In This Issue:
Unprepared
Eternity
Volume: 1059 August 3, 2026
Theme: Eternity
A woman spent her afternoon and evening gambling at a casino and partying heavily with her friends. When she returned home, she found her maid reading a well-worn Bible.
After glancing at the reading material over the servant’s shoulder, she muttered, “Poor woman. What pleasure can you find in wasting your time reading such a boring book?”
That night, the mistress could not sleep. She sighed, wept, and tossed and turned. Twice, the servant asked her what was the matter.
The lady of the house finally burst out in tears and cried, “Oh, it is one word I saw in your Book that troubles me. The word that has bothered me so was ‘eternity’! Oh, how happy I would be if I knew I was prepared for a heavenly eternity!”
The life God has allowed us to have now is only temporary. What we do with the existence God allows us to have now will determine where we will go in the next promised life.
Our time here on Earth is only the beginning! All will face an eternity, but most wonder, “Where?” The Bible promises that there is a permanent place where everyone will spend their eternal future.
Only one instance of “eternity” is found in the KJV. It is the habitation of God, and He will have others with Him.
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15
However, “eternal” is used 45 times in the King James Version New Testament and twice in the Old Testament. Noah Webster defines “eternal” in his 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language as being “Without beginning or end of existence, ceaseless, continued without intermission.” It is a never-ending habitation far surpassing the 70-year average in this life.
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:10 (A “score” is 20 years.)
People have always wondered how they could live eternally in God’s kingdom.
“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17
To be with Him now is only by trusting Christ as one’s Saviour.
“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:15
“As thou hast given him [Jesus] power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” John 17:2
“And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” I John 2:25
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” I John 5:11
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” I John 5:13
For this church age, eternal life is not gained by good deeds, works, or strict obedience to the Old Testament laws. It is by accepting what Jesus did for us. It is a gift (Romans 6:23) for those who believe and trust what God has offered them.
“And I give (given, not earned!) unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:28
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Those who live the way God desires will receive eternal rewards.
“And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” John 4:36
“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7
When this life takes its last breath, those saved by Jesus will live in a place that God has prepared for them.
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, (Webster: ”to break, to separate, to lose the tie or bonds to anything), we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” II Corinthians 5:1
“Immortal” is used once in the KJV to describe eternity. According to Webster (1828) it: “Has no principle of alteration or corruption; exempt from death, having life or being that shall never end; continual.”
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Timothy 1:17
“Everlasting” is used the most to describe what is on the other side of this life. It is mentioned 91 times, and most usages are found in the Old Testament. The word means “lasting or enduring forever, eternal, existing or continuing without end, immortal.”
The word is used to promise that God’s vows to us will “never end.” They will always been reliable and available.
“And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” Genesis 17:7
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Psalm 90:2
“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100:5
God will always be a source of safety and protection for His own.
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.” Deuteronomy 33:27
“Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:” Isaiah 26:4
“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting 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
“19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory…” Isaiah 60:19-20
God will never forget us.
“Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.” Psalm 112:6
The Word of God prophesied that God would send mankind a Savior who is also God. It was said in advance that the One (Jesus) would come.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Again, Jesus is the only way to Heaven and to have “everlasting” life.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24
God’s way and plan will always be available. It will be continually available to be obtained by mankind.
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” Revelation 14:6
Everlasting salvation will be the most important accomplishment one can make that will never perish.
“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. “ John 6:27
Every person who was born of a woman has a soul that will live forever. However, the majority will not open their eyes to the wonderful permanent future described above. There is also another everlasting life most will experience, but it is a horrifying, tormenting future. It is Hell, and one day it will be emptied into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46
“But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:” Mark 3:29
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46
“Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;” II Thessalonians 1:9
An examination of “eternity,” “eternal,” “immortal,” and “everlasting” in the scriptures gives a more expansive view of what awaits one after this life. It is a future longer than 70, 100, 1,000, 10,000 or even a million years. However, that understanding should make one more aware of how important it is to receive the right never-ending consequences to wrong choices.
One should now realize not just about their own future, but also about those encountered. They are not just neighbors, old, young, ugly, good-looking, smart, or dumb. They are souls soon facing a never-ending future. Where will they spend their everlasting future?
That thought should make one more cognizant of directing others to the right eternity, not the one they will eternally regret. Your efforts may direct others toward a gratifying future rather than a sorrowful one. If you do not show or tell them, they may suffer permanently. You can make an eternal difference!