"Perpetual"
                                                                                            By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                       Original     2008
                                                                       Reprint      August 2, 2018
     "And God said, This [rainbow] is the token [sign] of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations,"  Genesis 9:12.  
A Word Study
     The Hebrew word translated as "perpetual" in this Scripture is the word, "olam."  This Hebrew word occurs 418 times in the Old Testament.  This Hebrew word is translated into English, using 20 different English words.  
     This Hebrew word is listed in Strong's Concordance as No. 5769.  Strong's defines the word as meaning, "everlasting; forever; eternity; perpetual; evermore; throughout; for a duration; always; always; world without end."  When the word speaks of a period of time, or an age, it always means "without change; a fixed state."  In other words, when speaking of the incorrigible wicked, they will be "perpetually" wicked, even when thrown into the lake of fire, Isaiah 66:22-24; Rev. 20:15.   Get a copy of Strong's Concordance and look up Strong's definition for yourself.  It is obvious that even in Strong's Concordance, the word never means anything but a constant, fixed, repetitive state.  
     However, God's Word explicitly states, ".....In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established," 2 Corinthians 13:1.  Compare Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15, Matthew 18:16, 1 Timothy 5:19, and Hebrews 10:28.  So let's just bring in another witness, and see how a second witness defines this word.  
     In Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, keyed to Strong's numbers, the Hebrew world, "olam," is defined as meaning, "eternity; perpetuity; everlasting; all the days of life; length of days forever and ever; eternal; that which has no end."  My, my!  It appears that Gesenius is in wholehearted agreement with Strong.  Both Strong and Gesenius define this Hebrew word as meaning a constant, fixed, repetitive state; eternal.  
     But the Bible says, "two or three witnesses."  So let's bring in Young's Concordance and see how Young defined the word.  My copy of Young's Concordance gives the definition for the word, "olam," as meaning, "an age; indefinite time."  It doesn't specify what age, but only "an age."  Eternity is referred to as an "age" or "aion" in God's Word.  See Ephesians 3:21 in the Greek text.  Therefore the word can apply to eternity just as well as any other "age."  However, Young's does explicitly define the word as "an indefinite time."  If this definition in Young's correctly means, "an indefinite time," then it means a time with no end in sight, and no knowledge of how long that time shall be.  I am forced by Young's definition to conclude this means, "eternity or everlasting."
Simple Logic
     But let's not forget that Strong, Gesenius, and Young were all fallible men, just like all other men.  Even though all three of them appear to be in perfect agreement on the meaning of this Hebrew word, all three could still be wrong.  So what do we do now?  I'm so glad you asked!  
     I learned many years ago that if you really want to know what a word means in the Scriptures, then find every reference in the Bible where that particular word occurs, and see how it is used over and over again.  This will tell us the true meaning of the word, right from the inspired, infallible, Word of God itself.  Now isn't this simple?  
     So let's just look at some of the Scripture references where this word occurs.  This should be very enlightening.......

     "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting [olam] God," Genesis 21:33.
    
     "And He smote His enemies in the hinder parts:  He put them to a perpetual [olam] reproach," Psalm 78:66.  

     "But Thou, Lord, art most high forevermore [olam]," Psalm 92:8.  

     "For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting [olam], and His truth endureth to all generations," Psalm 100:5.  

     "Thy righteousness is an everlasting [olam] righteousness, and Thy law is truth," Psalm 119:142.  

     "As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore [olam]," Psalm 133:3.  

     "Thy kingdom is an everlasting [olam] kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations," Psalm 145:13.  

     "Hast thou not known?  hast thou not heard, that the everlasting [olam] God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?  there is no searching of His understanding," Isaiah 40:28.  

