The Eternal God, the Everlasting God
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). Smith, S., & Cornwall, J. (1998). The exhaustive dictionary of Bible names (82). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos.
In Gen 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he worshiped the Lord, the Everlasting God.
I don't know if this analogy will hold up or not, but as I was sitting here watching the cursor blink at me...the thought came to me that each name of God is a little like slowly turning a gloriously magnificent diamond and gazing at the diamond and watching the light dance as it hits each facet of the dazzling gem. Each facet reveals something extraordinary about the diamond, some are more striking than the others, but each facet is beautiful in its own right! I believe that it is a little like that with the names of God...some, like Yahweh will absolutely leave us breathless and in awe, but each one reveals something vital about our creator, something precious about our Father.
The eternal, everlasting nature of our heavenly Father is one of those beautiful facets of our creator that we tend to think about a lot when we are children, but we give up on as adults. Every 4 or 5 year old that is presented with the information that God always was and always will be gets a puzzled look on their face and will hit you with a barrage of how's and why's.
The answer that has always worked for me is..."God is the uncaused cause, the uncreated one...God was not created and HE created everything that is." It is so much fun to watch their little faces walk away with such a look of satisfaction:) Just kidding! The eternal nature of God is a little like trying to comprehend the omnipresence of God. Because you and I have always been limited by time and space it is very difficult to grasp that there is one who transcends both space and time.
In the Psalms and throughout God's Word HE speaks clearly to HIS eternal nature. In Psalm 90:2 we see that, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. El-Olam existed before time began and HE will continue when HE brings the current age to an end. All history is HIS story and is but a few days compared to eternity. El-Olam transcends time and history. HE is present in time with us, but in no way is HE bound by time like we are. In part that is what is so mind blowing about the incarnation...How can we forget Isaiah 9:6, "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Jeremiah 10:10 But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
It is very good news that our Abba, our Everlasting Father is El-Olam, it is glorious that HE "is the everlasting King!." Praise HIM and rejoice in knowing that “HIS kingdom will last forever, and that HIS rule and dominion will last through all generations.” El-Olam is able to establish and keep everlasting covenants with His people as we see in Gen. 9:16. In Deuteronomy 33:27 HE is revealed as our eternal refuge.
It is absolutely glorious that Jesus, Immanuel (God with us) will always protect HIS OWN. El-Olam is the only one who can make good on the promise of eternal life...it is because HE is El-Olam we can trust that HIS promises will stand throughout eternity!
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
What is eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly in John 17:3, "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." This brings us back to the purpose of studying the names of God...to know HIM intimately...to know HIM and make HIM known!
As we gaze and behold the beauty of El-Olam the natural response of the heart of one of HIS children should be delight, joy, worship and adoration.
Like Abraham let's worship the LORD, the everlasting God...El-Olam! Do you hear HIS voice as you gaze? DO you hear HIS voice as you behold HIS beauty?
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
pursuing HIM through HIS names!
love,
m