Our Eternal GodPrøve

The third implication is that the eternity of God gives us a warning. Psalm 90 asks, “Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?” (v. 11). As the psalmist reflected on the sheer immensity of the eternal God, he naturally exclaimed that God is capable of wrath appropriate to His majesty and the fear that He is due. Of course, when we examine the Bible honestly, we see that this is true. We see that the eternal God is capable of wrath that does not end.

If I were to take a poll to find the most unpopular Christian doctrine of all, I think there would be very little competition: the doctrine of the everlasting punishment of the wicked is surely the least popular and the most despised teaching in the Bible. When we do wrong and cause hurt and offense in human relationships, we hope that the storm will pass, the injury will fade, and the wrongdoing be forgotten. Similarly, when it comes to sin before God, we might hope that the passing of time will make our wrongdoing smaller in His sight. But the eternal God sees all of history before Him. Psalm 90 reminds us that the eternal God sees all our sin before His eyes, “For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence” (vv. 7–8).

This is a sobering, if not frightening, thought. At the same time, it is a truth that we need to reckon with in a serious way. Perhaps you are someone who would call yourself a Christian, but you know that you are denying the Lord by your lifestyle and rejecting Him by embracing sin. You might be living in active differance against Him. If so, let me urge you and plead with you to consider what it really means to turn away from the eternal God and to face His unending wrath.

One of my pastor friends sometimes shares the story of going to see a member of his congregation who was pursuing an adulterous relationship. He was set on leaving his wife for another woman. My friend pleaded with him not to do it, but the man gave him the most harrowing reply, “I would prefer to go to hell than give up this relationship.” The man knew enough of God’s Word to know the nature of the choice he was making. He was rejecting the Word of God—he was willfully defying the eternal Judge—and he was embracing a punishment that would not end.

Reader, if you are living in rebellion against God and holding on to some sin that you know defies Him, if you are not submitting your life to Him, let me plead with you to simply consider the reality of God’s eternity. What could be more important? What could be more urgent? And if you have not yet turned to Christ for forgiveness, let me plead with you as well: take seriously the warnings of the Bible and do not risk the judgment of the eternal God.