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The Eternality of God Many have different views, opinions about what God is. Different religions and men's own thoughts come to various conclusions. From the Bible it is explained that God is the uncaused cause of all things- He alone is necessary for all things to exist. Isaiah 43:10 "before me there was no God formed nor is there after me." God says there is none that come after him, and clearly none are before him. There is only one God, the creator. If another is called God by God then they must also share his essential nature and be him. What this does not mean is that there are two gods. Thus we have the trinity concept describing the God of the Bible as unique. He is tri-une, which is neither polytheistic nor tri-theistic. Three in identity and one in essence. This becomes difficult to communicate as we have to understand the infinite by being finite, we rely on what Scripture describes. Monotheism: Judaism which has revealed the true God to all by the pages of the Bible. Christianity which is the fulfillment of Judaism in prophecy with the Messiah explains; God is one in his nature and is composed of three distinct infinite eternal persons that simultaneously exist and can never change. They are one in substance but have a difference in their position. What makes all three the one God are that they share the same nature being uncreated and being omniscient in all His characteristics and attributes. This is the simple description of the God of the Bible as He has revealed himself by and through the Scripture. If one denies the tri-une God, they are either left with a false monotheism or with polytheism. God always existed. That is not something you can ponder. Try to think of something that always existed is like trying to think of something that has never existed. We are a product of creation, we live in time and space. Eternity as best described stretches backwards and forwards with no end. Eternity is of a perpetual duration neither having beginning nor end. This is God, having no beginning nor end, from everlasting to everlasting as Scripture describes. The high and lofty one dwells in eternity. This is also how God sees things; before he created one thing he knew the beginning and the end of what he would create. Some ask who created God, or was he self created? You can’t not exist and become existent, you can’t cause your own existence if you do not exist. This is why the universe did not spring to life on its own. Something cannot be made out of nothing, without ‘a greater’ present, which is explained to us as an eternal being already being there that is omniscient and all-powerful able to create in such a manner of what is seen and no seen. If what you call God is caused by another, than he is not God, for God is the uncaused cause of all things. Then there is something that is greater and that becomes God (or some other title one assigns). Finite things need a cause, not infinite things. You cannot have creation without an intelligence that has planned and has the power to make what did not exist, exist. God is uncaused, everything created is caused; nothing is self caused. If it is caused by something else, then it is not eternal. The world, the universe cannot be uncaused because it is not eternal, we know this because of the 2 nd law of thermodynamics is taking place. Science has proven this fact that nothing in creation is self-renewable. Whatever comes to be has a beginning and cannot be its own cause, which means itself cannot be the source. He cannot give a beginning to himself, if he had a beginning no matter how far back in time or eternity he could no longer be infinite. In Gods nature his being is always at the same point receiving nothing in addition nor can he lose anything he is always the same Ps. 102:25-27 “ Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end. Ps 90:1-2 “LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. He has always been there is no time assigned as to the beginning of his being Job 36:26 "Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered.” He is called the ancient of days” in that all that is of time flows from him. Ancient in this sense means beyond our time, considering as far in the past as we can comprehend. Rev 1:17-8 the alpha and omega is called the almighty. He is the beginning of all and the end, existing outside the elements of creation. He is able to call things into existence from out of nothing. Creation by its own definition is bringing something into being from nothing, or from something already made. He received his being from no other. If he is dependent on another he could not be infinitely eternal since what is dependent on another cannot have an infinite life nor be all powerful. God is infinite having no cause. All that is finite and that is created has a cause. God is not be dependent on another but is fully self contained and a non-dependent being. Ex. 3:15 "I am who I am" means the eternal one that will be whatever we need. Jesus applies this name of God for himself in Jn.8:58 " I tell you before Abraham was, I am." Ego emi; which is in the present indicative active form of the verb "to be". Meaning, that what is true of this being before is true of him today, that he has no change from eternity past to eternity future. Never changing in nature always the same, what He has now He always had possess, all the attributes and characteristics. He is absolute and constant within himself, nor end. Eternity means a self perpetuating existence - it does not grow in degrees but is constantly the same, no change but a permanent state. It is contrary to time. Eternity is the property of God, it is his intrinsic nature. This is why it says I the Lord do not change (Mal.3:6). A Billion years from now he will still have the same being not