The Usage of the Heavens and the Earth-Literal or Figurative?

  The Usage of the Heavens and the Earth-Literal or Figurative?

Within the Preterist camp, there has been a lot of confusion on the usage of the Heavens and Earth. Some overgeneralize the phrase and apply covenantally across the board. This is problematic to the point that even in Genesis 1 is viewed as the formation of covenant and not the formation of the Earth. In this blog, I will demonstrate that the usage of the Heavens and Earth is multi-faceted and varies upon on its context.


The Heavens and Earth-Literal or Figurative?

There are both elements of literal and figurative language employed into Genesis 1, Isaiah 65, and Revelation 21.


Genesis 1:1 English Standard Version 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.


NOTE 1: This is the formation of the Earth for human flourishing (after the destruction of the dinosaurs), not the universe or the creation of the Earth. Furthermore, it is not the Adamic Covenant as some may believe. The Adamic Covenant is established in Genesis 2. This misunderstanding is due to an overgeneralization of the phrase “New Heavens and Earth” as being covenantal.

The problem is that the Gentile nations (who are not in covenant) are described as the Heavens and Earth as well. See Isaiah 13 for Babylon and Isaiah 34 for the Nations.

So the solution is to see the “Heavens and Earth” (creation and de-creation contexts) as a figurative description of the establishment of a political/national order.



Isaiah 65:17 English Standard Version 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.


Revelation 21:1-2 English Standard Version 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first (former) heaven and the first (former) earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 


NOTE 2: The only two covenants that are compared to each other eschatologically is between Moses and Christ, not Adam and Christ. See the Letter to the Hebrews. Adam and Christ are dichotomously compared  as representative kings. The priest aspect is not emphasized in 1 Corinthians 15. In Hebrews 8:13, Moses’ “Heavens and Earth”(The Old Covenant is prophesied to pass away, not Adam’s.) We NEVER see such language of Adam’s “Heavens and Earth” passing away ANYWHERE in the Bible. It is imposed upon the text. Again, we should see this as a new political/national order.


NOTE 3: The Greek word is Protos and should be translated as former, not first  per Isaiah 65:17. 

Genesis 1 is about the chaotic ruins of the Earth, a physical garden established, and a physical covenant (flesh/blood) between God and his remnant (Adam and Eve), and then mankind (those outside of the garden with the potential to be brought in). Likewise, Revelation 21-22 is about the chaotic ruins of the Old Covenant Jerusalem (70AD), a spiritual garden-city established, and a spiritual covenant between God and his remnant (Christ-New Adam and Church-New Eve), and then mankind (those outside of the garden-city with the potential to be brought in).






The Literal Heavens and Earth Functioning as Executioners/Witnesses of the Covenant.

When the Heavens and Earth function as witnesses their usage is modified as judicial agents of God’s political/national order, not the very covenant itself.

This distinction is small, but important to make.


Isaiah 1:2 English Standard Version  2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me


Deuteronomy 4:26 English Standard Version 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed.


Deuteronomy 30:19 English Standard Version 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live


Deuteronomy 31:28 English Standard Version 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears AND call heaven and earth to witness against them.


NOTE: Notice Heaven and Earth are called in addition to the elders and officers. They are not the same.


Deuteronomy 32:1 English Standard Version 32 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.


Psalm 50:4 English Standard Version 4 He calls to the heavens above  and to the earth, that he may judge his people.



It is not farfetched that the Literal Heavens and Earth are considered witnesses against Israel. In addition, other inanimate objects can serve as witnesses:

Genesis 31:48-53-A mound/heap of stones and pillar as a witness


Joshua 22:26,34- An altar as a witness


Joshua 24:25-27-A stone as a witness.




The Literal Heavens and Earth bring judgment as witnesses by not giving rain to the soil. This is a famine curse.

Zechariah 8:12 English Standard Version 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.


Deuteronomy 11:17 English Standard Version 17 then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.


Jeremiah 3:3 English Standard Version 3 Therefore the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come; yet you have the forehead of a whore; you refuse to be ashamed.


Deuteronomy 28:23 English Standard Version 23 And the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron.


Leviticus 26:19 English Standard Version 19 and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.






Genesis 1 has to be about the Literal Heavens and Earth, not the formation of a Covenant AT THIS POINT

Scripture continuously references the formation of the Heavens and Earth.

Nehemiah 9:6 English Standard Version 6 “You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.


Acts 4:24 English Standard Version 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,


Colossians 1:16 English Standard Version 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.


2 Kings 19:15 English Standard Version 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.


Deuteronomy 10:14 English Standard Version 14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.


Genesis 14:19 English Standard Version 19 And he blessed him and said,  “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.


Deuteronomy 3:24 English Standard Version 24 ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?



Lastly, Genesis 1 and 8 are parallels of each other. This is a geographic comparison to one another, not Covenants. In fact, Covenant language is introduced in the latter section of Genesis 8:20-9. Therefore, Genesis 1 is not the establishment of the Adamic Covenant, but of the Literal Heavens and Earth.



 












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