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CHAPTER V.

SCRIPTURE TERMS EXPRESSING

DURATION.

SECTION I.

On the Scripture usage and meaning of the words ETERNITY, Endless, ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, NEVER, Forever, and FOREVER AND EVER.

1. ETERNITY. - This word occurs but once in the Bible. Isa. 57: 15, "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy," &c. Of course, it is nowhere in the Bible applied to punishment of any kind, either in this world or another. It is never said the wicked shall go into, or suffer, or endure, an eternity of punishment.

2. ENDLESS. - This word does not occur in the Old Testament, and is found but twice in the New. 1 Tim. 1: 4, "Neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies," &c. Heb. 7: 16, "Who (Christ) is made after the power of an endless life." When applied to genealogies it is used in a limited sense; when applied to the immortal life of Christ, which he obtained by being raised from the dead, it is used in an unlimited sense. It is connected with life in the Scriptures, but it is not connected with punishment. We nowhere in the Bible read of an "endless hell," of "endless death," of "endless misery," of "endless punishment," nor of "endless pain."

3. EVERLASTING. — The word everlasting occurs in the Old

Testament sixty-one times. Eight times in Genesis, once in Exodus, twice in Leviticus, once in Numbers, once in Deuteronomy, once in 2 Samuel, once in 1 Chronicles, nine times in Psalms, twice in Proverbs, eighteen times in Isaiah, five times in Jeremiah, twice in Ezekiel, seven times in Daniel, once in Micah, and twice in Habakkuk. In the following books it is not found: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Job.

The same word occurs in the New Testament twenty-six times. Four times in Matthew, twice in Luke, eight times in John, once in Acts, twice in Romans, once in Galatians, twice in 2 Thessalonians, twice in 1 Timothy, once in Hebrews, once in 2 Peter, once in Jude, and once in Revelation. It does not occur in Mark, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, James, 1 Peter, nor in 1, 2, and 3 John.

4. ETERNAL. - This word is found but twice in the Old Testament. Isaiah 60: 15, "Whereas thou (the Jews) hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations." Deut. 33: 27. Every one can see it is used here in a limited sense. The same word occurs in the New Testament forty-one times. Twice in Matthew, three times in Mark, twice in Luke, nine times in John, once in Acts, three times in Romans, three times in 2 Corinthians, twice in 1 Timothy, once in 2 Timothy, twice in Titus, five times in Hebrews, once in 1 Peter, six times in 1 John, and once in Jude.

The word is not found in 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Philemon, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, nor in Revelation.

5. FOREVER. This word occurs in the Old Testament very nearly, if not just, three hundred and four times. Four times in Genesis, thirteen times in Exodus, fifteen times in Leviticus, eight times in Numbers, eleven times in Deuteronomy, four times in Joshua, twelve times in 1 Samuel, ten times in 2 Samuel, ten times in 1 Kings, twice in 2 Kings, nineteen times in 1 Chronicles, fifteen times in 2 Chronicles, three times in Ezra, twice in Nehemiah, seven

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times in Job, one hundred and twelve times in Psalms, twice in Proverbs, four times in Ecclesiastes, thirteen times in Isaiah, twelve times in Jeremiah, three times in Lamentations, four times in Ezekiel, nine times in Daniel, once in Hosea, once in Joel, once in Obadiah, once in Jonah, three times in Micah, once in Zechariah, once in Amos, and once in Malachi. In the following books it is not found: Judges, Ruth, Esther, Song of Solomon, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai.

The same word occurs in the New Testament twenty-nine times. Twice in Matthew, once in Mark, twice in Luke, five times in John, four times in Romans, once in 2 Corinthians, five times in Hebrews, twice in 1 Peter, twice in 2 Peter, once in 1 John, once in 2 John, twice in Jude, and once in Philemon. It is not found in Acts, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, James, 3 John, nor in Revelation.

6. NEVER.—In the Old Testament this word occurs just forty-nine times. In the New Testament it occurs thirty-seven times. It is not much relied on to prove the doctrine of endless punishment, and therefore we shall not be so particular in considering it. In the course of this chapter we shall give some quotations from the Scriptures, showing that it is sometimes, at least, used in a limited sense.

