly celebrate God’s unlimited knowledge. Psalm 147:5 declares:

The word “infinite” means without limits, boundaries, or end. God’s understanding isn’t just vast or impressive—it’s infinite. There’s no limit to what He understands, no boundary to His knowledge, no end to His wisdom. This single verse refutes Dake’s entire theology of divine learning.

If God’s understanding is infinite, He cannot learn anything new because there’s nothing outside His understanding to learn. If His understanding is infinite, He cannot discover anything because everything is already within His comprehension. If His understanding is infinite, He doesn’t need angels to report to Him because He already knows everything they could possibly report.

Dake tries to get around verses like this by claiming they only mean God has the capacity to know everything, not that He actually does know everything at every moment. But this makes no sense. An infinite understanding that doesn’t understand everything isn’t infinite—it’s potentially infinite, which is entirely different. The Bible doesn’t say God’s understanding could be infinite or will be infinite—it says it is infinite, right now, completely.

1 John 3:20 – God Knows All Things

The New Testament is equally clear about God’s omniscience. The apostle John writes in 1 John 3:20:

Notice the comprehensive nature of this statement: God “knoweth all things.” Not some things, most things, or nearly all things—all things. The Greek word translated “all things” (panta) means everything without exception. There’s no qualifier, no limitation, no exception clause. God knows all things, period.

This verse appears in the context of assuring believers that God’s knowledge is greater than our own self-condemnation. Even when our hearts condemn us, we can have confidence before God because He knows everything—including the genuineness of our faith even when we doubt ourselves. But if God doesn’t actually know all things, if He’s still learning and discovering as Dake claims, then this comfort evaporates. How can we trust God’s judgment if He might not know all the facts?

Psalm 139 – The Depth of God’s Knowledge

Perhaps no passage in Scripture describes the extent of God’s knowledge more beautifully than Psalm 139. David begins:

David describes God’s knowledge as complete and intimate. God knows when we sit down and when we stand up—the most mundane, ordinary actions of life. He understands our thoughts “afar off”—before we even think them fully. He knows every word on our tongue before we speak it. This isn’t God learning about us through observation—this is God knowing us completely, intimately, perfectly.

The psalm continues with even more remarkable statements about God’s knowledge:

God’s knowledge extends everywhere because God Himself is everywhere. There’s no place we can go where God isn’t already there, knowing everything about that place and everyone in it. This directly contradicts Dake’s claim that God needs angels to report from distant locations. God doesn’t need reporters because He’s already everywhere, knowing everything.

Later in the psalm, David makes an astounding statement about God’s knowledge of our future:

Before David was born, before he was even fully formed in the womb, God knew him completely. God had already written in His book all of David’s days before even one of them existed. This isn’t God predicting or planning—this is God knowing with perfect certainty every detail of a life not yet lived.

Hebrews 4:13 – Nothing Hidden from God

The book of Hebrews adds this powerful statement about God’s knowledge:

Every creature is manifest (clearly visible) in God’s sight. All things are “naked and opened” before Him. The Greek word translated “opened” was used to describe the practice of bending back an animal’s neck to expose the throat for sacrifice—completely exposed, nothing hidden. This is how thoroughly God knows everything—not a single creature or created thing is hidden from His sight.

If this is true (and Scripture says it is), then Dake’s entire system collapses. God doesn’t need angels to tell Him what’s happening because nothing is hidden from Him. He doesn’t need to test people to learn about them because their hearts are already “naked and opened” before Him. He doesn’t need to “come down” to investigate because He already sees everything perfectly from where He is—which is everywhere.

The Problem of Prophecy if God Doesn’t Know Everything

One of the most devastating problems with Dake’s limited-knowledge God is what it does to biblical prophecy. The Bible contains hundreds of specific prophecies that were fulfilled exactly as predicted. If God doesn’t know the future exhaustively, if He’s learning as He goes along, then these prophecies become impossible to explain. Let’s examine this problem in detail.

The Messianic Prophecies

Consider the prophecies about Jesus Christ. The Old Testament contains over 300 specific prophecies about the Messiah, many of them incredibly detailed. Here are just a few examples:

His birthplace: Micah 5:2 predicted the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, written 700 years before Christ’s birth. If God doesn’t know the future, how could He know where Jesus would be born? What if Mary and Joseph had decided to stay in Nazareth? What if the Roman census had been conducted differently?

Born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14 predicted the virgin birth, written 700 years before it happened. If God is discovering things as they happen, how could He know Mary would be a virgin when she conceived? What if she had made different choices?

The exact time: Daniel 9:24-27 predicted the exact timeframe when the Messiah would appear and be “cut off.” This prophecy, given 500 years before Christ, pinpointed the very year of His crucifixion. If God doesn’t know the future, such precise timing would be impossible.

The manner of death: Psalm 22, written 1000 years before Christ and 600 years before crucifixion was even invented, describes death by crucifixion in detail: “They pierced my hands and my feet” (v. 16), “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (v. 18). If God doesn’t know the future, how could He describe a form of execution that didn’t even exist yet?

The betrayal price: Zechariah 11:12-13 predicted the Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, and that this money would be thrown into the temple and used to buy a potter’s field. This incredibly specific prophecy was fulfilled exactly as predicted. If God is learning as events unfold, such detailed prediction would be impossible.

