Monday, April 21, 2008

Explore the Bible for Yourself, Part 39 of 52

IDEA: Some words may be figures of exaggeration.

PURPOSE: For listeners to realize that the Bible uses speech as everyone else uses speech.

If I say, "Every person you meet is someone who will live somewhere forever," what do you think I'm saying when I say that?

If I say, "It took him forever to get here," what do I mean by that? It is obviously an exaggeration. It means, "for a long time." Are both of these legitimate uses of the use of forever in the English language?

Only the context and perhaps other scriptures can tell us whether a term is exaggeration. Matthew 13:34.

The word forever can mean without end or we can use it to indicate long duration but with a terminal point. I might say, "I'll love you forever and a day." If God says, "I will love you forever," is that different?

"God laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be moved forever (Psalm 104:5), but 102:25-26, "Of old thou didst found the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands. Even they will perish, but thou dost endure. All of them will wear out like a garment, like clothing thou wilt clothe them and they will be changed."

Sometimes forever means without end. Other times it means for a long time. Exodus 12:14 and I Chronicles 15:2 says the Levitical priesthood was forever. But in Hebrews where Jesus becomes our priest, forever comes to an end. Forever usually means without end, but not in every case.

Exaggeration is a way of speaking. It is figurative. Figurative does not mean untrue or less important.