Sunday, August 15, 2015
am
THINKING ABOUT ETERNITY
Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:11 said, “He
has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in
their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does
from beginning to end.”
Eternity is a subject we need to consider because it affects our –
eternity. And it is
something that everyone eventually considers, though not all accept the
same conclusion.
When it comes to eternity, I will readily admit it is something I do not
fully comprehend. But there
are things we are told about it in God’s word.
So with that in mind, this morning let us take a few moments to
consider some of what the Bible has to say about eternity.
a.
No matter what your
worldview might be, eternity is a question one has to address.
b.
Two choices – either
matter is eternal or it is not.
If matter is not eternal, then something outside of matter has to
be eternal.
c.
Everything about the
laws of nature implies that matter is NOT eternal.
This universe had to have a beginning at some point in time past.
WHAT existed prior to that time?
There is a “faith” inherent in atheism since there is not
scientific explanation for how the universe began.
d.
We believe that God
created this universe (Gen. 1:1) - being God He is outside of the
natural realm and His ways are past finding out “Oh, the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)
The existence of God is a plausible explanation for many things that
natural process cannot explain (General evolution, why man has the
ability to reason, where did the conscience come from, etc.)
Romans 1:20 tells us
that even His eternal power and Godhead are seen by the things made in
this world. We can witness
design in this universe. In
fact as science develops, the design becomes even more clear (consider
DNA, as well as the expanse of the universe and our place within the
vastness of this universe).
Hebrews 11:3, by faith we understand that the things the world were
framed by the word of God.
a.
Isaiah 57:15, “For
thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is
Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite
and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the
heart of the contrite ones.”
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the
Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.” (Isaiah 40:28, NKJV)
“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before
the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and
the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
(Psalm 90:1–2, NKJV)
Revelation 1:8 finds the Lord speaking and saying, ““I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and
who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
b.
His plans are eternal
-
Acts 15:18 – known to God from eternity are all His works
Eph. 3:10-11, the church is “according to His eternal purpose…
Ephesians 1:4 speaks of the godly being chosen “in Him before the
foundation of the world…”
1 Peter 1:17 speaks of Jesus being “foreordained before the foundation
of the world…”
Isaiah 45:21 in a passage where the Lord challenges an idolatrous nation
concerning their non-gods, “Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let
them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who
has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other
God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.”
a.
Genesis 2:7 – God
created man from dust and breathed life into his nostrils and man became
a living being.
b.
Ecclesiastes 12:5-7
speaks of man going to his eternal reward.
The dust returns to the ground and the spirit returns to God who
gave it. (Eccl. 3:21 tells
us the spirit of the sons of men goes upward, and the spirit of the
animal goes down to the earth.)
c.
1 Corinthians 15:50-55,
speaks of our mortal putting on immortality.
d.
Matt. 10:28 calls for us
to fear God who can destroy our souls in eternity
a.
2 Corinthians 5:7 says,
“For we walk by faith, not by
sight.”
Just prior to this, Paul said, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even
though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is
working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while
we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are
not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things
which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)
b.
Heb. 11:10, speaks of
Abraham obeying God and the reason is he waited for a city which has
foundations whose builder and maker is God.
c.
2 Tim. 1:12, I know whom
I have believed and am persuaded He is able to keep what I have
committed until that day.
d.
It is this hope that
keeps us going in spite of whatever we might face.
a.
The Christian realizes
that we are here to prepare for the next life.
This life is but a vapor that appears for a little while and then
vanishes away – James 4:14.
b.
The book of Ecclesiastes
was written to establish this thought.
c.
In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus
spoke of laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven.
d.
Our time here is limited
– it is designed to prepare us for eternity –
David said in Psalm 39”4-5, ““Lord, make me to know my end, And what
is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You
have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah”
Moses said, “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by
reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor
and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power
of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to
number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm
90:10–12)
e.
James reminds us that as
a flower of the field he will pass away (James 1:10)
a.
There is coming a day
when the natural world will end – 2 Peter 3:10-12.
It will happen at the word of God – 2 Peter 3:6-7 – the heavens
and earth are preserved by that same word.
b.
Hebrews 9:27 – we die
and then we face the judgment
c.
Matthew 25:46 – both the
righteous and wicked will be judged.
d.
John 5:28-29 – even
Jesus noted that the hour is coming when all who are in the grave will
be raised – both the good and the evil.
a.
Some religions teach
redemption. The doctrine of
purgatory is an example of this – it states that some (or all) will be
punished according to their deeds and then they will receive eternal
bliss in heaven. This is NOT
in the Bible.
b.
Luke 16:19-31 – the rich
man and Lazarus both die.
The rich man is in torments and sees Lazarus and pleads.
He is told “And besides all this, between us and you there is
a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you
cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’”
c.
Matthew 7:21-23 – in
that day many will “make their case” to no avail.
d.
Matthew 25:46 speaks of
both eternal life and torments.
e.
God commands repentance
NOW because He has appointed a day when the world will be judged – then
it will be too late! Acts
17:30-31
a.
We may not like the idea
of eternity or we may think it is unfair.
That is a discussion for another time, BUT we WILL live eternity
somewhere! That has been
emphasized throughout this lesson.
b.
Joshua 24:15 – Joshua
challenged the people to choose!
c.
Revelation 20:11-15
describes the great judgment yet to come.
ALL will be judged – small and great by their lives.
Anyone not prepared will be cast into the lake of fire (which is
eternal – Rev. 20:10).
d.
Solomon concluded the
book of Ecclesiastes saying, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For
God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14)
And
there you have a discussion of some of the things we need to consider
about eternity. You are
still here today. Therefore
your eternal state has not been determined.
In Matthew 19:16, a young ruler came to Jesus asking, “What shall
I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Sadly, he didn’t like the answer and went away sorrowful.
Jesus would later emphasize how commitment to Him, “And
everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother
or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a
hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)
Because we will face eternity,
let us do what He tells us to do to inherit eternal life.
As Paul told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay
hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have
confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1
Timothy 6:12) Are you prepared
for eternity?