God's Character:

The Best News in

the

Universe

by Dr. Elliot O. Douglin

Author of The New World Economic Order, The Hour of His Judgment is Come,

Ministration of Holy Angels, Absolute Rest and Principles of Sabbath Rest,

The True Church Prepares For Her Final Conflict, The Mystery Of Three Choices,

The Gathering Of The Nations, The Sealing Work, Abiding In Christ,

The Power of God's Word in the Science of Faith...

Copyright © 2001 by

Truth For The Final Generation

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter One
The Importance Of The Knowledge Of God

Chapter Two
The Formula For Learning The Knowledge Of God

Chapter Three
The Knowledge Of God Revealed Through Jesus Christ

Chapter Four
Words Can Be Misleading

Chapter Five
Introducing The Divine-Nature

Preface

This book; "God's Character: The Best News in the Universe!" is a study of the character of God from the Bible and Bible alone, allowing scripture to interpret scripture. It is dedicated to the on-going search for truth and the advancing light, which results from such scriptural research. But this book goes even further and analyses the revelation of God's Agapé love as it is demonstrated in the gift of His Son for the redemption of mankind and for the clarification of the issues involved in the great cosmic conflict between light and darkness.

"Let us try to know the Lord. He will come to us as surely as the day dawns, as surely as the spring rains fall upon the earth." Hosea 6:3 (TEV).

Knowing and experiencing the knowledge of God as revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, will give victory over lukewarmness and will produce a love-motivated, heart-felt, surrender which will be absolute and which will usher in the final showers of the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit!

Introduction

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory." 2Cor. 3:18.

By dwelling upon the love of God and His Son, by contemplating the perfection of the divine character and claiming the righteousness of Christ as ours by faith, we are transformed into the same image!

It is through the last generation of true believers that God will fully reflect His character to the world. How important, then, for us, in these last days of earth's history to correctly understand and fully experience the love and character of God.

God's end-time people must receive the "Latter Rain" of the Holy Spirit in order to finish God's work in the earth. This "Latter Rain" includes both an intellectual and an experiential knowledge of God's character - His perfect love, wisdom and righteousness as revealed through Jesus Christ.

We have come to the time when every belief, irrespective of how popular or how long-standing it may be, must be thoroughly tested by the word of God by allowing scripture to interpret itself. In these last days Bible truth is exposing religious error.

In this book, the traditional view of a God who destroys His enemies by violent, cruel, coercive measures is scrutinized and subjected to careful scriptural analysis. The reader is invited to examine all the evidences honestly, objectively and carefully and see where the weight of evidence leads.

We must know the truth about this matter because our character transformation can rise no higher than our conception of God's character. If we have a faulty picture of the divine character our own characters will in turn be faulty.

Bible prophecy predicts an unprecedented revelation of the true knowledge of God's character in the end-time. Here are a few examples.

"Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hosea 6:3.

"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Habakkuk 2:14.

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee. And the gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." Isaiah 60:1-3.

The reader is invited to look to Christ, to behold the attractive loveliness of His character, and by beholding, become changed into His likeness. The mist that intervenes between Christ and the soul will be rolled back as you look by faith past the hellish shadow of Satanic tradition and see God's glorious character revealed in the righteousness of Christ.

Satan's constant work is to hide Jesus from our sight, to darken His light by tradition and misinterpretation; but when we get a glimpse of His glory, we will be attracted to Him. Sin hides the beautiful character of Christ from our view. Prejudice, popular religious tradition, false views of our Heavenly Father, self-righteousness and passion blind our eyes so that we do not discern the Saviour. Oh, if we would draw near to God by faith, He would reveal to us His glory, which is His character. And by knowing Him aright we would love, admire, adore and willingly obey Him because of His great love for us, manifested in the gift of His Son.

Indeed to know God aright is to love Him.

In spite of all the opposition to the knowledge of the true character of God message and the true gospel of Jesus Christ, the truth will triumph and the "remnant" will triumph with it.

May the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth as you read. Remember that God has promised that in these latter days light on "His anger, His wrath and how He punishes," will be perfectly understood by His people!

"The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." Jeremiah 23:20.

"The Lord's anger is a storm, a furious wind that will rage over the heads of the wicked. It will not end until he has done all that he intends to do, in days to come his people will understand this clearly." Jeremiah 30: 23,24 (TEV).

