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Particulars
of Christianity:
303
Bible Cosmology
Heaven
and Earth, Replaced or Restored:
"Restarts"
vs. the First Start
Cosmology: Introduction and Definitions
Part 1: The Old Testament - Buildings
in Heaven
Bodies in Heaven: Angels and Spirit
Bodies
Humans and Angels: How Similar are
We?
Hell in the Old Testament
Part 2: From Christ's Death to His
Return
Part 3: Christ's Return Through His
Millennial Reign
Part 4: The Final Judgment and Eternity
Replaced or Restored: "Restarts" vs.
the First Start
Replaced or Restored: Genesis 1 and Angels
Replaced or Restored: Precedent Reveals
Restoration (Part 1)
Replaced or Restored: Precedent Reveals
Restoration (Part 2)
Replaced or Restored: More on the
Creation of Angels (Part 1)
Replaced or Restored: More on the
Creation of Angels (Part 2)
Cosmology: Composite Chart
Cosmogony Illustrations
Although
Christians still debate this issue somewhat, this topic is
really quite simple to comprehend. There are basically two
theories regarding what happens to heaven and earth at the
time of the Great White Throne Judgment. First, some state
that the former earth and heaven will cease to exist and will
be replaced with a new earth and heavens. Others state that
the former earth and heaven will not cease to exist or be
replaced, but instead will simply be renovated, restored,
and rejuvenated.
The question of whether the heavens and earth are replaced
or rejuvenated involves a closely related question as to exactly
what is being included in "heavens" and "earth." For example,
earlier in these articles, we established that there were
three definitions, or at least components, of heaven: 1)
the sky and atmosphere, 2) space where the sun and
stars reside, and finally 3) the place where angels and God reside and where the throne of God currently resides. Are all three aspects of heaven included in the phrase “new heavens?” For example, is the place where angels reside also to be replaced or rejuvenated?
As we investigated whether or not the place of the angels is included in the depiction of a "new heavens," we also explored related questions and indications concerning the creation of angels and the where they reside. If the place of the angels (heaven) is not included in the replacement or rejuvenation indicated by the phrase "new heavens," then what impact does that have on our understanding of the creation week of Genesis? Was the angelic abode included or excluded from the creation of Genesis 1? Furthermore, if the place of the angels was not included in the creation week of Genesis 1, what impact does that have on our understanding of the phrase "in the beginning" in Genesis 1? Is that really "the" beginning or just a beginning, perhaps the beginning "as far as man is concerned?" All these questions were explored as we investigated of the meaning of the phrase "new heaven and new earth."
The remainder of this study series will address those investigations
and discuss the understanding of those events expressed in
the scriptures themselves. Consequently, the discussion that
follows will review many of the concepts explored in answer
to those questions. Furthermore, the remainder of this study
series will address the questions of whether or not the heaven
and earth will be replaced or restored and whether or not
the angels and the the place where they reside were created during or before
the creation week of Genesis 1.
The most obvious and overriding concerning is perhaps what
happens to the phrase "in the beginning" once the idea of
a prior creation of angels and the angelic heavens is introduced?
Suddenly, what seemed to be "the beginning" ceased to be the
actual starting point. What was once fixed and singular now
become relative and indistinct, just one instance in a larger
category of "restarts." And the past actions of God and the
history of the universe go from being declared and knowable
to being obscured and unstated as the unique creation of all
things is traded for a line of demarcation dividing what God
intends to tell men about the history of the universe before
man from what He does not.
It must be noted that the question of whether or not the phrase
"new heavens and new earth" is a replacement or a restoration
itself inherently involves the question of "restarts." However,
there are a few points that allow us to establish a firm foundation
on which to determine if Genesis 1 is actually the actual
beginning of time and history or just a secondary creation
after a prior creation of angels and their abode, merely one "start"
among a series "restarts."
First, let's set aside for a moment of whether or not the
Bible allows any room for a prior angelic creation. We know
that the Bible does clearly indicate that God created all
things. In the Old Testament, there are multiple times where
the texts speaks not only of the "heavens" but also of "the
heaven of heavens," indicating a place even beyond the heavens.
Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven (08064) and
heaven (08064) of heavens (08064) is the LORD'S thy God, the
earth also, with all that therein is.
1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth?
behold, the heaven (08064) and heaven (08064) of heavens
(08064) cannot contain thee; how much less this house
that I have builded?
2 Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build him an house,
seeing the heaven (08064) and heaven (08064) of heavens
(08064) cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should
build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
These passages indicate that while God resides in the "heaven
of heavens," they are not sufficient to contain him. Therefore,
in 1 Kings 8:27 and 2 Chronicles 2:6, Solomon similarly wonders
how God the temple he has built could be God's dwelling place,
when even the heaven of heavens cannot contain God. In fact,
2 Chronicles 6 recounts Solomon's prayer in which he states
that although the heaven of heavens cannot contain God, that
is where God dwells and from there he hears the prayers of
men.
2 Chronicles 6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with
men on the earth? behold, heaven (08064) and heaven (08064)
of heavens (08064) cannot contain thee; how much less
this house which I have built!...25 Then hear thou from
the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel,
and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them
and to their fathers…33 Then hear thou from the heavens,
even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all
that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of
the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people
Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is
called by thy name…35 Then hear thou from the heavens their
prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause…39
Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling
place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain
their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against
thee.
The phrase "heaven of heavens" seems to be the designation
for the highest heaven in which God dwells but which itself
is not greater than God or sufficient to contain him. Consequently,
this phrase "heaven of heavens" would seem to correspond directly
with the third definition of heaven, which we established
early on in this study as the place where angels reside and where God the
Father currently resides on his throne.
What appears to be going on is simple. The Hebrew word for
"heaven" or "heavens" is "shamayim" (Strong's No. 08064).
08064 shamayim dual of an unused singular shameh
from an unused root meaning to be lofty; TWOT-2407a;
n m
AV-heaven 398, air 21, astrologers + 01895 1; 420
1) heaven, heavens, sky
1a) visible heavens, sky
1a1) as abode of the stars
1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc
1b) Heaven (as the abode of God)
As we can see from the definition, "shamayim" is said to be
derived from "an unused root" word meaning "to be lofty."
The English word "lofty," which is here being used to define
root word from which the Hebrew word for "heaven" comes from,
simply means "elevated" or "rising to a great height." It
is considered synonymous with the word "high."
"Lofty - 1a: elevated in character and spirit: noble
b: elevated in status: superior 2: having a haughty overbearing
manner: supercilious 3a: rising to a great height: impressively
high lofty mountains b: remote, esoteric - synonyms
see high." - Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
The earth was the spot where man would dwell and the heavens
are above it. Thus, they are given a name that is derived
from a root word meaning "high" or "lofty" in order to reflect
their position "above" the earth. In fact, the term "shamayim"
is used precisely in the sense of being "above," particularly
above the earth, in Genesis 1:20.
Genesis 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth
abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that
may fly above (05921) the earth in the open firmament
of heaven (08064).
Consequently, since the word heaven denotes the "high or highest
part," the "heaven of heavens" reflects the very highest or
loftiest portion of the heavens themselves. This was the portion
of the heavens which was above the rest, just as the heavens
as a whole were given that name because they were "higher
than" or "above" the earth.
Likewise, notice that the rendering of the phrase "heaven
of heavens" includes both a singular and a plural rendering
of this same Hebrew word. For a word to be plural it must
include no less than at least 2 of what it is describing.
So, in the simplest terms, we have 3 heavens depicted in this
phrase: 2 heavens with another heaven, or even higher place,
above them. Right above the surface of the earth is the atmosphere.
Beyond, or higher than, the atmosphere is space where the
sun, moon, and stars reside. And beyond or above space is
the third heaven, a heaven loftier than even the atmosphere
and space. It is here that God and angels reside. Consequently, when Paul states that he was caught up
to the third heavens, it is clear that he means this place where angels and God reside, which is situated beyond the atmosphere
and space.
2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen
years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether
out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one
caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God
knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and
heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man
to utter.
More importantly, scripture is clear that God made the heaven
of heavens, where angels reside and where he resides and all that
is in them, which would include the angels, just as much as
he made the earth and seas and all that is in them.
