What does it mean that from Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Romans 11:36)?

Can one wonder that the large and fervent heart of the apostle, animated and filled yet guarded by the inspiring Spirit, breaks forth in an outburst of praise as he looks back on the grace and ways of God in Christ? "O depth of God's riches and wisdom and knowledge: how unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! For who has known Jehovah's mind? or who became his counsellor? or who first gave to him and it shall be repaid to him? Because of him and through him and to him [are] all things: to him the glory unto the ages. Amen." (Ver. 33-36.) He is the source, means, and end of all He has counselled, accomplished, or purposes still to effect for His own glory.

Of Him therefore — as the Originator of blessing: through Him — as the Operator, making all His purposes good: to Him — as the Omega, for Whose glory all will result, are all things.

We have neither known His mind, nor had anything to do with His counsel, much less have been original givers to Him in order that He should thus be indebted to repay us. This has been Israel's folly, and that of how many more who would feign make themselves creditors of God, as though their good works and assumed righteousness were a claim upon Him! Well did Elihu demand of Job, “If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? or what receiveth He of thine hand?” (Job. 35:7).

“For of Him, and through Him, and for Him, are all things; to whom be glory forever. Amen.” He is the Originator, Executor, and eternal Master of all things. Who will proudly dare the attempt to usurp these grand prerogatives of His? Ah no! He stands alone — perfect in wise counsels, perfect in work, perfect in mastery of all things. “To Him be glory forever.” “And let all the people say, Amen.”

As Paul sums it up he says "of Him" (God is the source), "though Him" (Christ is the agent) and "to Him" (Christ is the subject of power that will secure it all). This is the working of divine Persons in this wonderful sphere of wisdom, utterly beyond the human intellect. Think of it beloved, simpletons like us today, glad to be looked at as babes in the things of God, ready to be taught of God, but by the Spirit searching out these things in the depths of God! We have been enriched in the light of these things in the secrets of wisdom, in this hidden wisdom, and in the mystery of wisdom for our spiritual education of what God is doing, what Christ is doing, and what the Spirit is doing, and not only looking at our blessing and the blessing of Israel but the ultimate end of it all is going to be in manifestation—“to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

There is, in the very nature of things there can be, but one First Cause of everything. There is such an One — the living and true God. He is, self-existent, never had beginning, eternal; never ending, everlasting; the alone infinite in power, and therefore irresponsible, and knowing no check or impediment to His will or action, save that of His own character and essential goodness and truth. "The right" is always His, Himself is the standard of what is right; He is the One First Cause, originating source of everything that ever was brought into creature-existence, Sustainer in being, and Controller here or elsewhere, of everything, the End for whom it was formed, to be to His glory and praise.

No portion of the word more thoroughly shows the value of our all being "from," "through," and "to" God, and God alone — none more calculated to strike confusion upon the thought of self holding the place of spring, channel, or end (which is the religion of fallen humanity); none better fitted to act as a purge on the soul where a mixture of God and man may still be found.

Do we wonder that the apostle closes this most precious portion of the Scriptures with the delightful doxology of verse 33-36! "O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God .. for of Him, and for Him are all things; to Him be glory for ever." Paul (as Saul) had himself been marked by this callous "ignorance" (1 Timothy 1:13) and "unbelief." Mercy had been shown him, and so he triumphantly says of his nation "God hath shut up together all in unbelief, in order that He might shew mercy to all".

Here we see the triumph of grace, and all boasting is taken from men. It is of God from first to last, and He must have all praise; and in this matter, as in every other, we can take up the language of Romans 11:33-36, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counsellor? Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

God being what He is, we can only exclaim with the Apostle Paul, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36).

The end and object of all is the glory of God. It is perfectly, divinely true, that "God hath ordained for His own glory whatsoever comes to pass." In order to guard this from all possibility of mistake, we have only to remember who is this God, and what the glory that He seeks. It is He who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, — of Him in whom divine love came seeking not her own, among us as "One that serveth." It is He who, sufficient to Himself, can receive no real accession of glory from His creatures, but from whom" Love," as He is "Light," — cometh down every good and every perfect gift, in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning. Of His own alone can His creatures give to Him.