Right about now, any honest (and sane) person would have to admit that it is difficult to comprehend a time before God created. However, that is exactly the point. There was no time because Genesis 1:1 is the beginning of time and the only One in existence prior to that was the Author of time Himself. Herein lies one, amongst an infinite number, of significant differences between the Creator and His creation. Where we creatures are bound by time, God is untethered. This incomprehensible freedom from the limitations of time is referred to as His eternality.

In addressing the eternality of God, I’m asking you to consider with me the unfathomable. Then again, isn’t this the case anytime that we ponder the Living God? Certainly, some attributes are a bit more attainable in our minds. The love, holiness, and righteousness of God can be understood a little more clearly and experientially, but concepts such as His self-existence, infinitude, and eternality tend to be far more elusive. The reality is that all of God’s attributes extend past the scope of our comprehension. However, this is not intended to be a negative statement. Rather, it’s wonderful news because our God is truly beyond our wildest imagination. Allow me to back up this claim–and hopefully uplift your eyes and heart to exalt Him even more highly as I briefly share four aspects of God’s eternality.

 

The Essence of God’s Eternality

The notion of time and eternity is difficult to fathom. Stephen Charnock articulated this, saying, “If no man will ask me the question, what time is, I know well enough what it is; but if any ask me what it is, I know not how to explain it; so, may I say of eternity; it is easy in the word pronounced, but hardly understood, and more hardly expressed.”[1] So, how should one understand such a complex subject? God’s eternity is directly related to another attribute known as the infinitude of God, meaning that He has no bounds or limitations regarding time and space.

When examining God’s infinitude in relation to time, we are referring to His eternity. Job 36:26 reads, “Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; the number of His years is unsearchable.” It’s been said that a man’s life consists of a birth date, a death date, and a dash in the middle; that dash represents the span of his life from beginning to end. No such claim can be made about God who is timelessly eternal, existing from “everlasting to everlasting” (Pss 90:2; 93:2).

The eternity of God is a tremendous concept characterized by three declarations, or as Herman Bavinck recognized them, three marks: God is without beginning, without end, and without the succession of time.[2] God is the uncreated Creator, existing beyond the scope of concepts like “beginning” and “ending.” Depicting His transcendence, A.W. Tozer described God as One who dwells in eternity, with time dwelling in Him.[3]

Before moving forward, allow me to clarify that in saying “God dwells in eternity,” what is not meant is that eternity is something independent of God, that contains Him. Rather, eternity is contingent upon God who is its source. Charnock sums this up in clear terms: “If eternity were anything distinct from God, and not of the essence of God, then there would be something which was not God, necessary to perfect God.”[4] Therefore, eternity finds its substance and fulfillment in the existence and attributes of God.

That God is without succession of time acknowledges that He is outside of the sequential flow of moments. We stand in a momentary present, reminiscing on past events and peering forward to a future not yet realized, all while moving from one moment to the next. On the other hand, God exists within a perpetual present, standing immutably in and beyond all moments of time, which is why the Psalmist can declare of God with pinpoint accuracy that “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2Pe 3:8; cf. Ps 90:4). As Bavinck eloquently puts it, “God pervades time and every moment of time with His eternity. In every second throbs the heartbeat of eternity.”[5] When we begin to contemplate the essence of God’s eternity, we are quickly met with our limitations compared to such a magnificent Being.

 

The Evidence of God’s Eternality

Lest you begin to assume that this is just one man’s opinion, it’s important to showcase that all of Scripture is in alignment with this doctrine. The Word presents our Lord as He who existed before creation (Ge 1:1; Jn 1:1; 17:5, 24), endures forever (Ps 102:26–27), lives forever (Dt 32:40; Rev 10:6; 15:7), and is a source of security and rest for His people (Dt 33:27). Isaiah’s writings declare the timeless Lord as “the Everlasting God” (Isa 40:28) and the One who “inhabits eternity” (Isa 57:15). Consider the words of Yahweh Himself: “Who has performed and accomplished it, calling forth the generations from the beginning’ ‘I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He’” (Isa 41:4). This is the same God declared by Paul to be the “King eternal” (1Ti 1:17), with an eternal nature and power (Ro 1:20), whose purposes are eternal (Eph 3:11; cf. 2Ti 1:9).

What then shall we say but that Scripture’s witness to the eternality of God is indisputable? Should we not understand the text to be well-defined on the matter? And if it is so clearly delivered by the chosen men “moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2Pe 1:21), how can any deny it? Though our comprehension of such truths falls drastically short, in no way does this diminish the lucidity of the Bible’s proclamation. The evidence presented in Scripture is decisive. God is no mere creation. He is not one of many, nor the result of another. He exists as the ever-existent God and regarding this, Scripture is clear.

 

The Essentiality of God’s Eternality

The eternality of God is not merely a thought-provoking aspect that only has bearing on His relationship to time. Instead, this characteristic correlates with His other attributes in indispensable ways. Pertaining to His omniscience, God is knowledgeable of all things at all times. Being that He is not at the mercy of time, relegated to experiencing successive moments, God, in His being and consciousness, is intimately aware of all reality at once. What an incredible thought: to be knowledgeable of all that there is, both within time and without! The omnipresence and immensity of God are directly attached to His presence in all points of time and space. This cooperation between attributes requires that He be outside of moments in time, or else He’d be confined to being present within a specific moment within space and time.[6] Only in God can these characteristics so perfectly harmonize with one another.

