EVERLASTING OR FOREVER Of The King James Version
Olam in the Old Testament: "Age, age-lasting, olam" Robert Young, Young's Analytical Concordance To The Bible, Page 310. Olam (olamim-plural) in the Hebrew Old Testament is translated everlasting in the King James Version and others, but does not mean without end as eternal in today's English does.
Olam-singer and olamim-plural are used of:
1. A Period of times that had both a beginning and an end. Forever (olam) is used about sixty-five times in the Old Testament for things that have already passed away.
2. Periods of times that had a beginning but the end is obscure or had not yet came.
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3. A Period of time that is followed by another period of time; ―from olam (age) to olam (age)‖ and ―from olam (age) to olamim (ages), which are often translated
―for ever and ever, ‖, if ―for ever and ever‖ made senses, which it doesn‘t, would make there be more than one eternality.
AGES WITH BOTH A BEGINNING AND AN END
Some of the things that are "everlasting" or "forever" in the King James Version that was age lasting, not everlasting.
1. THE LAW OF MOSES– "A statute forever (olam-age)" See Exodus 12:24; 27:21; 28:43; 29:28; 30:21; Leviticus 6:18; 6:22; 7:34; 7:36; 10:9; 10:15; 16:29; 16:31; 17:7; 23:14; 24:3; Numbers 10:8; 15:15; 18:8; 18:11; 18:23; 19:10; Deuteronomy 12:28; 13:16; 15:17; 23:3; 28:40; 29:29; Joshua 4:7; 8:28; 14:9. It lasted for an age (about 1500 years) and was replaced with a better covenant [Hebrews 8:7-14], it had a beginning and an ending; it was not "forever" with the meaning of forever in today's English. Forever in the King James Version is a bad translation of olam, for olam in the Old Testament did not have the same meaning that forever had in 1611.
2. JEWS WERE TO POSSES THE LAND "FOREVER" (olamean-age) [Genesis 13:15].
3. TEMPLE RITUALS TO CONTINUE FOREVER (olam-age) [2 Chronicles 2:4]. Today there is no temple in Jerusalem and no rituals in the temple that does not exist.
4. LEVITES WERE TO BEAR THE ARK FOREVER (olam-age) [1 Chronicles 15:2]. There are no Levites to bear the Ark and no Ark for them to bear.
5. SACRIFICES WERE FOREVER (olam-age) [Leviticus 3:17; 6:18; 7:36; 10:9-15; 16:29; 17:17; 23:14: 24:3; Numbers 10:8; 15:15: 18:8; 19:10].
6. CIRCUMCISION WAS FOREVER (olam-age) [Genesis 17:13].
7. DAVID'S THRONE WAS FOREVER (olam-age). [2 Samuel 7:12-13; 1 Kings 9:5].
8. A SLAVE WAS A SLAVE FOREVER (olam-age) [Exodus 21:6; Deuteronomy 15:17] Olam [forever] lasted only to the end of his life.
9. JONAH'S "EVERLASTING" (olam-age) lasted only three days [Jonah 2:6].
AGES THAT HAD A BEGANNING
BUT THE ENDING IS IN THE OBSCURE FUCTURE
The everlasting (olam) hills [Genesis 49:26]: The hills had a beginning when the earth was made but there ending is some times in the obscure future.
The everlasting (olam) covenant of the rainbow [Genesis 9:11-17]: Like the hills, the beginning of the rainbow covenant is known but it‘s ending is some times in the obscure future, probability both the hills and the rainbow ends at the end of the earth.
Neither is eternal, without beginning or ending. The ―olam hills‖ are not the ―eternal hills.‖
FROM ONE OLAM (age) TO ANOTHER OLAM (age)
From one age to another age
Not from one eternality to another eternality
Old Testament – "from olam to olam" [from age to age] is used twenty-one times.
From one period of time to another period of time demands a separation of the two periods–ages; therefore, neither or the two olams could be without a beginning or ending.
Two olams would demand that there be more than one olam, more than one age, not more than one eternality.
From olam (age) to olam (age) applied to people or things
1. ―Thou hast blotted out their (the wicked) name for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age) [Psalms 9:5]
2. ―He (the king) asked life of Thee, Thou didst give him length of days for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 21:4].
