What is the Bible Import of the Word Eternal.
By E. Lamphear
This seems to be the question before us for consideration; and, in examining the subject, it may be necessary to inquire into the original word from which this word was translated, or derived. We observe that some times great stress is placed upon the use of this word; while at other times but very little is implied in its use. This, doubtless, is in consequence of the very limited meaning of the word of itself. We find the word everlasting implies the same as eternal, and can with propriety be used in its stead; all depending on the preference of terms of the one using them. The expression "forever," and "forever and ever," is frequently used, yet all seem to have derived their meaning from the Latin word æturnus, contracted from æviturnus, and this from ævum, an age or life time. In the Hebrew, the most common word rendered eternal, and everlasting is olem, properly defined, meaning hidden; specifically, hidden time, i. e., obscure and long, of which beginning or end is uncertain, or indifferent; duration, everlasting, eternally. In examining for the real import of these words, or expressions, doubtless we shall readily see that mankind give credit to the word that belongs to the connection, or the thing the word is applied to. The word itself does not define the length of time in any case of its use. The length of time, or duration, is gained from what it is applied to, as we shall readily see by reference to their use. To commence, we will refer to Jude, verse 6. "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitations, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." Here in this case, everlasting only includes time or duration down to the day of judgment. Now let us examine the seventh verse and see what we can learn about the word "eternal." "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them, in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Here seems to be a type of the ruin of the wicked generally; an example—yet we know that this eternal fire that was rained from God out of Heaven, that destroyed those cities, was not of a very long duration; yet it was eternal fire. Again: Gen. xlix, 26. "Unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, they shall be on the head of Joseph," &c. Jer. xx, 11. "Their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten." Hab. iii, 6. "He [God] stood and measured the earth: he beheld and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow; his ways are everlasting." Here we find everlasting applied to hills, mountains and confusion. Are these hills and mountains to exist through an endless duration? Certainly not; God will scatter them. We find everlasting applied to possessions, land marks, priesthood, statutes, doors, sins, and everlasting to everlasting, etc., where at the same time we know that endless duration is not implied. A few quotations in reference to the expression, "for ever and ever," may not be out of place, as many base the doctrine of the endless punishment of the wicked upon the use of this expression, referring to this text: "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever." Rev. xiv, 11. Ever, here, added after for ever, does not make the word any stronger in its meaning; but is added to accomodate language. Lev. vi, 13, we read thus: "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar: it shall never go out." This text you will readily see by examining the context, refers to the meat offerings, offered unto the Lord by the sons of Aaron; and we learn that all his male children was required to eat of the meat offerings forever through their generations. These offerings were done away eternally, long ago. Again: Are the Hebrew servants yet serving their masters? We read that "if he did not wish to go out free, after serving six years, his master should bore his ear with an awl, and he should be his servant for ever." And again in Jer. vii, we learn that "the word came to Jeremiah from the Lord," and in that proclamation we find a promise, as follows: "If ye oppress not the stranger, the widow and the fatherless," &c., "then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever." I might refer to many other texts of the same nature, but it is not necessary. The foregoing I think sufficient to satisfy the intelligent mind that these words and expressions, in themselves, mean nothing more in their application than that they represent time; the time ending when the thing referred to ceases to exist. We find these words and expressions frequently applied to God, and to the future inheritance of his saints, in the Bible; but from these expressions alone we can gain but little, if any, evidence that either will have an endless existence. Yet they are proper when applied to them, for they represent time, and time may mean an age, a life time, time without end or beginning, endless, immortal, undying, perpetual, ceaseless. In Isa. lx, 15, eternal equals many generations. We find another word in the Bible that stands higher in the scale of words than any of these, or all combined, as to time, duration and existence; and that is, "immortality." This word always means without end of existence; negative to death, exemption from death, incorruptible. This word is applied to none other but to God and his saints; and were it not for the application of this word to the righteous, we should have no reliable evidence that they would inherit an endless existence in future bliss; for we read that they shall be as angels, and then we learn that angels have "fallen from their first estate." But not so with the righteous; for they shall put on immortality." This done, "death is swallowed up in victory," and there is "no more death;" victory is theirs. Well might the apostle say: "Thanks be to God that giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ," reference being had to 1 Cor. xv (latter part), also to Isa. xxv, 8. When the saints shall have put on immortality, it will be equivalent to putting on a part of God himself; for "God only hath immortality." When this shall take place, Christ shall have put all enemies under his feet, the last enemy being destroyed, that is, death. Christ now having accomplished his whole mission in the world, gives up the "kingdom to God the Father;" that he may be "all, and in all." But to return to the original question. Would it be out of place to say, in reference to the great deluge sent upon the earth by God to destroy the wicked from its face, that it was an eternal flood? and that it was an everlasting rain that caused it? It rained for a long time; and the flood still longer, and until it had accomplished its object. It had drowned the wicked from the face of the earth. Could it have done more? Did it remain longer, after the work was accomplished? We learn from 2 Pet. iii, 6, 7, that "The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." Mal. iv, 1, says, "For behold the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Then in Rev. xiv, 11, it reads, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever." Other texts might be referred to, but I forbear, as I have already wearied your patience; and would now ask you to draw the inference. Would the smoke be likely to continue ascending any great length of time after they (the wicked) were burned up root and branch, and nothing more left to burn? Would not the fire naturally go out, and the smoke cease to ascend, as did the rain cease to descend, after its work was accomplished? We answer, it would from necessity. Then we must conclude that the Bible import of the words eternal, everlasting and for ever and ever, do not mean any fixed duration in themselves, independent of their connection. They simply represent time, duration, etc., as when you say: that man is eternally finding fault with the Administration; and that woman is an everlasting scold; and that family is for ever and ever in some difficulty. Much latitude is given in the English language to the use of words, for its accommodation. We can readily observe this fact by examining the application of the words "life, death, kingdom, inheritance, hell," &c. These words are applied to sentences and things of a very different character. The real meaning is to be gained from the sentence or thing applied to, instead of the word used.