BEN F. VICK, JR.
January of this new year, 2022, is almost over. It does not seem long ago that we were turning the calendar page to begin 2021, much less 2022. Time is fleeting. When one is young, the summers seem endless, but the years roll quickly past as one grows older. I want to give some thoughts on time and eternity.
Time began at creation. The evening and the morning were the first day. Before creation, there was no time. There will come a time when time shall be no more (Rev. 10:6). The last trumpet will sound. The heavens, earth, and everything therein will be burned up (2 Peter 3:12). No ticking clocks nor watches to hear or view. No clocking in or out of work. No meeting deadlines. No appointments. No birthdays. No anniversaries. We are beings of time, but there will come a point in which eternity will begin with us.
Contrary to time, eternity never began, nor will it ever end. Lloyd-Jones quoted someone who said, “Time writes no wrinkle on the brow of the Eternal.” (Preaching and Preachers, p.51.) The word “eternity” is found in the King James Version only once. Isaiah wrote, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isa. 57:15)
The Word who later became flesh (John 1:1,14) is called “the everlasting Father” (Isa. 9:6). Though the word “father” is sometimes used in the Bible for a teacher, here the meaning is, literally, “the Father of eternity.” It is said that he who possesses a thing is called the father of it. For instance, the father of strength denotes one who is strong, the father of knowledge indicates intelligence, or the Father of glory expresses that He is glorious. The description, “the everlasting Father,” does not refer to God the Father who became Jesus the Son who returned to heaven and became the Holy Spirit. Such a view is foreign to the Bible.
Micah prophesied, “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2.) “Goings forth” means origin, of old, ancient past; here before creation. Lexham Theological Wordbook defines this word by saying, “This term means ancient past. It can be used to describe God as eternal in the sense of existing from before the beginning of time.”
The Psalmist sang, “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psa. 90:1-2.) Paul referred to the everlasting God: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” (Rom.16:25-26.) Alexander Campbell, in his debate with Skinner, wrote:
…the only word that expresses simple duration without end in the New Testament is aion, the roots of which are aei, and oon, being always existing. The adjective formed from it, more naturally than any other word in Greek, expresses the always being or duration of the substantive with which it stands in construction. While other adnouns [adjectives used as nouns] or epithets speak of other qualities of the things defined, this word regards simple existence, being, or duration alone….
--Debate on Everlasting Punishment, p. 131.
God identified Himself to Moses at the burning bush as “I Am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (Ex. 3:6.) Jesus quoted this verse to the Sadducees and added, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (Matt. 22:32.) God did not say: I was the God of Abraham…. God is eternal, everlasting. He has no beginning and no end. He always was, He is, and He always will be. To the Jews, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58.) Earlier in his conversation with these Jews, Jesus said, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24.) Carefully note that the “he” is in italics. A word placed in italics in the King James Version denotes the translators added it because they thought it helped complete the thought; however, in some cases, the italicized word does not help. This is the case with “he” in this verse. “I am” in reference to God indicates eternal. He is everlasting, no beginning and no end.
Concerning the promises of God, time means nothing. The scoffers say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4.) A part of Peter’s inspired response was, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8.) To the eternal God, a promise made a thousand years ago is no different than if he had made it today. God keeps his promises, unlike man.
Sometimes we use accommodative language in speaking of eternity. We say or sing of spending eternity. However, one cannot consume it; it will not wear or pass away. Eternity is forever and ever. There will be a separation of the wicked from the righteous at the final judgment. The closing sentence in the parable of the judgment scene reads: “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matt.25:46.) If life eternal is unending, then everlasting punishment is unending. If everlasting punishment means annihilation, then life eternal means annihilation. The English terms “everlasting” and “eternal” are from the same Greek word (αἰώνιος). What one means, the other means. That is “ungetoverable.”
How are you redeeming the time? Where will you be when eternity begins for you?