The OT stresses that God alone is immortal and indicates that this gift may be granted to human beings under certain conditions.
Immortality is an attribute of God
God is everlasting in himself
Psalm 90:2 See also Nehemiah 9:5; Psalm 41:13; Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 40:28; Habakkuk 1:12
Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
God is everlasting in his character and actions
Deuteronomy 33:27 The way in which Scripture emphasises the character of God in these contexts shows that immortality is about a quality of being as well as about infinite duration. Genesis 9:16, Genesis 17:7, Genesis 17:13, Genesis 17:19; 1 Chronicles 16:17 parallel Psalm 105:10; Psalm 9:7, Psalm 10:16, Psalm 132:12; Daniel 7:14, Daniel 7:27; Psalm 52:8, Psalm 103:17; Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 119:142; Daniel 9:24; Isaiah 45:17 God's everlasting salvation; Isaiah 54:8 God's everlasting kindness; Isaiah 60:19–20 the LORD as the everlasting light
The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’
Immortality is conditionally offered to human beings
Genesis 3:22–23 See also Psalm 6:5, Psalm 88:5, Psalm 88:10, Psalm 115:17; Daniel 12:2 The most specific OT reference to immortality. Note that while resurrection to judgment is for all, immortality is only for the righteous (Proverbs 12:28).
Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...” Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
Enoch and Elijah: two special cases
The confidence of believers
Psalm 16:9–11 See also Psalm 17:15, Psalm 21:6, Psalm 73:24, Psalm 133:3
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
God will abolish death
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.