Jehovahs Witnesses, if the Earth will not be destroyed then why does Jesus say Heaven&Earth will pass away?

Question

Jehovahs Witnesses, if the Earth will not be destroyed then why does Jesus say Heaven&Earth will pass away?

Answer 1

Good question,



So if the earth is going to pass away, then the heavens are going to pass away also, so please tell me why would Jehovah want to destroy the literal heavens, can you answer that ? The reason is because it is not literal. If you look at what 2 Peter 3 5-6 saying connection with the destruction in NOAHS DAY....



"For, according to their wish, this fact escapes their notice, that there were heavens from of old and an earth standing compactly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; and by those [means] the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water"



Did you notice what it said there about the earth and heavens being destroyed of Noahs time, was it the literal earth that was destroyed of mankind ?? It was mankind, the earth is still here is it not, we still live on that earth !



Now read on in Vs7 "But by the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men"



There you have your answer, the destruction of ungodly men ! So it is in the same way that God will destroy the earth (mankind) again at the end of this wicked world!



Psalms 37:27 says "The righteous themselves will possess the earth,

And they will reside forever upon it."



For this is what Jehovah has said, the Creator of the heavens, He the [true] God, the Former of the earth and the Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else. Ish 45:18



See "Doomsday May Not Be What You Think"

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/g201209/doomsday-may-not-be-what-you-think/



This is a article in the latest WT, I would take a look each week at www.jw.org

Answer 2

the Bible speaks of heaven and earth as ‘passing away.’ (Revelation 21:1) Surely these words do not contradict Jesus’ promise: “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) What, then, does the Bible mean when it speaks of heaven and earth as ‘passing away’?

The Bible frequently uses the expression “earth” in a figurative sense, meaning human society. For example, consider the following verse: “All the earth continued to be of one language and of one set of words.” (Genesis 11:1) Obviously, “earth” here refers to the people who were living on the earth. Another example is Psalm 96:1, which according to the King James Version states: “Sing unto the LORD, all the earth.” Clearly, in this and many other passages, the word “earth” is used figuratively to refer to people.—Psalm 96:13.

The Bible sometimes likens the ruling powers on earth to the heavens or to heavenly bodies. For example, the oppressive Babylonian rulers were described as being starlike because they elevated themselves above those around them. (Isaiah 14:12-14) As foretold, the figurative Babylonian “heavens,” or ruling class, and “earth,” the supporters of that rulership, came to an end in 539 B.C.E. (Isaiah 51:6) This allowed repentant Jews to return to Jerusalem, where a “new heavens,” a new ruling body, ruled over “a new earth,” a righteous society of people.—Isaiah 65:17.

The Bible’s words about heaven and earth ‘passing away’ apparently refer to the end of today’s corrupt human governments and their ungodly supporters. (2 Peter 3:7) That will open the way for God’s new heavenly government to bless a righteous new human society, for “there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to [God’s] promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.”—2 Peter 3:13.

Thus, you can have faith in God’s promise that our earthly home will last forever. Moreover, the Bible shows what you must do to share in that wonderful time when the earth will be transformed into a global paradise. Jesus said: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) Why not make it your goal to examine what the Bible teaches about the future of the earth and humankind? Jehovah’s Witnesses in your area will be delighted to assist you in this regard.

Answer 3

Salutations!



One must be careful not to put too much into Jesus' hyperbolic statements. Jesus often used non-literal hyperbole - excessive exaggeration - when making his points. Is his main message found in the hyperbolic side, or Jesus' teaching side? The latter.



If we are to derive proofs from the hyperbolic sayings - if we are to go along with what you believe - then we must accept that it is literally easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than it is for a rich man to gain God's kingdom. Jesus' point is that it is extremely hard for a rich man to humble himself and get the right focus in life to become Christ's disciple. Jesus was not making any points about needles or camels.



Likewise, with your verse, Jesus was comparing the enduring quality of his word against the most enduring of God's visible creation - the heavens and the earth (which means everything, the universe). Jesus' point was that his word is more reliable than the universe. He wasn't making any points about the universe.



Yours,



Abernathy the Dull

Answer 4

It's a medafor it means the system that Satan and his rulers of this world will be done away with,

but the earth will still stay



Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming; but the earth is standing even to time indefinite.

Answer 5

I'm sure you'll get different answers from non JW's but there is one Scripture that lets us know that Heaven and Earth will not be destroyed as most people would see it. That is ''the meek shall inherit the earth''. If this is so, how can the Earth be destroyed? It can't as God does not lie. So, this can't be literal. The way things are now, with Satan being the ruler over the Earth, his way of rule and our way of life as we know it will be gone. Please remember that Satan and his demons(1/3 of the angels that sided with him) were kicked out of Heaven and came to earth. We do not live our ''real'' life but are under Satan for now. This will end during Armageddon when he's put into the abyss. The way it was in Heaven when Satan was there is already done with as he and Christ battled in Heaven.