These are just a few examples. The mathematical probability of even a few dozen prophecies being fulfilled by chance is astronomical. But if Dake is right and God doesn’t know the future, then these aren’t really prophecies at all—they’re just lucky guesses or divine manipulation of events to match previous statements.

The Problem of Conditional Prophecy

Dake tries to escape this problem by claiming many prophecies are conditional—they might or might not happen depending on human choices. He points to examples like Jonah’s prophecy to Nineveh: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). When Nineveh repented, the judgment didn’t come, which Dake claims proves God changed His mind based on new information.

But this misunderstands the nature of prophetic warnings. When God sends a warning through a prophet, the implied condition is usually present even if not stated: “Unless you repent.” God knew Nineveh would repent when He sent Jonah. The prophecy accomplished exactly what God intended—it brought about repentance. God didn’t change His mind; He achieved His purpose.

Furthermore, Jesus Himself used Jonah’s prophecy to Nineveh as an illustration, saying the people of Nineveh would rise up in judgment against His generation (Matthew 12:41). If God had been wrong about Nineveh’s destruction, if He had to change His plans because of unexpected repentance, would Jesus use this as a positive example?

The Sovereignty Problem

If God doesn’t know the future, His sovereignty—His absolute rule over creation—becomes meaningless. How can God promise that His purposes will stand if He doesn’t know what will happen? How can He guarantee that good will triumph over evil if He’s not sure how things will turn out? How can He promise eternal life if He doesn’t know what eternity holds?

Consider God’s promise in Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” If God doesn’t know the future, how can He make this promise? He might intend for things to work out for good, but without knowing what will happen, He can’t guarantee it. Maybe things won’t work out. Maybe evil will win some battles God doesn’t foresee. Maybe suffering will occur that serves no purpose because God didn’t know it was coming and couldn’t prepare for it.

The comfort of God’s sovereignty depends entirely on His omniscience. We can trust God’s control because He knows everything. We can rest in His promises because He knows the future. We can have peace in trials because God knew they were coming and has already prepared the outcome. Take away God’s complete knowledge, and you take away the foundation of Christian hope.

How This Affects Providence and Sovereignty

God’s providence—His continuous involvement with creation, governing all things and directing them toward His purposes—depends entirely on His perfect knowledge. If God doesn’t know everything, His providence becomes reactive rather than directive, defensive rather than sovereign. Let’s explore how Dake’s theology undermines these crucial doctrines.

The Providence Problem

Providence means God doesn’t just watch the universe run; He actively guides, sustains, and directs all things toward His intended ends. The Westminster Shorter Catechism defines God’s providence as “His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.”

But if God doesn’t know what His creatures will do until they do it, how can He govern their actions? If He’s constantly surprised by human choices, how can He direct them toward His purposes? Dake’s God becomes less like a conductor leading an orchestra and more like someone trying to herd cats—reacting to unexpected movements, trying to adjust on the fly, hoping things work out.

Consider Joseph’s story in Genesis. After his brothers sold him into slavery, Joseph later told them: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph understood that God was working through even the evil actions of his brothers to accomplish His purposes.

But if Dake is right, God didn’t know Joseph’s brothers would sell him. He didn’t know Joseph would end up in Egypt. He didn’t know there would be a famine. He was just reacting to events as they unfolded, trying to make the best of unexpected situations. This isn’t providence—it’s damage control.

The Prayer Problem

If God doesn’t know the future, prayer becomes problematic. When we pray for future events—for safety on a trip, for success in an endeavor, for healing from illness—we’re asking God to control events He supposedly doesn’t foresee. How can God promise to answer prayer if He doesn’t know what will happen?

Jesus said, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). But if God doesn’t know the future, He can’t know whether He’ll be able to answer our prayers. Maybe circumstances will arise that prevent Him from doing what we ask. Maybe other people’s free will choices will interfere with His ability to respond. Prayer becomes a gamble rather than a confident appeal to an all-knowing Father.

Furthermore, if God is learning from angels and discovering things as they happen, He might not even know what we need before we ask. Jesus said, “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:8). But if God is dependent on angelic reports and personal investigation, He might not know our needs until we tell Him—or until an angel reports to Him about our situation.

The Guidance Problem

Christians rely on God’s guidance for making decisions. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” But if God doesn’t know the future, His guidance becomes merely advice based on incomplete information.

When God guided Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch’s chariot (Acts 8:29), was it because He knew the eunuch would be reading Isaiah and ready to hear the gospel? Or was God just guessing, hoping it would work out? When God told Ananias to go to Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:11-16), did He know Saul would become Paul the apostle? Or was He taking a risk on a persecutor of the church?

If God doesn’t know the future, His guidance is no better than human counsel. He might direct us into danger He doesn’t foresee. He might lead us to opportunities that won’t materialize. He might guide us based on current information that will change tomorrow. This isn’t the confident guidance of an all-knowing Father but the uncertain advice of a limited counselor.

Can You Trust a God Who Doesn’t Know Tomorrow?

The practical implications of Dake’s theology are staggering. If God doesn’t know the future, if He’s learning and discovering as time unfolds, then the very foundation of Christian faith crumbles. Let’s consider what this means for everyday Christian life.

The Security of Salvation

Jesus promised, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). This is the blessed assurance of the believer—once saved, always secure in Christ. But if God doesn’t know the future, how can Jesus make this promise?

