There is so much about God to learn and understand. However, as we have examined his attributes over the last several months, we have also seen much that we cannot understand. Part of the reason behind this has to do with the attribute we will look at this week: God is eternal.
The New American Oxford Dictionary defines eternal as “lasting or existing forever; without end or beginning.” We cannot understand “without beginning, without end.” This cannot be said of anyone or anything but God. Throughout the Bible we see different words used to describe the eternal God. Abraham called on the name of “the Everlasting God” (Genesis 21:33). In Deuteronomy 32:40, the Lord says, “I live forever.” Job’s friend, Elihu, declared, “Behold, God is great…the number of his years are unsearchable” (Job 36:26). Psalm 135:13 declares, the Lord’s renown “throughout all ages.” Everlasting, forever, unsearchable, all ages; all of these words are used to describe God’s existence—eternal.
Daniel called God “the Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:22). Paul called him, “the King of the ages” (1 Timothy 1:17). The Lord God himself said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).
Part of why this is so difficult to understand is because we exist in time and God exists eternally and time exists in God. A. W. Tozer, in The Knowledge of the Holy, writes, “That God appears at time’s beginning is not too difficult to comprehend, but that he appears at the beginning and end of time simultaneously is not so easy to grasp; yet it is true.” (Revelation 21:6, 22:13)
And what do we draw from this? Why is this important for us to consider? For this reason; all of our temporal earthly hope and all of future eternal glory flows from God eternal who has declared all things; “the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9-10). Our salvation comes from God eternal, who chose us in Christ before the world began (Ephesians 1:4). Our redemption was paid for by the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, whose coming was from ancient days (Micah 5:2). Our sanctification comes by the eternal Holy Spirit of God, who was there before time began (Genesis 1:2). In an eternal God we find eternal life (John 3:16).
Go Deeper:
Praise God for his eternal existence; thank him for his eternal promise.
Search out Bible verses about God’s eternity and share with someone.
Grace & Peace,
John
(You can reach Pastor John at jwhite@thevillagemi.com)