Post by Johnny Gotham on May 1, 2005 20:00:53 GMT -5
From www.ryanhicksministries.com/earth2.htm
Contrary to what many may believe or want to believe the Bible has never taught that the earth was flat. Men have twisted certain statements in Scripture and attempted to make the Bible teach that the Earth is flat. The Scriptures generally used by such scoffers to say that the Bible teaches that the Earth is flat are:
Isaiah 11:12
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Matthew 24:31
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Revelation 7:1
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Revelation 20:8
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
"The four corners of the earth," "the four winds," "the four winds of the earth," and "the four quarters of the earth" all refer to the four main directions of the earth which are: north, south, east, and west. This is simply the Biblical way of saying "the four directions of the earth."
In Revelation 7:1 the "four winds of the earth" refers to the four main directions that the wind blows, while in Matthew 24:31 the "four winds" refers to the four main directions of the earth. Such is clear from a plain reading of the Scriptures at hand.
"THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH"
1 Samuel 2:8
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.
The phrase "the pillars of the earth" as used here does not refer to the earth being set on columns, but to the Lord laying the foundations of the earth and setting the world upon them. This is simply a statement of truth about how the Lord laid the foundations of the earth and set the earth upon those foundations at creation.
"THE ENDS OF THE EARTH"
Job 28:24
24 " For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
Of the 28 times that the phrase "ends of the earth" occurs (Dt. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:10; Job 28:24; 37:3; 38:13; Ps. 48:10; 59:13; 65:5; 67:7; 72:8; 98:3; 135:7; Pr. 17:24; 30:4; Is. 26:15; 40:28; 41:5, 9; 43:6; 45:22; 52:10; Jer. 10:13; 16:19; 25:31; 51:16; Mic. 5:4; Zech. 9:10; Acts 13:47) only 8 times does it refer to both the whole earth and the inhabitants thereof (1 Sam. 2:10; Ps. 65:5; 67:7; 98:3; Is. 41:5; 45:22; 52:10; Acts 13:47)..
"THE ENDS OF THE WORLD"
Romans 10:18
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Of the 3 times that the phrase "ends of the world" occurs (Ps. 22:27; Rom. 10:18; 1 Cor. 10:11) once it refers to the whole earth and the inhabitants thereof (Ps. 22:27); once it refers to the whole earth (Rom. 10:18); and once it refers to the ends of the worlds or ages [Gr. aionon, ages].
"THE END OF THE EARTH"
Isaiah 49:6
6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Of the 13 times that the phrase "end of the earth" occurs (Dt. 13:7 [twice]; 28:49, 64; Ps. 46:9; 61:2; Is. 5:26; 42:10; 48:20; 49:6; Jer. 25:33 [twice]; Dan. 4:22) only once does it refer to the whole earth and the inhabitants thereof (Is. 49:6). The other 12 occurrences refer to the whole earth.
"THE END OF THE WORLD"
Psalm 19:4
4 Their line is gone out throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Of the 8 times that the phrase "end of the world" occurs (Ps. 19:4; Is. 62:11; Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; Heb. 9:26) 5 of those times it doesn't even refer to the end of the earth, but to the end of the age (Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20).
"THE END OF ALL THE EARTH"
Daniel 4:11
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
The phrase "end of all the earth" occurs only once (Dan. 4:11) and refers to the whole face of the earth, and doesn't suggest that the earth has ends.
"NO END OF THE EARTH"
Though some may claim that the phrases "the ends of the earth," "the ends of the the world," "the end of the earth," "the end of the world," and "the end of all the world" show that the Bible teaches that the world has ends and is flat. Yet, anyone can see that such is false by looking up the 51 verses given above in reference to these phrases. Even 6 of these 51 references don't even refer to the earth at all, rather to the end of the age (Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; 1 Cor. 10:11)! So to use any of the phrases above as "proof" that the Bible teaches that the earth is flat is either done in utter ignorance or through outright willful deception.
THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THE EARTH IS ROUND!
Isaiah 40:22
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
This verse proves beyond the scoffers doubts that the Bible plainly teaches that the earth is round and not flat. The Hebrew word that is translated "circle" here is chuwg and occurs only twice in the Old Testament. It is translated "circle" once (v.22) and "circuit" once (Job 22:14). It simply means circle, circuit, compass.
While in times past some did believe that the world was flat, we have seen that the Bible contradicted early science by teaching that the earth is round. Finally science has caught up to what the Bible taught thousands of years ago. With this in mind we ought to harshly reject any foolish theory of man that goes against the clear teachings of Scripture. The Scripture has been proven scientifically accurate and always will be. Let us accept the Creator's teachings of His creation, and reject any teaching contrary to this.