3. ―The people praise thee for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 45:17]
4. ―All His precepts are sure. They are upheld for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 111:8]. From one age to another age, not from one eternality to another eternality.
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5. ―Thy law continually for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 119:44]
6. ―From this time forth and for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 125:2; 131:3]
7. ―I will bless thy name for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 145:1]
8. ―I will praise thy name for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 145:2]
9. ―He has also established them (the heavens) for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 148:6]
10. ―Also established them for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Isaiah 30:8]. ―That it may serve in the time to come as a witness forever (olam-age)‖ New American Standard Version
11. "Then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever" "from olam to olam" [Jeremiah 7:7]. From a long time past to a long time to come, but not forever as the word "forever" is used today.
12. "And dwell in the land that the Lord has given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever" "from olam to olam" [Jeremiah 25:5]. If " forever and ever" is for eternity, then the world cannot end for they must dwell in the land for eternity and then for another eternity. None of them could dwell in Heaven or in Hell for they would be dwelling in the land on this earth for eternity and then for another eternity.
13. ―As the stars for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Daniel 12:3]
From olam (age) to olam (age) applied to God
1. ―The Lord shall reign for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age) [Exodus 15:18]
2. ―Blessed the Lord God of Israel for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age) [1 Chronicles 16:36]
3. ―The Lord is King for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 10:16]
4. ―God is our God for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 48:14]
5. ―Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting (olam-age) and to everlasting (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 41:13]
6. ―Even from everlasting (olam-age) to everlasting (olam-age) thou art God‖ [Psalms 90:2] "from olam to olam"
- from age to age. "From everlasting to everlasting" would mean one everlasting would have to end for there to be another. Two everlasting are not possible. There cannot be a "from one eternity to another eternity."
7. ―The Lord is from everlasting (olam-age) to everlasting (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 103:17]
8. ―Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting (olam-age) to everlasting (olam-age)‖ [Psalms 106:48]
a. From ―everlasting to everlasting,‖ from ―one eternality to another eternality‖? How could there be from everlasting to everlasting or from eternality to eternality? Today‘s concept of eternality seems not to have existed in the Old Testament; they had the concept of one age after another age after another age, but not of today‘s eternality.
DAYS OF OLD
If olam means everlasting or eternal, why did the King James Version translate it old and ancient; could it be that they knew eternal as it is used today would have made no sense in these passages? Days of old (olam-age) is duration ended, not endless duration.
[1] "Remember the DAYS OF OLD (olam-age), consider the years of many generations" [Deuteronomy 32:7]. One word translated into three words.
[2] "For those nations were OF OLD (olam-age) the inhabitants of the land" [1 Samuel 27:8]. The same one word translated into two words.
[3] "The OLD (olam-age) way which wicked men have trodden" [Job 22:15]. The same one word translated into only one word.
[4] "For they have been ever OF OLD (olam-age)" [Psalms 25:6].
[5] "I remembered the judgments OF OLD (olam-age)" [Psalms 119:52].
[6] " Is there anything whereof it may be said, see, this is new? It has been already OF OLD TIMES (olam-age) that was before us" [Ecclesiastes 1:10].
[7] "I held my peace even OF OLD (olam-age), and you feared me not" [Isaiah 57:11].
[8] "And he bare them, and carried them all the DAYS OF OLD (olam-age)" [Isaiah 63:9].
[9] " Then he remembered the DAYS OF OLD (olam-age), Moses, and his people" [Isaiah 63:11].
[10] "The prophets that have been before me and before you OF OLD (olam-age)" [Jeremiah 28:8].
[11] "He has set me in dark places, as they that be dead OF OLD (olam-age)" [Lamentations 3:6].
[12] "When I shall bring you down with them that descend into the pit, with the people OF OLD TIMES (olam-age), and shall set you in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate OF OLD (olam-age)" [Ezekiel 26:20].
[13] "Let them feed in Basham and Gilead, as in the DAYS OF OLD (olam-age)" [Micah 7:10].
[14] "Then shall the offering of Judea and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the DAYS OF OLD (olam-age), and as in former years" [Malachi 3:4].
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[15] "And they have caused them to stumble in their ways from ANCIENT [olam-age] paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up" [Jeremiah 18:15].
