Page 96 - Gods Plan of the Ages

thought in the minds of the original writers was that the fires of hell and the lake of fire are
limited to the ages of the creation.
Andrew Jukes, an English minister, authored an excellent book on this subject in
1867. It is titled The Restitution of All Things. Mr. Jukes considered the various instances
and combinations of the Greek word aion in the Bible. His comments are worthy of
consideration.

(NOTE: Every scholar knows that the expressions, "ages," "to the ages," "age of the ages,"
and "ages of the ages," are unlike anything which occurs in the heathen Greek writers. The
reason is, that the inspired writers, and they alone, understood the mystery and purpose
of the "ages." They, or at least the Spirit which spake by them, saw that there would be a
succession of "ages," a certain number of which constituted another greater "age." It
seems to me that when they simply intended a duration of many "ages," they wrote "to the
ages." When they had in view a greater and more comprehensive "age," including in it
many other subordinate "ages," they wrote "to the age of ages." When they intended the
longer "age" alone, without regard to its constituent parts, they wrote "to an aeonial age";
this form of expression being a Hebraism, exactly equivalent to "age of the ages:" like
"liberty of glory," for "glorious liberty," (Rom. viii. 21,) and "body of our vileness," for "our
vile body." (Phil. iii. 21.) When they intended the several comprehensive "ages"
collectively, they wrote "to the ages of ages." Each varying form is used with a distinct
purpose and meaning.)
At any rate, and whatever the future "ages" may be, those past (and St. Paul speaks of "the
ends" of some,) are clearly not endless; and the language of Scripture as to those to come
seems to teach that they are limited, since Christ's mediatorial kingdom, which is "for the
ages of ages," must yet be "delivered up to the Father, that God may be all in all."
(Compare Rev. XI. 15, and 1 Cor. XV. 24.) And the fact that in John's vision, which
describes the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gives Him, our Lord is called "Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending,"(Rev. xxi. 6.) seems to imply an end to the
peculiar manifestation of Him as Kingand Priest, under which special offices the
Revelation shews Him, offices which, as they involve lost ones to be saved and rebels ruled
over, may not be needed when the lost are saved and reconciled.
Would it not have been better therefore, and more respectful to the Word of God, had our
Translators been content in every place to give the exact meaning of the words, which they
render "for ever," or "for ever and ever," but which are simply "for the age," or "for the
ages of ages;" and ought they not in other passages, where the form of expression in
reference to these "ages" is marked and peculiar, to have adhered to the precise words of
Holy Scripture? I have already referred to thepassage of St. Paul, in his Epistle to the
Ephesians, which in our Version is rendered "throughout all ages, world without end," but
which is literally, "to all generations of the age of ages." (Eph. iii. 21.)... It is, therefore, a
matter of regret that our Translators should not have rendered them exactly and literally;
for surely the words which Divine Wisdom has chosen must have a reason, even where
readers and translators lack the light to apprehend it.
The "ages," therefore, are periods in which God works, because there is evil and His rest
is broken by it, but which have an end and pass away, when the work appointed to be done
in them has been accomplished. The "ages," like the "days" of creation, speak of a prior
fall: they are the "times" in which God works, because He cannot rest in sin and misery.
His perfect rest is not in the "ages," but beyond them, when the mediatorial kingdom,
which is "for the ages of ages," (Rev. XI. 15.) is "delivered up," (1 Cor. xv. 24.)...
The words "Jesus Christ, (that is, Anointed Saviour,) the same yesterday, to-day,and for
the ages," (Heb. xiii. 8.) imply that through these "ages" a Saviour is needed, and will be