FILE:GOD3A18Notes GRACE ASSEMBLY, SAN DIEGO, CA
3-A-GAC-01-21-18,Revised 012218
In the Beginning – the Existence of God
We will go to the “Beginning” to begin our discussion.
(Gen 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
God, H430'ĕlôhı̂ym. el-o-heem'
Beginning, H7225, rê'shı̂yth, ray-sheeth'
From the same as H7218; the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a firstfruit): - beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing.
We know that God existed before the “beginning.”
So, what is the beginning?
The beginning is the beginning of His Decree, His Plan, Psa 2:7.
God is of the eternal past. He always has been. So, beyond the beginning only God and His angelic host is known to us.
Beyond the “beginning” we know only that God existed plus His created angels.
(Job 38:1) Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
(Job 38:2) Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
(Job 38:3) Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
(Job 38:4) Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
(Job 38:5) Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
(Job 38:6) Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
(Job 38:7) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
How Big is God!
God is timeless in His own existence.
Psalm 90 contrasts God’s eternity with man’s frail and brief life.
Man must come to terms with the small number of his days in comparison to a holy, everlasting God.
(Psa 90:1) A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
(Psa 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.
(Psa 90:3) Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
(Psa 90:4) For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Similarly, in Job 36:26, Elihu says of God,
“(Job 36:26) Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.”
Or, simply, God is past finding out.
God’s years are innumerable and unending in contrast to man’s few years.
Measuring God: You can’t!
To God: 1000 years = 1 Day
Assuming that the Universe is a “sphere” and the travel of light is in a straight line, all of which is simplistic, we can make simple calculations. The Universe is 14,000,000,000 light years to its outer limit. That is, travelling at 186,000 miles per second, it would take that long in years to get there. This is also assuming that the earth is at the center of the sphere.
To convert that distance in light years to miles, we need to first change the speed of travel to miles per year.
Speed of Light: 186,000 miles per second
186,000 Miles per Second x 60 x 60 x 24 x 365.25 Seconds per Year =
186,000 Miles per Second x 31,557,600 Seconds per Year =
5.8697136 x 1012 Miles per Year
Distance to Edge of the Universe:
14 x109 Light Years x 5.870 x 1012 Miles per Year =
82.18 x 1021 Miles
82.18 x 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Miles, or
82,180,000,000,000,000,000,000 Miles
82.18 Sextillion Miles to the Edge of the Universe
How Big is Man!
Measuring Man:
(Psa 90:9) For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
(Psa 90:10) The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Man’s life is: 60 + 10 = 70 + 10 = 80 years.
Even Job laments that his days and months are determined by God, with time limits beyond which he cannot go.
(Job 14:5) Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
Eternal God – Before All Time
“As the Eternal God, we must acknowledge the fact that God created all things and that He himself is an immortal spirit. Before the creation of the universe, there was no matter, but then God created all things (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).
The study of physics tells us that matter, time, and space must all occur together. Without matter, there can be neither space nor time. Therefore, “time”—the succession of moments one after another—did not exist before God created the universe. But, before there was a universe or time, God always existed, without being influenced by time.”
“There are places in the Bible that refer to God existing or acting “before” there was any creation or any time. “For he [God the Father] chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight...” (Ephesians 1:4). In Jesus’ own words, His eternal splendor is expressed as He speaks of “the glory you [God] have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24).”
(Gen 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
(Joh 17:24) Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.