Eternity

Temple Baptist Church - 7-24-2011

Psalm 23:6

Introduction:

A. In verse 6, we find the end of our finite life and the beginning of eternity. We are not here long and we have found that happiness is both knowing the Lord and living for the Lord. For Christ, who is our life, has promised both His care for us in this world and His care for us in the next. Eternity for each of us is quickly approaching so I believe that we need to live in light of it. Either we will die or the Lord will come and, in either case, eternity will begin for each of us.

B. Eternity is a subject that is beyond our comprehension. Everything that we see has both a beginning and an end. To fathom the endless boundlessness of eternity past or future is beyond our reasoning. It is a doctrine that must be grasped by faith alone.

C. One of the “devices” of Satan has been the development of “science falsely so called” does not recognized the concept of eternity. This man made science speculates and sets forth the beginning of the universe in the “Big Bang Theory” (a theory is an unproven hypothesis). This theory is absolute foolishness concocted in the minds of unsaved men who need a beginning without a God! Before allowing the following quote, I want to put out a little disclaimer: I am not a proponent of John Calvin and his doctrine of election and predestination but, as with all theologians, John Calvin does have some truth and made the following statement: “Nobody seriously believes the universe was made by God without being persuaded that He takes care of His works.” Manmade science is not true science. The word “science” means knowledge and manmade science is “theory!” Science: “A branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.”

D. “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER!” Between the pardon of the cross in Psalm 22 and the pronouncement of His coming in Psalm 24 is the promise of His eternal care in Psalm 23. I want to look at eternity through the eyes of the Bible for it is only through the Bible that eternity is revealed.


1. There Must Be An Eternal God! 1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (One of the most profound verses in the Bible is found in Psalms 90:2: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”)

a. The Bible declares that there is no chance or succession (none before Him and none after Him) with God. He is both infinite and infinitely the same. He is immortal and He is immutable! In this verse we find that “thou are God” is from infinity past to infinity future with no beginning, no end, and no interruption. He not only has life but John 5:16 declares that He is life!

b. The importance of this doctrine is found in several ways:

1) If God were not eternal, He could not be immutable in his nature; therefore He could not be trusted.

2) If God were not eternal, He could not be an infinitely perfect Being; therefore, He could not either expect nor could He give perfection.

3) If God were not eternal, He could not be omnipotent, almighty; therefore, He could not be depended upon in all circumstances.

4) If God were not eternal, God would not be the first cause of all; therefore, there are some things that He could not have done.

5) If God were not eternal, then the question of the infidel, “Who or what made God?” would be a valid one.

6) “He that cometh to God must believe that he is!” (Hebrews 11:6)
c. The doctrine is God is inexhaustible so we will leave it at this: God is God, God always has been, God always will be, and—therefore—He can be completely trusted!

2. If There Is An Eternal God, There Must Be An Eternal Heaven!

a. Heaven Is A Place Of Permanence - 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (I believe that I understand the interpretation of this verse. It speaks of an eternal body that will one day replace our temporal one but that body will be “eternal in the heavens!” Eternal means perpetual, endless, ceaseless: no beginning or end. Heaven has always been there and it always will be there! Nothing can or will destroy it. It will not decay or wax old. Eternity is beyond our comprehension but it is a reality. The “heaven of heaven is eternity” just as the “hell of hell is eternity.”)

b. Heaven Is A Place Of Perfection - Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Perfect in beauty; perfect in wonder; perfect in every aspect; absolutely perfectly perfect as only a wise, all knowing, perfect God can make it. No sin will corrupt it so it is a pure place. You and I will find no imperfections there. I love our home but, if I could rebuild it, I would make some changes because hindsight is often better than foresight. 100,000,000 millenniums from now, Heaven will still be just right! We will be forever satisfied with our “long home.”)

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

c. Heaven Is A Place Of Peacefulness - Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Revelation 22:1-3 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (3) And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (No more problems, sickness, no death, sin, or anything that will upset or annoy. Ours will be an eternity completely without any problems at all. All will be peace forever more.)

d. Heaven Is A Place Of Promise - John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (“ARE,” not were or will be. The Lord may have been a carpenter here on the earth but He is not “building” mansions it heaven!)

Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. (The antecedent of “one” is “continuing city.” “I go away to prepare a place for you” was the offering of His precious blood, not the building of a mansion. He shed His blood and then, as our High Priest, offered that eternal blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant in heaven. “That where I am, there ye may be also.”)

Conclusion: “I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever!” Since the Lord Jesus is there, it will be a precious place. Since it is the Father’s house, it will be absolutely perfect. Heaven is called a lot of things. Some call it heaven, some call it paradise, some call it dreaming, I call it home. One day, we will be at home, home at last.