THE WORD—ETERNAL

The Word of God takes its character from the One who gave it—the eternal unchangeable God: “all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever”, vv. 7, 8. Again, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven”, Psa. 119. 89. This Word of God was not given in a time of emergency, just to meet an unforeseen contingency. Rather our God is One who knows the end from the beginning, therefore His Word will need no alteration or amendment. As the psalmist says, “his commandments are sure”. There is no uncertainty or doubt. In Genesis 1. 26, we read, “God said, Let us make man in our image”, but this was only bringing into operation what He had said in eternity. And so throughout the Word.

All human literature becomes out of date, as men’s thoughts change in the light of increasing knowledge. But God’s Word will never be out of date, it will continue unchanged for “ever and ever”. W. E. Gladstone, one-time premier of Great Britain, spoke of it as “the impregnable rock of Holy Scripture”. Opponents of the Bible have hammered at it for centuries, but they have gone, and the Word remains. Their little hammers made no impression on the rock.

The eternal character of His Word gives stability to every promise that He has made. He never alters His Word. When the Lord Jesus said of His sheep, “I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish”, John 10. 28, He spoke a word which will remain valid “for ever and ever”. And when He said, “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”, He had eternity in view, 6. 37.

The N.T. emphasizes this truth: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”, Matt. 24. 35; “the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”, 1 Pet. 1. 23; “the word of the Lord endureth for ever”, v. 25. In Revelation 19. 11-13, we see One coming from heaven to deal with the final revolt of men prior to the commencement of the millennium. The past has been a sad story of unbelief, denial and rebellion. Now in verse 13 the One who comes is called “the Word of God”. As men had tried to get rid of the written Word, so they had tried to banish the Living Word, and it is in that character that He comes. God will have the last word.