(52) The Eternality of God - Introduction

“What time is it?” “There’s just not enough time in a day!” “How am I ever going to get all this done on time?” “Your time is up.”

Man is bound by time, hampered by time, frustrated with time. If things don't happen according to our timing, we get bothered. God is above all this. God is the “One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15).” Moses declared, “Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. ( Psalm 90:2)”

When we speak of God being eternal, we mean that He has no beginning or end and is above all temporal limits of time. He possesses all His existence in one indivisible present and sees past and future as clearly as present.

Two names of God help us understand God’s eternality. First, God is “Yahweh.” Of course we know “Yahweh” as the unique name for God that sets Him apart from all humanly conceived gods as the one-and-only true God. But, it also is a statement of God’s eternal existence. It speaks of God’s self existence meaning that His existence is permanently or eternally within Himself. No one and no thing caused God to come into existence. Existence exists only within God. John Durham explains the meaning behind this name in The Word Biblical Commentary.

“I am being that I am being,” or “I am the Is-ing One,” that is, “the One Who Always Is.” Not conceptual being, being in the abstract, but active being, is the intent of this reply [to Moses]. It is a reply that suggests that it is inappropriate to refer to God as “was” or as “will be,” for the reality of this active existence can be suggested only by the present: “is” or “is-ing,” “Always Is,” or “Am.”

Everything that exists finds its origin in God. We exist because God exists and because God chose to give us existence. God created us. But God has no cause or origin. He is the uncaused cause and the original originator. A.W. Tozer explains:

Origin is a word that can apply only to things created. When we think of anything that has origin we are not thinking of God. God is self-existent, while all created things necessarily originated somewhere at some time. Aside from God, nothing is self-caused.

Second, God is “El Olam,” the God of eternity. This name teaches us that God rules over eternity, He is sovereign over eternity. We are governed by time, controlled by time. But, God is not governed by time but rather, He governs time. Tozer states, “God dwells in eternity but time dwells in God. He has already lived all our tomorrows as He has lived all our yesterdays.”

Your throne is established from of old;

You are from everlasting.

(Psalm 93:2 NAU)

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

(Psalm 145:13 NAU)

But the LORD is the true God;

He is the living God and the everlasting King.

At His wrath the earth quakes,

And the nations cannot endure His indignation.

(Jeremiah 10:10 NAU)

There has never been a time when God has not been on His throne, ruling over His creation as King! You may feel like God has taken a break, but your feelings lie, your circumstances lie.

The eternal God is a dwelling place,

And underneath are the everlasting arms.

(Deuteronomy 33:27)

Trust in the LORD forever,

For in GOD the LORD,

we have an everlasting Rock.

(Isaiah 26:4)

God was, is, and always will be governing and orchestrating His-story to fulfill His “eternal purpose (Eph. 3:11)” according to His perfect plan for His glory.

Your name, O LORD, is everlasting,

Your remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations.

(Psalm 135:13 NAU)

God is eternally and thoroughly committed to the glory of His name. That’s His agenda for time . . . for your life . . . your day. What’s on your agenda? What are you doing today?

Soli Deo Gloria

Next:  (53) Don’t Waste Your Life