SELF-EXISTENCE
Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. Isaiah 43:10 (NKJV)
Self-existence: existing of or by itself without external cause or agency.
The first attribute of God we're going to look at is His self-existence. God exists, but unlike everything else that exists, He exists without the help of anyone or anything. He is dependent on absolutely nothing, and He owes His existence to absolutely no one.
There was no other god that produced the God of Scripture, no other force or entity that led to His being. Nothing, no nothing, predates or precedes Him. The Old Testament is filled with relevant references to this reality, but it's best communicated by God Himself in the Book of Isaiah:
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6 NKJV)
This concept of God lacking all form of reliance is carried over into the New Testament as Jesus makes mention of His Father having life in Himself:
"For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself..." (John 5:26 NKJV)
Don't miss the significance of this simple statement. Having life in Himself means God stands apart from the entire created order, and everything that exists owes its existence to Him, yet He owes His existence to no one.
So what? Why is it such a big deal that we know this? Because it provides a proper framework for everything else. It sets God over and above all else, it defines the relationship between Creator and creation, it shows us why He's God and we're not. Unless we get this, we're going to struggle in our ability to understand the rest of His attributes.
Think about it…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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