Maybe something will happen tomorrow that God doesn’t foresee. Maybe a temptation will come that’s stronger than expected. Maybe circumstances will arise that cause even the elect to fall away. If God is learning as He goes, He can’t guarantee our eternal security because He doesn’t know what challenges eternity might bring.

Paul wrote, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). But if God doesn’t know what will happen between now and Christ’s return, how can Paul be confident? God might intend to complete His work in us, but without knowing the future, He can’t promise it.

The Comfort in Suffering

Christians find comfort in suffering by trusting that God knows what He’s doing. As Paul writes, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This promise has sustained believers through persecution, illness, loss, and tragedy.

But if God doesn’t know the future, He can’t promise that all things will work together for good. He doesn’t know how things will turn out. Maybe this cancer won’t lead to God’s glory. Maybe this financial loss won’t result in spiritual growth. Maybe this persecution won’t strengthen the church. Without comprehensive knowledge of the future, God’s comfort becomes mere wishful thinking.

When Job suffered, he declared, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). Job trusted that God knew exactly what was happening and why. But if Dake is right, God was learning about Job through the trial, discovering whether Job would remain faithful. The test wasn’t for Job’s refinement but for God’s information.

The Reliability of Scripture

If God doesn’t know the future, the reliability of Scripture itself becomes questionable. The Bible contains numerous promises about the future—Christ’s return, the resurrection of the dead, the new heavens and earth, eternal life, the final judgment. But if God doesn’t know the future exhaustively, these aren’t promises but hopes, not certainties but possibilities.

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). But if God doesn’t know what will happen in the future, how can Jesus guarantee His words will endure? Maybe something will happen that God doesn’t foresee that will cause His words to pass away.

The entire book of Revelation becomes meaningless if God doesn’t know the future. John writes, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” (Revelation 1:19). But if God is still learning what will happen, the “things which shall be hereafter” are just educated guesses, not divine revelation.

The Character of God

Ultimately, Dake’s theology attacks the very character of God. The Bible presents God as perfect in all His attributes—perfectly wise, perfectly powerful, perfectly good, perfectly knowing. But Dake’s God is imperfect, limited, learning, sometimes surprised, sometimes mistaken.

This isn’t just a theological abstraction. The God we worship shapes who we become. If God is still learning, still growing, still discovering, then imperfection becomes acceptable, ignorance becomes normal, and uncertainty becomes inevitable. We lose the perfect standard, the unchanging rock, the all-knowing Father who is our reference point for truth and reality.

Dake’s Mishandling of Anthropomorphisms

At the heart of Dake’s errors about God’s knowledge is his failure to understand anthropomorphisms—descriptions of God using human characteristics to help us understand divine actions. The Bible often speaks of God in human terms, not because God is human-like, but because we need human language to grasp spiritual truths.

What Are Anthropomorphisms?

An anthropomorphism is a literary device that attributes human characteristics to non-human entities. When we say “the wind howled” or “time flies,” we’re using anthropomorphisms. The wind doesn’t literally howl like a wolf, and time doesn’t literally fly like a bird. These are figurative expressions that help us understand and relate to abstract concepts.

The Bible uses anthropomorphisms to help us understand God’s actions and responses. When Scripture speaks of God’s “hand,” His “eyes,” or His “ears,” it’s not teaching that God has physical body parts. It’s using human imagery to convey spiritual truths about God’s power, knowledge, and attentiveness.

Similarly, when the Bible speaks of God “repenting,” “coming down to see,” or “learning,” it’s using human language to describe divine actions in ways we can understand. These aren’t literal descriptions of God’s nature but accommodations to human understanding.

Examples of Misinterpreted Anthropomorphisms

Let’s examine specific passages where Dake’s hyperliteral interpretation of anthropomorphisms leads him astray:

Genesis 6:6 – “It repented the LORD”

Dake interprets this to mean God literally changed His mind, regretted His decision, and wished He hadn’t created humanity. But this misses the anthropomorphic nature of the language. The passage is expressing, in human terms, God’s holy response to sin. From a human perspective, it looks like regret. But God knew before creation that humanity would fall, and He had already planned redemption through Christ.

1 Samuel 15:29 clarifies this: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.” This verse explicitly states that God doesn’t repent like humans do. When the Bible speaks of God repenting, it’s using anthropomorphic language to describe God’s consistent response to changed human behavior, not a change in God’s mind or plans.

Genesis 18:21 – “I will go down now”

Dake takes this literally to mean God had to physically travel to Sodom to investigate what was happening there. But this is anthropomorphic language describing God’s judicial investigation in terms humans can understand. God already knew exactly what was happening in Sodom—He’s describing His actions in human terms to help Abraham (and us) understand the justice of His judgment.

The absurdity of the literal interpretation becomes clear when we consider that God is omnipresent. He doesn’t need to “go down” anywhere because He’s already everywhere. The language is accommodating human understanding, presenting God’s judicial action as a careful investigation so we understand He doesn’t judge carelessly or without full knowledge.

Exodus 32:14 – “The LORD repented of the evil”

After the golden calf incident, Moses interceded for Israel, and God “repented” of the judgment He had threatened. Dake sees this as God literally changing His mind based on Moses’ arguments. But this misunderstands both the nature of intercession and the anthropomorphic language.

God knew Moses would intercede—in fact, God invited the intercession by telling Moses about the planned judgment. The “repenting” describes, in human terms, the relationship between prayer and God’s actions. God ordained both Moses’ prayer and His own response to it. The anthropomorphism helps us understand that prayer matters without implying that God is uncertain or changeable.

