How old is God?
The age of God is a complex theological question that the Bible does not directly answer with a specific number or timeframe. However, through careful study of Scripture, we can glean some insights into God’s eternal nature and existence outside of human constraints like time.
In the Bible, God is described as eternal, having no beginning or end (Psalm 90:2). He is the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” who is, who was, and who is to come (Revelation 1:8). These verses indicate that God exists beyond the bounds of time as we know it. He created time and space and therefore exists independently of His creation (Genesis 1:1).
Additionally, biblical genealogies trace back to the beginning of mankind’s existence, but do not encompass God’s existence, implying He preceded the finite world and human history (Genesis 5, Luke 3:23-38). Passages like Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 reveal that God transcends time from an eternal perspective. A day is like a thousand years to God, and a thousand years is like a day. God sees and works through all of time at once, rather than being confined by a linear progression of time.
From the human perspective, focused on time-bound creation, it is impossible to trace back and find a definitive beginning point for God. He refers to Himself as the “I Am” conveying that He is ever-present and unchanging (Exodus 3:14). While humans and the material world have an origin in time, the eternal God exists beyond and outside of time itself.
In John 1:1, Jesus Christ as the Word is described as being with God “in the beginning.” Christ’s divine pre-existence points to His shared eternality with God the Father. The Nicene Creed affirms this in declaring that Jesus Christ is “eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.” According to Scripture and early church doctrine, the Son and Spirit are equally eternal with God the Father (John 1:2, Acts 5:3-4).
Though the Bible does not reveal a definitive age or fixed beginning for God’s existence, it makes clear that He is eternal, existing from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 41:13, Psalm 90:2). Human minds confined by time have a limited capacity to fully comprehend the infinity of God’s age. But Scripture gives us glimpses of God’s infinitely long existence, helping us grasp the profound truth that God has always been, long before the passing of human years and ages.
In Psalm 90, Moses contrasts God’s eternal nature with the fleeting existence of man in the context of God’s wrath against Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness. Verses 1-2 say, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” The eternal God provided a safe dwelling for Israel despite their sin, as He had for generations past. God’s eternity is underscored against the temporal existence of creation, which has a fixed point of origin traced back to God’s creative power.
Isaiah 40:28 declares, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary…” In the context of this passage, Isaiah encourages God’s people to wait patiently on the Lord who intervenes to renew the strength of the powerless. God’s eternity is motivation to hope in Him because He never runs out of power or energy to uphold His people.
A key aspect of God’s eternal nature that offers profound comfort is His immutability. Along with having no point of origin, God does not change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8). While humans experience aging and degradation over time, God remains everlastingly the same in His character and promises. Believers can anchor their lives to God’s unchanging nature and find security in relationship with the Eternal One.
In Exodus 3:13-15, Moses asks God how he should respond when the Israelites inquire what God’s name is. God replies, “I am who I am…Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” This name reveals God’s self-existence and eternality. He depends on nothing else for existence. The I Am has always been, long before human history began.
These verses do not tell us specifically how old God is in human years. But they communicate the profound truth that God exists eternally, outside the bounds of finite human timelines and aging. He created time itself and therefore transcends it. God’s eternal nature inspires awe, worship, and comfort in the hearts of believers who rest in the everlasting arms of the Ancient of Days (Deuteronomy 33:27).
Though we cannot trace back God’s age on a human timeline, we know He is the Alpha and Omega who reigns forever. God exists in an eternal present, unbounded by time’s constraints. Even if we could mark a beginning, God has no end. He inhabits eternity, being ancient of days yet never aging (Daniel 7:9).
Psalm 102 offers hope to those despairing during their brief life on earth. In Psalm 102:24-27, the psalmist says, “O my God…Your years endure throughout all generations…Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain…” When God created the temporal world, He existed eternally prior. All of time-bound creation has a fixed lifespan, but the eternal God remains steadfast forever.
Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Jesus Christ as the second person of the Trinity shares the divine attribute of eternality. While life on earth goes through constant change, Jesus Christ persists unaltered throughout the endless duration prior to, during, and beyond His earthly life.
God’s divine name Yahweh given in Exodus 3:14 essentially means “I Am Who I Am.” It communicates God’s eternal self-existence in contrast with the temporal existence of mortal beings whose lives are subject to time. Yahweh eternally is. God depends on nothing else for existence, but everything else is contingent on God’s eternal being.
Because God exists outside time, He can observe all of history – past, present, and future – simultaneously in an eternal present. Humans experience time sequentially moment by moment, but God sees the end from the beginning in His infinity. He works throughout all human history and eternity as the eternal, almighty ruler.
Revelation 1:4 calls God “him who is and who was and who is to come.” This affirms God’s eternal nature and His sovereignty over all of time – past, present, and future alike. Though we mortals experience life sequentially, God reigns over the entirety of time simultaneously. All of human destiny unfolds before God who lives in the fullness of eternity.
The eternal existence of God is foundational to trusting His character and promises. If God were limited by time and aging like humans, He would not have the power or consistency to uphold His plans or ensure His children’s future. But since He transcends time and never changes, we can rely fully on God’s trustworthy eternal nature. The I Am remains sovereign over every moment of history.
In conclusion, although the Bible does not reveal a specific age for God, it clearly teaches that He exists eternally beyond human constraints of time, having no point of origin or end. His title as the Alpha and Omega signifies His infinite nature. Though humans trace their lives by years on earth, God inhabits eternity. We cannot comprehend the full scope of God’s eternal existence, but Scripture gives us glimpses of His sovereignty throughout all time and beyond time. Trusting the eternal God allows us to find security and purpose in relationship with the Ancient of Days who reigns forever.