Nehemiah 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou
hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host,
the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and
all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and
the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
And the New Testament is equally clear that God made all things,
which indicates quite clearly that all the things that God
created had a beginning or starting point.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was
in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Thus, at long last, we have arrived at our first foundation
point. Setting aside for a moment of whether or not the Bible
allows any room for a prior angelic creation, we know that
the Bible does clearly indicate that God created all things,
including all the heavens, and all that
is in it, which of course means the angels also. This is important
because it demonstrates that there is at least one starting
point, one first creation when God made the first things.
Consequently, regardless of what we learn about potential
"restarts," we know that this series of "restarts" had one
initial starting point, one start before which there were
no others. The question then becomes, is that first start
the start described in Genesis 1?
This leads to our second foundation point. The phrase "in
the beginning" appears as the very first words in scripture
and they appear without any qualification or elaboration.
Furthermore, no subsequent passage in scripture ever describes
or mentions any earlier creation. These two factors strongly
suggest that, for whatever "restarts" might follow afterward,
the creation week of Genesis 1 is the very first start ever,
the very first time that God created. Any suggestion to the
contrary is entirely a product of weak inferences and an argument
from silence. As we will see, the inferences are weak because
none of them add up to the weight of such a profoundly simple
declaration as "in the beginning." And they are arguments
from silence because they rely on the fact that some events,
such as the creation of angels, are unstated or absent from
the Genesis 1 account.
Without any qualification or elaboration that "the beginning"
in Genesis 1 is a "relative" term (used perhaps to denote
something along the lines of "the beginning as far as man
is concerned"), there is simply no basis in the text itself
on which to assert that this beginning is not the beginning.
Left to be understood as it reads, the clear, unqualified
indication of the text is that this is the beginning.
As we stated above, since there certainly was a starting point
when God made the first things, why wouldn't we understand
that first starting point was the creation week described
in Genesis 1? There is no earlier creation ever mentioned
or described anywhere in scripture. So, unless there were
strong indications otherwise, the profoundly simple opening
words of Genesis 1 provide solid reason for concluding that
the creation week of Genesis was indeed, the actual starting
point of all things.
Furthermore, we have to consider this. If the unqualified
phrase "the beginning" is not to be taken to designate the
actual beginning, then what phrase or term would convey that
concept? Any other more specific phrase that we might think
of is used as a synonym to refer to "the beginning" found
in Genesis 1. And this leads us to our third foundation point.
Mark 13:19 uses the phrase "the beginning of the creation
which God created."
Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such
as was not from the beginning of the creation which God
created unto this time, neither shall be.
We know from John 1 that all things were created by God. Consequently,
Mark's designation of "the beginning of the creation which
God created" must necessarily refer to the beginning of the
existence of all things other than God himself.
It is important to note that this statement found here in
Mark 13:19 is made by Jesus himself in the midst of his Olivet
Discourse, which begins in the opening verses of the same
chapter.
Mark 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of
his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones
and what buildings are here! 2 And Jesus answering said
unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall
not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown
down.3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against
the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him
privately, 4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and
what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed
lest any man deceive you…
The Olivet Discourse is also recorded in Matthew 24, which
begins the same way as Mark 13.
Matthew 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from
the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him
the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them,
See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There
shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall
not be thrown down. 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives,
the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us,
when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of
thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered
and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Matthew 24 also records the same statement recorded in Mark
13:19. However, Matthew's version is worded slightly differently.
Instead of using the phrase "from the beginning of the creation
which God created," Matthew simply says, "since the beginning
of the world."
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world (2889)
to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
The Greek word for "world" here in Matthew 24:21 is "kosmos"
(Strong's No. 2889), which has a range of meaning including
"the earth" itself, "the arrangement of the stars" and by
extension what we would call "outer space," and also "the
universe" and all things that exist as a collective whole.
We have already established that Mark 13 is referring to "all
things created by God" and John 1 tells us that everything
that exists was created by God. Consequently, since Matthew
and Mark are recording the same statement using different
words, we know that Matthew is using "kosmos" to refer to
"all things created by God" and therefore "all things."
