Age and Ages 3
Now let (no pun attended) us look at the words "everlasting", "ever" and "eternal." Before we do I want to at the Hebrew and Greek meanings for the Hebrew word olam and the Greek word aion both mean "age" or "eon."
The Hebrew "olam" comes from a root meaning "hidden." The word therefore means a period of time, but a period of unknown or hidden length. The word was often used to mean a man's lifetime because it was an unknown period.
However it is the Greek word "aion" I like for us to look at in depth for it is a word used much in the New Testament. The Greek word "aion" was the word used for the Hebrew word "olam". According to Hebrew and Greek usage, therefore, these words mean a period of time, a period of unspecified length, the duration of which is determined by the fact or condition or person to which the term is applied.
The word "aion" in noun form is used 128 times, while the adjective form "aionios" is used 71 times. In the King James Version "aion" is translated "age" only twice. Thirty-eight times it is translated "world."
Now I want to look at one letter, the letter written to the Ephesians Church. The word "aion" is used six times in the first three chapters as follows:
In 1:21 we read "not only in this world" where it should read "age";
In 2:2 we read, "according to the course of this world"; it should be "according to the eon of this
world"--not the eon before the flood nor the eon of the millennium, but the eon of this world
(kosmos);
In 2:7 it is translated as it should be, "in the ages to come."
In 3:9 we read "which from the beginning of the world," where it should read, "from the ages."
In 3:11, we find, "according to the eternal purpose," where it should read, "the purpose of the ages,"
In 3:21 we discover "world without end" for the phrase, "to the age of the ages."
To add to the confusion, the word genea, which means "generation(s)," is translated "age" twice in the third chapter: in 3:5 "which in other ages, (generationS)" and in 3:21 "throughout all ages (generationS)."
Now is there any wonder that people do not know what the Bible teaches about the "ages"? The miss use of the word has brought about many damning teachings and has enslaved many.
Now why the letter to the Ephesians? Because, years ago I studied the letter word for word and saw the miss usage of the words and changed them in my bible. Before pressing on I like to share a few examples of scriptures that I changed.
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages (genea), world (aion) without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:21 KJV
This verse should read "to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations of the age of the ages. Amen." Ephesians 3:21
We have no difficulty in understanding "King of kings" or "Lord of lords." Everybody knows that they mean the greatest King of all kings, and the highest Lord of all lords. It ought to be equally clear that "the age of the ages," means the greatest age of all ages, the great consummation of the ages when God brings to completion what He has been busily engaged in during all other ages.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: .... 1 Corinthians 2:7 KJV
Should read: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God "foreordained before the ages": .... 1 Corinthians 2:7
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ... 2 Timothy 2:9
Should read: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus "before eonian times",
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; ... Titus 1:2 KJV
Should read: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised "before eonian times." God was before the ages.
How about "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the ages [aion] (NOT - worlds);
Or "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God" Hebrews 11:3
But it should read, "Through faith we understand that "the ages were planned [or, "attuned"] by the Word of God."
God made the eons (ages) through Christ.
How about "And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end" Luke 1:33
This should read, "He shall reign over the house of Jacob for the eons (ages)"; indeed, the time will come when Christ will no longer reign over this kingdom. "Then cometh the end when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father" 1 Corinthians 15:24
But the kingdom will continue under the Father's rule, and it will have no end.
How about Hebrews 9:6 "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
It should read ""But now, once, in order to [lit., "on"] a conclusion of the eons (ages), hath He been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
Now for some it will be the icing on the cake.
Jesus said ".... But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Matthew 12:32
Should read ".... But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come."
YES .... He will not be forgiven in this age, nor in the age to come; For he will carry his sin still unforgiven!
When one sees the plan of the AGES does one see the beauty of God's Program for the redemption of humankind.
My final thoughts on age and ages ... "when shall it be done"?
