One of my first reactions was simply to associate this ability to know human thoughts with God’s omniscience. God’s omniscience is one of His incommunicable attributes of God so you could argue that the ability to know human thoughts is off limits on that basis. However, you could also argue that knowing human thoughts is much more limited than omniscience and therefore outside that argument. I think that Richard was really just questioning Satan’s ability to read our minds if he is in the same time and place that we are. So we really need to think further about how Scripture addresses this topic.
David encouraged Solomon to, “know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought (1 Chronicles 28:9) . So here Scripture is affirming that God searches all hearts and knows every thought. I don’t think we’d see Scripture stressing this ability of God in this way if it was as skill shared with His creatures. However, perhaps you could still argue at this point that while God knows all hearts and knows every plan and thought we may still have creatures like fallen angels who can know hearts, plans, and thoughts when they are in the same time and place that those thoughts are being thought of.
In Psalm 64:6-7 when speaking of evil men who plot injustice in secret, Scripture indicates that although, “the inward mind and heart of a man are deep!” God is aware and “God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly.” But are they too deep for other creatures to know or are they just exceptionally difficult to know? We don’t pray for other creatures to search us and know us but could we if we were ill advised. In prayer we cry, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24)! This is a prayer of surrender since Scripture (even in this Psalm) makes it clear that our hearts and minds are transparent to God (Psalm 139:1-6).
Scriptures further clarifies God’s position with additional clarity is found in Jeremiah 9-10. God first tells us in verse nine that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick: who can understand it?” This begs the answer that no one can know it. However, God continues and declares “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” In my opinion it is hard to argue at this point that God would stressing His ability in knowing hearts but that He also gave this ability to creatures in a lesser way. You would have to say that the answer was incomplete and that the question should be answered that some angelic creatures can understand hearts. God repeats this declaration of His ability in indicates that it is a sign in the Book of Revelation stating, “And all the churches will know that I am He who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve (Rev 2:23). So Scripture seems to repeatedly use this ability to search hearts and minds as an attribute of God.
Jesus was able to know the thoughts of another but Jesus had both a human nature and a divine nature (Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Mark 2:8; Luke 6:8; 11:17). Two complete natures without mixture or confusion. Jesus divine nature was clearly able to know the heart of anyone. I think it is also important to consider that the result of one of the Gifts of the Spirit like a Word of Knowledge in which God reveals something we could not otherwise know. This doesn’t mean that we know the heart of another directly but simply that God has revealed something to us. Jesus could know the thoughts of another since Scripture says, “But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in our hearts? (Matthew 8:4). We see the disciples in a situation with a similar need when confronted with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). However, it seems the Holy Spirit told Peter what he needed to know but it does not look like the ability to know the heart of another creature or to read another’s mind was given to Peter.
I think an example from Daniel’s life is the most instructive. When Nebuchadnezzar wanted to know his dream those who served anyone but God could not do it.
Daniel 2:20-23
Daniel answered and said:
“ Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Daniel says wisdom belongs to God and that He gives wisdom and knowledge. He reveals the deep and hidden things. God is the source of wisdom and knowledge. If the enemy of our souls could know anything of what is in our heart or dreams it would have to be revealed to the creature by the Creator. Daniel went on to say that “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show the king the mystery that the king has asked” and this could not be true if Satan could read minds. If he could read minds it would be a trivial matter to monitor the king’s dream and report it to a enchanter, magician, or astrologer.
The enemy of our souls is a good observer and knows the evil in men from thousands of years of observation but our thoughts are known to God and not to him.
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