*Pastor’s Note: These lessons will be Scripture “heavy,” and though I am forewarning you I cannot apologize because it is the Word of God that brings things into the light. Remember that the Word says in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let everything be established. This is a spiritual principle that applies to the Word as well. (Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1). Also because of the need to explain, the lessons will have to be divided up into parts.
Part Four
In the last few lessons we discovered and discussed the Omni or All-inclusive nature and characteristics or attributes of God Almighty. In this lesson we will discuss His Eternalness or the Eternity of God.
ETERNITY: One of God’s characteristics or attributes is His Eternal nature. Concerning God, Himself we mean that His existence is without beginning or end, there are no limits to He existence, either before man and the creation that we exist in or even after what we perceive as time. In the Bible the word eternity or the concept of the eternal is used in two ways: figuratively, which can signify existence which may have a beginning, but will have no end, such as; angels, the human soul, etc. In other words, as created beings, we had a beginning, but we shall live on, in one way or another into the never-ending or eternal realm. It is also used literally, which can signify an existence which has no beginning or end, which for the purpose of speaking about God’s attributes, is what we are discussing.
The Bible tells us, “Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” – Psalm 90:2
“Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?” – Habakkuk 1:12.
Before his death, Moses, that mighty man of God, spoke a blessing to the children of Israel, and it begins, as recorded in Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; . . .”
Before this Moses wrote about Abraham in Genesis 21:33, “Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.” This name in the original Hebrew is El Olam, from an original form meaning: the God of Eternity.
The Psalmist wrote this concerning our Lord and God, “The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.” – Psalm 93:1-2.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” – Isaiah 40:28.
“For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, . . .” – Isaiah 57:15.
And Jeremiah, the weeping prophet wrote, “But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.” – Jeremiah 10:10.
Eternity and thus the Eternalness of God, Himself, is infinite in duration without any beginning, and without any end, or in fact without limit. He is an ever abiding presence in ALL eternity not restricted by any time. He lives and moves outside of time itself. From our perspective, since we ARE living within the frame of time, God’s existence is forever in the past, is now and is forever into the future.
Because we have always lived in time, it is impossible for us to completely comprehend what it means for God to be eternal. However, one way to think about what it may mean for God to be eternal is to think about what time is and how time affects our everyday lives.
We live in a dimension of time that only proceeds forward, never backwards. Time in this dimension in which we live proceeds only and always forward. The flow of time can never be reversed. Nor can it be stopped. Because it has a beginning created by God, it can only move in one direction, so if you consider God abides in one, all-encompassing dimension, then time, since it was also created for us, is really just a half a dimension of the dimension God encompasses. So, even though we are constrained by what can be considered a half dimension comprised of time, an eternal being, such as The God of the Bible, is not so limited. He actually exists OUTSIDE of time itself!
There are many people today, including some well-meaning Christians, who assume that time has always existed; however, neither modern day science NOR the Bible permits such an assumption.
According to current cosmological theory, the universe came into existence at a precise and specified moment, including all space, time, matter and energy. Bible-believing Christians believe it was what Moses wrote in the first verse of our Bible, “In the beginning God created . . .” – Genesis 1:1. The thing is, modern science (remember God Himself is Omniscience), even concurs with this; there WAS a beginning to everything, time included!
Again, proof of what the Bible has revealed to us all along; “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, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” – Romans 1:20-21. The proof of His existence and attributes have ALWAYS been visible to those willing to see!
Now here’s a little controversy for you to swallow, but if you read your Bible about creation, and you are able to read or see in videos what a lot of scientists believe, even though they don’t acknowledge God as the creator, they do acknowledge the BEGINNING of His creation!
Although many Christians reject the idea of a big bang beginning of the universe, others maintain that the Bible not only describes a big bang beginning to the universe but that unlike other religious writings, the Bible’s description of the beginning of the universe is uniquely consistent with what scientists have learned about the beginning of the universe.
It goes to show, that as the prophet Daniel predicted in his writings, that knowledge would be on the increase (Daniel 12:4), modern science is actually CATCHING UP with what the Bible has stated all along!
Sue and I have been watching some Science Channel episodes on Discovery Plus entitled, “How the Universe Works,” and it has been eye-opening. These episodes were done back in 2012 or thereabouts, but you can follow along with chapter 1 of Genesis as they explain their the “theories” and as I said, even though they don’t give God acknowledgement as speaking the Words that started it all, they are able to explain it all almost verse for verse! They KNOW something started it, but unless they can see it, or quantify it, they won’t acknowledge IT as God Himself! I personally believe that God is doing this to CONFIRM to His children the truth of all He has told us and as His Word states, to reveal the secrets and mysteries of the spiritual and natural, to His children. God just doesn’t keep secrets from those He calls His own!
This in itself, should cause a greater awe and wonder (fear of the Lord) in all of His children’s hearts and minds. It certainly does mind. It has done wonders for my faith in not limiting God’s ability in anything!
Now here’s some Scriptural proof to show that time, itself, had a beginning and thus was created by God. I’ve already revealed Genesis 1:1, so here’s further evidence;
“No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.” – 1 Corinthians 2:7 (NIV).
“Grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, . . .” – 2 Timothy 1:9.
“In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, . . .” – Titus 1:2.
Now think of this, in time, for mankind, things change, situations change; it is how we grow and especially in maturity and knowledge. We build on one second to the next, the moment we are conceived. We NEED time to be able to advance both naturally AND spiritually forward. Even our languages demonstrate that time is a progression. The Apostle Paul like to remind us to press on, move forward, head towards a goal, etc., etc. “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14.