The Danger of Hyperliteralism

Dake’s hyperliteral interpretation of anthropomorphisms creates a cascade of theological problems:

1. It makes God changeable: If God literally repents and changes His mind, then He’s not immutable (unchanging). But James 1:17 says God has “no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

2. It makes God ignorant: If God literally needs to “come down and see,” then He’s not omniscient. But Psalm 147:5 says His understanding is infinite.

3. It makes God emotional in human ways: If God literally grieves, regrets, and changes His emotional state based on events, then He’s subject to the same emotional instability as humans. But God is perfect in all His ways.

4. It makes God reactive rather than sovereign: If God is constantly adjusting His plans based on unexpected human actions, then He’s not sovereign but merely responsive.

Proper Interpretation of Anthropomorphisms

How should we properly understand anthropomorphic language about God? Here are key principles:

1. Let clear passages interpret unclear ones: When the Bible clearly states that God doesn’t change, knows everything, and is present everywhere, we should interpret anthropomorphic passages in light of these clear truths.

2. Recognize the accommodation to human understanding: God speaks to us in language we can understand. Just as a parent might simplify complex concepts for a child, God uses human language to help us grasp divine truths.

3. Look for the spiritual truth being conveyed: Instead of getting stuck on the literal human action, ask what spiritual truth is being communicated. When God “comes down to see,” the truth is that God carefully investigates before judging. When God “repents,” the truth is that God responds to human actions in consistent ways.

4. Maintain the Creator-creature distinction: God is not a big human in the sky. He’s qualitatively different from creation. Anthropomorphisms help us relate to God without reducing Him to our level.

The Comfort of an All-Knowing God

Against the anxiety-producing god of Dake’s imagination—a deity who’s learning, discovering, and sometimes surprised—stands the true God of Scripture who knows everything perfectly. This truth brings incredible comfort to believers. Let’s explore the blessings of serving an omniscient God.

He Knows Our Needs Before We Ask

Jesus taught us not to worry about material needs, saying, “For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (Matthew 6:32). This knowledge isn’t something God acquires by investigation or angelic reports—He knows our needs before they even arise.

Think about what this means for prayer. We’re not informing God about situations He doesn’t know. We’re not updating Him on recent developments. We’re not filling in gaps in His knowledge. Prayer is communion with a Father who already knows everything but delights to hear from His children and has ordained prayer as a means of accomplishing His purposes.

This is why we can “cast all our care upon him; for he careth for us” (1 Peter 5:7). An all-knowing God doesn’t need us to explain our problems in detail. He knows them better than we do. He knows not just the problem but the solution. He knows not just the present crisis but how it fits into His perfect plan for our lives.

He Understands Us Completely

David celebrated God’s intimate knowledge of him in Psalm 139. God knows when we sit down and when we rise up. He understands our thoughts from afar. He’s acquainted with all our ways. This isn’t invasive surveillance but loving attention from a Father who knows us better than we know ourselves.

When we don’t understand ourselves—why we struggle with certain sins, why we react certain ways, why we have certain fears—God understands completely. He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). His commandments, corrections, and comforts are perfectly tailored to who we are because He knows us exhaustively.

This means God never has unrealistic expectations. He never demands more than His grace enables. He never puts us in situations without knowing exactly how we’ll handle them and providing the necessary strength. His knowledge of us is perfect, and His dealings with us are perfectly calibrated to our needs and capacities.

His Plans for Us Are Certain

Jeremiah 29:11 declares, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” These aren’t tentative plans that might need adjustment. These aren’t hopeful intentions that might not work out. These are certain purposes from a God who knows exactly how to accomplish them.

God’s knowledge of our future means His plans for us are guaranteed. When He says He’ll complete the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6), He knows every obstacle that will arise and has already planned how to overcome it. When He promises to work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), He knows every “thing” that will happen and exactly how He’ll weave it into His purposes.

This certainty allows us to face an uncertain world with confidence. We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow—and He knows it exhaustively. Economic collapse might surprise us, but not God. Disease might shock us, but not God. Death might grieve us, but it doesn’t catch God off guard. He has known every day of our lives from eternity past and has planned accordingly.

He Judges with Perfect Justice

An all-knowing God can judge perfectly because He knows all the facts. Human judges must weigh evidence, evaluate testimony, and make decisions based on incomplete information. They can be deceived by false witnesses, misled by circumstantial evidence, or confused by clever arguments. Not so with God.

When God judges, He knows not just the actions but the motives. He knows not just what was done but why. He knows the circumstances, the pressures, the temptations, the struggles. He knows what opportunities we had and what limitations we faced. His judgment is perfect because His knowledge is perfect.

This is terrifying for the unrepentant sinner but comforting for the believer. We won’t be judged based on misunderstandings or false accusations. Every mitigating factor will be known. Every excuse will be evaluated with perfect knowledge. And for those in Christ, every sin has already been judged at the cross, known by God from eternity past and paid for in full.

His Comfort Is Perfectly Timed

Because God knows everything, His comfort always arrives at the perfect moment. He knows when we’re about to break. He knows when we need encouragement. He knows when a trial has accomplished its purpose. His timing is perfect because His knowledge is complete.

