Eternity: Part 1

.ETERNITY: PART I

Summary Scripture:

Ephesians 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Regardless as to where this chapter appears in this book, it was the last one written. It took what seems to have been forever to pin the visions and words I received from the Father. Nevertheless, I know what I saw and I know what I heard. Therefore, the purpose of this lesson is to bring us to the mind of Christ in our perception of salvation. For though we have received much knowledge on the subject, we have yet to truly comprehend this great mystery. I truly believe that once we truly understand this work of God, and embrace it, nothing will be withheld from us. The mountain will move and the greater works ministry will truly be manifest. Let us start with the schoolmaster.

Isaiah 57:15

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.

Let us be careful to extract from this passage all that is rendered unto us. God’s dwelling place is high and holy. He uses these words as a contrast to the earth. In other words, His dwelling is high or above the earth. It is holy in contrast to the sinful state of the earth. But more so, His dwelling place is in eternity; where there is no beginning or end. We must also voice this considering all scripture. Our Father is an eternal God. He has no beginning and no end. This is an attribute of eternity. But the point I want to make here is that He never leaves eternity, or rather He never ceases to be eternal. He is a spirit and His Spirit is not of this world, which is a natural environment. This world was created by Him. He was not created, He is and was and will always be.

The Spirit of God is also known as the Holy Ghost; and the Holy Ghost is also known as the Kingdom of God. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). The Kingdom of God is inclusive of all that exists. However, a natural environment of ‘time and chance’ was created for the purpose of God. That environment is the world, the abode of man. Though the earth is the Lord’s He made it as a place for man to live out the contents of their hearts; whether to love, serve worship and obey God or not. As David said, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, (the fleshy body); and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (The giving of the Holy Ghost). Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:3-6). How is this possible? This indeed is a question that begs to be answered. But to do so, we must first accept some uncommon truths. Uncommon to the present Body of Christ, that is. But it is most interesting that God’s testimony is He also dwells in this high and holy place with the humble and contrite ones. Of course, this refers to the sons of God; for they have been made to sit with Christ in a heavenly place. That heavenly place is the Holy Ghost. Consider these scriptures and in doing so, the highlighted points.

Ephesians 2:1-2

1 And you hath he quickened, (revived or made alive); who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

We might want to consider ‘in time past’ not only means ‘past’ but the Greek word used in this passage also means ‘aforetime’ or ‘before time.’ When we stop to really think about it, the testimony of the Father concerning His foreknowledge of the sons, implies we would have to have existed before time; and that existence was more than just in the mind of God as we have previously supposed. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). Predestination is based on the foresight and foreknowledge of God. It allows God to know beforehand the spiritual disposition of His creation and all who will live upon the earth.

Example: Predestination

Romans 9:10-13

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

These boys had done no good nor evil in this world, but one was loved and the other hated by God. How is it possible to hate someone whom you do not know? God knew them and because He knew them, He could predetermine certain events or roles they would play in His redemption plan.

Romans 9:14-16

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Now this too, is an interesting fact: “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy…” We must place this act of God in the proper context. Up to this point, it might be one we have never considered.

2 Timothy 1:9

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, According to this passage, grace and purpose were given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

What does this mean? Could it be we existed before time, or before God created this world? Theologians explain this to be a thought in the mind of God. In other words, we only existed as a thought. However, scripture clearly places us in Christ before the world.

Ephesians 1:4

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Please don’t miss this awesome revelation here. Purpose and mercy were bestowed upon us before the world began.

Ephesians 3:9-11

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Is it possible when Christ prayed in the Garden before His crucifixion, saying, “give me the glory that I had with thee before the world was . . .” that He was referencing the fact that the church was in Him then (before time)? And now after He has paid the price for our redemption, it is manifest in the earth that we are in Him and He is in us.

2 Timothy 1:10

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

“Eternal life’ which was found in Christ before the foundations of the world, is manifested in the earth by the preaching of the gospel.

Now moving forward, let us consider the explanation given for this act of predestination, which is God choosing His elect before He made the world.

Romans 9:19-24

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

It seems God wanted us to know His true character and temperament. He wanted us to know how He really felt about sin and any form of disobedience and unbelief. We are the vessels of mercy prepared afore. This means we were fashioned to be sons before time. But to live in this hostile environment also made manifest the riches of God’s glory working in us. God foresaw that His sons will choose to serve Him no matter what. He chose us because He was already pleased with what he saw in eternity. He saw souls who would live sinless and glorify God in our sufferings. Therefore, in eternity He chose us and in the world, He called us to come forth out of the darkness and manifest the light He had ordained in us before time ever was.

Titus 1:1-3

1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

God promised the elect eternal life before the world was. First, John 5:7 reminds us there are three that bear record in Heaven and these three are One. The 11th verse goes on to say, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son.” This record was written before the world was formed. Along with the record of the promises of God, was the recording of the names of all those who would be heirs of salvation. Consider these two passages.

Philippians 4:3

3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Revelation 3:5

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

The names of the saints are already in the Book of Life; but they can be blotted out.

Revelation 17:8

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Revelation 20:15

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The names of those who would be heirs of salvation were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before God ever made the world.

2 Timothy 2:16-19

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

18Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The things that were done in eternity past stand sure. God knows those who are His because their names are written in the Book of Life. Yes, this is true. But it is also true that every son of God is of God and in God. Therefore, if the faith of some are overthrown, this too was known by the Father.

2 Timothy 2:20-21

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Again, the question is, “Why?” Well, let’s look at our base scripture again.

Isaiah 57:15-16

15 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.

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

God knew the spirit and souls of men would fail before Him. He is omniscient or all-knowing.

Isaiah 57:17-19

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

God saw all the ways of men before they ever were. But He was angry only for a season. He always planned to redeem His creation. We are tried and tested and put through many afflictions for the trying of our faith and the proof of worthiness.

The bottom- line . . . we are the sons of God, created in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the world. This means we are creatures of another kingdom. We are not of this world, but live in the Kingdom of God. Our citizenship is in heaven. We are eternal beings and we inhabit eternity with the only true and Living God, so that principalities in heavenly places might know the manifold wisdom of our God.

REFERENCE SCRIPTURES:

1 Peter 1:13-25

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.