Psalm 90:2
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:2
Just A Second
A young man got the opportunity to have a conversation with God. The man asked God how long a million years were to him. God replied, “It is just a second of your time, my child.” “How about a million dollars?” inquired the man. “To me, it’s just a single penny,” the Lord explained. As the man gathered his thoughts he inquired “Well, Lord, may I have one of your pennies?” “Certainly,” God said, “just a second, my child.” (S. James, 1988).
Can you measure forever? When salespeople are selling new products in the market some of them guarantee a warranty for life. However, if you dig into the details of the longevity, they disclose that beyond a certain number of years the warranty is void. It is exciting to think about the length of eternity. One person suggested that if you collected all the grains of sand on every seashore across the globe, it would be the beginning of eternity. Eternity is beyond our comprehension.
The Vanishing Point
The word everlasting in the Hebrew context literally translates to the vanishing point. To put the meaning into perspective, think back as far back as you are able. If you go back further enough you will have to think of a point when the earth did not exist. At this point, history has grown smaller and faded to a vanishing point. Now look forward as much as you can, look beyond your expected lifespan on earth, go past the point the plastics we are using today decompose. Then there comes a point again where it sort of fades out into another vanishing point. Therefore, when we declare that God has existed from everlasting to everlasting, we realise the length of time that the earth has existed is insignificant in comparison to the timelessness of God (Psalm 139:7).
Eternal Dwelling Place
The psalmist description of the mountains represents them as being the oldest created objects. Springs dry up, waters change their beds, cities are built, kingdoms fail and new ones rise yet the hills and mountains remain the same (Genesis 49:26). God is God over generations. He has no beginning. The beginning we know of was brought about by him, for all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that has come into being (John 1:3). He was, is and will eternally be God. He alone is permanent and enduring and therefore true security can only be found in Him.
Human life in contrast is short and uncertain. It can be brought to an end as God decides and wishes. From what happened in the Garden of Eden, it was exposed a long time ago that God planned to give man eternal life after confirming his obedience. This reason points us to Paul’s teaching that the body we will receive after the resurrection will be immortal or incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Jesus came to redeem us back to the wonderful fellowship with God. brethren, if God has such good plans for us, why don’t we get excited about it and prepare for it?
King James Version (KJV)
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
New International Version (NIV)
“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
New American Bible (NASB)
“Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
The Living Bible (TLB)
“Before the mountains were created, before the earth was formed, you are God without beginning or end.”