There are quite a few places in the Bible where forever is not
meant to be taken to mean without end. Here are a few of them:
Sodom's fiery judgment is 'eternal' (Jude 7) - until...
God 'will restore the fortunes of Sodom' (Eze. 16:53-55).
Israel's 'affliction is incurable' (Jeremiah 30:12) - until... the
Lord 'will restore health' and heal her wounds (Jeremiah 30:17).
The sin of Samaria 'is incurable' (Micah 1:9) - until...
Lord 'will restore the fortunes of Samaria.' (Ez. 16:53).
Ammon is to become a 'wasteland forever' and 'rise no more' (Zephaniah 2:9, Jeremiah 25:27) - until... the Lord will 'restore the fortunes of the Ammonites' (Jeremiah 49:6).
An Ammonite or Moabite is forbidden to enter the Lord's
congregation 'forever' - until... the tenth generation (Deuteronomy 23:3).
Habakkuk tells us of mountains that were 'everlasting',
that is - until... they 'were shattered' (Habakkuk 3 3:6).
The Aaronic Priesthood was to be an 'everlasting' priesthood (Exodus 40:15),
- until... it was superceded by the Melchizedek Priesthood (Hebrews 7:14-18).
Many translations of the Bible inform us that God would dwell
in Solomon's Temple 'forever' (1 Kings 8:13) - until... the Temple was destroyed.
The Law of Moses was to be an 'everlasting covenant' (Leviticus 24:8), yet we read in the New Covenant the first was 'done away' and 'abolished' (2 Corinthians 3:11,13), and God 'made the first old' (Hebrews 8:13).
The fire for Israel's sin offering (of a ram without blemish) is never to be put out. It shall be a 'perpetual' - until... Christ, the Lamb of God, dies for our sins. We now have a better covenant established on better promises (Leviticus 6:12-13, Hebrews 8:6-13).
God's waves of wrath roll over Jonah 'forever' - until... the Lord delivers
him from the large fish's belly on the third day (Jonah 2:6,10; 1:17).
Egypt and Elam will 'rise no more' (Jeremiah 25:27) - until... the Lord will'restore the fortunes of Egypt' (Ezekiel 29:14) and 'restore the fortunes of Elam' (Jeremiah 49:39).
'Moab is destroyed' (Jeremiah 48:4, 42) - until... the Lord 'will restore the fortunes of Moab' (Jeremiah 48:47).
Israel's judgment lasts 'forever' - until... the Spirit is poured out and God restores it (Isaiah 32:13-15).
The King James Bible, as well as many others, tells us that a bond slave
was to serve his master 'forever' (Exodus 21:6), that is - until... his death.
meant to be taken to mean without end. Here are a few of them:
Sodom's fiery judgment is 'eternal' (Jude 7) - until...
God 'will restore the fortunes of Sodom' (Eze. 16:53-55).
Israel's 'affliction is incurable' (Jeremiah 30:12) - until... the
Lord 'will restore health' and heal her wounds (Jeremiah 30:17).
The sin of Samaria 'is incurable' (Micah 1:9) - until...
Lord 'will restore the fortunes of Samaria.' (Ez. 16:53).
Ammon is to become a 'wasteland forever' and 'rise no more' (Zephaniah 2:9, Jeremiah 25:27) - until... the Lord will 'restore the fortunes of the Ammonites' (Jeremiah 49:6).
An Ammonite or Moabite is forbidden to enter the Lord's
congregation 'forever' - until... the tenth generation (Deuteronomy 23:3).
Habakkuk tells us of mountains that were 'everlasting',
that is - until... they 'were shattered' (Habakkuk 3 3:6).
The Aaronic Priesthood was to be an 'everlasting' priesthood (Exodus 40:15),
- until... it was superceded by the Melchizedek Priesthood (Hebrews 7:14-18).
Many translations of the Bible inform us that God would dwell
in Solomon's Temple 'forever' (1 Kings 8:13) - until... the Temple was destroyed.
The Law of Moses was to be an 'everlasting covenant' (Leviticus 24:8), yet we read in the New Covenant the first was 'done away' and 'abolished' (2 Corinthians 3:11,13), and God 'made the first old' (Hebrews 8:13).
The fire for Israel's sin offering (of a ram without blemish) is never to be put out. It shall be a 'perpetual' - until... Christ, the Lamb of God, dies for our sins. We now have a better covenant established on better promises (Leviticus 6:12-13, Hebrews 8:6-13).
God's waves of wrath roll over Jonah 'forever' - until... the Lord delivers
him from the large fish's belly on the third day (Jonah 2:6,10; 1:17).
Egypt and Elam will 'rise no more' (Jeremiah 25:27) - until... the Lord will'restore the fortunes of Egypt' (Ezekiel 29:14) and 'restore the fortunes of Elam' (Jeremiah 49:39).
'Moab is destroyed' (Jeremiah 48:4, 42) - until... the Lord 'will restore the fortunes of Moab' (Jeremiah 48:47).
Israel's judgment lasts 'forever' - until... the Spirit is poured out and God restores it (Isaiah 32:13-15).
The King James Bible, as well as many others, tells us that a bond slave
was to serve his master 'forever' (Exodus 21:6), that is - until... his death.