(Revelation 12:7-12) And war broke out in heaven: Mi′cha·el and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled 8 but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. 9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! 11 And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. 12 On this account be glad, YOU heavens and YOU who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to YOU, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”

Answer 6

Heaven, in the Bible, can mean human governments. The earth can mean human society; Genesis 11:1,



The earthly, and wicked, governments will be destroyed. And, mankind, that supports wickedness will pass away.

Answer 7

Come on! Just use your sense of logic. When God destroyed the Flood, did he destroy our planet earth or the people on it.? It´s clear that the same is going to happen in the future.



2 Peter 3:13:

But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.



The “new heavens” is God’s heavenly Kingdom, which was established in the year 1914 when “the appointed times of the nations” ended. (Luke 21:24) This royal government is made up of Christ Jesus and his 144,000 corulers, most of whom have received their heavenly reward. In the book of Revelation, these chosen ones are portrayed as “the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev. 21:1, 2, 22-24) Just as earthly Jerusalem was the seat of government in ancient Israel, the New Jerusalem and her Bridegroom make up the government of the new system of things. This celestial city will ‘come down out of heaven’ by directing its attention to the earth.



The “new earth” refers to the new earthly society of humans who will have demonstrated their willing submission to God’s Kingdom. The spiritual paradise that God’s people enjoy even now will at last be in its rightful setting in that beautiful “inhabited earth to come.” (Heb. 2:5)



Isaiah 13:9:

 “Look! The day of Jehovah itself is coming, cruel both with fury and with burning anger, in order to make the land an object of astonishment, and that it may annihilate [the land’s] sinners out of it.



Zephaniah 1:18:

"Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.”

Answer 8

The Bible’s words about heaven and earth ‘passing away’ refers to the end of today’s corrupt human governments and their ungodly supporters.

Answer 9

Psa 102:25-26 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:



Isa 34:4 4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.



Isa 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.



Hag 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;



Heb 12:26-29 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.



2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.



2Pe 3:10 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.



2Pe 3:12 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?



THESE DETAILS HAVE TO DO WITH THE HEAVENS AND EARTH BEING DESTROYED, NOT JUST THE GOVERNMENTS BEING DESTROYED. WHY DO PEOPLE PICK AND CHOOSE PIECES FROM THE BIBLE TO SUIT THEIR DENOMINATIONAL RELIGIONS? GET OUT OF RELIGION PEOPLE!!! READ YOUR BIBLES AND ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL THE TRUTH TO YOU.

Answer 10

Greetings,



It is ludicrous to take an idiomatic and hyperbolic statement as literal and ignore the scores of EXPLICIT statements in God's Word which show that the earth will exist forever! By EVERY rule of exegesis this would be either theological dishonesty or ignorance.



The clause in Mk.13:31 is an idiomatic statement exactly like the saying "Until the wind stops blowing and the rivers stop flowing I'll love you." A native English speaker would recognize that the idiomatic statement is a hyperbole and does not literally mean that the wind will cease, but just the opposite; that because the wind will never cease I will love you forever.



However, non-native speakers find it very difficult to get the proper sense of idiomatic phrases and would not readily be able to understand that the above statement did not mean that the winds will NOT cease and that I will NOT stop loving.



The Expositor's Greek Testament says: "[HEWS HAN PARELQE] etc.: not intended to fix a period after which the law will pass away, but a strong way of saying never."



The Anchor Bible says: "This saying is certainly hyperbolic for purposes of effect." -Matthew, A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary by W.F. Albright and C.S. Mann. Doubleday, p.58.





Even more important the parallel account by Luke makes the meaning explicit by saying: "But it is EASIER for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped" (Lk 61:17).



This is why Charles B. Williams in his The New Testament in the Language of the People reads: "For I solemnly say to you, heaven and earth would sooner pass away than...." (Mt 5:18) ftnote: Grk., until heaven).



So, to make the original meaning clear a capable translator would have to show that Jesus was using a hyperbole to say that it is "inconceivable" that the Law would not be "fulfilled."





No matter how hard we may search, we will find no Bible text that contradicts the fact that the earth is eternal.



It is clear that God said that the earth & humans on it will exist to eternity (Ps.37:29; Rev.21:3,4). God's original purpose for the earth was for humans to cultivate & live *forever* on earth (Gen.1:28:2:15). The earth's eternity is a repeated theme in the Bible (Mt.5:5; Ps.104:5; Ec.1:4).