     "But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting [olam] salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end," Isaiah 45:17.   
The Lord's Covenant With Noah
     Now let's return to our text Scripture for this study.  When Noah and his family, and all of the animals and birds,  came forth from the Ark, God set the rainbow in the sky.  He then told Noah that the rainbow would be "a token" [sign] "of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual [olam] generations."  
     Wow!  Magnificient!  Incredible!  Wonderful!  Praise to our God!
     Folks, it appears that some "Bible teachers" today have forgotten this covenant that the Lord God made with Noah.  Their expositions of the prophetic Scriptures glaringly reveals this.  
     Some today are teaching that every redeemd person on earth at the end of the Millennial Kingdom will receive a "glorified" body, and that  flesh and blood people living in their natural bodies and reproducing, will no longer exist.  Folks, this claim is false teaching, and a total violation of the "everlasting" covenant God made with Noah, "...and every living creature."  Read Genesis 9:12 again for yourself, and this time believe it.  
     If some reader doesn't understand how this could be possible, then I suggest you earnestly "search the Scriptures" while praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, John 16:13.  
The Sin Nature
     When Adam sinned, he became subject to death exactly as stated in Genesis 2:16-17.  Then in the act of procreation, Adam passed on his fallen "sin nature" to all of his descendants, Romans 5:12.  Every reader of this study has a fallen "sin nature," which causes us to do things, and say things, and get involved in things,  that are simply not right, and are displeasing to the Lord.  As a "born again" child of God, I have come to utterly loath this "sin nature" I received from Adam.  I long to be rid of it.  But, praise the Lord, there is "light at the end of the tunnel."  
God's Covenant and Provision
     Once more I remind our readers of the Covenant God made with Noah and with "every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations."  Read again Ecclesiastes 3:14 and believe it!  
[1]   It is most certainly true that at the bodily resurrection and rapture of God's people, every true believer will receive a "glorified body" like the body of the Lord Jesus Himself, 1 Corinthians 15:49-57; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:1-2.  Now since the body of our Lord is sinless, incorruptible, and immortal, receiving a "glorified" body like the body of the Lord will rid us of our present "sin nature" for ever.  Glory to God!  
     Then those left behind on the earth when the rapture occurs, who turn to the Lord and become true believers during the Tribulation will also receive glorified bodies at the end of the Trib, as indicated in Revelation 20:4.  Their resurrection and glorification will conclude this present Dispensation of Grace.  
[2]  A new dispensation will begin at that time.  The careful Bible student should notice that the Lord God deals with mankind on the earth, and with His whole creation, in a different manner during each different dispensation.  For example, the Lord dealt with Israel preceding the first coming of Christ on the basis of LAW.  But upon the Lord's coming into the world, He began dealing with mankind on the basis of GRACE.    
     Just after the end of the Tribulation [Matthew 24:29-30], the Lord God will return in His glory to establish His Millennial Kingdom upon the earth.  When He returns there will be many people on the earth, still living in their natural flesh and blood bodies.  Some of them will receive Christ as their Savior, when they see the Lord coming in the air "with all His saints," Zechariah 14:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:13.  [The "saints" will be  all those who have received "glorified" bodies.]  Those living in their natural bodies at that time will not receive "glorified" bodies, for the return of Christ just following the end of the Tribulation marks the beginning of a new dispensation, and brings about a change in the way the Lord will be  dealing with mankind on the earth.  
      The prophetic Scriptures clearly state, "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleaness," Zechariah 13:1.  
     This wonderful "fountain" is described in detail in Ezekiel 47, along with the "trees of life" which will grow on each side of the river of the water of life flowing from the "fountain."   When the repentant believing Israelites, or even Gentile believers, drink of the water from that "fountain," the "sin nature" will be totally cleansed from the blood stream of their bodies.  See Joel 3:18-21.  In other words, they will be restored to the same state of innocence that Adam was in before his disobedience brought about his fall.  Hallelujah!  Glory to God!  
     But what about the other "living creatures?"  Just think about it!   When the animals and birds drink water from that river of life, they will cease to die, and will live "for perpetual generations."  When God says in Revelation 21:4, ".....and there shall be no more death," He said what He meant, and He means what He said!  The Covenant God made with Noah in Genesis 9:12, clearly includes "...every living creature...."  Isn't this what this Scripture says?  Then believe it!
     By way of example.....some readers have dogs or cats or birds that they have had for years.  Their pets are now very old, and it grieves them to think about their pets dying.  Folks, such animals who drink water from the river of life, will not die.  Rather, their bodies will be cleansed and renewed, and they will return to the strength and vigor of their youth.  At that future time, people can keep their beloved pets with them for generations, or even forever.   
      I am well aware that some readers may refuse to believe this, and think I have gone off the deep end and lost my mind.  Not hardly!  The God whom I love and serve is quite capable of changing the nature and the reproductive habits of the birds and animals, removing their "wild" nature, making it possible for them to live in complete peace and harmony with redeemed mankind "for ever."   Read Matthew 19:26,  Mark 10:27, Isaiah 11:6-9, 65:25, and Hosea 2:18.   Glory to God!
Conclusion
     Folks, every one of the Scriptures listed earlier in this study, use exactly the same Hebrew word, "olam," which is tranlated as "perpetual" in Genesis 9:12.  This same Hebrew word also occurs 409 more times in the Old Testament, pointing out over and over again that the word mean, "eternal, everlasting, perpetual, unceasing, without any end."  Numerous times the word is used when speaking of God Himself.  Are there any of our readers who want to deny that the Lord God is "everlasting?"  Well...??
      Now just because some of these super spiritual, know-it-all, "Christian scholars" haven't been able to connect the dots, and figure it all out, does not justify them in outright denying, or attempting to explain away, the plain statements of God's Word, and thereby making God out to be a liar.  
     Is it just possible that some today, who present themselves as great "Bible Scholars" don't really know as much as they claim to know about God's Word, or His great Plan of the Ages?  Is that possible?  
     Is this why the inspired Word commands God's people to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth"  2 Timothy 2:15?  If a reader truly wants to obey  this Scripture, then always take the Word of God at face value for what it literally says, unless there is a Scriptural reason to do otherwise.  Leave the theories and opinions to the "religionists" who do not truly believe the Word.  
     Is this why the Apostle Paul in his analogy on the human body [1 Corinthians 12], stated that God's people as "the body of Christ" are to share the spiritual light that the Lord has given us with one another, and take counsel with one another?  Of course it is!  
     Folks, it was Almighty God who said to Noah, ".....This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations," Genesis 9:12.  This means that people, birds, and animals, living in their natural bodies on the earth will never cease throughout eternity.  There will be procreation of "all flesh" [1 Corinthians 15:39] as long as the ages of eternity roll.  Now it is up to the reader to study God's Word, and ask the Lord God to give greater understanding, and revealing how this truth perfectly harmonizes with the covenant He made with Noah, and with His great Plan of the Ages.  
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     Permission is granted to any true believer, or Bible believing Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote from it in context as written.
     My personal contact information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, Missouri 65401
EMAIL..........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493
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