Everlasting God

Introduction

Welcome: Bridge Church: Mission and Vision Statement

Spending time in God’s Names - more than a title but God’s name plays an important unique role in the scriptures. His name embodies His nature; attributes; totality of His being.

His Glory is reflected in His Name

Psalm 8:1 “O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”

Psalm 111:9 “He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.”

Yet how many times have we used His name in vain?

Exodus 20:7 ““You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”

Taking God’s name in vain is more than using it as a swear word - because of the greatness of His name, any use of God’s name that brings dishonor to Him or His character is taking His name in vain!

For us Christians who take His name as part of our identity take His name in vain when we deliberately disobey His commands

We are called to Honor His name at all times - Matthew 6:9 ““Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”

God's Name is to be hallowed, to be sanctified, to be consecrated, to be made holy, to be set apart (not just in our head but in our heart, in our lives of loving, Spirit filled obedience!).

And so by focusing on God's Great and Glorious Names is ever how we are to begin our prayers, our petitions, our supplications, our requests, our cries for assistance!

And so we must know what God teaches about His Great Name.

For this reason we must study in depth the Names of God, not just knowing the Names "superficially" (e.g., knowing a specific title such as Jehovah Jireh, as excellent as that title is) but knowing His Names intimately, "Biblically"

This morning we get to know the Everlasting God!

Message Title: Everlasting God

Genesis 21:22–34 “Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do; now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.” Abraham said, “I swear it.” But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized. And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today.” Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?” He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well.” Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.”

Alot happened in Abrahams life in the span of 4 years. Genesis 20 Abraham traveled and settled in Gerar, came before King Abimelech and repeated same mistake as in Egypt - called Sarah his sister.

God comes to Abimelech in a dream - you’re a dead man if your touch Sarah because she is married; Abimelech pleads and says he is blameless b/c not touch her and not informed she was married. Genesis 20:6 “Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.”

Genesis 21 Isaac is born and Ishmael and Hagger depart

We see here God is blessing Abraham and Sarah and Abimelech comes to Abraham

Abimelech = title rather than actual name - comes to Abraham for assurance that Abraham would not deal falsely with him - Abrahams deception led to a lack in trust.

v22 God is with you in all you do… = amazing testimony of Abraham — not let a lapse in faith to stop him from serving and honoring God!

Abraham got right with God and made a new beginning!

James Strahan “Men are not to be judged by the presence or absence of faults, but by the direction of their lives”

God is willing to bless when we are in the place of blessings!

Water = precious commodity - especially in the Holy Land - today we have various irrigation methods but in Abrahams day = wells and had to guard them

Abraham had a well and Abimelech’s men siezed it but Abimelech knew nothing of it.

The two made a covenant — more than an oath b/c covenant meant slaying animals

Abraham went further and offered 7 ewe lambs as living witnesses that the well he dug was his and the water belonged to him!

Abraham gave the ewe lambs to Abimelech = receipt that he owned the well

Well named Beersheba = Well of Oath —> another witness to the transaction

This entire transaction involved three elements = sacrifice; witness and promise

Same three elements found in God’s covenant to us through Jesus:

Sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; Witness of the Spirit within the believer; Promise of God’s Word!

Abraham’s covenant with Abimelech guaranteed possession of a well that provides water to sustain life but God’s covenant with His people guarantees we have the living water that gives everlasting life!

We all need assurance; desire dependability —> always good to get something with a guarantee = knowing it something goes wrong —will be replaced or money back! = Peace of Mind

God is the best guarantee —because He is Everlasting! Marketing class back in the early 2000’s and studying Kia Motor’s because of their long warranties - said its great but what happens if the car company goes under?

God’s Guarantee are based on Himself the Everlasting God!

v.33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.”

After all this Abraham called on a new name of God — El Olam!

El-Olam = Everlasting; lasting forever for an indefinite period

It is therefore fitting that God's revelation as the Everlasting God who serve as a reminder of the unbreakable, everlasting nature of the covenant God had cut with Abraham

We have seen that the name Jehovah is taken from the verb Hayah, which means “I am that I am.” Jehovah is the God of the present tense. El Olam is the everlasting God, the God of the future, who “will be what I will be.”

By calling on God as El Olam, Abraham was calling on the One Who is always and eternally available to us....People today need just such a God as the eternal, unchangeable Lord, El Olam.

By calling on God as El Olam, Abraham was calling on the One who is always and eternally available to us. To use modern theological language, he called upon the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent God-the God who is eternally changeless. People today need just such a God as the eternal, unchangeable Lord, El Olam. We call on Him because

Psalm 25:6 “Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.”

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

Abraham planted a Tamarisk Tree = a long lived, evergreen, a fitting symbol of the covenant Abraham made with Abimelech. In Zech 3:10 dwelling under one's tree was a sign of peaceful security.

These trees also required a supply of water and thus this act by Abraham indicated the fact that he was secure concerning his right to that parcel of land and had faith that God would provide water in what was otherwise a desert like area.

The tree would also function as a marker of one of Abraham's sites of worship and as a memorial or memory aid to the acts of God

Abraham memorialized God as the source of his prosperity. It also demonstrated his rootedness in the land where he indeed stayed “many days

His Love is Everlasting

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

Isaiah 54:10 ““For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Infinite; immeasurable distance = complete removal = complete forgiveness

Micah 7:19 “He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea.”

Because of HIs Love and Grace is Everlasting — will never run out toward us! When He forgives - its everlasting forgiveness!

At forgiveness our sins have no power or control over us! No bearing on our salvation!

We are no longer judged by our sins (Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” ), and that fact frees us to live life in a way that pleases God. When we fear judgment, ironically, we are tempted to sin even more, because we want to escape from the fear of judgment, and sin is often pleasurable for a time (see Hebrews 11:25 “choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,” ).

But, eventually, the fear of judgment returns. This is a vicious cycle. Spiritual growth requires that we recognize the total forgiveness that exists in Jesus Christ and that we rest in that forgiveness.

His Faithfulness Is Everlasting

Dependability is Desirable! We desire long lasting things; relationships and life!

Marketing = Cheap vs Inexpensive one is low cost and quality and the other is low cost and quality!

Example = phone charger cable from wish

God is Dependable! God is Faithful!

”Wells would disappear, trees would be cut down, ewe lambs would grow up and die, altars would crumble, and treaties would perish; but the Everlasting God would remain.

This Everlasting God had made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants (Ge 17:7, 13, 19), and He had given them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession (Ge 17:8; 48:4).

As Abraham faced the coming years, he knew that God would not change and that “underneath [were] the everlasting arms” (Deut 33:27-note).

Lamentations 3:22–25 “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.”

2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

Hebrews 13:5–6 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?””

Everlasting God

El Olam - Everlasting; lasting forever for an indefinite period

We all desire things to last; have dependability - longevity - from purchases to relationships

Isaiah 40:28 “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.”

Everlasting Love

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

Isaiah 54:10 ““For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

1 Corinthians 13:8 “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.”

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,”

Everlasting Faithfulness

God is unchanging, reliable, true to His Word, His promises and His character

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.”

Lamentations 3:22–25 “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.”

2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

Hebrews 13:5–6 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?””

Psalm 117:1–2 “Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!” “