In Isa
40:12, we read:
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of
his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the
earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a
balance?
In Reformed
and other theologies of God's knowledge, God does not gain knowledge in any
way; instead, he immediately knows all things, contra Open Theism and other
theologies that teach God has continent foreknowledge. Notwithstanding, as
the rhetorical answer to this question is "Yahweh," Isaiah is
teaching that God learns the amount of water on the earth by measuring it.
Interestingly enough, the measure of water on the surface of the earth
fluctuates, so it continuously needs to be measured by Yahweh, further
supporting the Open Theistic understanding of God and His knowledge, unless on will argue that God counts/measures things (actions which take place in time, not an "eternal now") just as a predestined event he decided to do just for the sake of it, although, in reality, he already knows it (and has predestined the exact amounts of dust on the earth, the weight of the mountains and hills, and measure of water on the surface of the earth [!]).
Such discursive knowledge is seen in 1 Kgs 22:19-23 where we read of
Yahweh seeking advice from his heavenly council:
And he said, Hear
thou 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 persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at
Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And
there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade
him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I
will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou
shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore,
behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy
prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
Further Reading
An Examination and Critique of the Theological Presuppositions Underlying Reformed Theology
