Passing away of heaven and earth. Pt.2

In the previous post we started talking about our passages in Rev. 20:11. and Rev. 21:1 if they refers to the same event. We saw that they had some indirect similarities in semantics and image. We translated the words [pheugo] and [apelthan], each of which means; Pheugo = “run away”, “retreat” or “escape”. in the sense of getting away from an imminent threat. And apelthan = “pass” (at the moment), “going out” or “leave” (from one place to another place or on the road), or to pass away for good for then never to return.

We was also looking at the understanding of things are “lost” (Revelation 21:1) and ended by asking what is the purpose of using the various terms ([pheugo] and [apelthan]) in the associated with “Heaven and Earth “. I will start with the first word, [pheugo], in this post and wait with the other word, apelthan, for the next blog post.

Let us look at Rev. 20:11 and the purpose of using the word [pheugo] – fled, in this vers. 

Passing Away of Heaven and Earth Pt.1

In my quest to show what the Bible tells us in different contexts and places in the Bible, it has been almost impossible for me to avoid some theological terms and interpretation. Some people think I might have been too theological and the translations from Greek / Latin a bit hard to catch etc. I admit it myself, theology and translations of some Greek, Latin and Hebrew words have been used, but it is not easy to avoid it if one like to make explanations of words, images and contexts elsewhere in the Bible.

For those who might think I am trained in both latin and / or greek, or have some theological education, I can tell you right away that I have none of this and I am probably not any better than you in this things. What I can tell you that I do, is reading, not only the Bible but also some books, articles, blogs and notes, some have theological content and maybe that’s why it is so with my blog too. But please, excuse me while I’ll try to make it easier for you to read the blog … yes, with reservation to when I need to elaborate on things more :), otherwise it will just be the plain text from the Bible that you can read yourself in the Bible.

New Creation and The New Jerusalem

Eschatology is about time

It have been a long time since I posted something her at my english blog, actually 4 1/2 month since last time. Despite of my lack of posting, both here and on my Norwegian blog, it have come some comments on some of my post. Those post have obvious interested some people more than other post.

One of the post I wrote a while back ago, regarding the Bride and the New Jerusalem which is a part of the blog-series I have about Revelation of John. Not unexpected and very pleasant, there have been questions about these things. It is not entirely unexpected comments from close friends who are “millennial-believers” (dispensationism) and who wish me back to the prokrust-bed. What I have to say is that I’m finished customizing the Scripture and the prophecies to my size of bed, but I think it might be helpful to write a bit more regarding the Bride, the New Jerusalem and New Heaven and New Earth. It may help both, me and you.

Revelation part. 10 – New Heaven and New Earth

“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev. 21:1-2)

Now that we have come to Revelation. 21 and will turn to “a new heaven and a new earth”, it may be that those who have followed the series, have a clue of where I go. I want to show that the new heavens and new earth are present, but it probably needs more explanation.

We Christians have been taught to believe that in ‘the end’ we will literally go into the perfect new heavens and new earth, dressed in the new physical body through the physical resurrection. Thus we are taught that Revelation 21:1 to 22:5 is about the Millennium that will come sometime in the future. But what I will argue is that the new creation that John presents here is a present reality as the ‘perfect order’, and will perfectly fulfill and replace. That is a new creation presented as an ideal image of the Christian faith in time and in the soil.