Now I stated all this about our need of time to contrast God’s eternalness. The Bible tells us more than one time that our God does NOT change! This is due to His ability to be, outside the confines of time. He knows all, sees all, can do all, because of the fact that He is present in ALL moments and with Him is no past, present or future. The simplest way to put it is: He IS.
Now think of that and remember His comments to Moses and others. “When asked, ‘Who should we say is telling us to say and do these things,’ tell them I AM says!” Again, He IS. He is limitless in each and everything He does AND is! There is nothing, absolutely nothing that can constrain Him.
It is God’s very nature of being eternal that allows Him to not change but to always BE Who He is! That, when you spend time thinking about it, is unfathomably AWESOME! But it lines up with the WHOLE counsel of Scripture!
In closing I want to share one last thing. I read this and wrote this down years ago from something I read online and I saved it for such a time as this:
“It has been said that eternity is duration, without beginning or end; existence, without bounds or dimension; presence or present, without past or future. God’s eternity is youth, without infancy or old age; life without birth or death; today, without yesterday or tomorrow.” – Author Unknown.
I found this to be extremely intriguing and something to contemplate and give great thought too. Also, when you consider that we were made in God’s image AND likeness, though we have a beginning, it is awesome and marvelous that just like Him as Father, we have no ending; rather, our future is forever!
So to sum up the eternity of God, finally read what the Apostle John told us, “’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.’” – Revelation 1:8. The Alpha and the Omega, literally in every possible sense, the beginning and the end.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
Character, Nature and Attributes of God – 3
*Pastor’s Note: These lessons will be Scripture “heavy,” and though I am forewarning you I cannot apologize because it is the Word of God that brings things into the light. Remember that the Word says in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let everything be established. This is a spiritual principle that applies to the Word as well. (Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1). Also because of the need to explain, the lessons will have to be divided up into parts.
Part Three
In the last two lessons we explored God’s Omniscience, His ability and nature of knowing all there ever was or will ever be concerning knowledge and His Omnipotence or His ability and nature of being all powerful and supremely and ultimately sovereign both in the realm of the natural and the spiritual.
We will now move on to one of my favorites, the study of His Omnipresence. I love to think and even speculate in the spiritual of just how BIG our God is and there is no way the human mind can comprehend in its present state! This is why I tell and teach people to TRY and think outside the box of normal and mainstream religion. Not with vain speculation, but to comprehend God in His character and personality. After all, He is Father to many of us.
OMNIPRESENCE: By Omnipresence we mean the ability AND nature of God Almighty to be everywhere present all at once. Now I want you to think about that statement for a moment, don’t just glean over it. Also, I am hopeful that you are beginning to see the correlation between the attributes we’ve discussed and how they are able to make God, in His person, the God that He is!
Now before moving on, I want you to remember that the Father is Spirit. Spirit is not seen, much like the wind is not seen, but the effects of the wind are definitely evident. So it is with God, as the Father. Since He IS Spirit, He can be and IS everywhere at once. In other words, He is here with us as He has promised to “never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:8). At the same time He is billions of light-years across the universe where we cannot even go. Everywhere He has created, He is there right now.
Now if you love the science of physics, strain your brain on that thought. The term light years means that is the amount of time it takes for the light from a distant star or galaxy to get to us. In other words, the closest star which is about four-and-a-half light years away, the light we see today is actually four-and-a-half years old already! What we are seeing is the light from the past. Consider the light from BILLIONS of light-years away! Yet, God, the Father, is even there!
Consider these Scripture verses:
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You.” – 1 Kings 8:27.
“For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps. There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.” – Job 34:21-22.
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.” – Psalm 139:7-10.
Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. – Isaiah 66:1-2.
“Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. – Jeremiah 23:23-24.
“He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name.” – Amos 5:8.
“He who builds His layers in the sky, And has founded His strata in the earth; Who calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out on the face of the earth-The LORD is His name.” – Amos 9:6.
“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:13.
You can easily see by these Scriptures, and there are many more, that God is everywhere present. In other words, there is no place that our God is not! Because the Father is Spirit, He is in Heaven, “Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; . . .” – 1 Kings 8:30. (Isaiah 66:1, Revelation 21:2). But He is also as close to us as our heart. It has been said countless times that our God is as far away as the farthest heavens, but yet as close as my heart. This is what the Apostle John wrote in one of his letters, or epistles; “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” – 1 John 4:12. (Bold emphasis mine).
Now we know that the Father communicates with us Spirit to spirit, (Romans 8:16), for it was for the rebirth or renewal of our inner spirit that Jesus came as the Son. That was so that we COULD have a renewed relationship with our Creator, the Father. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:24. I found the following in my study and research on John’s verse and I loved it above many of the commentaries:
We can therefore take comfort in the fact that our God is as close to us as our heart, or as others have said, as close as a whisper. As stated above in Deuteronomy and Hebrews, He will “never leave us nor forsake us,” but we further see this closeness in the Proverbs, the Wisdom of Solomon, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” – Proverbs 18:24. What comfort and what awesome assurance to the one who walks uprightly with the Spirit of the Lord!
In closing this section we should be aware though, and reminded, that because He KNOWS all, and He IS everywhere, there is nothing hid from Him. We should continue to walk with Him in reverential fear, awe and wonder and that in itself will constitute an act of worship.
Part Four will start with the attribute of Eternity.
*Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Public Domain, Used with permission from:
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