Eternity is a duration without bounds or limits; now there are two limits of duration, beginning and ending; that which hath always been, is without beginning; that which always shall be, is without ending. But eternity, absolutely taken, comprehends both these, and signifies an infinite duration, which had no beginning, nor shall have any end: so that when we say God is eternal, we mean that He always was, and shall be for ever; that He had no beginning of life, nor shall have any end of days; but that He is “from everlasting to everlasting.
-Tillotson
Greetings,
Harry, i don't follow what you are getting at here.
Are we confusing that which is made holy unto the LORD, with our position that presently we are looking from?
Perhaps a dig into 'Holy' would be worthwhile. It may not be what we think, at face value, as in, what we generally think it is because that is what we think it is because that is how we use it, because that is how it is used by everyone, regardless as to if anyone has ever really dug into it and been able to relay it in context?
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I will separate a few bits here for easier response
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Also, from the above quote,
it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
"any more" for how long?
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I do have a question....
if when someone dies, that is it, and yet they can (and will be?) resurrected....
OK, the body is somehow brought back at resurrection, yes?
What about who goes into the body at that time?
It would have to be a soul? Yes?
Therefore, where was the soul in the waiting, in the time (according to man's measure of time, that is) between dying and being brought back for judgement or not.
One would think that unless the resurrected body had it's soul back in place, then it would merely be a bag of dust, like in the beginning, gathered dust. If that were the case, then according to my simple logic, that would be rather pointless, and i am convinced that the LORD is not pointless... and i am quite sure you think likewise, concerning Him Whom we must one day face.
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Now, going on to logic, as it appears to be something being discussed in the thread as a means to an end....
Why should anyone really bother about it all? I mean, who really cares about all this GOD and Jesus His Son stuff if in the end we will simply die and be gone? What's the point in getting my knickers in a knot about it all.... I mean, logically, if i simply get extinguished after a rabid life of fulfilling my own desire and pleasure without a hoot about all you religious nuts and your daft claims, then give me a good reason to get even slightly bothered by it all? And while i am at it, all this goes to prove that religion is a menace to society.
If i am simply gone and that is it, with no further knowledge about what i might be missing behind the pearly gates, then tell me why i should ever change my mind and get converted? From what i read, it is a life of bickering and people whipping themselves to some fantasy land that none of them even agree about and throughout history have gone about massacring any and every body who disagrees, either literally or in their heart or by plain neglect and apathy.
See the logic in that?
If so, how does one deal with it?
Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die.
O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment;
O Rock, You have established them for correction.
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do You tolerate the faithless?
Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Habakkuk 1:12-13
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As far as what you have provided thus far concerning a quite loose and 'up there for anyone to take as they will' sort of proposal about the use of words in either Greek, Hebrew or English (we'll forget the several hundred other languages and dialects for now) and maybe a touch of Latin [i think Young used some in his translating work and did not always stick to principals, but that could be a different topic if not too careful, but worthy to note, as he was one man, {somewhat in bed with a couple of others who, as it happened, put forward a very different take on life relating to time and what we now call evolution, while Darwin was still on the Beagle, prior to his now widely accepted theory that has put a spanner in the works of the Bible as it was known and for many, still is - but we don't have to be any more aware of Young's work than any other translator, logically speaking, that is} and we should be concious of that, ie, that he was one man, not many with differing critical helpers and editors and fact checkers etc] that word being either age(s) or aeon(s) or for ever(s), i do not think that the over use of it in your 'argument/proposal' does anything to help the concept along, partly because much, so far, is still up to each and every use of the words used eg, El Olam, surely is not (as Young put it) only for a set period of time? (unless we decide to interpret Young's rendition of age-enduring to mean, well, you know, beyond this age... maybe even a tad longer?)
And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
Genesis 21:33
Young's Literal Translation
and Abraham planteth a tamarisk in Beer-Sheba, and preacheth there in the name of Jehovah, God age-during;
Regarding the Hebrew idea of olam being the horizon, we might consider that as far as the east is from the west has something to do with it, in other words, from where the sun rises to where it sets, defines the day, or age. When one goes walkabout, as some of us still do, the horizon seems to always be quite a long way off, unless you are hiking a mountain, then it gets up into the atmosphere and that tends to be a bit further still.
Do you think those unlearned Hebrews might have ever looked up to the heavens when considering anything, or was that in the too-hard basket?
May
His Name endure
forever (olam); May
His Name increase as long as the sun shines; and let men bless themselves by Him; Let all nations call Him blessed....And blessed be
His glorious Name forever (olam); And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.
Psalm 72:17, 19
How long will the Pslamist do this?
I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your Name forever.
Psalm 86:12
If the Psalmist has/is given eternal life, that might indicate almost a prophetic declaration he is making?
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Regarding the belief (commonly regurgitated by those who are dead-set about this topic) of the entry of the idea of of eternal life coming from Plato and being Greek in origin, that must be held debatable as nearly every culture from dot have had differing thoughts about it and simply stating that it was a greek idea is not really a good representation of truth in this matter. Plato was a late-comer into the idea. For example the oracles of Delphi were around for at least four hundred years before he popped out of his mother's womb, and maybe even up to a thousand years before?
Therefore, while i have no problem in using Young's (which i often refer to) and i have no problem with age and ages being correctly rendered, some of what you have presented thus far is debatable and therefore potentially of no real use in your presentation/argument.
It may be well worthwhile checking on your current position and honestly see how much you do, as you have suggested at times that others might do, and that is, to repeat without due diligence, beforehand.
Like the horizon that can move, [i forgot to mention the sea-faring man, and his horizon, and the knowledge shared by those who did with those who didn't, even way back] sometimes we do need to zoom completely out of the space we are in to be able to see the whole picture freshly and see if and where we might have missed something or if something doesn't really fit. I think some refer to that as being logical and careful at the same time.
We have to also be willing to have another or two challenge everything for us and to trust that they do so with good intent. A rare breed.
@Butch5 I say this ALL without having a personal go at you and while my wording might seem like it, i am writing man to man and i want to think that you will read it thus and not be offended by how i have presented this post. [for any who might think i am being rude, i am not and i trust Butch5 to know where i am coming from as far as this being friendly fire, only,)
(strange that we need disclaimers but that is the state of affairs these days, it seems)
Bless you ....><>
For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself;
John 5:26
