“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
(1 Timothy 1:17)
One of the most profound and insightful names for God is the one He declared to Moses in Exodus 3:14—“I AM”—which helps us realize some of the many ways humanity is distinct from divinity. One such way is that we exist within the confines of time and space, measuring our lives by past, present, and future. But God is not bound by any such limitations. He simply IS—forever present, eternal in His being.
Isaiah describes Him as “the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity” (Isa. 57:15). This phrase is remarkable, for we typically associate “inhabiting” with a physical space. Yet God inhabits eternity itself. He is outside of time, never aging, never beginning, and never ending. The psalmist declares, “Thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end” (Ps. 102:27).
Unlike all creation, which experiences change and decay, God is the “King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God” (1 Tim. 1:17). He alone is immutable, unaffected by the passage of time and free from the shifting of circumstances. His plans do not falter and His purposes never fail.
Matthew Mead noted, “God is His own eternity. If eternity were not in the essence of God, there would be something which was not God… therefore, eternity is essential to His being and life.”[1]
For believers, this is a source of immeasurable comfort. The eternal God is as present with us as much now as He has ever been. He hears our cries (Ps. 116:1), fights for us (Ps. 46), and tenderly cares for us (Ps. 91:4). He is not distant, nor is He indifferent to the concerns of His children. The same God who has been faithful from generation to generation will remain faithful to the end.
And in the life to come, Christ will grant us the unimaginable blessing of beholding Him in His fullness, to grow in the knowledge and adoration of our eternal King forever. Even now, though we fail to please Him as we ought, He even sustains our every breath. For all these reasons, should not our daily lives reflect the truth that Christ is our King eternal, immortal, and the only wise God who inhabits eternity?
Contemplations
- The Eternal Nature of God. God does not change. Unlike man, who is “like grass that withers,” God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). His purposes remain steadfast, His power undiminished, His wisdom unsearchable. Do I rest in this unshakable truth? When trials come, do I anchor my faith in the unchanging character of my eternal God?
- The King Immortal. The world is transient, and every ruler who rises eventually falls. Yet Christ reigns forever. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last (Rev. 22:13). He has conquered death and lives forevermore. May my heart long for His eternal kingdom above all earthly concerns.
- The Invisible God. God is Spirit (John 4:24), and though we do not see Him with our eyes, we know Him through His Word and the witness of the Spirit. Many say they reject what they cannot see, and yet they believe in love, wind, and gravity—all concepts which are invisible. Do I worship Him as He has revealed Himself, or do I fashion an idea of God that suits my own preferences? Help me guard my heart against the idolatry of shaping God according to my own desire and imagination.
- Adoring the Eternal King. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Do I live as though my greatest joy and purpose is to adore Him? Is my worship marked by reverence for His eternal majesty? When I consider His endless existence and boundless wisdom, does it humble me to greater trust and obedience?
Prayer to the Everlasting God
O Lord, the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, I bow before You, for You alone are worthy of honor and glory forever and ever (1 Tim. 1:17). Before time began, You were. Before creation was spoken into being, You reigned. You are the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity (Isa. 57:15), and there is none like You. The heavens declare Your glory and the earth proclaims Your majesty, but even these cannot fully express Your infinite greatness.
O Lord, I confess that my thoughts are bound to time and my understanding is limited. I measure everything by the rise and fall of days, while You dwell beyond all such measures. My heart is often restless, fearing the unknown future, though You have already declared the end from the beginning. Forgive me for failing to trust in Your sovereign hand, for worrying as though You were not in control, and for clinging to what is fleeting instead of fixing my eyes on eternity.
I thank You, my Father, that in Your wisdom and grace You made Yourself known. Though You are the invisible God, You revealed Yourself in Christ, the exact imprint of Your nature (Heb. 1:3). You sent Your Spirit to dwell within me, securing me for the day when I shall see You face to face. And You gave me Your Word as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Ps. 119:105), guiding me in the way everlasting.
Eternal God, teach me to number my days, that I may apply my heart to wisdom (Ps. 90:12). Let me not waste my life on what is passing away, but set my heart on things above, where Christ is seated at Your right hand (Col. 3:1-2). Strengthen my faith that I may walk in trust, knowing that You who have begun a good work in me will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6).
Keep me from idolatry, O Lord. Let me not fashion You in my own mind, nor attempt to grasp Your infinite nature by human limitations. Guard my heart from ever diminishing Your majesty or treating Your name lightly. Help me stand in awe of Your holiness and worship You in spirit and truth.
The world around me is fleeting, and the days of my life are numbered, but You are my refuge in every generation (Ps. 90:1). When all else fails, You remain. When my strength is gone, You uphold me. And when my days come to an end, You will bring me home to Yourself, where I will behold You in righteousness and be satisfied in Your presence forever.
Now unto You, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Further References for 1 Timothy 1:17
1 Tim. 6:16; Col. 1:15; Jude 1:25; John 1:18; 1 Tim. 6:15; 1 John 4:12; Job 23:8
[1] Matthew Mead, The Danger of Falling Into the Hands of the Living God, (Crossville, TN: Puritan Publications, 2016) eBook, sermon 1.