An examination of the verses which state that the earth will exist forever shows that these are explicit & not symbolic. On the other hand, EVERY verse which is used in an attempt to show that the earth will be destroyed is actually in a symbolic context.





Any conclusion that the literal earth will be destroyed by referring to the use of figurative language is faulty interpretation. Any attempt to make these symbolic statements literal only causes a contradiction in God's Word which explicitly states that the earth and righteous humans will exist forever.





While this verse is not speaking of the governmental “earth and heaven,” other verses do use this phrase to denote governments. This is a well known figure in apocalyptic and prophetic contexts in the Bible.



Pulpit Commentary: "Heavens...are therefore made emblems of government... The shaking of the heavens imports the removal of such governments (see Isa 13:10; 24:23; 34:4; Jer. 4:23; Ezek 32:7,8; Dan 8:10; Joel 2:10,30,31; 3:15; Amos 8:9,10).



"Heaven: "Figuratively regarded. Wherever the scene of a prophetic vision is laid, heaven signifies symbolically the ruling power or government...and therefore, in Isa 65:17, a new heaven and a new earth signify a new government, new kingdom, new people."--McClintock and Strong's:



"you may take it for a rule, that, in...all the prophets, heaven, sun, moon, stars, and the like are taken for governments, governors, dominions in political states, as Isa.14:12-15; Jer 15:9, 51:25. Isa 13:13; Ps. 68:6; Joel 2:10; Rev. 8:12; Mt. 24:29; Lk 21:25; Isa 60:20; Obad. 4; Rev 8:13; 11:12; 20:11."--Dr. John Owen, Shaking and Translating of Heaven and Earth



The prophecies regarding the destruction of enemy nations all contained terminology stating that the "heavens and earth" would be "burned up," "removed," "destroyed," "melt," "rot away," "be rolled up," and "devoured."



All such verses initially had a fulfillment on nations and lands when the prophecy was first stated in OT times. Was the literal earth and heavens destroyed when Edom, Egypt, Jerusalem, Babylon or Assyria were destroyed? No, the terminology was figurative as many Bible scholars well know.



So we see that the words "heaven" & "earth" in apocalyptic contexts can refer to earthly governments/rulership and to inhabitants of the earth.



Yours,



BAR-ANERGES

Answer 11

Obviously not everything is meant to be taken literally.

Answer 12

I checked out their "Insight on the Scriptures" book under "Heaven". There is a sub-heading, "Passing away of former heaven and earth" (as per Revelation 21:1). It says, "So the passing away of "the former heaven" indicates the end of political governments along with Satan and his demons... The earthly subjects of Satan's rule are destroyed prior to his abyssing, as shown in Revelation 19:17,18 cf. 1 Jo. 2:15-17. The description of a fiery destruction of heaven and earth at 2 Peter 3:7-12 corresponds to the visions in Revelation."



This means that they interpret 2 Peter 3 as being symbolic destruction only, not literal destruction of either Heaven or Earth. Another heading a little further on is, "Permanence of Physical Heavens":



"That the physical heavens are permanent is shown by the fact that they are used in similes relating to things that are everlasting, such as the peaceful, righteous results of the Davidic kingdom inherited by God's Son. Thus, texts such as Psalm 102:25,26 that speak of the heavens a 'perishing' and as 'being replaced like a worn-out garment' are not to be understood in a literal sense.



"At Luke 21:33, Jesus says that 'heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.' The sense of this expression seems to be like that of Matthew 5:18: 'Truly I say to you that sooner would heaven and earth pass away [or, 'it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away' Lu 16:17] than for one smallest letter or one particle of a letter to pass away from the Law by any means and not all things take place."



This means that every instance of scripture warning about the eventual destruction of heaven and earth (prior to God creating a new Heavens and a new Earth, in which righteousness will dwell) is said to be pictorial language only - symbolic stuff, not literal. Of course, they have to say that because one of their foundational doctrines is that the vast majority of humans will never get to Heaven but live forever on a paradise Earth. They equally dismiss Revelation 7 saying a great crowd that no man can number is worshipping God in heaven by saying it's symbolic language. The great crowd are actually on the Earth. This is the mess they get into by putting the cart before the horse. They never had to do such jumping through scriptural hoops till the mid 1930s when they introduced this new teaching about untold billions living forever on a paradise Earth.

Answer 13

lol All they are going to do, is look up information in their literature for the answer and that all comes from the Watchtower so anything any of them could say is just regurgitated opinions.