Heaven and earth will pass away
This phrase "heaven and earth will pass away" is in Matthew 24:34-35,
This phrase "heaven and earth will pass away" is in Matthew 24:34-35,
Mat 24:34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Nowadays we often hear from others that when they talk about "heaven and earth pass away", generally they are referring to an apocalyptic catastrophe or phenomenon that is going to happen in the end of the Age.
It has been interpreted to mean a universal worldwide event where God destroys the heavens (or heavenlies) and the earth.
But what is important is what does it ACTUALLY mean that "heaven and earth will pass away"?
Qn: What does it meant to that generation during the time of the New Testament? What does it mean to the Jewish audience (meaning audience relevance) who were standing there listening to Jesus?
Qn: Could this phrase "heaven and earth shall pass away" meant differently to what we would have interpreted in this 21st Century?
We need to take note particularly with THEIR understanding of the Old Testament together with all their "imageries" and "figurative Hebrew language".
Let us look at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17-18
Mat 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Mat 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished (fulfilled).
According to verse 18, there are 2 things that MUST happen. They are:
1. Heaven and earth is going to pass away
2. All those details of the Law will be fulfilled (or accomplished).
That means all the smallest details of the Law (the iota, dots, jots, tittles, details) of the Law are fulfilled, when heaven and earth pass away.
Qn: Firstly, when was the Law fulfilled?
An: Jesus was the one who fulfilled the Law.
Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law for our righteousness. Jesus did what we could not do. We cannot live by our performance to achieve the righteousness of God. Jesus did it on our behalf. Jesus fulfilled ALL the demands of the Law.
Paul said in Galatians 3:24-25
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the Law.
The author of Hebrews 8:13 wrote:
Heb 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one (old covenant) obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
It means the Old Covenant was growing old, and was ready to vanish away. The Law was the Old Covenantal Law between God and Israel. So the Law together with the Old Covenant is obsolete at the time of writing of Hebrews, and it is ready to disappear completely.
My question to ponder is: What would the Jews have understood, when they hear the term "heaven and earth".?
The Jews would only understood this from their Holy Book, which is mainly the Old Testament. This was the book that they were familiar with from birth till death.
Then let us look at their book in Deuteronomy 32, the famous "song of Moses". (Note: This song was again repeated in the book of Revelations).
Deu 32:1 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth."
In verse 1, Moses was singing this to Israel, and directed the entire song to Israel.
Moses interpreted "heavens and earth" as towards the nation of Israel. He was NOT singing out into the skies or the whole earth so that they can hear his voice or song.
Moses was dealing with the "heavens and earth" standing right in front of him, that is Israel.
Continuing the song of Moses,
Deu 32:22 For a fire is kindled by my anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol, devours the earth and its increase, and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.
In verse 22, God is now speaking through the song of Moses, that He will devour the earth. This is a statement of the judgement of God. What does this mean?
God is angry and the judgement of God will come upon Israel if they break covenant or disobey the laws of God.
What is the nature of this judgement? It is spelt out in Deuteronomy 28:45-57.
Verse 49 says another nation like the eagle will destroy them.
Verse 52 to 57 says there will be "destruction, cannibalisms, wars, persecution" that will befall them just as it was fulfilled in AD70.
In AD70, the Roman empire (the nation that comes as the eagle flies, whose language they could not understand) came against them as per Deuteronomy 28.
This is the song of Moses warning Israel (heaven and earth) of the pending judgement of God that if they do not keep the covenantal laws with God, God was going to consume the earth with fire (Deut 32:22).
So in Deuteronomy (part of the Pentateuch books of Israel), we have the phrase "heaven and earth" to refer to the people of Israel.
[ Interesting note: that in Revelations 15, after the defeat of the beast, after the victory over the beast, after the role of the beast is finished, Israel once again sings the "song of Moses" AND adds to it the "song of the Lamb". The Lamb refers to Jesus.
Revelations 15:1-3 brings Jesus into the picture after that Age and generation had passed away. ]
Another example:
Let's look at another Old Testament passage familiar to the Jews in Isaiah. This may not be familiar to the modern Christians in this Century, but this is very familiar to the Jews listening to Jesus in Matthew 24.
Isa 51:13 and (you) have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor?
It says God stretched the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth.
Does this mean that God was doing the same creative work similar to Genesis 1 thousands of years ago.
Look at verse 16:
Isa 51:16 And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing (planting) the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people'.
It says God planted the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. He was ACTUALLY referring to the people of Zion (i.e. Israel). God was not referring to some cosmic body somewhere in the universe. Isaiah 51 is not the same as in Genesis 1, where God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
God is specifically referring "heavens and the earth" to His people, and not the planets.
Qn: Who is God dealing with here?
An: God was dealing with the Jews, Jerusalem, His people, Israel, Zion. The same group of people that were standing in front of Jesus, when Jesus quoted "heaven and earth will pass away" in Matthew 24:35.
The Old Testament has always been a historical record of how God deals with His people (Jews, Hebrews, Israel) and how they responded to His laws and covenant. It then leads them to Jesus as per Galatians 3:24.
Another example:
Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
This verse speaks about the coming judgement on the nation of Israel.
Further in the same chapter,
Isa 24:19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.
Isa 24:20 The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.
It wasn't the physical earth that is drunken and going to be broken. It was Israel that was going to receive judgement from God written in a figurative language. It is saying Israel will fall and not rise again.
Another example:
Isa 34:4 All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree.
Isa 34:5 For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction.
The rotting of the heavens, the rolling of the skies, the falling of the host of heaven is referring to the judgement upon the people of God, Israel, in Edom. Israel will receive destruction.