Chapter One
The Importance Of The Knowledge Of God

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John 17:3.

This profound declaration comes straight from the mouth of Jesus Himself. Our Saviour is not one to waste words.

The knowledge of the only true God and His Son is indeed eternal life!

Without this knowledge the professed people of God would (eventually) be overcome by Satan.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Hosea 4:6.

In fact God invites us, implores and even admonishes us to know and understand Him.

"Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23, 24.

What a wonderful text of scripture! God wants us to know and to understand Him; especially in His work of exercising loving kindness (mercy), judgment and righteousness (justice) in the earth.

Without this knowledge of God there can be no real victory over sin!

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." 1 Corinthian 15:34.

Moreover the experience of "following on to know the Lord" (YAHWEH) is in fact declared to be the experience of the latter-rain of the Holy Spirit!

"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hosea 6:3.

The Apostle Paul became very excited about the importance of the knowledge of God. He was almost beside himself as he wrote these words recorded in Ephesians 3:17-21.

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Ephesians 3:17-21.

Look again at verse 19.

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

The love of God is beyond knowledge and yet we are challenged to know it! This is the highest and greatest education and development open to human beings.

Are you, dear reader, ready to acquire this knowledge?

And, more importantly, are you ready to experience it?

Chapter Two
The Formula For Learning The Knowledge Of God

To know and understand the truth, we must learn to compare scripture with scripture and in so doing let scripture interpret scripture. In other words we must compare spiritual things with spiritual as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:13.

"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Corinthians 2:13.

Prayerful, careful, thorough, exhaustive study is required for the correct interpretation of the scriptures.

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15.

"Rightly dividing the word of truth" requires the application of Isaiah's method of study.

"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Isaiah 28:10.

The Holy Spirit, in and through the word of God will teach the honest, sincere searcher and guide him or her into all truth.

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13.

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63.

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:39.

Moreover, a willingness to do the will of God is necessary to understand true doctrine.

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." John 7:17.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32.

"For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." 2 Corinthians 13:8.

Remember too that the knowledge of truth is progressive.

"But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18.

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:9-16.

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

Progressive cleansing from sin requires the progressive impartation of truth and walking in the light! And Jesus is the Light of the world!

Chapter Three
The Knowledge Of God Revealed Through Jesus Christ

In the plan of redemption the knowledge of God is supremely and most clearly revealed in and through Jesus Christ.

Indeed to "see" Jesus is to "see" the Father.

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" John 14:9.

Through the incarnation, earthly life, sacrificial death and resurrection of the Son of God, the knowledge of the character of God has been most clearly revealed to the universe.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 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. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." John 1:1-5, 14, 17, 18.

It should be very clear then that every statement about God in the Bible must be understood in the light of the knowledge of God as revealed through Jesus Christ.

Indeed the light of the knowledge of the glory, the character, of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ.

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6.

Jesus Christ is God's ultimate and clearest statement or message about Himself. This means that all previous statements about God must be, and can only be, correctly interpreted and fully understood by the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." John 1:17, 18.

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Hebrews 1:1-3.

And what message did Jesus give about His Father? John gives the answer in 1 John 1:5.

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5.

Therefore God cannot be, can never be the source of darkness. Darkness means sin and its results. Light means truth and righteousness and the results of righteousness.

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:19-21.

Since Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life," no man can come to the Father or understand the Father's character except through the Son.

Jesus came to earth to declare, to reveal, to testify of His Father's character. Jesus is the faithful and true witness and His message concerning the Father's character is called "the testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophecy."

Therefore all the true prophets have declared that "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw…

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Revelation 1:1,2,5.

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10.

"Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." 1 Peter 1:10-11.

Yes friend, if you really see Jesus you see His Father!

Chapter Four
Words Can Be Misleading

Human language has its limitations.

A particular word in one language can express a particular meaning, but may not be as accurately conveyed by its equivalent translation into another language.

The Bible was originally written in very ancient languages; the Old Testament in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek. Translators down through the centuries have done their best to be as accurate as possible in the translation of the words, phrases, sentences, and idioms of those ancient languages, yet limitations and difficulties of translation are evident.

We call this the language problem.

This is why we must allow scripture to interpret itself. Instead of interpreting a difficult Biblical word according to our modern meaning of that word, we must let the Bible interpret the Biblical meaning and demonstrate the Biblical linguistic usage of that particular word.

"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Corinthians 2:13.

