Isaiah 48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. "The eternity and immutability of God are in their own nature inseparable, and axe so generally united in the Holy Scriptures that the passages which declare the one declare or imply the other also." I. GOD IS ETERNAL. 1. Reason itself claims this attribute for God. Nor was it unknown even to the heathens. , a follower of , proved God to be eternal, because He exists of Himself. Thales defined God to be a being without beginning and end; before all things; and who was never born. 2. What reason teaches, the Scriptures assert. They represent God's eternity to be — (1) An eternity of duration. (2) An eternity of perfection. "From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God!" All that is involved in that great name He always was, and always will be! II. GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE, eternally unchangeable. 1. Unchangeableness is an essential perfection of God. (1) In His existence He cannot cease to be (Psalm 102:27). (2) In His nature or essence. (3) In His purposes (chap. 46:10, 14:24). (4) In His promises to His people; in His threatenings against the wicked; and in all His predictions (Numbers 23:19). 2. All these declarations are in harmony with the teachings of Scripture and the conclusions of reason. (1) Scripture (Malachi 3:6; Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 46:10; James 1:17). (2) Reason. As God is self-existent, caused by none, He can be changed by none. As He is infinite in all His perfections, He cannot change, for nothing can be added to or taken from the infinite — any change would make Him less than infinite before or after. The unchangeableness of God is confirmed — (a) By the stability of His natural government. (b) By His moral government, and the identity of the several dispensations of grace. III. PRACTICAL LESSONS WHICH THIS GREAT SUBJECT TEACHES. 1. It assures us of the essential Divinity of the Christ. The application to our Lord of the terms here used by God to describe Himself, places His Deity beyond doubt (Revelation 1:8, 17; Revelation 22:13). 2. It assures us of the fulfilment of God s promises and the accomplishment of His plans. 3. It affords "strong consolation" amid all the trying changes of this mortal state. 4. It should stimulate us to seek stability of character (Hebrews 13:8, 9). 5. It should alarm the impenitent. (A. Tucker.) Parallel Verses KJV: Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.WEB: "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. |
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