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It is important to have a correct understanding of the terms "heavens and earth" when used figuratively in the bible or the theology we believe will be all over the place and essentially wrong.
There are a number of NT statement where the terms "heaven and earth" appear including:
(Mat 5:18 KJV) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(Mat 24:34 KJV) Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
(Mat 24:35 KJV) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
(2 Pet 3:13 KJV) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
(Gal 4:3 KJV) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Here is what Adam Clarke had to say in his commentary:
Adam Clarke again:
When Peter spoke about the elements burning with fervent heat he was speaking about the destruction of the religious elements and principles connected to the old covenant and the temple in Jerusalem which was destroyed in 70AD.
Peter is not speaking about the heavens in the universe or the planet earth.
Peter and Jesus said the destruction of the Temple and the elements (stoicheion) would be destroyed in 70AD - they were not speaking of a global destruction of the planet earth or of the heavens as we generally have understood them.
Until we start to read the bible as it was written how how the Jewish people used language, idioms and ideas we will misunderstand the intent of the scriptures and their true meaning.
So are these things the literal heaven(s) and the planet earth?
How did the Jews understand the figurative usages of heavens and earth?
(Exo 25:8 KJV) let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
(Exo 25:9 KJV) According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
The patten where "I may dwell among them" is gone and replaced with the temple of believers:
(1 Pet 2:5 KJV) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
(Heb 8:4 KJV) For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
(Heb 8:5 KJV) Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.
(Heb 9:10 KJV) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
(Heb 9:11 KJV) But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.
(Heb 12:22 KJV) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
We can see from some of the above that the Jews understood the heavens and earth to be the temple where God dwelt among them prior to Jesus arriving on the scene.
How can we really be sure this is how they understood it in that way?
Here is what Josephus the 1st Jewish historian who had studied with the various sects of Jesus time wrote:
That's an interesting statement - "he denoted the land and the sea," - two parts of the tabernacle called "land and sea" - which could easily substitute earth for land in Josephus's statement and it would accord with this:
(Rev 21:1 KJV) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Could John in the book of revelation have in mind "as a place accessible and common” the land and sea" when he states there was no more sea? - I think this is quite likely.
How does Peter understand the "heavens and earth"?
(2 Pet 3:12 KJV) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
(2 Pet 3:13 KJV) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Peter describes the heavens being on fire and the elements shall melt - is he speaking of the actual heavens and elements of the earth?
What is interesting to note is his use of the world elements - in the Greek the word is stoicheion
We find ii is used in only seven verses - twice in Peter's letter.
Col 2:8 KJV Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (stoicheion) of the world, and not after
Christ.
Col 2:20 KJV Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments (stoicheion) of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Gal 4:3 KJV Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements (stoicheion) of the world:
Gal 4:9 KJV But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements (stoicheion) whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Heb 5:12 KJV For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles (stoicheion) of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
As can be seen from the above the usages of stoicheion (elements) all have to do with religious principles/teachings or philosophy and not atoms or elements of the physical world or universe.
There are a number of NT statement where the terms "heaven and earth" appear including:
(Mat 5:18 KJV) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(Mat 24:34 KJV) Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
(Mat 24:35 KJV) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
(2 Pet 3:13 KJV) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
(Gal 4:3 KJV) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Here is what Adam Clarke had to say in his commentary:
Galatians 4:3 "The elements of the world" - A mere Jewish phrase, enaae oaii äæä yesodey olam hazzeh, the principles of this world; that is, the rudiments or principles of the Jewish religion.
Galatians 4:9 "Now, after that ye have known God - After having been brought to the knowledge of God as your Savior. Or rather are known of God - Are approved of him, having received the adoption of sons.
To the weak and beggarly elements .
After receiving all this, will ye turn again to the ineffectual rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law - rites too weak to counteract your sinful habits, and too poor to purchase pardon and eternal life for you? If the Galatians were turning again to them, it is evident that they had been once addicted to them. And this they might have been, allowing that they had become converts from heathenism to Judaism, and from Judaism to Christianity. This makes the sense consistent between the 8th and 9th verses.
To the weak and beggarly elements .
After receiving all this, will ye turn again to the ineffectual rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law - rites too weak to counteract your sinful habits, and too poor to purchase pardon and eternal life for you? If the Galatians were turning again to them, it is evident that they had been once addicted to them. And this they might have been, allowing that they had become converts from heathenism to Judaism, and from Judaism to Christianity. This makes the sense consistent between the 8th and 9th verses.
