How come the Bible god had very little to say about eternal life?

Question

Yes, yes, I know Jesus had a lot to say about eternal life; that's not my question.
I'd like to know why the Bible god didn't talk about it much; and so my question covers Genesis through Malachi.

Replies from Bible scholars and others appreciated.

Answer 1

First came the flesh, then came the spirit, first came the law then came salvation. The Old Testament refers to salvation and eternal life quite a bit but it is many times shown spiritually. The entire idea of the Sabbath is all about eternal life. The tree of life in the first book of Moses is eternal life the Manna from heaven again eternal life. The entire word of God is about eternal life from creation to the grace that Jesus Christ did bring.
There are two ways of thinking one carnal one spiritual.
One leads to eternal life and one leads to the grave.

Answer 2

When you read the Bible, you will notice that it has a "progressive revelation". The people at the very beginning did not understand everything that the people at the end did.

For example, Noah did not understand about circumcision. That did not come until Abraham.
Abraham did not have the 10 Commandments. Those did not come until Moses.
Moses did not have a temple, only a tabernacle. That came with David.
David did not have the all the details of the coming Messiah. Those came with Isaiah and the prophets.

One of the revelations that took a while was the understanding of the afterlife. Funny how many atheist and critics claim that people only serve God to go to heaven, but in the Bible the existence of heaven is barely mentioned for the first 3/4 of the book.

Why did God wait to fully develop the idea of heaven? Because he was more concerned about how we live here then how we live in the afterlife. It is this life which determines the afterlife. So he was more concerned about teaching us how to live in this world, relate to him in this world, and fulfill his will in this world. So he spent more time on it then on heaven.

Isn't it something that if the Jewish religion was borrowed from all these other ancient religions, they somehow missed what was the "key" of the other religions. They all put major emphasis on the afterlife, including building pyramids to house food and slaves for the afterlife. But the Jews lived for this life.

It is a difference in the Judeo/Christian faith from most others. We see our purpose for living to be in this life, not in the next. It is only here that we can change things for the better. It is only here that we can get people saved. It is only here where we can fulfil the first part of the rayer Jesus gave us - "our kingdom come, your will be done on earth".

So God did not say alot about heaven until he had first established what are mission was here on earth.

Answer 3

Everything in the Old Testament is a type and shadow of things to come in the New Testament.

What does this passage say to you?

Daniel 12
The Worst Trouble the World Has Ever Seen
1-2"'That's when Michael, the great angel-prince, champion of your people, will step in. It will be a time of trouble, the worst trouble the world has ever seen. But your people will be saved from the trouble, every last one found written in the Book. Many who have been long dead and buried will wake up, some to eternal life, others to eternal shame.
3 "'Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever.

Answer 4

The God of the Bible does state that man was intended for life on earth forever. Psalms 37:29, Eccl 3:11, Isa 65:21-25,
This is why man could not live on?> Gen 3:22,23
When Adam sinned, he lost the right to everlasting life for himself and for all of his yet unborn offspring. (Genesis 2:17) When he became a sinner because of his disobedience, he became defective, imperfect. From that time on, Adam’s body became, in effect, programmed for death. As the Bible says, “the wages sin pays is death.
So in God's plans for the earth and man he arranged things to work through and by his son. For this reason most of his thoughts and plans are projected in Jesus time.
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Answer 5

errors of the day. Einstein theory it substitute into infantile. he's lifeless and if there substitute right into a actuality previous his demise, then he might believe now. eternal life appears like hell, so as that wouldn`t be lots of a modern-day. we could no longer stay on the previous and look to the destiny. We nonetheless have an prolonged-term till now technology is complete and not made out of guesses.

Answer 6

Because God didn't wish to give these details until after His Son had begun to preach the New Covenant.

However, Isaiah 26 gives a tantalizing view of what Christians call the "resurrection of the dead":

19 Your dead shall live;
Together with my dead body *** they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For your dew is like the dew of herbs,
And the earth shall cast out the dead.

*** The Septuagint reads "those in tombs" instead of "my dead body" here.

There is also Hosea 6:1-2, which reads:

1 Come, and let us return to the LORD;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
2 After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight."

Answer 7

When God created Adam & Eve, they had the prospects of having "eternal life" - BUT they failed and thus suffered the consequences with "death". So eternal life was God's idea.

When Jesus Christ was sent to Earth, his "sacrifice" gave way for sinners to be forgiven and thus have again the prospects for "everlasting life" - but again only if they obey God's will and requirements.

As the "Lord's Prayer" mentions, God's Kingdom will be here on Earth, just as he oringinally intended for Adam & Eve to live. http://www.living-forever.info

Answer 8

Eternal life was Jesus' idea. It was not based on scripture, it was just a brilliant idea of his.
The Bible god had no interest in such a concept.

Answer 9

True, it shows an evolving concept. Originally the belief was that "God" only applied to life and that developed over the years to include heaven and hell, hell developing more during the middle ages.

Answer 10

He said it all when he said......I am the alpha and the omega....the beginning and the end.

It also mentioned in there somewhere that God is eternal.

So if God is eternal and also is the alpha and the omega then God said that he IS eternal life.