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Introduction
Today we back to our study of the names of God.
We are currently considering His name, El Olam.
I started this study sharing with you the principle of Dispensations.
We learned how God at different times dealt with men.
Here is a verse that I think speaks to this very principle.
I shared with you those “sundry times and divers manners” from God’s Word.
Using Dispensational theology helps us to see the bigger picture of God, His plan for men, and His desire to overcome sin helping us have a relationship with Him.
Now, this evening, we move back to his name, El Olam.
We find the first record of His name once again in Abram’s life.
God changed Abram’s name to Abraham.
If you remember, this all happened after Isaac is born and Abraham cast out Ishmael as a result.
Shortly after that, two Gentile tribal chiefs make a covenant with Abraham at Beersheba.
All of which culminates in Abraham proclaiming the following in verse 33.
The importance of this story rests in this one thing.
Abraham was at a stage of life when he has fully realized the promise of God through Isaac’s birth.
As a result, Abraham realizes his mistake of getting ahead of God.
A mistake the resulted in the birth of Ishmael, not that Ishmael was a mistake.
However, Ishmael was not the seed of promise.
He was, as you might say, the seed of a carnal action.
Carnality is when we do things our way instead of doing things God’s way.
This definition is my simple way of defining it.
In fact, Abraham’s action of casting out Ishmael later serves as an example of God changing the way He deals with men after the cross.
We are now no longer under the law, we are free.
This reaffirms then that God does indeed deal with men “at sundry times and divers manners.”
The majority of the Old Testament was under the Dispensation of the Mosiac Law.
However, now, in our present age, God deals with men according to His grace.
Later, God will reveal even more of Himself as the Lord Jesus Christ establishes His coming Millennial reign.
The Meaning of El Olam
Going back to Genesis 21:33 we read.
The word “everlasting” is the Hebrew word “olam.”
It denotes two things that is important to our study.
It has the idea of something that is concealed or of a secret.
However, along with that connotation is also a relation to time.
Thus, combining the two we have the idea of “time concealed from man” or as some interpret as “time indefinite.”
As for “El”, we already know that it expresses the power of God.
The word “olam” is found in 413 verses throughout Scripture.
It is often translated in English as “forever,” “always,” “perpetual,” and “everlasting.”
It is most often translated as “forever” and “everlasting.”
In some cases, it is clear from the context that it means “time unmeasured,” however, it is also clear from context that is also can mean “for an age,” or “for ages.”
Thus, strictly speaking is quite clear in many passages that time is relegated to a life-time, till the year of Jubilee, or for the period of the Jewish dispensation.
In other passages, the word is doubled up or used in the plural thus meaning “for ages” or “from age to age.”
Let’s consider some examples.
Used Indicating a Lifetime or Until the Year of Jubilee
Note Exodus 21:6
The context of this verse is God’s instructions to Israel concerning servants and slavery.
In this case, a Hebrew man is sold into slavery.
For six years, this man is bound to his master.
However, in the seventh year, he is to be set free.
If came as a slave by himself with no wife and family, he is free to by himself.
If he was married, then his wife goes with him.
However, if during the six years of slave service, his master allows him to marry and they have kids, then the wife and the kids remain property of the master.
The slave may leave, but he must leave by himself.
However, if the slave says to the master he loves his master, his wife, and his children, then he may remain indentured to his master.
Then, as noted in verse 6, the slave is brought before judges as witnesses, the master bores a hole into his ear, and, in doing so, the slave remains in the service of the master “for ever (olam).”
Later, in Leviticus, God deals with subject of heathen slaves.
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Now, understand that “forever” simply meant for a life time or, as we know from the Law of Moses, until the year of Jubilee.
For in both instance, if the year of Jubilee came before the slave’s life ended, they were to be set free during the year of Jubilee.
The year of Jubilee took place every 49 years on year 50.
Allow me one other example even there are many more.
Look over the book of 1 Samuel and 1 Samuel 1:22
1 Samuel tells us the story of prophet Samuel.
It begins with his birth and the circumstances surrounding his birth.
As you may already know, his mother Hannah was barren.
She was part of a polygamous relationship in which there were two wives.
The other wife, Peninnah, had no trouble baring children.
It became a source of contention between the two.
Hannah took the matter to the Lord.
God answered her prayer and she gave birth to Samuel.
In her prayer to God, Hannah made a covenant with the Lord.
If He would give her a child, she, in turn, would give him back to God.
Thus, when Samuel came to an age where he no longer need nursing, she took him and dropped him off at God’s temple to God’s priest to be raised in God’s house.
However, note the length of time in her commitment.
Samuel was to abide with the Lord “forever.”
We understand, once again, to mean Samuel would abide with the Lord for his entire lifetime.
Used Indicating the Period of the Jewish Dispensation (Dispensation of Moses’ Law)
For sake of time, I will only use one example here.
Please know that there are many more.
Let’s go back to God’s promise to Abraham recorded in Genesis 17.
Note that the God promised the land of Canaan as an “everlasting possession.”
The word “everlasting” is the Hebrew word “olam.”
Now look over at Deuteronomy and see God’s warning to Israel.
Did Israel remain in Canaan forever?
The answer is no.
We know that for 70 years they were in captivity and did not possess the land.
Later, after Christ’s ascension, Israel no longer existed to be a nation until 1979.
Thus, we understand that God was speaking of the Dispensation of Moses’ Law when God dealt with men through the nation of Israel.
Today, even though Israel is back in the land of Canaan, God deals with men according to grace.
Yes, God will fulfill His covenant with Israel in the Millennial Kingdom, but even then God’s dealing with men will be much different than the past.
I say all that and give you all that just to make this point.
The word “olam” expresses “time,” a “life time” or an “age,” but always speaks of some passing period which runs its course and fulfils God’s dealings with men.
It’s Application to God
How then does all this apply to God?
It is His name - El Olam.
Essentially this,
God is El Olam, the God of Ages.
He, as God, works His will, not all at once, but through successive times and throughout different dispensations.
Remember He is not just El Olam, but He is also “Jehovah.”
This name, Jehovah, means “I Am.” Thus, as the “I Am,” He is the witness of the past, the present, and the future.
However, it goes deeper in that He is TRUTH itself which does not pass with one dispensation, but lasts for an eternity.
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