Olam is used repeatedly where it means an age but cannot mean everlasting. To go into them would take many pages. Look up "ever" in any good concordance or Wigam, pages 907-910, Old Testament. A few of them - 1 Samuel 13:13; 2 Samuel 7:13,16,25, 26, 29; 1 Kings 2:33; 2:45; 9:5; 1 Chronicles 17:12, 14, 23, 27; 22:19; 28:4, 7; 2
Chronicles 8:5; Psalms 89:4; Ezekiel 37:25. Olam is used many time for things where both the beginning and end are known; many times where the beginning is known but the end is unknown; the beginning of God‘s covenant of the rainbow is known but not it‘s end, probability at the end of the earth.
AION AND AIONIOS
AION (a noun– the plural is aions) and AIONIOS (the adjective form of aion) in the New Testament. Like olam in the Old Testament, aion in the New Testament is also used repeatedly where it means an age but cannot mean everlasting. One example is Colossians 1:26.
King James Version: "The mystery which hath been hid from AGES [aions] and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints"
New King James Version: "The Mystery which has been hidden from AGES [aions] and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints"
American Standard Version: "Even the mystery which hath been hid for AGES [aions] and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints"
New American Standard Bible: "That is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past AGES [aions] and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints"
New Revised Standard Version: "The mystery that has been hidden throughout the AGES [aions] and generations but has now been revealed to his saints"
New International Version: "The mystery that has been kept hidden for AGES [aions] and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints"
Young's Literal Translation: "The secret that hath been hid from the AGES [aions] and from the generations, but now was manifested to his saints"
Why did none of the translation use "forever"? It was obvious to them that God had kept this mystery hidden for ages but not for eternities.
An aion (age) has a beginning [1 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 1:2].
An aion (age) has an end [Matthew 24:3, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Hebrews 9:20].
Forever and eternality, as they are used today, have no beginning and no end.
" WORLD" [Greek-aion] in the King James Version
It had to be obvious to the translators that there are more than one aion-age, but they hid this from their reader by translating it "this world" and "the world to come." A period of time (an age) is changed to a place (World). ―Age, indefinite time, dispensation‖
Robert Young, ―Young‘s Analytical Concordance To The Bible,‖ page 1073.
[1] Matthew 12:32 "Neither in this WORLD* (aion-age) nor in that which is to come." "Either in this age, or the age that is to come" New King James Version, New American Standard Version. Not "neither in this eternity or that eternity which is to come." There are not two forevers, one that now is, and one to come.
[2] Matthew 13:22 "Care of this WORLD* (aion-age)." Care of this age, not "care of this forever or eternity."
[3] Matthew 13:39 "The harvest is the end of the WORLD* (aion-age)." "The end of the forever or the end of eternity"?
"The end of the age" New King James Version, New American Standard Version.
[4] Matthew 13:40 "So shall it be at the end of this WORLD (aion-age)." "At the end of this forever or this eternity"?
"The end of this age" New King James Version, New American Standard Version.
[5] Matthew 24:3 "At the end of the WORLD* (aion-age)." "At the end of the forever or this eternity"? "The end of the age" New King James Version, New American Standard Version.
[6] Matthew 28:20 "Unto the end of the WORLD*" (aion-age). "The end of eternity"?
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[7] Mark 4:19 " The cares of this WORLD (aion-age)." Cares of this age, not "cares of this forever or this eternity."
[8] Mark 10:30 "In the WORLD* (aion-age) to come." "In the forever to come"?
[9] Luke 1:70 "Since the WORLD (aion-age) began.‖ Since the age began, not since the forever began.
[10] Luke 16:8 "Children of this WORLD* (aion-age)." This age, not "children of this forever."
[11] Luke 18:30 "In the WORLD* (aion-age) to come." "In the forever to come"?
[12] Luke 20:34 "Children of this WORLD* (aion-age) marry." "Children of this eternity"?
[13] Luke 20:35 "Worthy to obtain that WORLD* (aion-age)." "That eternity"?
