Eternity is time without beginning and without ending. Time could have had no beginning and can have no end. Because we cannot reason back to a time which was not preceded by time. If we think billions of years farther back still, we can say that time was before that. We could go back an infinitude of billions of years and still could say that there was time before that. So, we may conclude that time had no beginning, that time has always been, that the past stretches to eternity. The same is true of the future. It cannot end. It must go on forever. I cannot imagine a future that will not have time after that time. So we can see time is without beginning and without ending, always has been and always will be. This is eternity.

Now if we were talking about God we could say the same things about God as we say about time. God is eternal: God owes his existence to no one. No one originated him and no one sustains him. Nor does he owe his existence and continuance to any condition or thing. It is part of Gods very nature to exist. In this he is totally different from any other being. All other beings have been dependent on someone else for their coming into existence, but their continued existence as long as it will last depends on God. He is the only self-existent being in the universe. Reason recognizes this to be true where it demonstrates that he is the first cause and therefore causeless self-existent. I would like to review some scriptures that support the fact that God is from everlasting to everlasting. The first one is Isaiah 57:15 [For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.] Webster’s dictionary defines contrite as greiving and penitent from sin or shortcoming. Psalms 41:13 [Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.] Psalm 93:2 [Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.] Psalms 103:17 [But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;] Psalms 106:48 [Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.]

No one knows when God decided to bring forth creation. We know that God needs nothing to support his existence. He would have been happy and would have been in well-being, had he never created anyone or anything. He is thus in and of himself sufficient for existence, happiness and well-being. His reason for bringing creation into existence was not his need of creation. But his desire to bless creatures. God’s pleasure in dispensing blessings and not any need of others on his part was his reason for his works of creation. St. Paul testifies in Acts 17:25 [Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;]

In Deuteronomy we read [The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.]

Concerning things that are revealed we know that the beginning of creation started with God’s only direction creation. His only begotten son, the word of God, the Logos. For scriptual support of this fact we can turn to Revelations 22:13 where we read [I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.]

Next we will look at Revelation 21:6 [And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.]

And also Revelations 1:8 [I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.]

For further support of the fact that Jesus in his pre-human condition as the Logos was the first and only direct creation of God we turn to Colossians 1:15, 16 [Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:]

Next we shall turn to Proverbs 8:22-30 [The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;]

Also I would like to read from John 1:1,2,3 [In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.]

From these scriptures that we have just gone over we can see that the Logos was the only direction creation of God and that the Logos was the beginning of creation. Everything else that exists in all the universe is of the Father thru the Son. The Logos brought forth the heavenly host under the fathers supervision. Then the Logos and all spirit beings worked together to bring forth the world of matter.

We have no clue as to how the world of spirit beings dwelled with God and his only begotten son before they began the work of bringing forth the world of matter which composes the visible part of the universe. The stars, planets and moons that we see. We do know that the world of matter was brought into existence through the combined efforts of the Logos and the angels under God’s supervision.

The Bible doesn’t offer much on the creative process until the time came to start to bring order on the newly formed Earth that was still cooling from its creative process.

For an account of bringing order to the Earth we can turn to the first chapter of Genesis and the first 3 verses of Genesis 2.

It might seem strange that God should rest the creative work at a point where it seemed just ready for completion. But the whole matter opens before us when we see that God rested his work of creation, he ceased to create. In his wisdom he foresaw that his designs would best be executed by another means, God saw best to permit his creature Adam to exercise his free will and fall under temptation into sin and its legitimate penalty death – including a long period of 600 years of dying and battling as a convict with an evil environment. God saw best to permit him as a convict to do a part of subduing the Earth. To help bring it as a whole toward its foretold paradise condition. Man should realize too the principals underlying divine righteousness and exceeding sinfulness of sin, and thus be prepared for the grace to be brought to the world in due time. For in due time God sent forth his only begotten son.

Now I would like to turn your attention to Psalms 8:3,4 [When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?]

Now we’ll turn to John 3:16,17 [For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.]

Now we’ll turn to John 1:14 [And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.]

What is the Bible saying here when we read the word was made flesh? It was a transfer of the Logos also called Archangel, Michael from the plane of a spirit nature lower than the divine plane, but higher than that of angels, to the plane of human nature. It was the act that changed the spirit being called the Logos and the Archangel Michael into the human being called Jesus, the son of Mary.

In Hebrews 7:26 we read [For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;] God having caused the Logos change of nature and having transferred the Logos life and soul qualities was therefore the father of the human Jesus. This way the law of heredity was not broken, but kept in the Logos becoming the sinless Jesus.

Keeping in mind that the human Jesus was the same person as had formerly existed as the Logos and that God did not use his own life principle and soul qualities to generate him as a human being, but used those of the Logos for this purpose we can see that a perfect like principal free from the death sentence and perfect soul qualities free from hereditary depravity were used to generate him as a human being free from the imperfection of the Adamic death sentence.

The Logos without dying ceased being the word and became the human Jesus. The death of the Logos was avoided by the gradual change of the Logos, lasting nine (9) months, into the human being Jesus. To better understand this the example is given of the gradual change of a caterpillar into a butterfly. This is accomplished without the caterpillars death. The caterpillar ceases to be when the change into the butterfly is completed, so the Logos ceased to be (without death) when the change of the Logos into the human being Jesus was completed. By this example we can see that the Logos gradually decreased as such, in proportion as the embryo Jesus gradually increased as such, at the completion of becoming a human the Logos ceased to be.

Continuing on now let’s look at Galations 4:4 [But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,] So far we haved talked of God, the Logos and the man Jesus. Now it is time to consider Mary. To learn about Mary we must turn to Luke 1:26-38 [And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.]

We must also consider Joseph. So let’s turn turn now to Matthew 1:16 [And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.] Matthew 1:18-25 [Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took to him his wife: <b<25>/b> And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.]</b<25>

The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is foretold in the old testament in Micah 5:2 [But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.] I would like to mention that Ephrath is the ancient name for Bethlehem as we can see in Genesis 35:19 [And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.]

Now turn to Isaiah 9:6 [For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.]

And lastly we shall read from Luke 2:1-14 [And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David: 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.]

I would like to review with a very brief summary of someone the important points covered.

First our redeemer existed as a spirit bring before he was made flesh and dwelt among men. At the time as well as subsequently he was properly known as a God, a mighty one. As chief of the angels and next to the Father, he was known as the Archangel (highest angel or messenger) whose name Michael signifies who is as God or God’s representative. As he was the highest of all Jehovah’s creation so also he was the first, the direct creation of God, the “only begotten” and when he, as Jehovah’s representative and the exercise of Jehovah’s power and in his name, created all things – angels, principalities and powers as well as the earthly creation.

When he was made flesh to be our savior it was not of compulsion but a voluntary matter the result of his complete harmony with the father. And his joyful will in carrying out every feature of the divine will, which he had learned to respect and love as the very essence of justice, wisdom and love.

I think this Christmas season would be a good time to reflect on the fact that we are forever in Gods debt. For all that we have and all that we are and all that we will have and all that we will be in the future we owe it all to God. And his only begotten son our Lord Jesus. I would like to close now by reading Revelations 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. A-Men.

Brother Detzler