Re: Satan's Witness Confusion About God and Creation

See <[email protected]>, since he 
posted the same article twice.

> The Destiny Of The Earth
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> God's Renewal of Creation Is His Victory Over Man's Sin, Not the Correction of a Divine Mistake
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> (1) Genesis 6:11-13—"Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, 'I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.'" (Genesis 6:11-13 ESV)
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> God's decision to destroy the ancient world with the flood was not because of a mistake in His original creation, but was His holy judgment upon the earth which man's sin had corrupted.
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> (2) Romans 8:20-21—"For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (Romans 8:20-21 ESV)
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> The present earth is subjected to futility and the bondage of corruption because of human sin, not because of any failure in God's initial work. The liberation of this creation is the ultimate triumph of God's redemptive plan.
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> (3) 2 Corinthians 5:17—"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)
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> When God redeems a sinner and makes them a "new creation," it does not imply that God made a mistake in creating them the first time. It is the glorious work of redemption transforming what sin had ruined.
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> PROPOSITION: God's replacement of the old, sin-cursed creation with a glorified new heaven and earth is the standard biblical pattern of redemption. It does not indicate a divine mistake, but represents His perfect victory over the ruin of sin.
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> The Present Earth and Heavens Will Pass Away and Be Dissolved by Fire
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> (1) 2 Peter 3:10—"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." (2 Peter 3:10 ESV)
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> The physical earth, the physical heavens, and all human works upon them will be burned up and dissolved at the day of the Lord.
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> (2) Matthew 24:35—"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matthew 24:35 ESV)
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> Jesus Christ explicitly declares that the present heaven and earth will pass away.
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> (3) Revelation 20:11—"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them." (Revelation 20:11 ESV)
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> The present earth and sky will flee away, leaving absolutely no place for them.
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> PROPOSITION: The present physical earth, along with the physical heavens and sky, will be completely dissolved, burned up, and pass away at the day of the Lord, leaving absolutely no place for them.
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> God's Word Uses the Term "Forever" to Describe Periods of Time with a Definite End
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> (1) Jonah 2:6—"I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God." (Jonah 2:6 ESV) (Compare Jonah 1:17—"And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.")
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> Jonah describes his three days in the belly of the fish as being there "forever." The Bible word for "forever" (Hebrew: olam) does not always mean an unending duration, but can refer to a limited, completed period of time.
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> (2) Exodus 21:6—"then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever." (Exodus 21:6 ESV)
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> A servant's lifetime service is described as being "forever." This "forever" had a definite end when the servant died.
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> (3) 1 Samuel 1:22—"But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, 'As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the LORD and dwell there forever.'" (1 Samuel 1:22 ESV) (Compare 1 Samuel 1:28—"Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.")
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> Samuel's service in the tabernacle is described as being "forever." Yet this "forever" is explicitly defined as lasting only "as long as he lives."
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> PROPOSITION: The Old Testament scriptures frequently use the Hebrew word for "forever" (olam) to describe a limited, temporary duration of time. Therefore, when verses like Ecclesiastes 1:4 and Psalm 104:5 state that the earth remains "forever," they refer to the entire duration of the current, temporary earth during this present age, before it is changed.
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> The Present Creation Is Temporary and Will Wear Out and Be Changed Like a Garment
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> (1) Psalm 102:25-26—"Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away," (Psalm 102:25-26 ESV)
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> The earth and heavens will perish, wear out like a garment, and be changed like a robe by the Lord.
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> (2) Hebrews 1:10-12—"And, 'You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.'" (Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV)
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> The present physical earth is not in an unchanging eternal state, but will wear out, be rolled up, and be changed.
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> PROPOSITION: The current physical earth is temporary, will wear out like a garment, and will be completely changed by the Lord.
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> God's Purpose Is the Creation of a Glorified New Heaven and a New Earth
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> (1) 2 Peter 3:13—"But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Peter 3:13 ESV)
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> God's promise is not to keep the corrupted, worn-out physical earth forever, but to bring about a new heaven and a new earth where only righteousness dwells.
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> (2) Revelation 21:1—"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." (Revelation 21:1 ESV)
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> The first heaven and the first earth must pass away to make way for the new heaven and new earth.
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> PROPOSITION: God fulfills His perfect purpose not by preserving the present, sin-cursed physical earth eternally, but by creating an entirely new, glorified heaven and earth.
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> Summary
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> By the plain and unmistakable statements of Scripture, we see: First, God's plan to make a new creation is His redemptive triumph over man’s sin, not a correction of His own mistake. Second, the present physical earth will be dissolved by fire, pass away, and leave no place. Third, biblical statements about the earth remaining "forever" use a word that frequently means a limited period of time. Fourth, the present creation is temporary and will be changed like a worn-out garment. Fifth, God's ultimate plan is the creation of a glorified, new heaven and new earth.