And in Mark 10:6, we see Mark record a shorter version of
this phrase "the beginning of the creation which God created."
In Mark 10:6, Jesus uses the phrase "the beginning of creation."
Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation
God made them male and female.
And Jesus is clear what timeframe he is referring to by this
phrase "the beginning of creation" because he states that
male and female were made by God at this time. Since the phrase
"the beginning of creation" is simply a shorter form of the
longer description "the beginning of the creation which God
created," it is clear that Jesus understood that man and woman
were created at the time when all things were created. Furthermore,
since man and woman are created on Day 6 of the Genesis creation
week, we know that the creation week of Genesis 1 is, indeed,
the beginning of all things, not just some things or earthly
things or human history.
Matthew records this same statement by Jesus but again using
slightly different language.
Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have
ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made
them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall
a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife:
and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are
no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, Why
did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and
to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the
hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives:
but from the beginning it was not so.
In Mark's version in Mark 10, we find the slightly longer
phrase, "the beginning of the creation." Here in Matthew's
version we twice find the even shorter phrase, "the beginning."
Jesus even quotes Genesis 2:22-24. This demonstrates that
Jesus, Mark, and Matthew all understood the very simple phrase,
"the beginning," the very phrase which is used in Genesis
1, to refer to "the beginning of the creation which God created,"
or in other words, since God created everything, "the beginning
of all things," not just one "restart" in a series of "restarts."
Additionally, understanding that the Gospel accounts establish
the precedent for the meaning of such phrases as "the beginning"
or "the beginning of creation," we can see that the writer
of Hebrews also uses this shorter form "in the beginning"
to likewise refer to the creation of all things. Notably,
the foundation of the earth, which is described on Day 3 in
Genesis 1:9-13 when the dry land emerges from the waters and
the boundaries of the waters are set, is consequently indicated
to occur at the timeframe of the beginning of all things,
not just a "restart."
Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast
laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are
the works of thine hands:
And Peter also uses a shorter version "from the beginning
of the creation" to designate the beginning of all things.
2 Peter 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his
coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue
as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Finally, noting that Matthew 24:21 uses the word "kosmos"
interchangeably as a synonym for "the creation which God created,"
we notice that Paul uses the same words in Romans 1:18-20.
In fact, Paul uses elements of both Mark and Matthew's phrasing.
Mark referred to "the beginning" of "the creation," using
the Greek word "ktisis" (Strong's No. 2937) for "creation."
And Matthew referred to "the beginning" of "the world," using
the Greek word "kosmos" (Strong's No. 2889) for "world." Likewise,
Paul combines both phrases and refers to a timeframe "from
the creation of the world," the "ktisis of the kosmos."
Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such
as was not from the beginning of the creation (2937) which
God created unto this time, neither shall be.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world (2889)
to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold
the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto
them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation
(2937) of the world (2889) are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
In conclusion, the following foundation points are clear.
First, it is clear that according to the Bible was there an
original starting place at some point, rather than just an
endless series of restarts. Second, it is clear that the phrase
"in the beginning" in Genesis 1 is the best candidate and
indeed the earliest beginning revealed or described in the
Bible. And third, it is clear that the New Testament authors
and Jesus himself clearly understood that the beginning described
in Genesis 1 was, in fact, "the beginning of creation which
God created," which means there were no creations prior to
Genesis 1. Consequently, this analysis rules out any possibility
of an angelic creation, the creation of angels and their heavenly abode,
prior to Genesis 1.
Now that we have identified Genesis 1 as the actual starting
point, not just one "restart" in a larger series of "restarts,"
we are ready to go on and actually talk about the actual "restarts."
At this point, as we establish that the Bible does describe
what we've casually called "restarts" of creation at certain
points in history, we will know not to get confused and reinterpret
Genesis 1 as merely one of those "restarts." In addition,
as we begin our examination of the phrase "new heaven and
new earth" and the question of subsequent "restarts" in creation
after the initial creation recorded in Genesis 1, a few of
the issues, which arose during our investigation of a prior
angelic creation, will be resolved quite well.
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Related
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Cosmology
(Days of Creation)
(Figures 1-6)


Cosmology Chart
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