Consider Elijah under the juniper tree, wanting to die (1 Kings 19). God knew exactly what Elijah needed—rest, food, and a fresh revelation of divine power. Consider Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12). God knew exactly how much Paul needed that thorn to remain humble and exactly how much grace Paul needed to endure it.

An all-knowing God never arrives too late because He’s never surprised by developments. He never provides too little because He knows exactly what we need. He never leaves us comfortless because He knows our frame and remembers we are dust.

Why Omniscience Matters for Worship

The implications of God’s omniscience extend beyond theology into the very heart of worship. How we understand God’s knowledge shapes how we approach Him, praise Him, and live before Him. Dake’s diminished deity produces diminished worship, while the biblical God of infinite knowledge inspires awe-filled adoration.

Worship in Spirit and Truth

Jesus said true worshipers must worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). This requires accurate knowledge of who God is. If we believe, like Dake, that God is still learning and discovering, our worship becomes patronizing. We’re praising a god who’s trying his best but doesn’t quite have everything figured out.

But when we understand that God knows everything—every star by name, every sparrow that falls, every hair on every head, every thought before it’s formed—worship becomes awesome wonder. We’re not flattering a powerful but limited being. We’re acknowledging the infinite majesty of omniscience.

Consider how the psalms celebrate God’s knowledge:

– “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3)
– “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33)
– “The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens” (Proverbs 3:19)

These aren’t tributes to partial knowledge but celebrations of infinite understanding. Remove omniscience, and these passages become exaggerations rather than truths.

Confidence in Prayer

An all-knowing God transforms prayer from information transfer to intimate communion. We don’t pray to inform God but to align ourselves with His will. We don’t pray to update God but to express dependence on Him. We don’t pray to convince God but to receive from Him what He already knows we need.

This is why Jesus could teach us to pray simply: “Our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). We don’t need elaborate explanations because our Father already knows. We don’t need to convince Him of our needs because He knew them before we were born. We don’t need to argue our case because He knows all the facts perfectly.

Hannah understood this when she prayed, “The LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3). She could pour out her heart honestly because God already knew her pain. She didn’t need to explain or defend herself—God knew the truth.

Reverent Fear

An all-knowing God inspires appropriate fear—not terror but reverent awe. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). This fear comes partly from knowing that nothing is hidden from God. Every secret sin is known. Every private thought is open before Him. Every hidden motive is visible to His all-seeing eyes.

This knowledge should produce holiness. As Peter writes, “Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things” (1 Peter 1:17-18). We live holy lives not just when people are watching but always, because God always knows.

But Dake’s limited-knowledge god doesn’t inspire this reverent fear. If God needs angels to report to Him, maybe our sins go unnoticed. If God is still discovering things, maybe our secrets remain hidden. The loss of omniscience leads to the loss of holy fear, which leads to careless living.

Restful Trust

Perhaps most importantly, an all-knowing God enables restful trust. We can rest because God is never caught off guard. We can trust because God never makes mistakes based on incomplete information. We can have peace because the One who controls our lives knows everything about them.

David expressed this beautifully: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). How could David sleep peacefully? Because he served a God who never sleeps, never slumbers, and never misses anything. The all-knowing God is always on watch, always aware, always in control.

This is the rest Jesus offers: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). We can rest because Jesus knows our burdens perfectly. We can cease from our labors because He has already accomplished everything necessary. We can stop trying to control everything because the One who knows everything is in control.

Refuting Dake’s Specific Arguments

Now let’s examine and refute Dake’s specific arguments for limiting God’s knowledge. By carefully analyzing his proof texts and reasoning, we can see how his hyperliteral hermeneutic leads him into error.

Refuting the “God Tests to Learn” Argument

Dake claims that when God tests people, it’s to gain information He doesn’t have. He cites passages like Genesis 22:12, where God says to Abraham, “Now I know that thou fearest God.” Dake interprets this literally to mean God didn’t know until that moment.

The Refutation: God’s tests are never for His information but for our formation. Consider:

1. **God knew Abraham’s faith before the test.** God had already declared Abraham righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6). The test revealed to Abraham (and to us) the depth of that faith.

2. **The language is accommodative.** God speaks from the human perspective to help us understand. From Abraham’s viewpoint, his faith was now demonstrated. God is acknowledging what has been manifested, not what He has learned.

3. **James explains the purpose.** James 2:21-22 tells us Abraham was “justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar.” The test didn’t inform God; it perfected Abraham’s faith and demonstrated its reality.

4. **God tests to reveal, not to learn.** Deuteronomy 8:2 explains wilderness testing: “To humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart.” The purpose wasn’t for God to discover but for Israel to recognize their own hearts.

Refuting the “Angels Report to God” Argument

Dake claims angels serve as God’s intelligence network, citing passages like Zechariah 1:11 where angels report that “all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.”

The Refutation: Angels carrying out missions and reporting their completion doesn’t mean God needs their information:

1. **Angels are servants, not informants.** Hebrews 1:14 calls angels “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister.” They serve God’s purposes, not His ignorance.

2. **The reports are for our benefit.** In prophetic visions, angelic reports help humans understand what’s happening in the spiritual realm. The reports inform the prophet, not God.

3. **God knows before the report.** In Daniel 10, the angel tells Daniel he was sent when Daniel began to pray—before any “report” could have been made. God knew Daniel’s prayer immediately and sent the response.

