GOD’S WORD IS ETERNAL
By W. G. Guy
When God speaks a word, it is established forever.
Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever.
Luke 21:33 – Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Please consider that what God said about man when He created him:
Genesis 1:26 – And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth
Please also consider what God said to man:
Genesis 1:28 – And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
What God said is forever! There is a lesson that we need to learn and understand about the plan and purpose of God that is eternal.
First we should recognize that the one who rebelled against God and became His opposition and enemy is Lucifer, now called Satan due to his behavior of being an accuser. When he saw that God gave man the rule and dominion over the earth, he was jealous and sought to regain his lost position. Please consider that Lucifer was previously the one who had dominion over the earth in eons past before he rebelled against God. He was the “anointed cherub” that covered or protected the earth as appointed by God.
Ezekiel 28:14-17 – Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Isaiah 14:12-15 – How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
When Lucifer rebelled against God he lost his position under God’s authority and was cast down before whatever kind of civilization existed at that time, which was not human as man is now. We know this because the Spirit of God was not breathed into them as it was when God made man after His own image.
Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Note that God instructed Adam to not only have dominion over the earth, but to also replenish, or repopulate, the earth as stated in Genesis 1:28 above.
Lucifer, or Satan, (also referred to as the devil), used his cunning devilish wisdom to trick mankind (namely the woman) to submit to him and defy God’s command.
1 Timothy 2:13-14 – For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Adam also took of the forbidden fruit, because of his godly love for his wife, knowing God had a plan of redemption because it was established before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Note that she was also called Adam in Genesis 5:2. (Read the detail of the event in the “The Love Story” published on this website as Appendix B above.)
Thereby, Satan gained dominion over man and the earth again as he bragged about to Jesus.
Luke 4:5-6 – And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
In addition to Satan regaining his dominion, man lost the character and nature of God that was breathed into him when God formed him. Man not only lost dominion over the earth and its creatures, but he also lost the unlimited fellowship he had with God. All this was lost when sin became a reality and mankind thus adopted the sinful rebellious nature of the one he submitted himself to, and that sin nature has passed onto every generation of man since.
However, God’s Word is eternal and even though an interruption occurred; God had a plan all along to restore what was lost because He knew the deviousness of Lucifer would interfere. That restoration was accomplished by God sending His Word to become flesh in the form of a man – Jesus, the Christ.
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.
Jesus not only restored man’s dominion over the earth, but He also restored the Kingdom (the domain) of God to man, as well as His image and likeness, (also known as His character and nature) – but only to those who accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and those who receive Him and believe on Him are the kings and lords under Him for all eternity. Jesus is the restorer of the breech caused by the devil. All of this was accomplished on the cross where Jesus became the sacrifice for sin. The devil thought he won at the crucifixion, but he lost it all at the resurrection!
Thus God’s Word is eternal: when God ordained man to have dominion, that dominion was reestablished by and through the man Jesus. This also means that said dominion remains forever since Jesus, the Son of God, is and will be a man forever, even though He is the divine Son of God. God’s Words are eternal. It is also important to note that the words Jesus spoke are also forever because what He spoke was what He heard God, His Father, speak!
John 12:49-50 – For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
John 14:10 – Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The words God, and His Son, speak are eternal words, and these words give life:
John 6:63 – It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Our current dominion over the earth is now through faith in Him and the use of His name which He has given us to use to promote the Word of God, the Will of God, and the kingdom of God – the restoration of man’s relationship to God.
John 14:12-13 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask (demand) any thing in my name, I will do it.
Our dominion is restored through Jesus Christ and His name; because all power and authority in heaven and on earth is given to Him, and He gives it to us through His name.
Matthew 28:18-20 – And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:16-18 – He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Remember that these things are eternal: His name, His Word, His promises, His Kingdom, and His plan and purpose for man. The key is for you to believe and trust in Him and His Word!