Let us consider the words eternal, forever, everlasting, forever and ever, in our English translations.

These words are used to translate the Hebrew word OLAM in the Old Testament or the Greek word AIONIOS in the New Testament. But those ancient words do not really mean what our modern words, like eternal and forever, mean.

This has led to an incorrect understanding of the term eternal fire or everlasting fire. Many Christians believe "aionios" fire (translated "eternal" fire) will never stop burning but will burn literally forever and ever!

Now let us apply the fundamental rule of 1 Corinthians 2:13 and, by comparing spiritual things with spiritual, let us find out what the Bible means by the words eternal, or forever or everlasting (Hebrew: OLAM; Greek: AIONIOS).

Even if a student of the Bible knew nothing of the original ancient languages, he or she could still easily arrive at the true meaning and correct usage of the words translated "eternal" or "everlasting" or "forever and ever".

Sodom and Gomorrah were burnt by "eternal" fire.

"Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Jude verse 7.

The "eternal" fire burnt Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes.

"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." 2 Peter 2:6.

Furthermore the eternal fire consumed these cities rather quickly.

"For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her." Lamentations 4:6.

Similarly, in the end, eternal fire will burn up the unsaved to ashes.

"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." Malachi 4:1-3.

"But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away." Psalm 37:20.

In fact the wicked will be as though they had never been!

"For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been." Obadiah 16.

"Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord." Psalm 104:35.

This final destruction of unrepentant sinners is called the second death.

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:7,8.

It is indeed a fact, that whereas the gift of God is literally endless and perfect life, the wages of sin is permanent death, annihilation.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

We can clearly see then that the ancient words OLAM in the Hebrew and AIONIOS in the Greek, both translated eternal in the English, simply mean A DURATION OF TIME WHICH LASTS AS LONG AS THE SUBJECT LASTS.

Jonah said he was in the bottom of the sea forever while it was actually "three days and three nights"

"I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God." Jonah 2:6.

Therefore eternal fire lasts as long as it takes to burn its victims to ashes and nothing can quench it until its work is done. And the converse is true, eternal life will last forever because it is the life of the eternal God, who has no end.

This truth also exposes another popular error. There is a popular religious belief, held by many Christians, that the human soul is immortal. The word immortal means not subject to death, cannot die, indestructible.

The Bible teaches quite clearly that the human soul is very much mortal.

"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:4.

"Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." James 5:20.

In fact only God has immortality.

"Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." 1 Timothy 6:15,16.

We are invited to seek for immortality. If we possessed it naturally we would not need to seek for it.

"Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life." Romans 2:6,7.

Only the saved have eternal life, no unsaved person has eternal life.

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:11,12.

"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." 1 John 3:15.

Immortality will be given to the saved at the Second Coming of Christ.

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:51-54.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14,15.

For those who reject God's salvation, both soul and body will be destroyed in the final fires of Gehenna at the end of the millennium as seen in Revelation 20.

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28.

"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts."Malachi 4:1-3.

"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." John. 3:16.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14,15.

Chapter Five
Introducing The Divine-Nature

The world is man-centred. Even the church is far more man-centred than God-centred. Christians, generally speaking, seem to be preoccupied with knowing more about themselves and other subjects than knowing more about God. If God is not our primary focus then everything else will soon get out of focus.

The most important thing in life is knowing God better.

The man-centred focus that has crept into today's church must be resisted at all costs. Matters such as family life, child discipline, church finances should be addressed, but we must be careful that "market forces" do not mould our theology. People may want to know about these issues, but what they need primarily, is to know God.

The things of the world absorb too much of our time and attention, and the result of all this is that God has become marginalized. If we were to pay as much attention to the things that pertain to God, as we do to the things that pertain to the world then the spiritual health of the church would be far better than it is now.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God speaks to us and shows us that His greatest desire is that we should come to know Him.

"Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23, 24.

And remember the words of Jesus.

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John 17:3.

1. GOD IS ETERNAL IN THE ABSOLUTE SENSE OF THE WORD

The first fact we need to appreciate in the study of God is that the Godhead is absolutely eternal, that is, without beginning and without end!

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14.

The Hebrew words translated I AM THAT I AM are EHYEH ASHER EHYEH. This mysterious term indicates the continuous present tense, it indicates self-existence and signifies beginninglessness and endlessness.

When the Hebrew word Olam is used to describe God, it means an infinite duration of existence which alone can measure the life of God. This is measureless, eternal!