We have seen that there are many other passages that speaks about the destruction of the heavens and earth, the passing of the heavens and earth, and the judgement that was coming upon the heavens and earth.
If God was indeed speaking about the physical cosmic heavenly bodies and the physical planet earth, then the literal heavens and earth would had been destroyed many many times, again and again.
Did God destroyed the literal "heavens and earth" many times over and over again?
Of course not. But throughout the history of Israel, God sent judgement to Israel again and again, because of their not keeping the covenantal laws of God.
Many prophets and leaders of God had tried to coax the Jewish people to return to their Covenant with God, but they failed. That was why God continually used the phrase "judgement on the heavens and the earth" to mean destruction of Israel.
This was the figurative interpretation of "heaven and earth" that all the Jews know from their holy book.
Removal of the heaven and earth
Look at another verse from Hebrews 12:26-28
Heb 12:26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
Heb 12:27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
Heb 12:28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Where did the author of Hebrews get this passage? He got it from Haggai 2:6
Hag 2:6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
The author of Hebrews was quoting Haggai and added his own interpretation.
In verse 26, he quoted Haggai 2:6
In verse 27, he tells us what Haggai really meant, the true interpretation.
In verse 28, he tells us the timing of when these things will happen, and that we will be receiving the kingdom that is not going to end, an everlasting kingdom, a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
This is the same prophecy in Daniel, where the Son of Man who stood before the Ancient of Days, was given a kingdom that will never pass away.
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Hebrews 12:26-28 is therefore a repeat of the same prophecy in Haggai and Daniel, that once the "heavens and earth" are shaken and removed, then that will usher in a kingdom that cannot be shaken and will not end.
Qn: Who will be receiving this everlasting kingdom that will not be shaken?
An: According to Isaiah 65:1, it will be you and me, those who have put their trust in Jesus and His finished work at the cross.
Isa 65:1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.
We are that "nation that was not called by His name". We are not Jews. We were not God's covenantal people, the nation of Israel. This scripture refers to us - the Gentiles that were not named as God's own people.
What happened to the Jews? Isaiah 65:9 said that God did not forget them, but brought forth a remnant from the "offspring of Jacob".
Isa 65:9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there.
And true enough, in AD70, the Jewish believers who believed Jesus and heeded His warnings in Matthew 24:16, fled from Jerusalem to the mountains of Judea. Isaiah 65:9 was fulfilled in Matthew 24:16.
In the same manner, Revelations speak of the 144,000 that fled to the mountains to escape the judgement of God.
and https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2020/05/144000-and-666-revelations.html
Isaiah 65:13-15 tells us that God is changing Israel to another people, and not the same people that He had. He is giving His name to another group of people, and the Gentiles will be called sons of God.
Paul said that those who are in Christ are the new Israel of God.
Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any strength, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God.
John Gill in his commentary said of verse Isaiah 65:15:
[ ... and call his servants by another name; a new name, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; the name of the people of God, the Gentiles formerly were not called by; but now all that believe in Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles, are His people; the name of the sons of God, a name better than that of sons and daughters of the greatest potentate; ]
This new group of people will be called new heaven and new earth. The old heaven and earth was Israel. The new heaven and earth is the new Israel of God.
Isa 65:17 For see, I am making a new heaven and a new earth: and the past things will be gone completely out of mind.
Qn: Where is this fulfilled?
An: In Revelations 21:1,5
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer is.
Rev 21:5 And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.
So Revelations 21 is not a futuristic event in another millennium. The new heaven and earth was ushered in when Jesus brought in the New Covenant through the finished work of Jesus at the cross.
Hebrews 8:13 tells the audience in that generation that it was going to happen.
Heb 8:13 In that He says, A new covenant, He has made the first one old. Now that which decays and becomes old is ready to vanish away.
and Heb 12:28 above tells us that the shaking will take place, and His kingdom will come and remain forever.
In recap, Isaiah prophesied that a people who did not know His name would find Him, and that is us, and we did.
God will bring a people out of Jerusalem, and He did.
God will create a new Jerusalem, a new heaven and earth, and He did.
And Revelations 21 tells us what the new heaven and earth is.
So when Jesus in answering to His disciples questions in Matthew 24:35, told them that "heaven and earth will pass away", He was using the Hebrew language in the way that they could understand. It was in the Context of the nation of Israel.
Through the passing of the old "heaven and earth", God has created a new Covenant, a new system through Jesus Christ.
No more the Old Covenant. No more the old temple system. No more animal sacrifices. God has made all things new with the New Covenant.
Peter and Paul used the same figurative language
When the apostle Peter said "the elements will burn with fire", he was also using the same language, and together with the same words of Paul who said "enslaved to the elementary principles of the world".
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Then, all these things being about to be dissolved, what sort ought you to be in holy behavior and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 looking for and rushing the coming of the Day of God, on account of which the heavens, being on fire, will melt away, and the elements will melt, burning with heat?
Gal 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
When Peter looked towards his future (not our future), he saw that there will soon come upon them the melting of the elements by fire, and the "heavens and earth will pass away". Peter saw the judgement that was soon coming upon the nation of Israel and the house of God. The house of God was their Temple. God's judgment was coming upon their Israel and their Temple.
We are now passed THAT judgement that happened in AD70.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul calls us as living in the "age to come" where we are living in the age of the grace of God, and God has made us as the new Temple, the living house of the living God.
Mark 10:30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
Luke 18:30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.
Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Minor note:
Some contemporaries have referred to the Temple as both "heaven and earth" and that is ok. The judgement of God upon the nation of Israel, is not only on its breaking of God's covenantal laws, but also the demolition of the Temple, that stands for Judaism, and the performance base religion of sacrifices to please God. So both Israel and its Temple suffered the judgement of God in the term "heaven and earth passed away".