4. **Scripture explicitly denies this.** Psalm 94:9 asks, “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?” God doesn’t need created beings to tell Him about His own creation.

Refuting the “God Comes Down to See” Argument

Dake interprets passages about God “coming down” as proof He must travel to gain information, citing Genesis 11:5 and 18:21.

The Refutation: This interpretation contradicts God’s omnipresence and misunderstands anthropomorphic language:

1. **God is already everywhere.** Psalm 139:7-10 makes clear there’s nowhere God isn’t present. He doesn’t need to “come down” because He’s already there.

2. **The language is judicial.** When God “comes down,” it’s picture language for official judgment. Like a judge “taking the bench,” God is formally acting, not literally traveling.

3. **The investigation is for the record.** In Genesis 18:21, God’s investigation of Sodom isn’t for His information but to demonstrate the justice of His judgment. Abraham (and readers) see that God judges based on thorough investigation.

4. **Jesus clarifies this.** Jesus, who is God, was omnipresent even while on earth. He told Nathanael He saw him under the fig tree (John 1:48) without being physically present. He knew Lazarus had died without being told (John 11:11-14).

Refuting the “God Discovers” Argument

Dake cites Job 12:22, “He discovereth deep things out of darkness,” as proof God discovers previously unknown information.

The Refutation: This completely misunderstands the word “discover” in this context:

1. **The word means “reveal,” not “find out.”** The Hebrew word means to uncover or reveal what was hidden from humans, not from God. Modern translations make this clear: “He reveals the deep things of darkness” (NIV).

2. **God is the revealer, not the learner.** Daniel 2:22 uses similar language: “He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness.” God knows what’s in darkness; He reveals it to others.

3. **The context confirms this.** Job is describing God’s sovereign control over nations and rulers. God reveals (to humans) the hidden schemes of the powerful, not discovers them for Himself.

4. **Scripture explicitly denies God learns.** Isaiah 40:13-14 asks, “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him?” The answer is no one—God doesn’t learn from anyone.

The Historical Orthodox Position

Throughout church history, Christians have unanimously affirmed God’s omniscience. This isn’t a denominational distinctive or a recent development but a foundational truth recognized by all branches of orthodox Christianity. Understanding this historical consensus helps us see how far Dake departed from biblical faith.

The Early Church Fathers

From the earliest days of Christianity, church fathers affirmed God’s complete knowledge:

Clement of Rome (96 AD): “For He knows all things beforehand, and nothing is hidden from Him.”

Justin Martyr (155 AD): “God knows all things, not only those which have been, but also those which shall be, and how each shall be.”

Irenaeus (180 AD): “God, who knows all things before they come to pass, foreseeing also the obstinacy of some.”

Augustine (400 AD): “God’s knowledge does not vary with time. He does not know things differently now from the way He knew them before they occurred. Past, present and future are all equally present to His eternal vision.”

These fathers understood that God’s knowledge is not sequential like ours. He doesn’t learn things as they happen. All of time—past, present, and future—is equally present to His eternal consciousness.

The Medieval Theologians

Medieval theologians further developed the doctrine of omniscience:

Anselm of Canterbury (1078): “God possesses all knowledge perfectly and eternally. Nothing can be added to His knowledge, for He has never lacked any knowledge.”

Thomas Aquinas (1265): “God knows all things whatsoever that in any way are. He knows things not yet in existence as eternal reasons in His own mind.”

These theologians recognized that omniscience is essential to God’s nature. A God who learns is a God who changes, and a God who changes is not the God of Scripture who is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

The Reformation Affirmation

The Protestant Reformers strongly affirmed divine omniscience:

Martin Luther: “God foreknows and foreordains all things. Nothing happens except according to His knowledge and will.”

John Calvin: “When we attribute foreknowledge to God, we mean that all things have ever been, and perpetually remain, under His eyes, so that to His knowledge nothing is future or past, but all things are present.”

The Westminster Confession (1646): “In His sight all things are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain.”

The Reformers understood that salvation itself depends on God’s omniscience. Election, predestination, and assurance all rest on God’s perfect knowledge of all who are His.

The Universal Consensus

Across all denominations—Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant—the church has affirmed God’s omniscience. The great creeds all assume or assert this truth:

The Apostles’ Creed: Calling God “Almighty” implies omniscience, for how can God be almighty without knowing everything?

The Nicene Creed: Affirming God as “maker of all things visible and invisible” requires omniscience—He must know all to create and sustain all.

The Athanasian Creed: Declaring the Trinity as “uncreated, unlimited, eternal, and almighty” necessarily includes omniscience in God’s unlimited nature.

When Dake denies or limits God’s omniscience, he’s not offering a fresh interpretation but departing from two thousand years of Christian orthodoxy.

The Connection to Other Heresies

Dake’s denial of omniscience doesn’t stand alone—it connects to and reinforces his other theological errors. Understanding these connections helps us see why this isn’t an isolated mistake but part of a system of false doctrine.

Connection to His Trinity Error

Dake’s teaching that God has limited knowledge reinforces his tritheism (belief in three Gods). If the Father doesn’t know everything and needs the Spirit to inform Him about distant events, then we have separate beings with separate knowledge, not one God in three persons.

In orthodox Trinitarian theology, the three persons share all divine attributes, including omniscience. What the Father knows, the Son knows, and the Spirit knows. They don’t inform each other because they share the same infinite knowledge.