7 FOREVER AND EVER. This phrase occurs in the Old Testament twenty-six times. Once in Exodus, twice in 1 Chronicles, three times in Daniel, once in Nehemiah, thirteen times in Psalms, twice in Isaiah, twice in Jeremiah, and twice in Micah. It does not occur in Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Esther, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, nor in Malachi.

The same phrase occurs in the New Testament eighteen times. Once in Galatians, once in Philippians, once in 1 Timothy, once in 2 Timothy, twice in Hebrews, and twelve times in Revelation. It is not found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Titus, Philemon, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, nor in Jude.

The words eternal, everlasting, never, forever, and forever and ever, are generally in the Old Testament translated from the Hebrew olim. This word occurs in the Old Testament about four hundred and fifty-nine times. It is rendered once eternal, sixty. times everlasting, two hundred and fifty-two times forever, four times ever, sixteen times never, fourteen times forevermore, twenty-. two times forever and ever (where it occurs twice), once forever, even forever and ever (where it occurs three times), four times from everlasting to everlasting (where it occurs twice), twice world, once world without end, twenty-two times perpetual, twenty-six times old, of old, of old time, in old time, ever of old, six times ancient, ancient times, five times alway, always, twice never any more, once lasting, twice long, once long time, once continuance, once stripling, once young children, and once secret sins.

The words everlasting, eternal, forever, &c., in the New Testament, are translated from the Greek words aion and aionios. Aion occurs in the Greck Testament one hundred and twenty-eight times. Sixty-six times in the singular, and sixty-two times in the plural number. In the common English version it is rendered seventytwo times ever, twice eternal, thirty-six times world, seven times never, three times evermore, twice worlds, twice ages, once course, once world without end (where it occurs twice), and in two instances it is passed over without any word affixed as a translation to it. Aionios occurs seventy-one times. It is rendered once ever, fortytwo times eternal, three times world, and twenty-five times everlasting.

When the Old Testament was translated from the Hebrew into the Greek language by the Seventy, the Hebrew word olim, when a noun, was rendered by the Greek word aion; when an adjective, it was rendered by the word aionios. Olim, then, in Hebrew, and aion and aionios in Greek, are synonymous terms. The extent of duration, therefore, expressed by aion and aionios in the New Testament, must be determined by the scripture usage of olim in the Old.

We will now show that the words eternal, everlasting, forever, never, and forever and ever, translated from olim, are used in a Limited sense.

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SECTION II.

Passages in which the words ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, FOREVER, &c. ar evidently used in a limited sense.

Eternal.-Isaiah 60: 15. Whereas thou (the Jews) hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.

Everlasting. Gen. 17: 7, 8. And I will establish my covenant be tween me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Verse 13. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting

covenant.

Gen. 48: 4. And will give this land (Canaan) to thy (Jacob's) seed after thee, for an everlasting possession.

Gen. 49: 26. The blessings of thy (Joseph's) father (Jacob) have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.

Exodus 40: 15. And thou shalt anoint them (Aaron's sons) as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office; for their anointing shall surely be an everlusting priesthood throughout their generations.

Lev. 16: 34. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. Numb. 25: 13. And he (Phinehas) shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.

Ps. 24: 7. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors.

Hab. 36. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow. See also Ps. 105: 10; 2 Sam. 23: 5; 1 Chron. 16: 17; Isa. 24: 5.

Forever.-Deut. 15: 17. Thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant forever. See also Ex.

21: 6.

1 Sam. 1: 22. I (the mother of Samuel) will not go up until the child (Samuel) be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and abide there forever.

1 Sam. 27: 12. And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.

Lev. 25: 46. They (the children of strangers) shall be your (the Jews) bondmen forever.

2 Kings 5:27. The leprosy, therefore, of Naaman shall cleave unto thee (Gehazi), and unto thy seed forever.

Job 41 4. Wilt thou take him (the leviathan) for a servant forever?

1 Kings 1: 31. Let my lord king David live forever.

Neh. 2 3. Let the king live forever.

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Dan. 2: 4. 0, king, live forever. See also 3: 9,5 : 10; 6 : 6, 21.

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