"The Eternal Nature Of The Son" Series

“YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.” 10 And, “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 11 THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, 12 AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.” 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? NASB

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 10 He also says, “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” 13 To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? NIV

The writer is finishing up his present point, which he has been building on since verse 4, that Christ is better than the angels. But let us not think of this as a comparison of values or worth. The only comparisons that can be made between the angels and the Son are infinite in dimension.

He is the Son of God; they are servants. He is the Creator, they are created. He is addressed as ‘God’ by God the Father. They are ministering spirits sent forth to render service to those who will inherit salvation; He is the Savior.

It is not to the angels that the world to come is subjected, as the writer will point out in chapter 2. The Son is worshiped by the angels, something that is not only their duty but their delight!

No, there can be no comparison, there can only be the distinction between God and the companions He has made for Himself.

I want to tell you in advance what we’re going to be talking about so you will know what the focus is going to be throughout, then we’ll take a step back and look at this picture.

We are going to see today that our Lord is eternal. We are going to talk about why His eternality is the greatest of all assurances and comforts for us. We are going to find out why His love for righteousness and hatred for lawlessness both condemns us absolutely and secures and establishes us completely in His grace forever.

We have made the point that He is greater than the angels and the prophets, so let’s lay that to rest and just look at Him and His eternal nature today.

First then,

HIS ETERNALITY

“The eternity of God is involved in His self-existence. He is uncaused. Therefore He must be without beginning. He transcends the whole chain of causes and effects. Therefore He can never cease to be.” God the Creator and Lord of All – Dr. Samuel Harris

The eternality of God cannot be taught without teaching His immutability – His unchangeableness. Lewis Sperry Chafer, in his Systematic Theology, briefly explains it this way:

“In no sphere or relationship is God subject to change. He could not be less than He is, and, since He fills all things, He could not be more than He is. He could be removed from no place, nor is His knowledge or holiness subject to change.” Systematic Theology Lewis Sperry Chafer, Dallas Seminary Press, Dallas Tx., 1947

Our text verses quote Psalm 102 which even the ancient Jews recognized as a Messianic Psalm.

“I say, ‘O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, Thy years are throughout all generations. Of old Thou didst found the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end.” Ps 102:24-27

There are other passages where God says the same of Himself: