Skip to main content

Forever?


But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2 Peter 3:10

 

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever. 

Eccl. 1:4

 

Is this an inconsistency? Is it possible that the Bible contradicts itself on the status of the earth? Is it possible that the advocates of a renovated earth are correct? No, no, and no. Come let us reason together from the Scriptures and look at just the meaning of “forever.”

 

First, the word here in Hebrew is olam. This word means forever in a more limited sense as in "a long duration." Unfortunately, many are confused between things which are eternal and things that were going to last for the foreseeable future but would have an end one day.  Shall we consider the Passover? Exodus 12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons forever. Just from our study of Galatians alone, you can recall that the practices of the Law of Moses are not binding on the Christian who is under the Law of Christ.  

 

Shall we consider Deut. 15:17? Then thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant forever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. So, if you had a slave who wanted to stay in his master's house, the master could pierce his ear and this would be a sign of his work status forever. Did this slave live forever? In the Hadean realm is this servant a servant of his master? Absolutely not. 

 

But what about Ecclesiastes 1:4?  Let us consider the words. The preacher writes all is vanity, what profit has a man for all his labor? Nothing that he can take with him, that is the answer. For one generation passeth away and another cometh. The earth abideth forever. Must we conclude the earth lasts forever? No. Why don't we just consider that the earth outlasts generations? They come and go, but the earth has continued. Solomon wrote this many years after Adam. 

 

The passage in 2 Peter 3:10 does not contradict but rather points to the end of the earth, which consequently will be the end of the generations of men. The earth will outlast all generations of men until it is needed no more. 

 

Please be wary of all those who will try and apply buzz words like forever, olam, equally. That is how the Judaizers will force circumcision, rebuild the temple, the Sabbath, and dietary restrictions. 

 

Grace and Peace,

Ryan


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Don't Raise an Ahaz

           Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Jehovah cast out from before the children of Israel.   And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree . 2 Kings 16:2-4                   When was the first time you drove a car? What about the first time you jumped off a diving board or gave a speech? After that first time, it certainly became easier. What about the first lie you told? Did it become easier? King Ahaz of Judah was evil and far from the example of David. Ahaz was the first to offer child sacrifices to t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Abijah and Totality

  Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam (also Abijah) over Judah.Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 1 Kings 15:1-3        Do you ever wonder how someone who gets things mostly right can still be so wrong? It is mind-boggling if we do not consider that God judges man in totality. From our text above, it is hard to see anything good that can be said about Abijam (Abijah) son of Rehoboam. After all, it is evident that he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.      So where do we learn the details? 2 Chronicles 13:1-22 gives us further evidence of Abijah’s issues. We know he i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Can a Christian Celebrate a Secular Christmas?

         Can a Christian celebrate a secular Christmas? This is a good question and one that deserves an honest answer. This week I read the following, “If you don’t talk about Jesus at Christmas time, you miss Jesus. If you do not sing those scriptural songs focusing on Jesus, you miss Jesus. You might have grown up in a church where “Christmas” was a “Jesus-free” day.” These were some accusations leveled against some brethren by a well-known preacher in our brotherhood. In this article, I wish to set the record straight on how it is rather simple to celebrate a secular Christmas and it not be a “Jesus-free” day. I contend that no day is “Jesus free” for a New Testament Christian.            First, this brother accuses the church “of not knowing what to do with Christmas. They celebrate it in their homes, but avoid it at all costs in church.” I contend that the preachers who preach the whole counsel of God know what to do with...
Post a Comment
Read more