In Ephesians 2:7 we read, "That in the ages to come..."; here, through the usage of the Greek aion in the plural, we learn that there shall be, at least, two ages after this one. Similarly, Revelation 20:10 speaks of "the ages of the ages."
The Hebrew "olam" comes from a root meaning "hidden." The word therefore means a period of time, but a period of unknown or hidden length. The word was often used to mean a man's lifetime because it was an unknown period.
However it is the Greek word "aion" I like for us to look at in depth for it is a word used much in the New Testament. The Greek word "aion" was the word used for the Hebrew word "olam". According to Hebrew and Greek usage, therefore, these words mean a period of time, a period of unspecified length, the duration of which is determined by the fact or condition or person to which the term is applied.
The word "aion" in noun form is used 128 times, while the adjective form "aionios" is used 71 times. In the King James Version "aion" is translated "age" only twice. Thirty-eight times it is translated "world."
Now I want to look at one letter, the letter written to the Ephesians Church. The word "aion" is used six times in the first three chapters as follows:
In 1:21 we read "not only in this world" where it should read "age";
In 2:2 we read, "according to the course of this world"; it should be "according to the eon of this
world"--not the eon before the flood nor the eon of the millennium, but the eon of this world
(kosmos);
In 2:7 it is translated as it should be, "in the ages to come."
In 3:9 we read "which from the beginning of the world," where it should read, "from the ages."
In 3:11, we find, "according to the eternal purpose," where it should read, "the purpose of the ages,"
In 3:21 we discover "world without end" for the phrase, "to the age of the ages."
To add to the confusion, the word genea, which means "generation(s)," is translated "age" twice in the third chapter: in 3:5 "which in other ages, (generationS)" and in 3:21 "throughout all ages (generationS)."
Now is there any wonder that people do not know what the Bible teaches about the "ages"? The miss use of the word has brought about many damning teachings and has enslaved many.
Now why the letter to the Ephesians? Because, years ago I studied the letter word for word and saw the miss usage of the words and changed them in my bible. Before pressing on I like to share a few examples of scriptures that I changed.
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages (genea), world (aion) without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:21 KJV
This verse should read "to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations of the age of the ages. Amen." Ephesians 3:21
We have no difficulty in understanding "King of kings" or "Lord of lords." Everybody knows that they mean the greatest King of all kings, and the highest Lord of all lords. It ought to be equally clear that "the age of the ages," means the greatest age of all ages, the great consummation of the ages when God brings to completion what He has been busily engaged in during all other ages.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: .... 1 Corinthians 2:7 KJV
Should read: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God "foreordained before the ages": .... 1 Corinthians 2:7
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ... 2 Timothy 2:9
Should read: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus "before eonian times",
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; ... Titus 1:2 KJV
Should read: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised "before eonian times." God was before the ages.
How about "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the ages [aion] (NOT - worlds);
Or "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God" Hebrews 11:3
But it should read, "Through faith we understand that "the ages were planned [or, "attuned"] by the Word of God."
God made the eons (ages) through Christ.
How about "And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end" Luke 1:33
This should read, "He shall reign over the house of Jacob for the eons (ages)"; indeed, the time will come when Christ will no longer reign over this kingdom. "Then cometh the end when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father" 1 Corinthians 15:24
But the kingdom will continue under the Father's rule, and it will have no end.
How about Hebrews 9:6 "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
It should read ""But now, once, in order to [lit., "on"] a conclusion of the eons (ages), hath He been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
Now for some it will be the icing on the cake.
Jesus said ".... But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Matthew 12:32
Should read ".... But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come."
YES .... He will not be forgiven in this age, nor in the age to come; For he will carry his sin still unforgiven!
When one sees the plan of the AGES does one see the beauty of God's Program for the redemption of humankind.
My final thoughts on age and ages ... "when shall it be done"?
In Ephesians 2:7 we read, "That in the ages to come..."; here, through the usage of the Greek aion in the plural, we learn that there shall be, at least, two ages after this one. Similarly, Revelation 20:10 speaks of "the ages of the ages."
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