Peter is not speaking about the heavens in the universe or the planet earth.
Peter and Jesus said the destruction of the Temple and the elements (stoicheion) would be destroyed in 70AD - they were not speaking of a global destruction of the planet earth or of the heavens as we generally have understood them.
Until we start to read the bible as it was written how how the Jewish people used language, idioms and ideas we will misunderstand the intent of the scriptures and their true meaning.
So are these things the literal heaven(s) and the planet earth?
How did the Jews understand the figurative usages of heavens and earth?
(Exo 25:8 KJV) let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
(Exo 25:9 KJV) According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
The patten where "I may dwell among them" is gone and replaced with the temple of believers:
(1 Pet 2:5 KJV) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
(Heb 8:4 KJV) For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
(Heb 8:5 KJV) Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.
(Heb 9:10 KJV) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
(Heb 9:11 KJV) But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.
(Heb 12:22 KJV) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
We can see from some of the above that the Jews understood the heavens and earth to be the temple where God dwelt among them prior to Jesus arriving on the scene.
How can we really be sure this is how they understood it in that way?
Here is what Josephus the 1st Jewish historian who had studied with the various sects of Jesus time wrote:
Antiquities Book 3 6:4
As for the inside, Moses parted its length into three partitions. At the distance of ten cubits from the most secret end, Moses placed four pillars, the workmanship of which was the very same with that of the rest; and they stood upon the like bases with them, each a small matter distant from his fellow. Now the room within those pillars was the most holy place; but the rest of the room was the tabernacle, which was open for the priests. However, this proportion of the measures of the tabernacle proved to be an imitation of the system of the world; for that third part thereof which was within the four pillars, to which the priests were not admitted, is, as it were, a heaven peculiar to God. But the space of the twenty cubits, is, as it were, sea and land, on which men live, and so this part is peculiar to the priests only.
Antiquities book 3 7:7
Now here one may wonder at the ill-will which men bear to us, and which they profess to bear on account of our despising that Deity which they pretend to honor; for if any one do but consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments of the high priest, and of those vessels which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others; for if any one do without prejudice, and with judgment, look upon these things, he will find they were every one made in way of imitation and representation of the universe. When Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts, and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, these being of general access to all; but he set apart the third division for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men.
As for the inside, Moses parted its length into three partitions. At the distance of ten cubits from the most secret end, Moses placed four pillars, the workmanship of which was the very same with that of the rest; and they stood upon the like bases with them, each a small matter distant from his fellow. Now the room within those pillars was the most holy place; but the rest of the room was the tabernacle, which was open for the priests. However, this proportion of the measures of the tabernacle proved to be an imitation of the system of the world; for that third part thereof which was within the four pillars, to which the priests were not admitted, is, as it were, a heaven peculiar to God. But the space of the twenty cubits, is, as it were, sea and land, on which men live, and so this part is peculiar to the priests only.
Antiquities book 3 7:7
Now here one may wonder at the ill-will which men bear to us, and which they profess to bear on account of our despising that Deity which they pretend to honor; for if any one do but consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments of the high priest, and of those vessels which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others; for if any one do without prejudice, and with judgment, look upon these things, he will find they were every one made in way of imitation and representation of the universe. When Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts, and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, these being of general access to all; but he set apart the third division for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men.
(Rev 21:1 KJV) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Could John in the book of revelation have in mind "as a place accessible and common” the land and sea" when he states there was no more sea? - I think this is quite likely.
How does Peter understand the "heavens and earth"?
(2 Pet 3:12 KJV) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
(2 Pet 3:13 KJV) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Peter describes the heavens being on fire and the elements shall melt - is he speaking of the actual heavens and elements of the earth?
What is interesting to note is his use of the world elements - in the Greek the word is stoicheion
We find ii is used in only seven verses - twice in Peter's letter.
Col 2:8 KJV Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (stoicheion) of the world, and not after
Christ.
Col 2:20 KJV Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments (stoicheion) of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Gal 4:3 KJV Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements (stoicheion) of the world:
Gal 4:9 KJV But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements (stoicheion) whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Heb 5:12 KJV For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles (stoicheion) of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
As can be seen from the above the usages of stoicheion (elements) all have to do with religious principles/teachings or philosophy and not atoms or elements of the physical world or universe.