The aseity of God emphasizes His independence from all else in existence. The union of this and His eternality is clearly seen in Moses’ encounter with God through the burning bush. In response to his inquiry about God’s identity and what he should tell the Israelites, God declares, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex 3:14). Don’t miss that He did not say, “I AM WHO I WAS,” nor “I AM WHO I WILL BE.” The Lord’s statement reflects the fact that He simply is, entirely within Himself. As One solely independent, God is self-existent (Ex 3:14; cf. Ps 90:2), self-sufficient (cf. Jn 5:26), self-satisfying (cf. Mt 3:17), self-governing (Ps 115:3; Da 4:35), and self-glorifying (cf. Pss 23:1–3; 25:11; 31:3; 79:9).

Lastly, the eternity of God is both reinforced and beautified by His immutability. The marriage between God’s unchanging nature and His eternality fortifies our confidence that God has been, is, and will always be who He is, free of variation and shifting shadow (Jas 1:17). Has the importance of this fact hit home yet? Consider for a moment the implications if this wasn’t true. We’d have no grounds for confidence that God would exist tomorrow, let alone be the same God that He is today. As Matthew Barrett concludes, “If God is not eternal, time-free, then His essence is vulnerable to all types of change.”[7] The partnership between these attributes allows us to confidently hold to God’s declaration that “I, the LORD, do not change” (Mal 3:6) with persevering joy. The eternality of God is essential to the viability of the other attributes and without it, God could not be.

 

The Exclusivity of God’s Eternality

In his book, The Incomparableness of God, George Swinnock writes, “God is an eternal being, and none is eternal but He. Time, which has a beginning and end, is compatible to men, and other visible creatures in this world. Aeviternity, which has a beginning and no end, is compatible to good and evil angels, and to the souls of men; but eternity, which has no beginning, succession, or end, belongs only to God.”[8] By virtue of His “God-ness,” the Lord is truly one-of-a-kind and distinctly set apart from all other beings. This, along with His perfection, means that all His attributes are exclusively experienced and expressed flawlessly and to their fullest measure. His eternality is no exception.

The words of the Lord echo with piercing weight: “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me” (Isa 46:9). Who else can utter such a magnificent claim? Who else can declare, “I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is and who was and who is to come” (Rev 1:8; cf. 21:6; 22:13)? Such a statement is reserved only for the one, true, Living God. Of course, much more could be said but this point can be summed up with the words uttered in the prayer of King David: “You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You” (2Sa 7:22).

 

So, What Now?

While such a reflection upon God can move us on to think more deeply about the One we worship and serve, is that the extent of what our efforts should be? Far be it from us that we become content with simply adding more information to a mental catalog. Though the eternality of God is a concept that soars far above our heads, still, there are practical implications that stem from such a lofty doctrine. As we conclude, allow me to express my desire and encouragement for you as you reflect upon this phenomenal truth:

• May the eternality of God drive a genuine fear of the Lord. It is with a sober perspective and humble posture that we approach such a doctrine, for God is not like you and me. As we contemplate this spectacular God, may our hearts melt within our chests on account of sincere reverence and awe.
• May the eternality of God produce in you more fervent worship. It’s been said, “the higher your theology, the higher your doxology.” Isn’t that true? The more that we learn about God, the more reasons we have to praise Him. I desire that your worship soars in light of such a profound doctrine.
• May the eternality of God drive you to forsake temporal pleasures that lead to an eternal hell. Sin alluringly promises great satisfaction but demands a tragically heavy cost. This world and its offerings cannot compare to the riches of eternity with God. How much more should the fleeting temptations of this life become bitter in view of such a sweet truth?
• May the eternality of God evoke a greater appreciation for the gospel. Your salvation is not merely a rescue from eternal judgment, but the gift of everlasting life. Your sins are not unfolding sequentially before God. He is not caught off guard by any offense. Each one has already been seen and paid for by the One who stepped into time to die for you, ensuring eternal forgiveness.
• May the eternality of God remind you to fix your eyes on the eternal joy to come. Never-ending joy is your reward because, in His presence, there is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). What comfort to know that the present toil is temporary, but the future prize is forever.

My friend, I hope that these encouragements spur you on as you advance in faithful service of the King eternal, knowing that soon we all will see Him face to face. Set your mind on the things above, serve hard, and suffer well for we’re but a short way off from enjoying eternity with Him.

 

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ENDNOTES

[1] Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 279.

[2] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 162.

[3] A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009), 39.

[4] Charnock, 285.

[5] Bavinck, 164.

[6] John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (Wheaton: IL, 2017), 172.

[7] Matthew Barrett, None Greater: The Undomes ticated Attributes of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019), 148.

[8] George Swinnock, The Incomparableness of God (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2020), 22.