Purpose: To focus on the eternal nature of God.
Aim: I want the listener to marvel at God's greatness because He is eternal.
INTRODUCTION: Abraham received two amazing promises from God: he would have a son in his old age and his descendents would inherit a land that would belong to them forever. Genesis 48:4 and He said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.' (NAU)
As we come to Genesis Chapter 21 Abraham had finally received the son that God has promised. Abraham and his wife Sarah had to wait almost 25 years after God promised a son before Isaac was born. Abraham and Sarah not only had to wait a long time, they had to wait for the impossible to happen--Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.
No doubt, it had been a difficult 25 years, but now the new parents were enjoying their new baby son. Genesis 21:5--8 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. (NAU)
Remember though, that God had also promised Abraham that his descendents (through Isaac) would inherit the country they were living in to be their very own, but Abraham and his family were still living in tents.
For the time being Abraham dug a well and pitched his tent in a place he named Beersheba. This would later be known as the most southern town in Israel. It appears from the next chapter that Abraham and his family lived in Beersheba for at least 15 years.
In verse 33, we find a new name for God: "The Everlasting God" or the Hebrew name: "El Olam = (Genesis 20:13); God of eternity; KJV the everlasting God. The God without a beginning; the God who never will cease to be; the God who will never grow old; the God to whom eternity is what present time is. Describes God as He who extends beyond our greatest vision of who we think God is (no matter how great our concept of God is, He is always greater)." [1]
The fact that God is eternal is a difficult idea to understand. How long is forever? We may joke and say nothing lasts as long as a new breakfast cereal you can't stand or nothing wears as long as that ugly carpet whose hideous color you hate. Someone else put it this way: Nothing on this earth lasts forever--with the possible exception of public broadcasting pledge weeks. These things may seem eternal, but we know that they aren't.
Only God is really eternal. Since God is eternal, He is not limited by the constraints of time. He has no beginning, no end. He is never in a hurry and He is never late. The past, present, and future are all the same to God. This also means that nothing could ever take God by surprise, and that God has never learned anything since He has eternally known everything. Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (NAU)
"God's sovereignty extends through the passing of time and beyond our ability to see or understand." [2]
An illustration may help us. Picture a large table with dozens of various objects scattered all over it. Imagine how an ant would view the things on this table. It would crawl to one object and explore it and then move on to the next object. We could say that the ant would go from one thing or event to the next on that table. We, on the other hand, could look down on the table and see everything all at one time.
As we go through life, we experience it as a series of events, one after the other. God, though, sees everything all at once. This helps us to understand a little of what God meant when he told us that "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8--9 NAU)
It was this knowledge of God that prepared Abraham for the test that he would go through in the next chapter where God will ask him to sacrifice his only son. An eternal God can do anything: Genesis 22:8 Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. (NAU) Habakkuk 1:12 Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. .... (NAU)
I. How did El-Olam Change Abraham?
"Abraham already knew El Elyon ("God Most High"--14:19, 22) and El Shaddai ("God Almighty, the All-Sufficient One"--17:1); but now he had a new name to use in his worship. It is important as we go through life that we learn more and more about God so we can worship Him better." [3]
Every time Abraham learned something new about God, it was exactly what he needed to know at that time. God is all we need.
When was the last time you learned something new about God? If that is not exciting to you then heaven would bore you.
James Strahan said, "Men are not to be judged by the presence or absence of faults, but by the direction of their lives" [4] What direction is you life going? What is different today compared to what you were like last year at this time?
Gen.21:22-24 A. Abraham promised to do right "not deal falsely"
Abraham had given Abimelech good reason not to trust him. In chapter 20 Abraham lied and said that Sarah was his sister for fear that Abimelech would kill him in order to get his wife.
It is exciting to watch Abraham grow in his walk with God. He left a pagan land when God told him too, but he struggled with being honest, and being a good leader at times. Now we see Abraham showing a very mature and humble attitude as he works through some problems with a pagan leader.