But in Dake’s system, the Father has limited knowledge based on His supposed location in heaven. The Spirit has to travel around gathering information. The Son presumably has His own limited sphere of knowledge. This isn’t the Trinity—it’s three limited beings trying to coordinate their partial knowledge.

Connection to His “God Has a Body” Teaching

Dake’s denial of omniscience is closely tied to his claim that God has a physical body. If God has a body located in heaven, then His knowledge would naturally be limited to what He can perceive from that location—unless He’s omniscient.

This is why Dake has to limit God’s knowledge. Once you give God a body, you’ve localized Him. Once you’ve localized Him, you’ve limited His direct perception. Once you’ve limited His perception, you must either deny omniscience or create elaborate explanations for how a localized God knows everything.

Dake chose to deny omniscience rather than abandon his “God has a body” heresy. One error led inevitably to another, creating a cascade of false doctrine.

Connection to His Racial Teachings

Surprisingly, Dake’s denial of omniscience even connects to his racist teachings. If God doesn’t know the future exhaustively, then His plan for separate races (as Dake taught) becomes an experiment rather than an eternal purpose.

Dake taught that God intended races to remain permanently separated. But if God doesn’t know the future, how can He ensure this separation? What if human choices thwart His racial plans? The uncertainty introduced by limited omniscience undermines even Dake’s racial theology.

Furthermore, if God is still learning about humanity, perhaps He didn’t foresee the consequences of racial division. Perhaps He’s discovered that His plan isn’t working. This uncertainty undermines the very foundations of Dake’s segregationist theology.

Connection to His Gap Theory

Dake’s Gap Theory—the idea that millions of years and a pre-Adamic race existed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2—also relates to his denial of omniscience. If God didn’t foresee Lucifer’s rebellion and the destruction it would cause, it explains why He had to start over with a new creation.

In Dake’s system, God’s first creation failed because He didn’t anticipate Satan’s fall. He had to destroy everything and begin again with Adam and Eve. But without omniscience, how could God know this second attempt would work better? Maybe humanity will require another destruction and restart.

The Gap Theory makes more sense if God doesn’t know the future—but it makes God appear incompetent, constantly surprised by creaturely rebellion, always playing catch-up with unexpected developments.

Practical Dangers for Young Believers

The damage from Dake’s teaching about God’s knowledge isn’t merely theological—it has serious practical consequences, especially for young believers who are still forming their understanding of God and faith.

Undermining Trust in God’s Promises

Young Christians often struggle with doubt and uncertainty. They need the anchor of God’s unchanging promises. But if God doesn’t know the future, His promises become mere intentions that might not work out.

Consider a young person facing a difficult decision about college, career, or marriage. They turn to promises like Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart…and he shall direct thy paths.” But if God doesn’t know the future, how can He direct paths He can’t foresee? His direction becomes guesswork rather than guidance.

Or consider a young believer facing persecution for their faith. They cling to Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God.” But if God doesn’t know what “all things” will include, how can He guarantee they’ll work for good? The promise becomes wishful thinking rather than certain hope.

Creating Anxiety About Salvation

One of the most damaging effects of Dake’s theology is the anxiety it creates about salvation. If God doesn’t know the future, how can He guarantee eternal security? How can He promise that nothing will separate us from His love if He doesn’t know what might happen?

Young believers already struggle with assurance. They wonder if they’re really saved, if their faith is genuine, if they’ll persevere to the end. The biblical answer is that God, who knows the end from the beginning, has chosen them, called them, and will keep them. But if God is still learning, still discovering, still being surprised, that assurance evaporates.

This can lead to a works-based faith where young Christians constantly try to prove themselves to God, never sure if they’re doing enough, always anxious that something unforeseen might cause them to lose their salvation.

Distorting Prayer Life

Prayer is vital for young believers, but Dake’s theology distorts its very nature. If God doesn’t know what’s happening unless angels report to Him, prayer becomes an information service rather than communion with an all-knowing Father.

Young Christians might feel they need to explain everything to God in detail, update Him on recent developments, or argue their case persuasively. They might worry that if they don’t pray about something, God won’t know about it. Prayer becomes a burden rather than a blessing.

Furthermore, if God is learning and changing His mind, prayer becomes manipulation rather than submission. Young believers might think they can change God’s plans through persistent prayer, not understanding that biblical prayer aligns us with God’s will rather than aligning God with ours.

Weakening Moral Resolve

The knowledge that God sees everything is a powerful deterrent to sin. Young believers facing temptation are strengthened by knowing that nothing is hidden from God’s sight. But if God needs angels to report to Him, maybe secret sins go unnoticed. Maybe private failings escape His attention.

This can lead to moral compromise. If God doesn’t immediately know about sin, young believers might think they can sin now and repent later, before God finds out. The fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, is undermined by the belief that God’s knowledge is limited.

Destroying Worship

Young believers need to encounter the awesome majesty of God in worship. But Dake’s limited deity doesn’t inspire awe. How can you worship a god who’s still figuring things out? How can you adore a deity who’s constantly surprised? How can you trust a being who doesn’t know tomorrow?

True worship springs from understanding God’s infinite perfections. When young believers grasp that God knows everything—every star, every atom, every thought, every future event—worship becomes natural and powerful. But Dake’s god evokes pity more than praise, sympathy more than adoration.

How to Help Those Influenced by This Error

Many sincere Christians have been influenced by Dake’s teaching about God’s limited knowledge without realizing its implications. How can we help them return to biblical truth? Here are practical approaches for restoration.

Start with Scripture, Not Dake

Don’t begin by attacking Dake directly. Instead, do positive Bible study on God’s attributes. Study passages like:

– Psalm 139 (God’s complete knowledge of us)
– Isaiah 46:9-11 (God declares the end from the beginning)
– Psalm 147:5 (God’s infinite understanding)
– 1 John 3:20 (God knows all things)
– Hebrews 4:13 (Nothing hidden from God)

Let Scripture speak for itself. As people see what the Bible actually teaches about God’s knowledge, they’ll recognize the error in Dake’s teaching.

Explain Anthropomorphisms Gently

Many followers of Dake have never learned about anthropomorphic language in Scripture. Gently explain how the Bible uses human language to describe God’s actions without implying God is human-like. Use everyday examples:

– “The sun rises” (it doesn’t really rise; the earth rotates)
– “Time flies” (time doesn’t have wings)
– “The storm is angry” (storms don’t have emotions)

Then show how the Bible uses similar language about God to help us understand divine actions without limiting God’s nature.

Address the Practical Concerns

People often cling to false teaching because it seems to solve a problem or answer a question. Address the concerns that might make Dake’s teaching attractive:

Concern: “If God knows everything, why does He test people?”
Answer: Tests reveal our faith to ourselves and others, not to God. They develop character and demonstrate reality.

Concern: “If God knows the future, why pray?”
Answer: God ordains both the means (prayer) and the ends. Prayer doesn’t inform God but aligns us with His will.

Concern: “If God knew sin would happen, why create?”
Answer: God’s purpose in creation includes redemption. He demonstrates His glory through both justice and mercy.

Show the Dangers Compassionately

Help people see the serious implications of denying God’s omniscience:

– Lost confidence in God’s promises
– Anxiety about the future
– Weakened prayer life
– Diminished worship
– Uncertainty about salvation

Don’t condemn people for being deceived. Show compassion for those who’ve been misled while firmly maintaining the truth.

Provide Better Resources

People need alternatives to the Dake Bible. Recommend solid study Bibles like:

– The MacArthur Study Bible
– The ESV Study Bible
– The Reformation Study Bible
– The NIV Study Bible

Also suggest books on God’s attributes like:
– “The Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer
– “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer
– “The Attributes of God” by Arthur W. Pink

Be Patient with the Process

People who’ve used the Dake Bible for years won’t abandon it overnight. Be patient as they process new information. Answer questions honestly. Provide support as they reconstruct their theology on biblical foundations.

Remember that many Dake followers are sincere believers who’ve been misled. They need truth, but they also need grace. Speak the truth in love, remembering that we all are susceptible to deception apart from God’s grace.

Conclusion: The God Who Knows

As we conclude this examination of Dake’s attack on God’s omniscience, let’s return to the comfort and joy of serving the true God who knows everything. Against Dake’s diminished deity—learning, discovering, being surprised—stands the God of Scripture who declares:

This is our God—not a cosmic detective gathering clues, not a heavenly CEO depending on angelic reports, not a limited being doing His best with partial information. Our God knows everything: past, present, and future; actual and possible; universal and particular; public and private; human and divine.

He knew before creation every choice you would make, yet He created you anyway. He knew every sin you would commit, yet He loved you anyway. He knew the exact cost of your redemption, yet He paid it anyway. He knows every trial you’ll face, and He’s already prepared the grace you’ll need. He knows every tear you’ll cry, and He’s already planned the comfort. He knows the day of your death, and He’s already prepared your eternal home.

This perfect knowledge doesn’t make God distant or mechanical. Instead, it makes His love more amazing. He knows us completely—every failure, every weakness, every secret sin—yet He loves us perfectly. He knows exactly how difficult we can be, how often we’ll fail, how slowly we’ll grow, yet He commits to completing His work in us.

Young believer, you can trust this all-knowing God. His promises are certain because He knows exactly how He’ll fulfill them. His guidance is perfect because He sees the entire path, not just the next step. His comfort is sufficient because He knows exactly what you’re facing. His salvation is secure because He knew you before the foundation of the world and will keep you until the end.

Don’t let Dake’s errors rob you of this confidence. Don’t let his limited god replace the infinite God of Scripture. Don’t let his uncertainty undermine your assurance. The God of the Bible knows everything, and because He knows everything, you can trust Him completely.

As David wrote in Psalm 139:17-18: “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”

God’s thoughts toward you outnumber the sand on all the world’s beaches. He has thought about every moment of your life, planned every blessing, prepared for every need. This isn’t a god who’s figuring things out as He goes—this is the God who knows the end from the beginning and has written your story with infinite wisdom and perfect love.

Stand firm in this truth. Reject Dake’s diminished deity. Worship the God who knows all things. Trust the God whose understanding is infinite. Rest in the God who is never surprised, never caught off guard, never at a loss. He knows, He cares, and He is working all things together for your good and His glory.

This is the God of the Bible—the God who knows. And because He knows, we can trust. Because He knows, we can rest. Because He knows, we can worship. Because He knows, we have hope that does not disappoint, faith that does not waver, and love that will never let us go.

May you know and worship the true God who knows all things,
and may you never exchange His infinite perfection
for the limited imagination of human error.

© 2025, DakeBible.org. All rights reserved.