Forever

The Hebrew word translated ‘forever’ and ‘everlasting’ is owlam

owlam has various meanings:

• forever; everlasting – Genesis 13:15; 17:8
• meaning a very long time
• may cover a person’s lifetime – Exodus 21:6; 1 Samuel 1:22)
• a period of many generations – Joshua 24:2
• the time of the present created order – Psalms 73:12
• The term ‘forever,’ for a perpetual possession, means as long as the order of things to which it belongs lasts.” – Barnes
• …to the end of the present dispensation” – Clarke

If ‘everlasting’ always meant lasting forever, then we should still be observing:

• Circumcision – Genesis 17:10-13
• The Passover – Exodus 12:14
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread – Exodus 12:17
• The priesthood of Aaron – Exodus 29:9
• The Sabbath – Exodus 31:16-17
• The sacrifices, with their portions for the priests – Leviticus 6:18; 7:34-36; 10:15
• Fasting and animal sacrifices on the Day of Atonement – Leviticus 16:29-34
• The Feast of Tabernacles – Leviticus 23:39-42
• …and many other elements of the Law described as ‘everlasting ordinances’
• Deuteronomy 15:17 “then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.” Better Translated: then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.
• Jeremiah 25:8-11 – Israel would be a “perpetual desolation.” – “perpetual” from Hebrew word “olam.” – Jeremiah 29:10 and Daniel 9:2 demonstrate that this “perpetual desolation” was going to last 70 years. The promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:7-8, 13), were “forever” in the sense of “age-lasting” or “until the end of a given age.”

Yet the New Testament teaches such ordinances were not permanent. They were fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation – Hebrews 9:6-10.

• Circumcision is clearly no longer binding – Galatians 5:1-6
• Even Sabbath days are no longer bound – Colossians 2:14-17

What do you think?