Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 38:75 (Autumn 2025)
Article: Eternal Rewards Teaching In The Old Testament
Author: Robert N. Wilkin

JOTGES 38:75 (Autumn 2025) p. 85

Eternal Rewards Teaching In The Old Testament

Robert N. Wilkin

Associate Editor
Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Denton, TX

I. Introduction

Did Adam and Eve know anything about eternal rewards? Most Free Grace people are convinced that they came to faith in Christ for everlasting life very shortly after they sinned (See Gen 3:15).

But did they believe that the service they performed for the Lord in this life would be rewarded in the life to come? What did subsequent generations believe? Did Enoch, in the seventh generation, believe in eternal rewards? Abraham in generation 20? Moses in generation 26? King David in generation 34?

II. The Key Old Testament Words And Expressions

In the OT, with the exception of inherit/inheritance, the words used for reward are not specific to rewards in the life to come. God rewards or recompenses people for their deeds. That is true in this life. However, very few of the following verses limit God’s recompense for deeds to that which is given out in this life.

Reward/Rewarded (seker, slm). See Job 34:11; Psalm 58:11; Prov 11:18; 13:13; Isa 62:11; Jer 31:16.

Recompense (slm, gemul, natan). See 2 Sam 19:36; Prov 11:31; 12:14; Ezek 11:21.

Reap (qsr). Typically associated with sowing (as in Gal 6:8). See Job 4:8 (negative reaping); Ps 126:5; Prov 22:8 (negative reaping); Hos 10:12.

Inherit/Inheritance (yrs/nhl). See Ps 25:13 (future inheritance of the earth); 37:9 (future inheritance of the earth); Prov 3:35 (future inheritance of glory).

JOTGES 38:75 (Autumn 2025) p. 86

Judgment (mispat). See Eccles 12:14 (God will bring every work ...