Contrary to what many may believe or want to believe the Bible has never taught that the earth was flat. Men have twisted certain statements in Scripture and attempted to make the Bible teach that the Earth is flat. The Scriptures generally used by such scoffers to say that the Bible teaches that the Earth is flat are:
Isaiah 11:12
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Matthew 24:31
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Revelation 7:1
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Revelation 20:8
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
"The four corners of the earth," "the four winds," "the four winds of the earth," and "the four quarters of the earth" all refer to the four main directions of the earth which are: north, south, east, and west. This is simply the Biblical way of saying "the four directions of the earth."
In Revelation 7:1 the "four winds of the earth" refers to the four main directions that the wind blows, while in Matthew 24:31 the "four winds" refers to the four main directions of the earth. Such is clear from a plain reading of the Scriptures at hand.
"THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH"
1 Samuel 2:8
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.
The phrase "the pillars of the earth" as used here does not refer to the earth being set on columns, but to the Lord laying the foundations of the earth and setting the world upon them. This is simply a statement of truth about how the Lord laid the foundations of the earth and set the earth upon those foundations at creation.
"THE ENDS OF THE EARTH"
Job 28:24
24 " For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
Of the 28 times that the phrase "ends of the earth" occurs (Dt. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:10; Job 28:24; 37:3; 38:13; Ps. 48:10; 59:13; 65:5; 67:7; 72:8; 98:3; 135:7; Pr. 17:24; 30:4; Is. 26:15; 40:28; 41:5, 9; 43:6; 45:22; 52:10; Jer. 10:13; 16:19; 25:31; 51:16; Mic. 5:4; Zech. 9:10; Acts 13:47) only 8 times does it refer to both the whole earth and the inhabitants thereof (1 Sam. 2:10; Ps. 65:5; 67:7; 98:3; Is. 41:5; 45:22; 52:10; Acts 13:47)..
"THE ENDS OF THE WORLD"
Romans 10:18
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Of the 3 times that the phrase "ends of the world" occurs (Ps. 22:27; Rom. 10:18; 1 Cor. 10:11) once it refers to the whole earth and the inhabitants thereof (Ps. 22:27); once it refers to the whole earth (Rom. 10:18); and once it refers to the ends of the worlds or ages [Gr. aionon, ages].
"THE END OF THE EARTH"
Isaiah 49:6
6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Of the 13 times that the phrase "end of the earth" occurs (Dt. 13:7 [twice]; 28:49, 64; Ps. 46:9; 61:2; Is. 5:26; 42:10; 48:20; 49:6; Jer. 25:33 [twice]; Dan. 4:22) only once does it refer to the whole earth and the inhabitants thereof (Is. 49:6). The other 12 occurrences refer to the whole earth.
"THE END OF THE WORLD"
Psalm 19:4
4 Their line is gone out throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Of the 8 times that the phrase "end of the world" occurs (Ps. 19:4; Is. 62:11; Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; Heb. 9:26) 5 of those times it doesn't even refer to the end of the earth, but to the end of the age (Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20).
"THE END OF ALL THE EARTH"
Daniel 4:11
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
The phrase "end of all the earth" occurs only once (Dan. 4:11) and refers to the whole face of the earth, and doesn't suggest that the earth has ends.
"NO END OF THE EARTH"
Though some may claim that the phrases "the ends of the earth," "the ends of the the world," "the end of the earth," "the end of the world," and "the end of all the world" show that the Bible teaches that the world has ends and is flat. Yet, anyone can see that such is false by looking up the 51 verses given above in reference to these phrases. Even 6 of these 51 references don't even refer to the earth at all, rather to the end of the age (Mt. 13:39-40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; 1 Cor. 10:11)! So to use any of the phrases above as "proof" that the Bible teaches that the earth is flat is either done in utter ignorance or through outright willful deception.
THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THE EARTH IS ROUND!
Isaiah 40:22
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
This verse proves beyond the scoffers doubts that the Bible plainly teaches that the earth is round and not flat. The Hebrew word that is translated "circle" here is chuwg and occurs only twice in the Old Testament. It is translated "circle" once (v.22) and "circuit" once (Job 22:14). It simply means circle, circuit, compass.
While in times past some did believe that the world was flat, we have seen that the Bible contradicted early science by teaching that the earth is round. Finally science has caught up to what the Bible taught thousands of years ago. With this in mind we ought to harshly reject any foolish theory of man that goes against the clear teachings of Scripture. The Scripture has been proven scientifically accurate and always will be. Let us accept the Creator's teachings of His creation, and reject any teaching contrary to this.