"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

This is the first of the mysteries of the Divine Nature.

2. GOD IS CHANGELESS

The second fact we need to know is that the eternal God is changeless.

"For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Malachi 3:6.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17.

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Heb. 13:8.

"Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end." Psalm 102:25-27.

Changelessness is the essential characteristic of the eternal state. God is timeless and changeless and therefore He is absolutely eternal i.e. beginningless and endless.

God is without beginning. God has always existed. Before there was anything else God had always been in existence. Therefore the only absolute principles of existence are those principles which are inherent or intrinsic in God. And thus the only right ways are God's ways. This brings us, in fact, to the absolute definition of RIGHT. Since God is without beginning and without ending then the principles of His existence are the only absolutely right principles. It also means that, when God does anything, His way of doing it is the only right way and it is not merely right, it is the only and most excellent and perfect way of doing it.

3. GOD IS INFINITE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

"The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." Psalms 145:17.

"The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works." Psalm 145:9.

4. GOD POSSESSES THE INFINITE PERFECT ETERNAL LIFE

Only God is inherently immortal.

"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." 1 Timothy 6:16.

"For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." John 5:26.

5. GOD IS OMNIPOTENT

"… The LORD GOD Omnipotent reigneth" Revelation 19:6. Within God there is the absolute and infinite concentration of eternal power.

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20.

6. GOD IS INFINITE IN WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

"Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite." Psalm 147:5.

God knows everything about everything. He knows all the past, all the present and all the future.

Wisdom is the righteous use of power to produce perfect work.

In God there is the eternal application of infinite righteousness to infinite power to eternally produce infinitely perfect excellence and perfect eternal life.

God knows every microscopic detail of everything and He knows how best everything should function.

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."Hebrews 4:13.

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36.

"He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." Deu. 32:4.

"The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever." Psalm 111:2,3.

God is the absolute eternal TRUTH, the knowledge of God is absolute truth.

7. GOD IS LOVE

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." 1 John 4:8.

The love of God (Greek Agape) is not a feeling, it is a principle. God's love is the eternal, unchanging principle by which God uses His power righteously and unselfishly for the good of His creation.

Eternal love is that eternal principle by which infinite wisdom applies infinite righteousness to infinite power for the eternal production of the perfect life and perfect works.

God's Agape love means doing the best for others whatever the cost to oneself.

The supreme demonstration of God's love was given when the Creator took on our human nature and sacrificed Himself to save sinners.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

"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." John 3:16.

The beautiful characteristics of Divine Love are described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

"Love is patient; Love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over other men's sins, but de-lights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance. Love will never come to an end." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. (TEV).

Love's application of Eternal Wisdom and Eternal Righteousness to Eternal Power is the eternal basis of eternal life, eternal peace, eternal order, eternal joy, eternal security, eternal beauty and eternal freedom. God is therefore the only Source of genuine peace, genuine order, genuine joy, eternal security, infinite beauty and absolute freedom.

8. GOD, THE CREATOR

God was not dependent on pre-existent matter when creating the universe. He created matter from nothing by His infinite power, infinite wisdom and infinite love.

"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." Psalm 33:6.

God created our planet from nothing and then made it into a perfect paradise in six days. Each day God did some special creative work for that day, until He crowned it all off with the creation of mankind on the sixth day. He then rested on the seventh day in celebration of the finishing of a perfect work on earth.

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Genesis 2:1-3.

God had created the angels by speaking them into existence, but He created man from the substance of the earth. All His intelligent creatures were made free moral agents with freedom of choice to obey or to disobey God's perfect law.

Before the entrance of sin all creation was absolutely perfect. Sin developed in heaven before the creation of our planet and solar system.

The Son of God, who is as eternal as the Father, made all things.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 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." John 1:1-3, 14.

"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: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Colossians 1:16, 17.

The proof of the absolute eternity and Godhead of the Son of God is established by the following texts of scripture: ( John 8:58; Exodus 3:14); (Isaiah 44:6, Revelation 1:17); (Psalm 102:24-27, Hebrews 1:8-12); (Psalm 90:1,2, Proverbs 8:22,23).

In fact scripture reveals the unfathomable mystery that the Son of God is the WISDOM, the Word (Greek: logos), the Righteousness of God. Therefore the Father does everything through His Son.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:1-3.

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jeremiah 23:5,6.