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What Does ʿÔlām Mean For The WHCA & Iran Peace Talks?

What Does ʿÔlām Mean For The WHCA & Iran Peace Talks?

Last updated on: April 26, 2026 at 10:54 pm by Martin Thomas Johnson

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What Does ʿÔlām Mean For The WHCA & Iran Peace Talks? 2026-04-26T22:54:01-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

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The big news this weekend has been about the WHCA

(White House Correspondents’ Association) dinner in Washington. First of all, it was a surprise he even attended since he has boycotted every association dinner while in office.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

Because of this fact, numerous conspiracy theories have already emerged from both sides of the political aisle, stemming from what happened just as the dinner was starting.

The dinner has a historically been a time when politicians, celebrities, and journalists alike gather for a peaceful night of jokes, camaraderie, and fellowship. However, this year’s event turned into a harsh reminder that we live in a fallen world:

Violence
Hatred
Death

The Bible is clear that because of the sin of all mankind, this world is a temporary and fallen kingdom (Isaiah 24:5-6, Romans 3:23, 1 John 2:17). Mankind’s thirst for more and earthly greatness led humanity away from God; not much has changed since the beginning.

Even God’s people have become obsessed with the temporary trappings of this fallen world. But that is how Satan and sin have always worked; they focus on the temporary instead of the eternal (Proverbs 14: 12, Galatians 6:8).

What Is Eternal

All of mankind are finite beings, because we will each die one day (Romans 5:12, Hebrews 9:27). Only God is eternal and has been around from the beginning (Psalm 102:12, Hebrews 1:10-12).

Eternal is defined as “Having infinite duration: everlasting.” Mankind is a finite being, instead of an infinite being like God. One day, even Donald Trump will die because no one escapes death (Ecclesiastes 3:2, 2 Corinthians 5:1).

Image by Pixabay

This fallen world focuses on the temporary, but God’s people are called to focus on what is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). That is why the Bible has a lot to say about what is eternal and what lasts (Psalm 89:2, Romans 2:6-8).

God has a bigger and better plan for His people than anything this temporary world and Satan can offer us (Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, Ephesians 3:20-21, Colossians 3:1-2, 1 Peter 1:4, 25, James 4:14). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about what is eternal and why it really matters.

ʿÔlām

The Torah tells us that in the beginning God existed and then spoke everything into existence (Genesis 1:1-3). God actually stepped into His creation and walked with mankind (Genesis 3:8).

Until mankind rejected God’s ways and listened to their evil hearts and the devil (Genesis 3:1-6; 6:5), after that, the flesh of man became cursed and temporary; what was eternal was lost because man disobeyed God (Genesis 3:17-19). The relationship with the eternal God was broken by mankind.

The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for eternal is ʿôlām, and it can also mean, “ever, eternity, everlasting, ancient, long, or perpetual,” depending upon the context it is used in. God’s people were supposed to help restore mankind to that eternal relationship with God (Genesis 12:2-3, Exodus 19:5-6, Isaiah 49:6).

That is why Judaism emphasizes eternity and an everlasting God over this temporary world (Deuteronomy 33:27, Job 36:26, Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 57:15). Thus, Judaism looks at life from an eternal perspective (Psalm 103:17, Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiastes 12:7):

The New Testament begins with God once again stepping into his creation to have a relationship with mankind (Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:35, John 1:14). Jesus identified Himself as part of the Godhead (Matthew 28:19, John 10:30).

Image by Pixabay

Our Lord taught His followers to focus on things above, not here below (Matthew 6:19-21, Luke 12:33-34). He made it clear that the Kingdom of heaven is not part of this fallen world (Matthew 6:8-10, John 18:36).

Our Rabbi taught about the true way to eternal life and having everlasting peace with God (John 6:53-58; 14:6). Earthly peace is temporary, but only God’s peace is everlasting (John 14:27).

Iran Peace Talks

In other big news this weekend, President Trump stopped the US delegation of Jared Kushner and Steve Witcoff from traveling to Pakistan for more peace talks with Iran, which has made it clear they want nothing to do with these temporary peace talks or the president’s agenda.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

Some believe the president is just trying to call Iran’s bluff or is trying to play the long game to get what he wants. Even the president’s long game is temporary compared to God’s eternal plans.

Iran has continued to escalate the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz this week, also. The irony is that President Trump is focused on temporary greatness and earthly power, just as much as the Iranian leadership is:

Greed
Power
Violence
Deception

Jesus and the New Testament writers warned us about focusing on the things of this temporary world (Mark 8:36, Luke 2:15, Colossians 3:2, Philippians 3:18-20, Hebrews 13:5. God’s people don’t live their best life in this temporary world, no matter how much false prophets and teachers try to convince people.

The great Charles Spurgeon wisely said, “Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.” Surely, President Trump and the MAGA cult have learned by now that life is too short to focus on temporary happiness and earthly greatness (Ecclesiastes 2:11, James 4:14). God’s people should be more focused on what God says is ʿôlām!

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