increasing in knowledge one iota, nothing can be added; he lacks nothing. Isa. 40:13-14 “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding? Acts 15:18 tells us “ Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world (from eternity). His knowledge encompasses all, there is no type of lack or weakness in God’s nature, He is omniscient and perfect in all his attributes, which are part of his infinite nature. God is the source of all things seen and unseen. How do we know that God is not just a force but has personality? Look at the colors and shapes of the creation, he is creative and has likes and dislikes. If God were a force and would be obedient to the laws of nature he would be trapped by his own laws that would limit himself, these laws would become more powerful than him. All things find their source in God he holds incomprehensible power that cannot be apprehended by man. Nothing came into existence without him, He is the source of all and upholds all Col 1:16-17 “ for by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” All things are dependent upon God for their source of life Heb11:3 …the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible”(invisible which are the atoms and the smaller particles). Heb. 1:3describes the son God, Jesus, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power/” God is called the almighty which means he possesses all power among the other characteristics of his nature. This is his essence of his eternal being Rev. 1:8 Jesus as the glorified Son of God in man states, " I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." The high and lofty one who dwells in eternity and from what he has revealed in Scripture this is also how God sees things, before he created one thing he knew the beginning and the end of all things. His decrees are from eternity before anything was created. Ps 33:11 “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Isa.41:4 “Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He.'" All things created are found in his eternal counsel, they are present in him from eternity even though some are not actually present in existence yet. He does not know one thing now and another later even though they are brought in succession through time. God has his plans, his thoughts not bounded by time. They are present with him until their appearance in the world as they are executed to accomplish his plans, as spoken in prophecy. Isa. 55:8-9" For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. ” Man cannot comprehend eternity since we are created beings found in time. We have limits God, his nature does not. Gen.1:1 in the beginning God created…If we look back we cannot go further than the beginning of creation since we are creatures limited to time and made in time, so to understand the infinite we are not capable of in the fullest sense. We may understand in a basic sense that He is eternal and infinite but not comprehend the complete understanding of it. As Zophar spoke Job in chpt.11:7 “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the almighty, they are higher than heaven.” As believers we are given something more than those in Old Testament times. 2 Cor.2:10-11 “But God has revealed them to us by his spirit, for the spirit searches all things, yes the deep things of God…Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” God is an uncreated infinite eternal spirit whose attributes are omniscient for these are contained in his essence and nature. 1 Tim 1:17 “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”1 Tim 6:15-16 “… He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” While God alone is eternal in an infinite sense, God can bestow an eternal nature to a creature who has a beginning such as angels and souls of mankind. Eternal life can be communicated to them but it is not part of their essential nature, it is not called their own. It is dependent on another for the duration of their existence for they are created by the eternal one. He can invest in them a property so that they cannot perish, so they will spend eternity in a place of happiness or punishment as he desires. As creatures we grow in all things especially knowledge, we can acquire something and lose something, as we mature. God's promises are forever, as he says 1 Pet 1:23-25 “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,… the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” Therefore the gospel is forever to those who receive it. Matt 24:35"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Lk.21:33) Isa 55:11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” God communicates to man in his language for mans sake. We can be confident that what God says will be done and is perfect in its judgments. Prov.8:23 says his wisdom is from everlasting Ps 119:89 “Forever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven.” Ps 119:160 “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments enduresforever.” When God swares (promises) He does so by himself because their is none greater than He. Gen.22:16 “by myself I have sworn says the Lord.” Heb.6:13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear to no one greater, he swore by himself .” Deut. 32:40 “For I raise My hand to heaven, and say, "As I live forever.” The Bible describes God as unchangeable, eternal, immutable, always existing. Before anything was made He was there, for how long is not described. Whatever he reveals of himself is glimpses of his nature to man, all his attributes are eternal as they flow from his nature. His power his wisdom, his life, holiness, knowledge, justice mercy, and love. All that God is, his attributes express his nature flow from his perfect state, this is why he can have unconditional love. The Bible teaches that God is eternal Duet. 33:27 Neither is his name changed Ps 135:13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations. The Word teaches also teaches that all three persons of the Godhead are also eternal, all belong to the order of eternity. The Father is eternal James 1:17. The Holy Spirit is eternal, John 14:16"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--Heb 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to omnipresent Ps 139:7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? The Son is eternal. Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." Micah 5:2 " speaking of Jesus “whose goings forth are from old ( ancient times ) from everlasting (from eternity)."There are actually two goings forth, one from eternity (which Scripture is referring to here) and one from in time with conception of his humanity and birth from Bethlehem. One speaks of the eternal God the other speaks of his humanity beginning with Mary. There is no creature that can lay claim to this kind existence. As in Prov.8:22 “the Lord possessed me at the beginning of his way before his works of old,” He, the son is wisdom personified if he is a created thing, a work from God then there would be a time that God has no wisdom. John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” All creatures have their life proceeding from him, he is the cause of their existence. As Paul pointed to in Acts 17:28 to the philosophers we live and move and have our being in him, no one is without dependence on him for life. God does not change. The same property of eternity is ascribed to Christ and the Holy Spirit. If there is an eternal Father, then there is an eternal Son, and an eternal Spirit. A father, a Son are terms of their relationship communicated to us, as we were made in his image. The title, Lord Jesus, applies to the Son alone. It does not apply to the Father, and it does not apply to the Spirit. All three are called LORD, (4 letters YHWH -YAHWEH). They are three persons. God himself says toward the Son in Heb.1:10 " And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands... and they shall be changed: but thou art the sam e” (quote of Psalm 102:25) which means the son is as eternal as the Father. Mal. 3:6 "I the Lord do not change" What undergoes a change cannot be God. Change describes something not retaining its own being, only something that is created is subject to change . the God of the Bible who is unchangeable, indivisible and unquantifiable God did not change when He became man, he added another nature, a human one to his deity. The personal revelation of how this was done is basically explained with mary’s conception by the Spirit, the mechanics at work are hidden and inaccessible to man. Isaiah 43:10 "before me there was no God formed nor is there after me." God is described as love (which is his nature). If you were the only person alone in the universe could you love? To have love there must be a giver and a receiver, love is reciprocal, and there needs to be an exchange between persons otherwise it's self-love which is not real love. If God were to be only one in person he would have this kind of love. For love to be real it needs to be demonstrated, an action, not just spoken of. God is totally sufficient by his own nature, always existing as 3 in the one nature of God. In the scriptures only three (identities) persons are ever called God, no more than three are ever seen together as God. Two scripture are preeminent in explaining the eternal relationship of Father and Son. Jesus speaking of the Father said Jn.17:24"for thou loved me before the foundation of the world. So the Son was the object of his love before anything existed. This is impossible if he did not exist prior. This would mean the Father did not either, since both are present together. Jn.17:5 “ Father, Glorify me with yourself with the glory which I had together with you before the world began.” He shared in God’s glory before he became man, and was then glorified again exalted to the place he had after he became man. Since this love existed between them before the creation of the universe, it is assigned to eternity. Only God existed in eternity before time and creation. There is two essential beings involved and since there was no other object other than God prior to creation. We must by necessity recognize there is two involved (not excluding the Holy Spirit who is also assigned the same elsewhere). God’s glory is also eternal, again preceding creation so it cannot be speaking of other dignitaries such as angels that he has created. God says he will not give his glory to another. Yet we see Jesus receive his glory. What offends his nature the most is idolatry, man erecting things from their own hands or giving honor to the creation that is due him. Rom.1:20 “ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, Applying that which is eternal, omniscient, omnipresent to a corruptible nature vs.23“to change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four footed animals and creeping things.” God is separate from what he has made, his creation is not an extension of him, being God also. God (the I Am) has been degraded to be not only a created thing but as a species as some teach. Or an impersonal force that flows within all things. Job 36:22-25 "Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him? who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, 'You have done wrong'? "Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung. Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar. This is where the world is in its sinful condition of not accepting the creator of all that is described in the Scriptures. Acts 5:31 “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior” Phil 2:9-11 “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 1 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
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