[14] John 9:32 "Since the WORLD (aion-age) begin." "Since the age (aion-age) begin," probably the beginning of the Jewish age. ―In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth‖ [Genesis 1:1]. Beginning of what? The beginning of time. Although it seems there may be ages after the earth [Luke 18:30; Mark 10:30] and may have been ages before the earth, this is an age that had a beginning and is not the beginning of the world.
[15] Acts 3:21 "Since the WORLD (aion-age) begin." Also probably the beginning of the Jewish age, not "Since eternity begin."
[16] Acts 15:18 "From the beginning of the WORLD (aion age)." Probably the beginning of the Jewish age, not "from the beginning of the forever."
[17] Romans 12:2 "From the beginning of the WORLD (aion-age). Also probably the beginning of the Jewish age, not
"from the beginning of the eternity."
[18] 1 Corinthians 1:20 "Where is the disputer of this WORLD*" (aion-age)." Disputer of this age, not "disputer of this eternity."
[19] 1 Corinthians 2:6 "Not of the wisdom of this WORLD*, (aion-age) nor of the princes of this WORLD* (aion-age)."
"Wisdom of this forever ... princes of this eternity"?
[20] 1 Corinthians 2:7 "Which God ordained before the WORLDS" (aions-ages, plural in the Greek, singular in the King James, plural in most translations). Ordained before the eternities? God‘s wisdom, which had been hidden in past ages, the Law age and others, but has now been made known, was foreordained before the ages, not before the worlds plural or before eternities plural. ―In hope of eternal life, which God…promised (Genesis 3:15) before the ages (aionios-ages)‖ [Titus 1:2]. ―Promised before the world began‖ (King James) or promised ―before times eternal‖
American Standard makes no sense, promised to whom before the world began or before times eternal? If eternality has no beginning or ending when was before eternality?
―Before the ages (aions-ages)‖ New American Standard and Revised Standard Version.
[21] 1 Corinthians 2:8 "None of the princes of this WORLD* (aion-age)." Princes of this age, not "princes of this eternity."
[22] 1 Corinthians 3:18 "Seems to be wise in this WORLD* (aion-age)." "Wise in this eternity"?
[23] 1 Corinthians 8:13 "While the WORLD (aion-age) stands." "While the forever stands"?
[24] 1 Corinthians 10:11 "The ends of the WORLD* (aions-ages).‖ "The ends of the eternities"? "Upon whom the ends of the ages are come" American Standard Version.
[25] 2 Corinthians 4:4 "The God of this WORLD (aion-age)." "The God of this eternity"?
[26] Galatians 1:4 "From this present evil WORLD* (aion-age)." "Present evil forever"? Is this present evil world to last for an age or to last for an eternity?
[27] Ephesians 1:21 "Not only in this WORLD (aion-age)." "Not only in this eternity but also in another eternity"?
[28] Ephesians 2:2 "According to the course of this WORLD (aion-age)." This age, not "course of this forever."
[29] Ephesians 3:9 "The beginning of the WORLD* (aion-age)." This age, not "the beginning of the eternity." Young's Literal Translation says, "And to cause all to see what is the fellowship of the secret that has been hid FROM THE
AGES in God, who the all things did create by Jesus Christ, that there might be made known now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly places, through the assembly, the manifold wisdom of God, according to A PURPOSE
OF THE AGES, which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord."
[30] Ephesians 3:21 ―WORLD (aion) without end.‖ The footnote in the New American Standard says, ―To all generations of the age of the ages.‖
[31] Ephesians 6:12 "Of the darkness of this WORLD (aion-age)." Of this age, not "of the darkness of this eternity."
[32] 1 Timothy 6:17 "That are rich in this WORLD* (aion-age)." Rich in this age, not "rich in this eternity."
[33] 2 Timothy 4:10 "Having loved this present WORLD (aion-age)." Loved this present age, not "loved this present forever."
[34] Titus 2:12 "Godly, in this present WORLD* (aion-age)." This age, not "in this present eternity."
[35] Hebrews 1:2 "By whom also he made the WORLD (aions-ages)." The ages, not worlds.
[36] Hebrews 6:5 "Powers of the WORLD* (aion-age) to come." " Powers of the age to come, not powers of the forever to come." Will there be another world?
