Beacon-Ministries

 

OLAM and AION


 

The Hebrew word olam, and the Greek word aion mean "age" or "eon."

AION

The Greek noun aion is used 128 times. It is translated as:

Ages          2

Course       1

Eternal       2

Ever           72

Evermore   4

Never        7

World       40

Strong’s (#165) "an age."

The Greek adjective aionios is used 71 times. It is translated as:

Eternal       42

Ever          1

Everlasting 25

World        3

What the Scriptures teach us about the ages (aions)

The ages have a beginning:

"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 worlds" (Hebrews 1:2).

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (I 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" (II Timothy 1:9).

The ages end, individually and collectively:

"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" (Hebrews 9:26.)

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (I Corinthians 10:11).

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3).

How many ages are there?:

Past: "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints" (Colossians 1:26).

Present: "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father" (Galatians 1:4).

Future: "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).

(A minimum of five ages indicated).

 


by Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
© 2004-2007