The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"From Everlasting"
Only of God can it be said that He exists "from everlasting." He alone exists eternally in the most complete sense. Other conscious beings, which He made, will forever exist in the future - "to everlasting" (Psalm 90:2; Ecclesiastes 3:14). Only the triune living and true Lord, however, can be referenced in terms of "from everlasting."
No truth more stills our minds than the eternality of God, particularly that He has always been. Because we exist as created beings who had a beginning, we have no frame of reference whatsoever for the everlasting "from" of our Lord. Of many realities about Him that bear witness to the truth that He is God and we are not, this distinction regarding His and our very existence takes a back seat to none. We can acknowledge and affirm the fact of our Lord's "from everlasting" existence, that is, the truth that He has always been. Beyond that, however, contemplation quickly begins to break down, leaving us with the most beneficial understanding, namely, that we cannot understand. "Thou art God alone" declared the Psalmist (Psalmist 86:10).
A race of beings long ago misled by the devilish lie that "ye shall be as gods" requires such truth to overcome the darkness with the truth that, as a good friend often suggests, "God is God, and we ain't! (Genesis 3:5). We need - and the Bible offers - much light about this most basic of truths. Of course, believers know in principle and doctrine that we are not God. Resident in our flesh, however, remains the deception that we can do what gods do, namely, govern our own existence and provide for our own needs. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit" (Galatians 5:17). We cannot, but we can seek to live as if we can. Indeed, every giving in to controlling fear of any sort bears witness to the fleshly deception that we think ourselves to be the arbiters of our destiny, whether short term or long term. By definition, those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ have committed to Him their well being. Succumbing to fear indicates something still remains in us that whispers or shouts, "ye shall be as gods." No, we will not, and the truth of God's eternal "from everlasting" confirms His ability to care for us - He has seen a thing or two :) - and our absolute need to trust Him for our present and future because God is God, and we are not.
A final point. Scripture does speak on one occasion to the most blessed of all God's from everlasting realities, namely, in terms of relationship. Just before the cross of Calvary, the Lord Jesus spoke these words to His Father: "Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). What was God doing when He alone existed? He was being who He is - "God is love" - and He was doing what He does by nature - "The Father loveth the Son… I love the Father… the fruit of the Spirit is love" (I John 4:8; John 3:35; 14:31; Galatians 5:22). Thus, a truth that stills the mind proceeds to thrill the mind with glories of loving devotion in the triune God that have always been, and will always be. Moreover, the Lord Jesus prayed the most wondrous of prayers for us regarding the "from everlasting" love of God that by grace will forever be our "to everlasting" experience of the most wondrous of answers...
"I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
(John 17:26)
"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."
(Romans 5:5)
"Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen."
(Psalm 41:13).
Weekly Memory Verse
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God."
(II Corinthians 3:5)
6819
No comments:
Post a Comment