[37] Hebrews 9:26 "Now once in the end of the WORLD (aion-age).‖ In the end of forever which was more than 1900
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years ago? It was in the end of the age of the Law or Jewish age, which lasted from the giving of the law by Moses to the death of Christ, not the end of the world. The sacrifice of Christ was in the end of the age of the Law given through Moses not in the end of the world.
[38] Hebrews 11:3 "The WORLDS (aions-ages) were framed." God made the ages. Did the King James translators think there is more than one earth? ―By faith we understand that the ages (aions-ages)." were prepared by the word of God‖ New American Standard footnote. Plural ages were prepared by the word of God, periods of time, not plural places, or worlds.
Aionios, the adjective form of aion is translated world three times.
[39] Romans 16:25- 26 ―Kept secret since the WORLD* (aionios-age) began, but now is made manifest…is made known.‖ Since the ages began, not kept secret for all eternality, as eternality is understood today.
―For long ages past‖ New American Standard and New International Version.
―For long ages‖ New Revised Standard Version.
[40] 2 Timothy 1:9 ―Which was given us in Christ Jesus before the WORLD* (aionios-age) began.
―Before times eternal‖ American Standard Version, footnote ―long ages ago.‖ What times does anyone think was before eternality began?
―Before the ages (aionios-age) began‖ New Revised Standard Version.
o The promise of salvation was first given in Genesis 3:15 at the beginning of the first age on earth, the Patriarchal age, which was from Adam to Moses, before the Christian age begin age that Paul was in.
[41] Titus 1:2 ―Which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world* (aionios-age) began.‖ Given or promised to whom before the world began, to whom before everlasting or eternality began? If eternality had no beginning and will have no ending, how could there be a ―before eternality began?‖ ―Before the age began‖ not before the world or the ages began, by ―the age‖ Paul is probably speaking of before the age Christian we are now in began; Christ lived and give us the promise of the resurrection to life before the Christian age began.
*Translated "age(s)" in the New Revised Standard Version.
In the above there are past age(s), the present age, and age(s) to come. There are not worlds past, present, and future. We speak of "the Stone Age," "the Iron Age." etc. Age (aion), century, and year are all periods of time. The world is a place. How did the translators get a place from a word that means a period of time? How did they get
"world" from "aion"? The King James Version has ― world without end” and “in the end of the world” [Ephesians 3:21; Hebrews 9:26]. Eternity has no beginning; therefore, they could not translate it forever so they change a word that means a period of time that has a beginning and an end to a place. Most translations used "age(s)." If aion means forever, what did the translators do when they came to Matthew 24:3? Did they translate it "the end of forever"? No, they could not have an end to eternity; therefore, they change aion to "world." In the Greek "world" is from "kosmos" not "aion." Were they not being less than truthful with their readers? Just as untruthful as they were in the Old Testament where "olam" is translated "world" in Psalms 73:12. Despite the fact that they have translated "olam" into "everlasting" repeatedly, they could not have the ungodly prosper for "forever." An aion (age) in Matthew 24:3 is not a place, not a world.
PLURAL is changed to SINGULAR. When the King James translators translated aions into "worlds" [Hebrews 1:2; see Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 1:26] they left it in the plural, but when they translated it "forever and ever" they changed it to the singular.
They could have plural worlds, but they could not have a plurality of forever or more than one eternality. Their Hell must last forever (singular), not forevers (plural), and not just unto the age of ages.
How do they know "Hell" is everlasting? Not one of the four words translated
"Hell" in the King James Version is used with aion. Not one of four words (sheol, hades, Gehenna, Tartarus) is said to be everlasting or age lasting.
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Aion is used of past ages, the present age, future ages, and in the plural about two thirds of its occurrences in the Bible. Therefore, there MUST be more than one age.
It follows that eternity is not an acceptable meaning of this Greek word. There cannot be past eternities, a present eternity, and future eternities, neither can there be plural eternities. An aion (age) is a long period of time that has a beginning and an ending, but it is not eternity which has no beginning or ending. There are more than one aions, but there can be only one eternity.
In the Bible there is the Patriarchal dispensation (age), and the Law of Moses dispensation (age) [Luke 1:70; Romans 12:2; Colossians 1:26], and the Christian dispensation (age). Age (aion) is applied to the Jewish dispensation (age) that has ended.
See Hebrews 9:26; 1 Cori