Gen.21:25-32 B. Abraham claimed a down payment on God's promise "the well"
Some of Abimelech's servants had taken possession of a well that Abraham had dug, so there was a problem between the two men.
God had promised the entire land of Canaan (now called Israel) to Abraham, but he knew that God hadn't given it to him yet. Here we find that Abraham took possession of a well as a very small down payment on what God would give later.
Beersheba means "the well of the oath" or "the well of the seven." God has made promises with us, too. Eternal promises are only good if they come from an eternal God.
The Lord has promised an eternal inheritance in His presence to all who embrace the forgiveness that Jesus purchased on Calvary. While we are here on earth waiting for the completion of our salvation the Lord has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment or proof that we will also get the rest of God's promises. Ephesians 1:13--14 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. (NAU)
Do you sense that the Holy Spirit lives inside of you? Do you feel his comfort during a trial? Do you experience an understanding of the Bible that you know didn't come from you? Do you feel the Holy Spirit's conviction when you sin? If you do, then rejoice in the proof that one day you will be in the fullness of God's presence.
Gen.21:33-34 C. Abraham showed his faith "planted a tree...called on...the Everlasting God...sojourned ...many days"
Our time waiting for the promise should be spent serving and worshiping the everlasting God.
The tree that Abraham planted (or it could have been a grove of trees) would be watered by the well he had just purchased.
Abraham planted this tree (or trees) as proof that he believed in God's long-term promise to him. Abraham would probably never benefit from a tree that he planted in his old age, but it showed that he believed that one day his descendents would enjoy it.
Now Abraham had something more permanent than a tent--he has something invested in the land.
"Abraham's covenant with Abimelech only guaranteed possession of a well that provides water to sustain life. God's covenant with His people guarantees that we have the living water that gives everlasting life to all who will trust the Savior!" [5]
II. Is Jesus Christ Everlasting?
A. The Old Testament called Christ everlasting
Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (NAU)
Micah 5:2 "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity." (NAU)
B. Jesus claimed to be e everlasting
John 8:38 "I speak the things which I have seen with My Father..." (NAU)
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." (NAU)
C. The New Testament declared Jesus to be everlasting
John 1:1--2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (NAU)
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. (NAU)
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (NAU)
III. Why is it Important that God is Everlasting?
What difference can this truth about God make in our everyday lives?
A. El-Olam's protection is perfect
Circumstances, persecution, or sin may drag us down but an everlasting God cannot let us down.
Deuteronomy 33:26--27 "There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He drove out the enemy from before you, and said, 'Destroy!' (NAU)
Isaiah 40:28--31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (NAU)
B. El-Olam's plans are certain
Isaiah 46:9--10 "Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure'" (NAU)
C. El-Olam's rewards are secure
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations. (NAU)
Psalm 103:17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, (NAU)
John 10:28--29 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (NAU)
D. El-Olam's rejection is eternal
Matthew 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (NAU)
Matthew 25:46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (NAU)
Revelation 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (NAU)
CONCLUSION: Maybe the reason God seems so distant to you is that you don't know much about Him. Maybe the reason you aren't interested in spending a lot of time praying and worshiping God is because you really aren't that familiar with the everlasting God of the Bible.
Charles Spurgeon encourages us with these words:
"What we call past, present, and future, He wraps up in one eternal NOW. And if you say that He loves you now, you thereby say that He loved you yesterday, He loved you in the past eternity, and He will love you forever; for now with God is past, present, and future."
Our God, Our Help In Ages Past by Isaac Watts
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
There is no fear of the future for those who trust the God who is already there.
[1]Stelman Smith and Judson Cornwall, The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names, 82 (North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos, 1998).
[2]Chad Brand, Charles Draper, Archie England et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1172 (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003).
[3]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, 91 (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996).
[4]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, 91 (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996).
[5]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, 92 (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996).
